Fall 2015 Perspectives

In the words of American physicist Fritjof Capra, “The more complex the network is, the more complex its pattern of interconnections, the more resilient it will be.” Nowhere is this idiom truer than in the College of Health Care Sciences (CHCS). With 10 distinct health care disciplines and 28 degree programs represented among its offerings, the college boasts one of the most multifaceted and diverse sets of academics at Nova Southeastern University. Strategically located at seven NSU campuses, the College of Health Care Sciences showcases an expansive geographical reach that adds to its uniqueness and complexity. Today, the college offers programs represented by disciplines such as anesthesiologist assistant, athletic training, audiology, exercise and sports science, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assis- tant, respiratory therapy, sonography, and speech-language pathology. The College of Health Care Sciences, however, exists not only to serve our internal interests, as we are responsive to the needs of external stakeholders as well. Federal legislation, such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, has accelerated the need for more health pro- fessionals to serve the populace as the increasingly complex health care environment demands greater access for its constituents. Accordingly, the college has embraced the challenge of pro- ducing a miscellany of proficient health professionals that are academically prepared and ade- quately trained to meet society’s health care needs. But the clarion call in today’s health care marketplace is also for health care professionals to work more closely together as members of teams, eschewing the individualism and siloism that health care practice generally promotes. Appropriately, the drive toward interprofessional education and practice has taken on greater importance in recent years. Significantly, opportunities abound for collaborative and interpro- fessional ventures among all our programs at all our campuses, and the college is dedicated to fostering a milieu that maximizes those possibilities. Ongoing efforts include the launching of best-practice initiatives in interprofessional education and practice, hybridization, patient simulation, patient standardization, and innovative clinical education models. As you leaf through this edition of Perspectives , I encourage you to embrace the vision of build- ing a college that exudes inclusivity and is “recognized as a local, national, and international leader in health care education through excellence and innovation in teaching, scholarship, and service.” Stanley Wilson, Ed.D., PT, CEAS Dean, College of Health Care Sciences Nova Southeastern University Dean’s Message