Nurse anesthesia programs to merge
Healthy Times,
Winter 2002
The University of Detroit Mercy’s Nurse Anesthesia programs in partnership with St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital and Henry Ford Hospital will consolidate January 1, 2003. The merger will centralize admissions and program leadership, and bring all nurse anesthesia students to UDM’s McNichols Campus for their required science courses.
St.
Joseph’s will become the program’s primary clinical site;
however, Henry Ford will continue to offer clinical rotations at its various
campuses and clinics.
Michael Dosch, St. Joseph’s Nurse Anesthesia program director, will become director of the merged programs. UDM may pursue new partnerships with other organizations, according to Suzanne Mellon, College of Health Professions dean.
The program consolidation was prompted by staffing changes at Henry Ford Hospital that made it difficult for the hospital to continue its current commitment to nurse anesthesia education.
“All sides are working diligently to make sure the transition goes as smoothly as humanly possible,” says Patrick Quinn, Henry Ford Hospital’s Nurse Anesthesia program director.
Because the two programs worked so closely on admissions, curriculum
and other key areas, Dosch says the merger was inevitable.
“It was a natural step, a logical progression, and it will be good
in the long run,” he says.
