AKRON – The University of Akron is offering an innovative program to allow eligible adult students to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing within 15 months.
The accelerated option for the basic baccalaureate program in nursing is designed for students who already have a baccalaureate degree. It will be available beginning in Summer 2002.
Fueled by shortage. “Enrollment in colleges and schools of nursing has not kept up with the significant increased demand for registered nurses,” said Cynthia F. Capers, dean of the university’s College of Nursing.
“This accelerated program will help major health care providers in Northeastern Ohio to manage a nursing shortage that has reached crisis proportion,” Capers said.
The accelerated nursing program allows non-nurse college graduates to earn a baccalaureate degree in nursing in 15 months, if they have completed certain prerequisite courses. Typical baccalaureate nursing curricula require four years of study.
Credit for life. Using a flexible curriculum that takes into account life experiences and the applicants’ maturity, the new program allows students to focus on nursing, Lewis says.
“The end result is to have additional baccalaureate prepared nurses available for health care providers without compromising the integrity of baccalaureate preparation,” Lewis added.
Additional information is available through the College of Nursing, 330-972-7551.
