FranU First Nursing Program in the Country to Receive POM

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is the first nursing program in the country to earn the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education Program of Merit designation.

The designation serves as a stamp of excellence awarded to gerontology and health profession programs across the United States. The programs need to meet the competencies established by the Partnership for Healthy Aging that was endorsed by 50+ organizations across the nation.

The Program of Merit is a voluntary program of evaluation for AGHE member and nonmember institutions that offer either gerontology programs (degree and non-degree granting) or health professions programs whose curricula integrate gerontology/geriatrics content. The Review process is similar to accreditation, but as there is no accreditation for health professions programs regarding curriculum focused on aging.

FranU’s gerontological curriculum had to complete a lengthy application process to educate the AGHE POM review team about how the University meets or exceeds the team’s expectations, and also show the quality of experience FranU provided its students.

“Dr. Mullins and her team did an exceptional job on the application and documenting the components of the BSN program that meet and in some cases, exceed the standards. The BSN program is well-positioned to prepare nursing students to be competent and confident in their attitudes, skills, and knowledge for working with older adult patients or engaging with older adults who may be the care providers for children/family members,” stated Professor & Director of Geriatrics Education and Research Dr. Marilyn R. Gugliucci.

Gugliucci continued, “FranU BSN program understands that older adults require mindful health care. It is detrimental to older adults to presume that medical care for any adult also applies to older adults. The AGHE POM designation for FranU’s BSN program is a stamp of excellence that recognizes the faculty and curriculum for addressing very specific standards that prepares their nursing students in stellar ways for a world that is rapidly increasing its numbers of older adults.”

FranU will be recognized in November at the 75th Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting held in Philadelphia, PA.

“We're extremely proud and delighted. It’s a wonderful expression to the community to let them know how well we’re preparing our students to care for older adults after graduation. The designation embodies our goal,” conveyed Dr. Lindsay Mullins, chair of gerontology.

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education is the only national institutional membership organization devoted primarily to gerontology and geriatrics education. Its mission is to develop and sponsor education and training initiatives to advance the field of aging.