The Value of Advanced Degrees

“Supporting life-long learning and teaching” is one of seven guiding principles of Cleveland Clinic’s Stanley Shalom Institute for Nursing Excellence. This year, the institute has been recognized nationally with a Center for Excellence in Nursing Education designation from the National League for Nursing.

The nursing institute was honored in the category of “Creating Workplace Environments that Promote the Academic Progression of Nurses” for demonstrating sustained, evidence-based and substantive innovation. “In today’s highly technical and changing healthcare environment, it is critical that our nursing team continues to advance its skillset,” says Associate Chief Nursing Officer Joan Kavanagh, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, in the Office of Nursing Education and Professional Development. “We need to stay sharp, develop leaders and drive innovation. Education is the doorway to this, and we are so proud of our nursing team for receiving this designation.”

With a generous tuition reimbursement program and an ambitious nursing team, more Cleveland Clinic nurses are entering higher education programs than ever before. Over the last three years, 264 Cleveland Clinic nurses have entered a doctorate or PhD program, and many more are seeking other advanced degrees and certifications. Here, three nurses share their unique journey to getting their doctorate while working at Cleveland Clinic.

“Seeing the bigger picture”
Barbara Zinner, DNP, RN, NE-BC
Vice President of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer, Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital

About 30 years ago, Dr. Zinner began her career as a staff nurse at Cleveland Veteran’s Hospital, and later a nurse manager at St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland. She joined Marymount Hospital in 1995, and held various management positions before becoming Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) in 2012.

In 2015, she earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Chamberlain College of Nursing. It took her two full years of study with no summer breaks.

“I was at a place in my life and career where it felt like the ‘right time,’” says Dr. Zinner. “I was comfortable in my role as CNO and wanted to learn more and evolve into a more seasoned leader.”

When Chamberlain College presented its program to Cleveland Clinic’s nursing staff, Dr. Zinner was attracted by the college’s sensitivity to working students — many who hadn’t taken college courses in years.

“Work was always first,” she says. “Schoolwork was at night after work and on weekends. My Sundays were called ‘marathon Sundays.’ I’d sit at my desk at home from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. doing schoolwork. I got really good at writing and typing papers in the car as my husband drove to our son’s hockey games. I’d even pull out the laptop during intermissions.”

All of Dr. Zinner’s coursework was online, with assignments due each Wednesday and Sunday. The variety of topics and the input from fellow students captivated her. Professors gave challenging assignments and were always available to help.

The most challenging part, however, was finding time for outside interests. Dr. Zinner credits her husband’s support for helping her finish her degree. “He sacrificed a lot,” she says. “He’d make dinners and take care of errands, and every night when I was upstairs completing assignments, he’d check on me.”

Dr. Zinner says her DNP has changed how she looks at issues, enabling her to see the bigger picture and consider different aspects of healthcare policy and procedure. Her advice to others considering a DNP: “Just do it! Rely on others to help and believe that you can accomplish this goal.”

“Impacting nursing on a broader scale”
Myra Cook, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, CSC
Critical Care, Cleveland Clinic main campus

Early in her nursing career, Cook experienced the death of her father in her own intensive care unit. The support she received from coworkers inspired her, and she wanted to honor her father’s memory by making greater contributions to nursing practice.

“As a clinical nurse, I became active in practice councils, champion programs, shared governance and professional organizations,” she says. “I precepted new nurses and found a love for teaching. Yet I knew that obtaining an advanced degree would expand the opportunities I had to impact nursing on organizational and systems levels.”

In 2009, after 11 years as a staff nurse and clinical instructor in the cardiovascular intensive care units, Cook earned a master’s degree from Kent State University and became a clinical nurse specialist. She attended school year-round, completing the program in less than two years.

“It was challenging to juggle being a mother, wife and full-time nurse when in graduate school,” says Cook. “There were several times that I had to turn down invitations for family events or parties to finish homework. My daughter — a teenager at the time — was resilient and later expressed that she was inspired to reach her dreams because she watched me achieve mine.”

During her master’s program, Cook took several courses on implementing evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes. She enjoyed searching literature to find best practices and innovations. She and her fellow students were charged with implementing projects, measuring outcomes and disseminating results.

Cook says that her advanced degree opened doors of opportunity for career advancement and professional development. She recently transitioned into a new role as APRN/PA Coordinator. Now, half of her time is spent in clinic and half in management.

“I now have the knowledge and skills to impact nursing practice on a broader scale through systems thinking, research, interprofessional collaboration, health policy and leadership,” she says.

In August 2015, Cook returned to graduate school to earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. She will graduate in December 2017 from the University of Akron.

“My advice for anyone thinking of obtaining an advanced nursing degree is to take your passion for nursing and combine it with perseverance to complete a meaningful goal,” she says. “Remember, it is effort rather than talent or intelligence alone that leads to success.”

“Now seeking funding for research”
Beth Faiman, PhD, CNP
Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders, Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Faiman has worked in oncology since 1995, first as a registered nurse and then as a nurse practitioner after earning her master’s degree in 2002. While appreciating her clinical role, she wanted to learn more about designing and conducting clinical trials to answer important supportive care questions.

“Patients struggle with symptoms of disease and often experience side effects of drugs, which can negatively impact their quality of life and ability to function,” says Dr. Faiman. “Research into how to assess these symptoms and intervene from a nursing or medical perspective interested me.”

To earn her PhD, she took part in a T32 training fellowship with a senior nurse researcher at Case Western Reserve University, which provided a stipend and allowed her to work part-time while getting her doctorate.

“My first course was in fall 2008,” says Dr. Faiman. “I realized the unique opportunity to further my education full-time. Not many people have that luxury. I took my time to dive into the coursework and to learn all I could about the rigors of clinical research and the science behind clinical protocol design.”

At the same time, she worked at Cleveland Clinic two-and-a-half days per week. She also kept her pager for emergencies and logged into the electronic medical record regularly on her off days.

“My department was supportive,” Dr. Faiman says. “They understood that the skills I was learning would benefit my job in hematology and oncology.”

Dr. Faiman completed her PhD in clinical research and nursing in 2014.

“I don’t think I’d have been able to complete my degree and work as a nurse practitioner full-time,” she says. “I’d wake up as early as 4 a.m. to complete papers or study for exams. On weekends, I’d get up early to work until noon or 1 p.m., and then spend the rest of the day with my family. There were undoubtedly personal sacrifices, but they were short-term.”

Her studies focused on clinical trial design, with many courses on statistical analysis and philosophy. Since completing her PhD, she has served as a sub-investigator and principal investigator on several clinical trials related to both treatment and supportive care. She continues to see patients during her clinic days, but also is writing grants to seek funding for her own research.

“I believe a PhD elevates the nursing role to the highest level,” says Dr. Faiman. “Funding for research and education is available and, for most, earning a PhD is manageable. If you take your time and dive into the studies while balancing work and personal life, you can be successful.”