Walden University's Pledge to Joining Forces Helps Service Members and Their Families

MINNEAPOLIS, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The School of Nursing at Walden University has pledged its commitment to Joining Forces, a national initiative to take action in support of America's service members and their families. Together with the larger healthcare community, Walden will help prepare future generations of nurses to care for military service members, veterans and their families dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression and other clinical issues.

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In conjunction with The American Association of Colleges of Nursing's effort to engage nursing schools in Joining Forces, Walden has pledged to ensure that its current and future nursing students are trained to face the unique clinical challenges and employ best practices associated with caring for military service members, veterans and their families. To uphold its pledge, Walden's School of Nursing will redesign its healthcare policy course within its doctoral, master's and bachelor's programs. As part of this redesign, the course will provide an opportunity for students to develop an intervention plan that focuses on helping veterans and their families assimilate back into their communities. 

"Because the health needs of our returning veterans and their families are multiple and complex, Walden is proud to participate in this important initiative for this distinct underserved population," said Dr. Sara Torres, associate dean of Walden's School of Nursing and a former commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. "It will be essential to continue focusing on enhancing the care and support of these individuals, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to help them reach their goals after they've sacrificed so much for their country."

The Joining Forces initiative, spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, engages organizations focused on employment, education and wellness in a comprehensive effort to raise awareness about the service, sacrifice and needs of military families. The initiative aims to educate, challenge and spark action from all sectors of society to ensure that military families receive the support they have earned.

Walden's School of Nursing offers online nursing degree and certificate programs, including the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP); the CCNE-accredited Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with specializations in Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Leadership and Management, Nursing Education and Nursing Informatics; the CCNE-accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Completion Program; and Post-Master's Certificates in Nursing. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu/nursing.

About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 48,500 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries are pursuing their bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 60 campus-based and online universities in 29 countries.

Walden offers more than 65 degree programs with more than 330 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

SOURCE Walden University