In January, Grand Canyon University, based in Phoenix, launched a Tucson nursing program. The program is now expanding to take 34 students at a time, three times a year.
“There is a huge shortage of nurses all over the country,” said Anne McNamara, Dean of the College of Nursing at Grand Canyon University. “Arizona has experienced some of the greatest shortages because so many people have migrated here, but they haven’t necessarily been nurses.”
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The hospital Council of Southern Arizona conducted a work force analysis in the industry and saw that Southern Arizona will need more than 2,400 new registered nurses by 2010, an average of 67 nurses per month.
“Over the last five years, nursing schools have doubled their capacity,” McNamara said. “And it still isn’t enough.”
The Hospital Council of Southern Arizona put out a request for proposal last April to try to increase the state’s nursing capacity.
Grand Canyon University leaders were quick to respond and worked together with the council to get this program put together and take in the first class in southern Arizona in less than one year.
“Part of what is exciting is being responsive and listening to the community and making things happen,” McNamara said.
Stephanie Healy, president of the hospital council, has been very pleased with the program thus far.
“To have the program up and running and a first class in by January was amazing,” Healy said. “But on top of that, these first students just finished their first tests and they scored higher than their counterparts in Phoenix and higher than the national average. It is a good indicator that the program is on track, the students are progressing through well and the content is correct.”
The Grand Canyon program culminates with a bachelor’s of science in nursing degree after only 20 months, a process that normally takes four years. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in a related field or who have completed 90 hours of college coursework are eligible to apply to the program.
“This is just a first phase,” Healy said. “Grand Canyon is on contract to provide a fast-track program to a (bachelor’s of science in nursing) but soon we want to contract with other schools to provide an associates degree in nursing.”
The program is co-sponsored by the Hospital Council member hospitals: Carondelet’s St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s, Holy Cross and Tucson Heart hospitals, Northwest Medical Center and Northwest Medical Center Oro Valley, Tucson Medical Center, University Medical Center, and University Physicians Healthcare Hospital at Kino Campus.
Students are able to pick a hospital and spend time working and learning there. If students make a three-year commitment to the hospital, the hospital funds the majority of the tuition, books, uniforms and other basics, according to Healy.
The next class begins next month and the school is screening for the next class, which will begin in September. Candidates can apply online at www.gcu.edu or call1-877-860-3951 .
Joe Pangburn
Inside Tucson Business
Contact Joe Pangburn by e-mail at jpangburn@azbiz.com or call (520) 295-4259. E-mail comments for publication to editor@azbiz.com.
© 2007 Inside Tucson Business. All Rights Reserved
Comments
dodson wrote on Nov 14, 2007 5:13 PM:
Mark wrote on Aug 4, 2007 9:00 PM: