Veronica D. Feeg, PhD, RN, FAAN, College of Nursing and Health Science, George Mason University, MSN 3C4, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444, 703-993-1940, rfeeg@erols.com

The evolution of nursing in developing regions such as Asia, Central America and the Middle East can be viewed as a replay of historical professional development for nursing in the West. But what is significant in these times is the global nursing shortage worldwide that has prompted a continuous reshuffling of health professionals, while governments and policy leaders seek mechanisms to stabilize a workforce for growing services that can improve the health of its citizens. One fertile target area for advancing education for all health professionals is to prepare nurses at the PhD level who can leverage their positions within the country’s health infrastructure and foster development of other health professionals to cascade and fill numerous health personnel needs. This presentation will describe the unique aspects of doctoral education for nurses, focusing on the case site of George Mason University, that has served several countries by producing and returning high level nursing professionals in regions of the world where academically educated women are rare and policy setting nurses are even more rare. Data from several cohorts of students from three regions of the world, including Asia, Central America and the Middle East, will be reviewed. National objectives related to the goals of educating nurses will be reviewed. Recommendations for optimizing the educational investment at this level will be offered as strategies to improve the health of people in these developing societies.

Learning Objectives:

• • Discuss the strategy of educating nurses at the doctoral level for promoting health personnel at all levels in their countries of origin.
  • Articulate the costs and benefits of investing in higher education for nurse professionals from countries that are facing shortages in health personnel.
  • Discuss the specific objectives within doctoral preparation that can maximize the nurses’ leadership roles in policy formation at the national level.
  • Recognize the importance of a cadre of highly educated nurses who can address the needs of the health services and health education sectors in developing countries.

Keywords: Education, Developing Countries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.