Capella University PhD Graduate Appointed Prestigious Endowed Chair Position
Rodney Hicks appointed nation's first endowed chair for patient safety in a school of nursing.
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) April 1, 2008
Rodney W. Hicks, PhD, R. N., a 2006 PhD from Capella University (http://www. capella. edu/default. aspx), an accredited, online university (http://www. capella. edu/online_university. aspx), has been appointed by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing to the nation's first endowed chair for patient safety in a school of nursing. The position was created through a partnership between University Medical Center (UMC) Health System and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, TX, because of a growing concern for patient safety; an important priority for hospitals across the nation.
"When you step into the hospital there is risk everywhere," said Rodney Hicks. "We have a responsibility to make the system safer so patients don't have to worry about losing their life. It's not bad people working in the health system, rather, the system itself is flawed."
His responsibility as endowed chair is to promote a culture of patient safety for nursing students and the clinical staff at UMC. The objective is to create a partnership between academic institutions and teaching hospitals, while allowing students to gain an appreciation for patient safety while attending school.
"In part, the real success of our fully online approach to learning is demonstrated by the accomplishments and successes of our Capella graduates", commented Chris Cassirer, dean of Capella University's School of Human Services, and a patient safety expert. "We are extremely proud of Rod's appointment and dedication to improving patient safety."
Hicks was chosen to be the inaugural UMC Health System Endowed Chair for Patient Safety because of his meticulous research. He became a nationally recognized leader in patient safety from conducting and evaluating medication error studies while employed at the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), where he gained a very strong knowledge of patient safety issues at the national level.
Hicks recognizes his success in researching patient safety from his extensive course work while pursuing his doctorate in health care administration (http://www. capella. edu/schools_programs/human_services/phd/health_care_administration. aspx) at Capella University (http://www. capella. edu/default. aspx). "What I learned in the course room was immediately relevant to the work I was doing at USP. Capella encouraged a synergy between my professional responsibilities and academic opportunities."
About Capella University
Founded in 1993, Capella University is an accredited*, fully online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, psychology, public health, and public safety, and bachelor's degree programs in business, information technology, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 104 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15 certificate program. The online university currently serves more than 22,000 students from all 50 states and 45 countries. Capella University is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company (NASDAQ: CPLA), headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit http://www. capella. edu (http://www. capella. edu) or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).
*Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), http://www. ncahlc. org (http://www. ncahlc. org).
Capella University, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552), www. capella. edu.
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