A badge is a digital record of achievement that recognizes the completion of a coherent and meaningful academic experience. You can link your digital badges to online résumés and portfolios, career websites, or social media. This gives you a way to share experiences, competencies, and knowledge with current and future employers, professional and community organizations, recruiters, and graduate program advisors.

Why earn a digital badge at GVSU?

• Completing a badge is an opportunity to highlight marketable and desirable skills to potential employers.
• Pursuing a badge, either in continuing education or while completing a degree, enhances your education.
• Digital badges can be displayed on social media, websites, and in emails.
• Badges are an efficient way to obtain a specialization, and the P&HC II can be completed in one semester.
• Gain a deep understanding of the personal, professional, and societal perspectives of delivering care to patients facing life-limiting disease, terminal illness, and death.

Nursing Badge credits can be applied to Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees.

Palliative and Hospice Care I Graduate Badge

The palliative and hospice care model (Palliative and Hospice Care I) badge recognizes the completion of a three-credit graduate-level course covering the history and philosophy of palliative and hospice care. In addition, current skills related to holistic assessment, communication, and ethical considerations in end-of-life care are presented and practiced.

Palliative and Hospice Care II Graduate Badge

The symptom management in palliative and hospice care (Palliative and Hospice Care II) badge recognizes the completion of a graduate-level course covering the assessment and management of pain and the variety of non-pain symptoms afflicting people who could benefit from palliative and hospice care. Skills for incorporating physical, psychologic, sociologic, and spiritual considerations into the management decisions for symptom relief are emphasized. Pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches to symptom management are considered.

Telehealth Graduate Badge

This badge is designed for individuals with a baccalaureate degree and a background in nursing, health professions, or informatics who desire to expand their understanding of telehealth implementation as influenced by current regulatory and billing rules.