UNLV's department of nursing recently announced the names of the first graduates of the new certificate program in Nursing Case Management.

The following registered nurses have all successfully completed the 12-credit certificate program: Mary Earl, Richie Jenkins, Junji Navarro, and Verna Stringer. The program is designed to prepare post-baccalaureate graduate nurses to assume the role of first-line nursing case managers.

"I'm proud of this new program and of these students," said Joan Trofino, associate professor of nursing. "In this age of managed care, the nurse case managers have become invaluable to society in their efforts to lead clients and families through illness or injury, while providing client advocacy, helping to keep down health care costs, and ensuring that quality of care is provided along the health care continuum."

The graduate courses include:

-- Nursing Systems Management, which examines the management of health care organizational systems.
-- Introduction to Nursing Case Management, which analyzes the nursing case manager role within an organization.
-- Nursing Case Management Systems, which explores case management systems and client outcomes.
-- Nursing Case Management: Practicum I, which offers the students a hands-on opportunity to interact in the case manager role within selected agencies with guidance from the instructors.

Enrollment is limited and courses begin during each fall semester. For additional information, contact the department of nursing at 895-3360.