CUIMC, ColumbiaDoctors, and Columbia Nursing Launch Division of Nursing Practice

To provide more direct career pathways for Columbia University School of Nursing students, graduates, nurses, advanced practice providers, and physician assistants, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), ColumbiaDoctors, and Columbia Nursing have established the Division of Nursing Practice. These new avenues align with the institutions' shared commitment to patient care.  

Launched on January 31, 2024, this collaborative initiative was designed to expand career opportunities for nursing professionals and offer pipelines for nursing school graduates to learn from experienced clinicians. This groundbreaking initiative will help connect Columbia Nursing students with diverse clinical experiences and facilitate job placements for graduates within the medical center.  

“We need to invest in our nursing workforce and provide pathways and opportunities for them to succeed and flourish, and I think we can all agree that there is no better place for NPs to succeed than at CUIMC,” Dean Lorraine Frazier, PhD, said in the webinar announcing the collaboration.   

Key features of the Division of Nursing Practice include:  

• Career Ladders: Implementing career ladders across all 18 clinical specialties to enhance professional growth and development for nursing staff  
• Compensation Guidelines: Introducing evidence-based, standardized compensation guidelines to aid clinical departments in recruiting and retaining qualified nursing staff  
• Continuing Education Opportunities: Organizing educational programs to support ongoing professional development  
• Career Support Channels: Developing channels that can help provide career guidance  

Columbia Nursing’s Maura Abbott, PhD, assistant dean of clinical affairs and a nurse practitioner, and Stephen Ferrara, DNP, associate dean of clinical affairs and president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, will lead the Division of Nursing Practice.