CINCINNATI -- The dean of nursing at the University of Cincinnati (UC) is leading a quality review of the Kingdom of Jordan's 22 associate and six baccalaureate nursing programs.
A team of 20 U.S. nursing professionals, headed by Dean Andrea Lindell, DNSc, of UC's College of Nursing, will meet in Cincinnati Sept. 15 for a one-day workshop to prepare them for the review.
For the last six years, Jordan has been working to improve the quality of its higher education programs in computer science, business administration, law, and accounting and is currently focusing on nursing.
The review is sponsored by the Hussein Fund for Excellence. A nonprofit organization supported by Jordan's banking sector, the fund was established in 1999 to enhance and improve the quality of the country's higher education among other goals.
The Hussein Fund is working with the Center for Quality Assurance in International Education (CQAIE), based in Washington, D.C., to lead the external review of Jordan's nursing degree programs.
The CQAIE selected Lindell to head the review for three primary reasons, according to Marjorie Lenn, PhD, the organization's executive director.
"Dr. Lindell has outstanding experience in United States accreditation, long-standing leadership at a national level in nursing, and senior-level experience in the administration of one of the most highly esteemed nursing programs in the country," says Lenn.
"I'm very honored to be selected as the U.S. representative to help Jordan measure the quality of its nursing programs and ultimately raise the standards they use to judge themselves," Lindell says.
"The fact that Jordanian leaders requested the assistance of the United States shows they value what we've done to monitor and assess our own nursing programs to ensure quality," she says.
The review process began earlier this year when Lindell traveled to Jordan to meet with dignitaries, including Her Royal Highness Princess Muna Al Hussein, director of the country's nursing council, and nursing leaders. During her visit, Lindell shared the expectations of a quality assurance review and how Jordan can effectively prepare for it.
Nursing educators in Jordan are currently undergoing self-reviews and preparing documentation that will be evaluated by the U.S. review team. They will travel to Jordan in November and December to meet with Jordanian nursing educators and expect to complete the reviews by early next year.
According to Hilda Ajeilat, PhD, executive director of the Hussein Fund, demand for national and regional nursing programs at Jordan's colleges and universities is increasing.
"The nursing profession demands wide knowledge, problem solving and practical skills," says Ajeilat. "That's why we want to improve the quality of our programs. We're also experiencing an increased need for nurses because of a number of new hospitals in the region."
The highest quality baccalaureate program will receive $45,000 from the Hussein Fund, and the best associate program will receive $15,000.