Summer in Padova, Italy

Fairfield University Study Abroad - Your Passport to the World

A Fairfield University Program for
Graduate and Undergraduate Nursing Students

May 23-June 4, 2008

CEREF, the Institute of Research and Advanced Education, is your academic host in Padova. A partner of the University of Padova, CEREF offers master's degree programs in nursing, and implements research activities and educational programs. The hospitality of CEREF's staff will make your stay memorable. The ancient town of Padova in northeast Italy is home to one of Europe's oldest universities. Galileo taught at the University of Padova and Copernicus studied there. Padova's artistic and historic treasures include Giotto frescoes, the house of the poet Petrarch, and Prato delle Valle, the largest square in Europe. Also in Padova are the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica of St. Anthony, built in the 13th century, the Scrovegni Chapel with its 14th century paintings, and the Eremitani Civic Museum, with an impressive collection of the city's history and priceless art treasures.

Padova is a half hour by train from Venice and Verona, 90 minutes from Bologna, and two-and-a-half hours from Florence, so it's easy to explore on your own. Join us in this exciting intellectual, historic, and artistic center for a two-week program, and experience all that this beautiful and lively city has to offer.

NS 310 Research in Nursing
3 credits
Prerequisite: MA 17
This course provides an introduction to the research process and its application to scholarship in clinical practice. Students learn to be consumers of research through a review of the literature, critique of research, and identification of methods appropriate to study specific, practice-related problems. An emphasis is placed on critical thinking and writing skills. Consideration is given to ethical, economic, technological, and statistical dimensions. Application is made to clinical research, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement.

NS 508 Advanced Research and the Development of Nursing Science
3 graduate credits
This course provides an introduction to the nature of science, the state of the art of nursing and healthcare science, and the methods of nursing and healthcare research. The course provides a foundation for the examination of theory-research-practice connections and critique of extant nursing and healthcare models. This foundation allows for informed reading and application of research findings including: critique of research studies, evaluation of instruments, analysis of data. Major emphasis is placed on reading and critical appraisal of nursing and healthcare literature. Recognition of research priorities, and collaborative approaches to research are included. This course will provide a basis for the critical appraisal of nursing and health research.

Faculty

Jean W. Lange, RN, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the Fairfield University School of Nursing. Dr. Lange's research in instrument translation, patient satisfaction and knowledge of caregiver identity is published in several prestigious nursing journals. As the principal investigator of an award from the John A. Hartford foundation and a Hartford Scholar, Dr. Lange is also recognized for her leadership of curricular innovations in gerontological education. She has presented her work nationally and internationally and received several awards for her contributions to nursing science.

Janet G. Alexander, RN, Ed.D.
Associate professor and coordinates both the undergraduate and graduate research courses at the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing at Samford University, Alabama. Her research publications include articles on problem-based learning (PBL), caring, portfolios, parenting attitudes, and cancer in the rural elderly. She has presented scholarly papers and workshops throughout the U.S, Canada, and the British Isles, as well as Hong Kong and Peru.

Fairfield University, a Jesuit institution, is fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which accredits schols and colleges in the New England States.

Airfare is not included. Seats will be reserved on a group flight from JFK to Venice through STA Travel. You'll purchase your ticket directly from STA (or independently, if you wish). The group flight will depart on May 23 and return on June 4, but you can choose to return at a later date if you'd like to do some sightseeing after the program. Ask us for details.

Housing

Students will be housed in a four-star hotel offering excellent amenities. Lodging is double-occupancy with private bath.

Photo: Lynze Murphy '09

Program Cost

• $3,950 ($150 additional for graduate students). Includes:
• Tuition for 3 credits
• Visits to Padova hospital and nursing care services
• Double-occupancy accommodation in a 4-star hotel
• Breakfast and dinner daily; lunches on class days
• Welcome party and gala farewell banquet
• Municipal bus pass for transportation between CEREF, hotel, and downtown Padova

Program deposit of $500 due with application no later than March 1, 2008.

Balance due April 1, 2008

A cumulative GPA of 2.8 is required.

Application Instructions and Forms