New Academic Programs Respond to Job Market and Region’s Needs

The UNC Charlotte College of Health and Human Services is responding to the greater Charlotte region’s employment needs with three new graduate certificate programs that are relevant to the current and future job market.

“UNC Charlotte has a long history of being nimble in adapting to the evolving needs of our students and our community with relevant and future-oriented academic programs,” said Joan Lorden, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “These new programs are designed to respond to industry needs, provide excellent opportunities for current and prospective students, and help strengthen our region’s workforce.”

The programs will be open for new and current students by fall 2021.

Applied Nursing Informatics Graduate Certificate

The Applied Nursing Informatics Graduate Certificate is a 12-hour program aimed at improving practicing registered nurses’ skills in incorporating technology and informatics into their practice and clinical agencies.

• Collecting, analyzing and using aggregate patient outcome information to improve safety and the care of patients has become an essential part of practice for all nurses, but especially for nurse administrators, clinical nurse educators, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse leaders.
• In addition, the pandemic has re-focused attention on the many ways tele-health can be used to provide care and improve patients’ access to care.
• The online certificate program will teach competencies in applying information analytics to nursing practice and administration, implementing information systems in a practice setting, managing tele-health practices, and using informatics in planning resource use and distribution.
• The Applied Nursing Informatics Graduate Certificate will be available starting in the fall 2021 semester.

Respiratory Care Leadership Graduate Certificate

There is an industry need for more respiratory care department directors, supervisors and college faculty over the next 10 years as individuals transition into retirement.

• The Respiratory Care Leadership Graduate Certificate is a fully online program designed for those who want to advance in leadership and management roles in clinical and educational settings.
• The certificate’s 12 credit hours provide a career jump start and are transferable to the fully online M.S. in Respiratory Care program offered at UNC Charlotte.
• The program prepares professionals to apply leadership and evidence-based practice principles to plan and make collaborative and effective decisions relevant to respiratory care services or education.
• The Respiratory Care Leadership Graduate Certificate will be available starting in the fall 2021 semester.

Respiratory Care Clinical Concepts Graduate Certificate

The Respiratory Care Clinical Concepts Graduate Certificate will provide current respiratory therapists with additional knowledge and skills for advanced clinical practice to further their careers as clinical specialists, pulmonary disease educators and navigators, research coordinators and industry sales representatives.

• The online program prepares professionals to apply clinical reasoning skills and evidence-based practice concepts to examine, evaluate and manage patients with cardiopulmonary diseases.
• Fewer than 45% of current respiratory therapists hold a baccalaureate degree or higher (AARC, 2017), however the need is growing for those with advanced skills.
• The 12 credit hours will transfer to the fully online M.S. in Respiratory Care program.
• The Respiratory Care Clinical Concepts Graduate Certificate will be available starting in the fall 2021 semester.