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Nursing is a growing major at Clarion University with our Bachelor of Science in Nursing in its second year on the main campus.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree joins the already successful nursing programs Clarion offers including the Associate of Science in Nursing at the Venango campus in Oil City, and the RN to BSN program, the Master of Science in Nursing and the Doctor of Nursing Practice that are all offered online.
The need for these programs is growing in our area, state and nationwide. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that registered nurses will experience greater job growth than any other occupation by 2018, with 581,500 jobs or a 22.2 percent increase.
The reason for this growth is, in part, because healthcare is changing, said Clarion University instructor Kari Morris, RN, MSN. Morris said there are more home health and telehealth opportunities than ever.
Clarion University chair and nurse administrator for the Department of Nursing Deborah Kelly, DNP, RN, CHPCA, said there is actually a decline in the need for nurses in acute care settings because of the shift in how healthcare is being delivered. According to the Institute of Medicine, only 40 percent of nurses are practicing in acute care, the other 60 percent are practicing in other areas such as home health, long-term care, a variety of other settings.
The good news is that nursing opportunities exist in Pennsylvania.
"They're finding jobs in the state," Morris said of Clarion University graduates.
In addition to preparing students for their careers, Clarion University's nursing
programs meet students where they are in their lives whether they're a student fresh
out of high school or a returning adult who already has a career and is working toward
a new one.
"I feel like if you want to be a nurse the options are limitless," Morris said of the many career opportunities that exist in the nursing field.
ASN
The Associate of Science in Nursing at the Venango campus is a prime example of the philosophy of meeting students where they are.
Morris was a graduate of Clarion's ASN program and believes the program is good for
"returning adult students who have already built a life. It's a quicker entry into
the field."
Students are immersed in hands-on experience in the first semester in a state-of-the-art
simulation lab and clinical sites.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the national licensure examination to become a registered nurse.
"This program is a great return on investment for students in that they are working
in the field as an RN after just two years," said Hope Lineman, director of marketing
and university relations at Venango College.
Many graduates of this program go on to pursue Clarion's RN to BSN program online
around work and family obligations.
"Most hospitals offer their employees tuition reimbursements to continue online in the RN-BSN program. These students enter the workforce after two years making $24/hour on average (the same as a BSN graduate), then they are able to get tuition assistance through their employer to complete the bachelor's degree. This is a great choice for returning adult students who are not looking for the 'college experience' but need to support their families and also the savvy traditional age student that does not want to have a lot of college debt," Lineman said.
RN to BSN
The online RN to BSN program pairs nicely with RNs who already have careers and responsibilities,
Morris explained.
The RN to BSN program builds upon the knowledge of registered nurses and aims to provide
educational experiences designed to promote scientific inquiry, creative thinking,
critical judgment and personal development.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that baccalaureate nursing programs offer a "more in-depth treatment of the physical and social sciences, nursing research, public and community health, nursing management, and the humanities. The additional course work enhances the student's professional development, prepares the new nurse for a broader scope of practice, and provides the nurse with a better understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence healthcare delivery."
Also, the AACN reports that many professional nursing organizations and hospitals are embracing the idea of nurses earning baccalaureate degrees.
BSN
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is in its second year at Clarion's main campus and the interest in this program has grown since the first cohort began in fall 2014.
This traditional four-year program tends to attract more students out of high school, but also is enticing to returning adult students.
For BSN student Alyssa Creighton, her decision to become a nursing student is one she doesn't regret. Creighton was torn between two majors but ultimately her love of caring for others and science brought her to the major.
The BSN program utilizes the clinical immersion model by using the campus' new simulation laboratory where students get hands-on experience from day one, Morris said. This is a cutting-edge model giving students an edge over other schools where students don't get that kind of experience until they've completed their general education classes.
The Sim Lab, as it is known, has rooms that resemble hospital rooms with monitors, equipment and mannequin patients ready for treatment. Students perform procedures on these patients and can be observed by their teachers from a control room.
There is a SimJunior mannequin and two adult-sized mannequins that can be programmed for different health scenarios. Students are able to practice all levels of skills on these mannequins and solve the mystery of each patient's health.
"During one of my simulations, my patient was in Congestive Heart Failure," Creighton said. "It is truly incredible how the Sim Lab puts us in real-life situations."
The Sim Lab also has a community room to simulate home health scenarios as well as clean and dirty utility rooms just like a real hospital setting.
"It really does feel like a hospital ward," Morris said.
Creighton agrees and believes the Sim Lab has been helpful for her education. "I can say with confidence that our Simulation Lab is definitely giving me an edge in my future nursing career. Our new simulation lab is truly a work of art."
MSN
The Master of Science in Nursing is a combined effort with Edinboro University. The program includes a concentration in family nurse practitioner with coursework being completed online with clinical and internship opportunities at local health care facilities.
Kelly said the demand for nurse practitioners is growing as the number of physicians is declining.
"Nurse practitioners have the ability to meet that gap or need," Kelly said.
The Family Nurse Practitioner is prepared to care for patients across the age continuum from the very young to the very elderly, Kelly said. Family nurse practitioners also can be found working in a variety of settings such as primary care offices, clinics, nursing homes and home healthcare.
MSN student Autumn Smith said she became a MSN student because she was ready for a change and wanted to be challenged. "As an RN for over nine years, I wanted to do more with my skills and previous nursing experience by advancing my education to become a family nurse practitioner."
Smith hopes to manage health care problems holistically for her patients. "The opportunities for any family nurse practitioner are extensive from working in rural clinics to large hospitals. It is exciting that with this degree I will be able to see patients from birth to death and have a positive impact on their lives."
Clarion University instructor Robin Bilan, RN. M.S.N., said she was a student in the program and believes Clarion prepares students for their board examinations. She said she was so prepared that she passed her examinations on her first try.
"I believe this program is preparing its graduates for life outside of academia. The courses are very challenging but the structure of the program allows the adult learner great autonomy over their own schedule," Smith said. "It takes into consideration the fact that life is happening while classes are in session. Students have to work, they have families and outside responsibilities. This program, through the flexibility of being online, allows the student the opportunity to succeed in the academic world but also the world at large."
Doctorate of Nursing Practice
The Doctorate of Nursing Practice program is a partnership with Edinboro University. This program recently was named the second-best in the nation by Best Medical Degrees. Best Medical Degrees compiled a list of the 50 Best Value Online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree programs.
Lineman said the ranking had much to do with the affordable cost and convenience the online degree offers. The degree offers a strong return on investment, she said.
Achieving a DNP, which is considered to be a terminal degree, is different than earning a Ph.D. which is research based. A student would earn a DNP in order to become an expert in advanced nursing practice. The DNP graduate is able to develop solutions to problems in clinical practice and the health care system.
Kelly said there is movement within the advanced nursing practice that may one day require a doctorate in order to practice as a nurse practitioner. In anticipation of this change, Clarion began offering the Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree for advanced practice nurses in 2015.
"The DNP differs from other terminal degrees because it is clinically focused. Even though advanced practice nurses may pursue other career opportunities such as teaching, many still maintain their clinical practices."
Earning a DNP is an educational credential which may give graduates more professional opportunities such as becoming a nurse educator in higher education. Lineman said in an educational setting a DNP is the preferred credential.
"It builds upon what they learned at the master's level," Kelly said. "It really prepares them to be a leader in health care environments."