October 13, 2022 – Sacred Heart University (SHU) and Nuvance Health have agreed to create the Nuvance Health Sacred Heart University Chair of Nursing Education, Research and Innovation.
The chair will collaborate with Nuvance Health and SHU stakeholders to help further the missions of both organizations and will establish a vision for nursing practice, education, research and innovation. He or she will leverage best practices to develop programs and initiatives that further the practice of nursing.
Karen Daley, dean of SHU’s Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., and Richard J. Henley College of Nursing, believes both parties will benefit from the collaboration. “It should bring the two organizations closer. We anticipate this will be the beginning of a larger relationship,” Daley said.
She hopes the chair will be able to foster research that will address the nursing shortage. She notes a recent trend where nursing graduates quit their jobs after a few days because they find they are not ready to handle the challenges.
“If our research can discover why this is happening, we can develop new clinical models that will better teach them what to expect and more fully prepare them for actual practice. This is one example of research that would be a win-win for both Nuvance Health and SHU,” Daley said.
Dereck DeLeon, chief academic officer for Nuvance Health, said this role can help transform traditional nursing careers through innovation and collaboration.
“I expect the candidate we bring into this new position will help Nuvance Health and Sacred Heart University position themselves as thought leaders for how the world of nursing will look in the years and decades to come,” DeLeon said.
The chair will report to DeLeon three days a week and to Daley two days a week. Nuvance Health is conducting the hiring search to fill the position and will pay the salary and benefits. The hiring process is underway with representatives from both organizations on the search committee.