Penn State Behrend Announces Two-Year Nursing Program
Associate degree program addresses local and statewide shortage
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, announces that it has received approval to offer an associate degree in nursing program, beginning in fall 2007. The Pennsylvania State Board of Nurse Examiners described the Penn State Behrend proposal as one of the best it has seen, approving the curriculum with a unanimous vote at its August meeting. The university followed suit, approving the nursing program this month.
“The associate degree program in nursing addresses the very strong current and projected demand for hospital-based practitioners who can support the staffing needs of the region,” Jack Burke, chancellor of Penn State Behrend, said. “This accredited program has been a proven success at four other Penn State locations, and we are confident that it will be successful in producing qualified nurses for northwestern Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth.”
According to Peggy McCarthy, director of Continuing Education, Pennsylvania's current nursing shortage is at 5 percent. If industry trends continue, the Commonwealth is projected to see a 29 percent nursing shortage by 2020. Meanwhile, local statistics indicate that 20 percent of registered nurses (RNs) employed in northwest Pennsylvania will retire by 2015, leaving numerous nursing positions in local hospitals and nursing homes vacant.
In response to this critical need for nurses in the region and state, Burke formed a task force to study the potential development of a nursing program at Penn State Behrend. As a result of their findings, Penn State Behrend collaborated with the Penn State School of Nursing, which is housed at the University Park campus, to offer the fully accredited associate degree in nursing provided by the School.
The associate degree in nursing at Penn State Behrend is comparable to those offered elsewhere in the Penn State system, including Altoona, Fayette, Mont Alto, and Worthington Scranton. It is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.
The concentrated two-year nursing curriculum includes a combination of science, liberal arts and focused nursing courses. The program prepares graduates for work in hospitals and long-term care facilities that focus on nursing care of individuals with both common acute and chronic health problems. In the field, graduates collaborate with other professionals to provide direct patient care and develop comprehensive plans of care. The associate degree in nursing is open to both traditional college-aged and adult students.
After earning the associate degree, Penn State Behrend graduates are eligible to take the national licensing examination administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to become a registered nurse.
“This collaboration between the Penn State School of Nursing and Penn State Behrend is imperative for the current and future stability of nursing throughout the Commonwealth,” Paula Milone-Nuzzo, director of the School of Nursing, said. “Looking ahead, the School is home to one of the first registered nurse to Bachelor of Science, or RN to BS, completion programs in the country, which has become one of the most successful in the state.
“The program allows RNs to obtain their bachelor’s in nursing on a part-time basis,” Milone-Nuzzo continued. “The School of Nursing encourages associate degree graduates to continue their education, and Penn State’s RN to BS program allows working RNs to do just that.”
Penn State Behrend anticipates the RN to BS program to be available at the college by 2009.
For more information or to apply, visit www.pserie.psu.edu/nursing online.
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, offers 31 baccalaureate, six associate, four pre-professional and two graduate degree programs with 21 minors to 4,000 students. Focused on providing a student-centered environment, Penn State Behrend is the link that connects its students to a major research and land-grant institution on a campus enriched by more than 90 clubs and organizations, 21 NCAA varsity teams, 19 intramural sports and modern facilities.