Golden Opportunities

College of Nursing Shines in Online Education

The University of New Mexico College of Nursing doesn’t just offer online courses. It offers online courses that meet the gold standard.

The College of Nursing faculty have earned 19 Golden Paws, a UNM recognition for fully online courses that exceed the university’s standards for online course design and delivery.

These courses went through extensive review to build a virtual environment using standards established using research-based best practices developed from student feedback. They meet the highest standards for quality course development and effective teaching and learning.

College of Nursing faculty have also earned 12 Quality Matters certificates, a national certification that recognizes excellence in online or hybrid course design.

These certified courses are offered at all levels of study, so whether students are pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or a doctor of nursing practice (DNP), they can take Golden Paws-certified courses. Faculty voluntarily pursue these certifications, so each one represents the College’s commitment to ensuring Lobo nurses receive the best education possible to serve the health care needs of our communities.

“The College of Nursing always has been in the forefront of online learning at UNM,” said Julia Mummert, instructional media project manager for the College. “It’s the nature of the field. Nurses constantly need to be studying up to the next level, but the fact that so many nursing courses have embraced and pursued this certification really speaks to our faculty’s interest in offering really good, quality, online education.”

With entirely online programs, such as the College’s RN-to-BSN and master of nursing programs, offering this quality means more. The College of Nursing has been providing quality online education since well before the COVID-19 pandemic instigated a boom in online learning. These certifications ensure that students can get the same impactful and meaningful education that they would receive if they were pursuing their degree at a UNM campus. Students can access these high-quality courses wherever they are, while balancing professional or family life. It’s also an assurance that these courses are accessible to students with disabilities.

 “Our online programs are critical to serving the needs of nurses in communities across New Mexico,” said RN-BSN program director Jacqueline Wuellner, who teaches three Golden Paws-certified fully online courses. “These programs allow nurses in rural areas of our state to remain working in their communities while attending classes at New Mexico’s premier research university. The number of Golden Paws our faculty have received reflect the College of Nursing’s commitment not only to education but to a very high-quality education.” 

Students can view Golden Paws courses in the UNM Online Course Catalog here  – just look for a paw print icon next to the course name. To see a full list of Golden Paw recipients, click here.