SDSU Offers Expert on National Shortage of Nurses

CONTACT: JoAnna Parrino Clark, (619) 594-5204, jpclark@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Thursday, March 29, 2001 - San Diego State University offers nursing expert to discuss issues related to the national shortage of nurses.

Dr. Patt Wahl, professor and director of SDSU's School of Nursing, is an expert in nurse staffing issues. As part of her duties, she oversees SDSU's Nurses Now, a partnership with several area hospitals and health care systems designed to increase the number of new nurses available locally for employment.

With nearly fifty years of experience in the field of nursing, Wahl's education includes a PhD ('85) in social psychology, with a minor in medical sociology and history and systems of sociology; a master's degree ('58) in adult psychiatric nursing, with a minor in nursing education and a bachelor of science degree ('55) in nursing; all from University of Cincinnati.

She was a hospital nurse for three years before she took her first faculty position in 1958 as assistant professor at University of Cincinnati. She worked through the ranks and held the position of assistant dean to the graduate nursing program before she came to SDSU to take the position as director of the school of nursing.

Dr. Wahl directly at (619) 594-6384, office or via email at pwahl@mail.sdsu.edu.

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