The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh College of Nursing (CON) faculty and staff strive to meet the needs of the communities we serve in many ways. These needs may include workforce development, improving services and adding to healthcare knowledge. The need for healthcare workers is evident in a recent Wisconsin 2018 RN Workforce Survey. Currently, Wisconsin has 90,143 registered nurses, and the need for nurses continues to grow. In the past year, 347 students graduated from CON.

This issue of CONtact highlights efforts to grow the nursing workforce by providing student scholarships and expanding programs. Scholarship donations have an impact on the recipients, the donors and the lives they touch. Two stories in this issue highlight the impact of scholarship. Our programs continue to grow as we admit new students in nurse anesthesia, family practice, nurse education, clinical nurse leadership and undergraduate programs. We also meet public needs for improved healthcare services and knowledge. Faculty develop the science of nursing with practice and research efforts as evidenced by the effort to help sufferers of chronic pain in the featured story on page 8. Developing policies, along with publishing research efforts, adds to knowledge development and improved healthcare. The Great Cookie Experiment: A Recipe for Student Success is an innovative way to teach research.

CON faculty and staff are dedicated to developing future nurses. The students are expected to meet high standards of practice. Our points of pride identify some of the outstanding accomplishments of our students.

This issue highlights only a few of the efforts of faculty, staff and students. I invite you to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and connect with us at UWO, college and alumni events. Thank you for your support of the College of Nursing.

Judith Westphal PhD, RN, NEA-BC
Dean, College of Nursing