Chamberlain College of Nursing Joins Forces with the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden to Support Veterans and Military Families — May 9, 2012

Contact: Sean McCarthy
MSL Chicago
For Chamberlain College of Nursing
312.861.5276
sean.mccarthy@mslgroup.com

 

Campuses across the U.S. join national effort to educate nursing students on combat-related health issues

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — May 9, 2012 — As part of the Joining Forces national initiative led by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, Chamberlain College of Nursing has committed to further educate nursing students to better prepare them to meet the unique health needs of service members, veterans, and their families. Joining Forces is a comprehensive national initiative to mobilize all sectors of the community to ensure service members, veterans, and their families receive the support they earned, particularly with respect to employment, education, and wellness.

Chamberlain, along with more than 500 nursing schools and 150 state and national nursing organizations, including the American Nurses Association, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National League for Nursing, in coordination with the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense, has committed to educating current and future nurses on how to recognize and care for veterans impacted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), depression and other combat-related issues.

“Whether we’re in a hospital, doctor’s office or community health center, nurses are often the first people we see when we walk through the door. Because of their expertise, they are trusted to be the frontline of America’s healthcare system,” said First Lady Michelle Obama in a statement to the AACN. “That’s why Jill and I knew we could turn to America’s nurses and nursing students to help our veterans and military families get the world-class care that they’ve earned.”

“Nurses are at the center of providing life-saving care in communities across the country – and their reach is particularly important because our veterans don't always seek care through the VA healthcare system,” added Dr. Jill Biden. “This commitment is essential to ensuring our returning servicemen and women receive the care they deserve.”

The invisible wounds of war, such as PTSD and TBI, have impacted approximately one in six of our troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq – more than 300,000 veterans. Since 2000, more than 44,000 of those troops have suffered at least a moderate-grade traumatic brain injury. Veterans seeking care within the VA healthcare system are often treated by healthcare professionals who have received extensive training in mental health issues. However, the majority of veterans in the country seek care outside of the VA system, visiting their local hospital staffed by nurses and doctors in their communities.

Joining Forces provides a far-reaching platform for nursing schools and organizations to work towards a common goal, and we thank the First Lady and Dr. Biden for their efforts in spearheading this special initiative across the U.S.,” said Susan Groenwald, national president of Chamberlain College of Nursing. “As a leader in nursing education, Chamberlain is committed to preparing our nursing students to recognize the unique health concerns of service members, veterans, and their families to improve the lives of those who sacrificed to serve our country.”

Chamberlain’s Commitment to Joining Forces
To support this national effort, Chamberlain has signed the official pledge and committed to the following tenets by 2014:

  • Educate America’s future nurses to care for our nation's veterans, service members and their families facing PTSD, TBI, depression and other clinical issues;
  • Enrich nursing education to ensure that current and future nurses are trained in the unique clinical challenges and best practices associated with caring for military service members, veterans, and their families;
  • Integrate content that addresses the unique health and wellness challenges of our nation’s service members, veterans and their families into nursing curricula;
  • Share teaching resources and apply best practices in the care of service members, veterans, and their families;
  • Grow the body of knowledge leading to improvements in healthcare and wellness for our service members, veterans, and their families; and
  • Join others to further strengthen the supportive community of nurses, institutions and healthcare providers dedicated to improving the health of service members, veterans, and their families.

For more information about Chamberlain College of Nursing, visit chamberlain.edu. For more information about the Joining Forces national initiative, visit whitehouse.gov/joiningforces.

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About Chamberlain College of Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing. Chamberlain is currently located in Phoenix, Arizona; Jacksonville and Miramar, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Addison and Chicago, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; St. Louis, Missouri; Columbus, Ohio; Houston, Texas; and Arlington, Virginia.

Chamberlain College of Nursing is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, ncahlc.org. HLC is one of the six regional agencies that accredit U.S. colleges and universities at the institutional level. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at the Addison, Arlington, Chicago, Columbus, Houston, Jacksonville, Miramar, Phoenix and St. Louis locations and the Master of Science in Nursing degree program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, 202.887.6791). The Associate Degree in Nursing program at the Columbus location is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404.975.5000). Accreditation provides assurance to the public and to prospective students that standards of quality have been met. 

Chamberlain College of Nursing 2450 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202 is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 101 N. 14th Street, 10th Floor, James Monroe Building, Richmond, VA 23219, 804.225.2600. Chamberlain College of Nursing has provisional approval from the Virginia Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463, 804.367.4515.

Program availability varies by location. Chamberlain reserves the right to update information as it becomes available. Information is current at the time of posting. For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation. Comprehensive consumer information is available at chamberlain.edu/studentconsumerinfo.

Chamberlain College of Nursing, LLC is a part of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), a global provider of educational services. ©2012 Chamberlain College of Nursing, LLC. All rights reserved. chamberlain.edu.

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