Date: April 29, 2008
Contact: Eric Matanyi
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-4044
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: e-matanyi@govst.edu

For Immediate Release

Department of Nursing Awarded Homeland Security Grant

Governors State University's Department of Nursing has been awarded funding to develop a three hour homeland security course that will be available to students across the state. Funding comes from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s (DCEO) Homeland Security Market Development (HSMD) Bureau.

The course, “Healthcare Security and Disaster Preparedness,” is designed for nursing and healthcare leaders. It will focus on the assessment of health needs of specific communities, which could be compromised by events impacting homeland security.

The course will also be part of the GSU’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program.

“The ability to assess, plan, and provide for the health care needs of specific populations when compromised by man-made or natural disaster is an essential component of the healthcare adminstration role,” said GSU lecturer Patricia Martin, who developed the course.

The course will cover homeland security policies, healthcare disaster planning, coordination within the Federal Disaster Response Network, response to natural and environmental disasters, and disaster management are explored.

The course will be part of an alliance of eight Illinois universities that share educational resources on Homeland Security topics. The alliance, known as the Innovative Delivery of Education Alliance, recently called for proposals for courses that could address important topics in homeland security. The GSU proposal was one of only three funded.

The course will be offered in the Spring/Summer trimester in 2009 in a fully online format. The course will be open to healthcare managers and administrators.