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Continuing Education

Nurse Fellowship Application Invitation

The University of Oklahoma College of Nursing is sponsoring “Focus on Prematurity: Women’s and Neonatal Health Conference and State of the Science on Prematurity and Low Birth Weight Institute”. This conference provides a unique opportunity for perinatal or neonatal nurses who would like to develop state of the science projects to improve care related to prematurity and low birth weight through its Fellowship program and Institute. Applications are invited for Prematurity Nurse Fellows who would like to propose projects related to prematurity prevention programs, programs for care of women in premature labor, or project to improve care of premature or low birth weight infants.

The Fellowship Program
This exciting professional experience will change your understanding of the state of the science on prematurity and low birth weight and will allow you the opportunity to develop best practice projects for your hospitals to improve neonatal and perinatal services. Selected Fellows will be invited to attend a three-day event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that includes a two-day workshop with national and regional experts on prematurity and low birth weight topics in women’s and neonatal health and a half day Institute on Prematurity and Low Birth Weight to discuss and develop projects. Each Fellow will be assigned a mentor who will assist them as a resource during project development and implementation, suggest possible funding sources, and provide support for publication and distribution of project reports. Fellows will be expected to return to their healthcare organizations after the conference to complete the development of their planned projects and to implement them. They will continue to maintain contact with their assigned mentors throughout various phases of the project. Candidates for fellowship must complete the attached application. Fellows will be notified of their selection to attend the State of the Science on Prematurity and Low Birth Weight Conference by August 31, 2008. 

Requirements of Fellows in return for receiving a fellowship award include:

1. Come to the conference prepared to discuss topics related to prematurity and low birth weight with national and regional experts.
2. Review any assigned pre-conference reading materials.
3. Be prepared to discuss a potential practice project with other Fellows, mentors, and experts who will attend the conference.
4. Maintain contact with assigned mentor during all phases of the project.
5. Present information about projects at local, regional or national meetings or prepare manuscript for publication.

Fellows will receive free admission to the two-day conference plus any special Fellows’ sessions and a third day session with assigned mentor. Conference fees and meals at special programs will be provided for Fellows. Travel to the conference and lodging is the responsibility of the Fellow. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be provided for conference attendance.

Eligibility Criteria

1. Post-baccalaureate neonatal or perinatal nurse with a desire to enhance your practice and that of your representative healthcare organization in the care of premature or low birth weight infants.
2. Completion of the fellowship application, including short narrative questions discussing your goals and plans for a project related to prematurity and low birth weight.
3. Submission of two letters of recommendations from nurse leaders in your healthcare setting supporting your participation in this Fellowship program, stating your exemplary professional characteristics, and how they view your role in the future. (Graduate students may submit one of the letters from a faculty person.)
4. Non-nurses with prematurity related foci will be considered.

Time Commitments
To meet the Fellowship program requirements Fellows are required to complete any pre-conference assessments or readings assigned prior to the conference. Fellows are required to attend all sessions, both those specifically for Fellows and all conference sessions. Fellows are also expected to complete all the necessary program and faculty evaluation tools and ongoing practice projects determined at the conclusion of the conference.

• Download the Fellowship Application here

Conference Schedule
(Sessions noted in bold are for Fellows and Invited Guests only. Program Subject to Change)

*(Sessions noted in bold are for Fellows and Invited Guests only. Program Subject to Change)