Local Health Care Partnerships Bring New Nursing Programs to the Keystone State
Nightingale College's commences enrollment into its accredited blended-distance BSN Program in Lancaster and DuBois, and online RN-to-BSN and MSNEd Programs across Pennsylvania.
LANCASTER and DUBOIS, Pa., Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Lancaster and DuBois have been selected as the first enrollment areas in Pennsylvania for Nightingale College's accredited blended-distance BSN Program, with the inaugural cohorts commenced in the Spring 2020 semester.
"Nightingale College is excited to be working with the great people of Pennsylvania to develop more nurses for communities in need," said Blake Halladay, Senior Manager of Partnerships at Nightingale College.
Pennsylvania has a healthy supply and is projected to have a surplus of nurses. An estimated 27,000 new nursing positions are anticipated to be posted between now and 2030, according to RegisteredNursing.org. These positions are expected to be filled by Pennsylvania nursing school graduates. Despite the surplus of nurses, the Keystone State, however, still experiences nurse staffing shortages, especially in smaller, less-populated cities.
A scarier reality emerges as the shortage in smaller cities affects the quality of bedside patient care. Nurses are finding bedside care less appealing because of the "real-world challenges" inherent to the role and are increasingly moving away from the day-to-day patient care responsibilities (Pennsylvania's Nursing Crisis). The staffing shortage has led to concerns surrounding patient safety and care as well as the wellbeing of nurses as work demands continue to rise.
Nightingale College recognizes the positive impact locally trained nurses have on their communities. When education is not readily available or nursing schools limit the number of accepted applicants, qualified hopefuls are placed on waitlists while some decide to relocate or travel long distances to attend nursing school. Through partnerships with local health care facilities, Nightingale College not only assists in providing nursing education that is relevant to local population's prevalent health issues but also, through its blended-distance pre-licensure BSN Program, promotes the development of homegrown registered nurses who serve their community after graduating. Furthermore, the College is able to adjust its enrollment size to meet the need of the specific community.
"The local Pennsylvania health care organizations that have partnered with the College to deliver experiential learning for future nurses have proven to be true leaders in improving the health and wellness of the communities they serve," said Halladay. "By partnering together, we will be more effective at alleviating the nursing shortage felt most keenly in rural areas across the state."
The College's CCNE-accredited BSN Program uses a blended-distance delivery model that eliminates the restrictions of traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. With no campus, learners in the academic program work through online modules, completing assignments and exams. Learners then attend experiential learning activities in person to practice hands-on the skills and concepts learned in the curriculum at local health care partners' facilities.
The BSN Program is now enrolling learners for Summer 2020 semester. To learn more, visit nightingale.edu/bsn.
ABOUT NIGHTINGALE COLLEGE
Nightingale College, headquartered in Salt Lake City, creates access to nursing programs with its fully accredited blended-distance education associate and bachelor's degree nursing programs, and the graduate online degree program in nursing education. Supporting the growing need for nurses and providing strategies to combat the nursing shortage, the College's academic programs work to not only develop but also maintain a steady supply of homegrown nurses, with the help of local health care systems. Nightingale College emphasizes preparing future nurses who are confident, competent, and compassionate. Since its establishment in 2010 in Ogden, Utah, the College has graduated more than 800 learners and is currently operating in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. To learn more about Nightingale College, its mission, and programs, visit nightingale.edu.
SOURCE Nightingale College
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