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The Associate Degree in Nursing program at ����ԭ�� has officially begun, with its inaugural cohort of students having already completed 60 hours of lab work and set to begin clinical training on February 24. The new associate degree program was announced shortly after the ����ԭ�� established the Terry & Marion Forcht School of Nursing, made possible by a generous donation from the Forchts.

The application window for the next cohort of nursing students is open now until April 3.  Applications are open to incoming freshmen and current ����ԭ�� students. The next cohort will begin classes in August 2020. More information about the Associate Degree in Nursing program may be found at ucumberlands.edu/academics. 

“There is no better way to serve others with honor and integrity than through nursing,” said Cailen Baker, Chair of the Forcht School of Nursing at ����ԭ��. “We are extremely proud of our first cohort of nursing students in the new associate degree program. We look forward to seeing them impact our region and even the nation through the knowledge and skills they gain through this curriculum, and we can’t wait to welcome the next cohort of students into the program to enable them to do the same.”

The says the American health care system will soon be “strained by an aging population and broadened access to public health care” and predicts that the nation will see a dramatic increase in nursing jobs available by 2022. As more than 500,000 nurses retire by that year and the nursing field expands to meet increased demands, there will be a need for 1.1 million new registered nurses (RNs) by 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Students at ����ԭ�� have access to a complete career pathway within the Forcht School of Nursing at ����ԭ��. Students have the option to become a Certified Nurse Aid (CNA), receive their associate degree in nursing to become RNs, obtain their undergraduate RN to BSN degree, and pursue a Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP), all at the same ����ԭ��. The RN to BSN and MSN-FNP degree programs may be completed online, allowing students to work full-time while still furthering their education.

The associate degree in nursing program is four semesters in length, with classes offered in spring and fall.  Courses are designed to prepare students to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). Classes are held in-seat with lecture recordings available, making the program accessible to student-athletes, working adults, etc.  Students will have completed a total of 720 clinical hours upon graduation. More information is available at ucumberlands.edu/academics.