Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program - About Us

Statement of Philosophy

The philosophy of OLLMC NAP is to provide an outstanding graduate-level education to critical care nurses. Students begin their journey as novice student nurse anesthetists and complete their training as supervised, proficient clinicians. Throughout this journey, the mission of Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is encouraged and supported. The NAP promotes the Franciscan tradition of serving all patients and each other with reverence, compassion, and integrity. The NAP strives for excellence in stewardship to our patients, their families, the community, and to each other. The program is committed to creating a collaborative and inclusive community that provides a forum for all adult learning styles while endorsing the principles of professional ethics and advocacy. The NAP believes that adult learning is a dynamic process requiring the active cooperation of both the student, and the faculty member, to promote lifelong learning, critical thinking skills, and autonomy. A rigorous academic and clinical curriculum provides the framework for graduate level learning. Graduates of the program are prepared for safe, entry-level practice as advanced practice nurse anesthetists.

Pictured (L to R): Jacqueline Pepe, MSN, APN-A, CRNA, Alice Jurski, EdD, APN-A, CRNA, Candace Ghaul, DNP, APN-A, CRNA

Program Director:
Alice Jurski EdD, APN-A, CRNA

Contact information:
856-886-6881P
856-886-5401 F
ajurski@virtua.org
OLLMC NAP
1600 Haddon Avenue
Camden, NJ 08103

Dr. Jurski has been the Program Director of Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center Nurse Anesthesia Program since 2014. She has over 15 years of experience as a CRNA, in administration, teaching, and clinical practice.

Research interests: Dr. Jurski’s research interests focus on motivations and barriers to successful role acclimation of nurse anesthesia students.

Professional Society: Dr. Jurski is a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists.


Assistant Program Director:
Candace Ghaul DNP, APN-A, CRNA

Contact information:
856-886-6881 P
856-886-5401 F
cghaul@virtua.org
OLLMC NAP
1600 Haddon Avenue
Camden, NJ 08103

Dr. Ghaul has over 20 years of experience as a CRNA. She has been with the Nurse Anesthesia Program since 2014.  She was named the Assistant Program Director in September 2017.

Research interests: Dr. Ghaul’s research interests focus on Evidence-Based Practice and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for Anesthesia Providers .

Professional Society: Dr. Ghaul is a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society – Phi Pi Chapter


Clinical Director:
Jackie Pepe MSN, APN-A, CRNA

Contact information:
856-886-6881 P
856-886-5401 F
jpepe1@virtua.org
OLLMC NAP
1600 Haddon Avenue
Camden, NJ 08103

Jacqueline Pepe was named Clinical Director in September 2017. She has served as Clinical Coordinator for the Nurse Anesthesia Program since 2015.   Jacqueline has over 10 years of experience as a CRNA.

Chairman Department of Anesthesia:
J. Mark Armstrong, MD

Clinical Staff
DREXEL ACADEMIC AFFILIATE LIAISON (for currently enrolled students through the Class of 2021):

Kirsten Connolly, MA
Admissions and Academic Student Services Manager
kjb52@drexel.edu

 

For currently enrolled students (through the Class of 2021):
Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions MSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC, 20036 (202)-887-6791. Drexel University’s educational programs are accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

The Lourdes Nurse Anesthesia Program received ten-year accreditation status through the Council on Accreditation (COA) on October 9, 2019. A COA list of accredited nurse anesthesia programs can be found at: https://www.coacrna.org/programs-fellowships/list-of-accredited-programs/

Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs
222 South Prospect Avenue
Suite 304
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068-4010
PHONE (847) 655-1160 FAX (847) 728-8128
Website: http://coacrna.org
Email: accreditation@coacrna.org

Statistics for the Class of 2020

Certifying examination pass rate for first time takers:  87%
Employment rate within 6 months of graduation:  100%
Attrition rate:  6%  

Diversity
The Nurse Anesthesia Program (“NAP”) makes affirmative good faith efforts to recruit and retain qualified applicants. The NAP will not engage in or tolerate unlawful discrimination on the basis of a person’s race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, disability, handicap, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, civil union status, veteran’s status, military status or membership in any other protected group, in any aspect of the graduate education program.

For more information on diversity in nurse anesthesia visit the AANA website www.aana.com and/or www.diversitycrna.org

Rights & Responsibilities

Applicants to our program have a right to expect that (applicable only to currently enrolled students through the Class of 2021):

• Materials and conferences aimed at recruitment shall be factual, fairly presented and contain detailed information pertaining to the program content, graduation requirements and student rights and responsibilities in a language clearly understood.
• Applicants will be treated in a nondiscriminatory manner without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, age or disability, consistent with law. Although an applicant should not be required to provide information regarding any protected characteristics, he or she can provide such information on a voluntary basis. An applicant may be asked if he or she can perform the essential tasks or functions of a nurse anesthetist.
• Fair, non-discriminatory practices in the selection process of the program.
• Upon acceptance into the program of nurse anesthesia, students will be provided the quality of education necessary to accomplish the learning outcomes of the program to assure that they will be competent nurse anesthetists.

Students enrolled in the program have a right to expect that (applicable only to currently enrolled students through the Class of 2021):

• Enrollment in the program of nurse anesthesia is equivalent to the signing of a contract between the student and the program. The rights and responsibilities of each part of the contract are fully understood and complied with. Student failure to achieve the prerequisites for graduation within the time frame expected for which he/she enrolled is based on valid, reliable data and information from evaluations, viewed objectively and fairly, and reviewed as may be required by due process mechanisms when contested.
• Students will be provided opportunity to manage anesthetics for all categories of patients undergoing a variety of diagnostic and/or therapeutic interventions utilizing consultation as required.
• Theory underlying the practice of anesthesia will be integrated with actual practice.
• Students will not be exploited relative to time commitment or pay for profit of the conducting institution, corporation or off-campus clinical site.
• The student will receive course syllabi prior to the quarter-term start date.
• The student is entitled to the timely receipt of tuition bills, examination grade, and report cards.
• Fair and accurate evaluations of their progress in the educational program are performed quarterly and that they are given opportunity to review, comment and sign them.
• Students will have access to transcripts of their academic and clinical achievements and upon request have verified copies furnished to institutions, agencies, other programs of nurse anesthesia as specified by the student or graduate.
• That as a graduate of the program a complete, accurate, certified transcript of educational experiences will be forwarded to the certifying agency in sufficient time for eligibility determination to be made for the first qualifying examination for certification following graduation.

Student will be held accountable for (applicable only to currently enrolled students through the Class of 2021):

• The quality of preparation, completion, and performance of assignments.
• Complying with the policies and regulations pertaining to the program of nurse anesthesia.
• Fulfilling all responsibilities connected with the program defined at the time of enrollment in the program, or made a part of the educational contract during matriculation.
• The student is expected to submit end-of-term course/instructor evaluations.
• Students are responsible for reviewing their Drexel and Lourdes report cards each quarter term. The report cards for Lourdes coursework will not be released until course evaluations are completed.
• The student is responsible for familiarizing themselves with the Lourdes graduation criteria as set forth in the Student Handbook as well as Drexel graduation requirements available in the MSN Student Handbook.

Faculty have a right to expect that: 

• Teaching loads are fair and equitable.
• Opportunity for academic advancement and professional growth are available.
• Didactic faculty will be provided adequate prep time to prepare for class.
• Didactic faculty will be relieved from their clinical responsibilities in time to present lectures.
• Faculty will be given the opportunity to participate in policy making decisions and be fully represented in actions resulting from these decisions. Salaries are fair and equitable.
• Faculty will be involved in the review, updating and revision of the nurse anesthesia core curriculum.
• Salaries are fair and equitable.

Patients have a right to expect that:

• When students are involved in administering anesthesia, they will be appropriately supervised by either a board-certified anesthesiologist and/or a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
• Assigning students to cases is based on the specific criteria i.e. the student’s grade level, clinical competency, and academic knowledge. Other factors that will be considered include the complexity of the case and the comfort level of the clinical instructor.

The Conducting institution has a right to expect that (applicable only to currently enrolled students through the Class of 2021): 

• The program will function within the university’s mission and fiscal constraints.
• NAP personnel will abide by and follow all of the Drexel University policies, rules and regulations as stipulated in the articulation agreement.
• Faculty will volunteer their time and talents to increase the quality of the NAP by serving on university committees.

The Affiliating institutions have a right to expect that (applicable only to currently enrolled students through the Class of 2021):

• Both Drexel University and the NAP honor all of the tenets of the signed articulation agreement.

The accrediting agency has a right to expect that: 

• All correspondence between the NAP and the COA will be accurate and honest.
• The NAP will provide requested documents in a timely fashion.
• The NAP will inform the COA of any major programmatic change that may impact program quality.

 

For questions, please call 856-886-6881, or email OLLMCNAP@virtua.org.