University of Southern Nevada and St. Rose Dominican Hospitals Join Forces to Meet Nevada's Future Demand for Nurses

LAS VEGAS, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ --The University of Southern Nevada (USN) and St. Rose Dominican Hospitals (St. Rose) have partnered to help shape Nevada's workforce by preparing qualified registered nurses to meet the state's future healthcare demand. As a result, career seekers and career changers who already have a bachelor's degree can become a registered nurse in 14 months through a new accelerated bachelor's degree in nursing (ABSN). The USN ABSN combines online courses and on-site labs taught by USN faculty with clinical rotations at St. Rose locations and other clinical sites in Southern Nevada.  

In Nevada, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, nearly 5,500 new nurses will be needed state-wide by 2016. In addition, over the next few years, it is anticipated that the nursing occupation will grow by 37 percent and have an average annual growth rate of three percent. This promising employment projection casts a glimmer of light on a state currently in the unenviable position of having the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 14.2 percent.

To showcase the program, USN and St. Rose are holding a "Come Explore Nursing" education fair on Tuesday, August 31, from 8-11 a.m. and again at 4-7 p.m. at the St. Rose Dominican Hospitals - San Martin Campus conference center, rooms A, B and C, 8280 West Warm Springs Road in Las Vegas.

The event will allow attendees to learn about the nursing profession, speak with St. Rose nurses from various units, learn about being a nurse at St. Rose, and speak with St. Rose recruiters to learn about the hospital's culture. Attendees can also learn about USN nurse education programs, including their new nursing program – Nevada's only 14-month accelerated online bachelor's degree program – that starts classes in October and is specially designed for adults who already have a bachelor's degree and want a new career or to change careers. USN instructors will be available to answer questions about the curriculum.

Experts agree that, as the economy improves, the demand for nurses will increase. Nurses who delayed retirement during the economic downturn will retire. Part-time nurses who went full-time because of an unemployed or underemployed spouse will resume their part time schedules, and patients will seek treatment for elective procedures they postponed to save out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, healthcare reform and an aging baby boomer generation will create increased demand for nurses for an already stressed national healthcare system that will be short one million nurses by 2020.

"Nevada's nursing shortage has decreased somewhat during the economic downturn," said Dr. Mable Smith, dean of and professor at the USN College of Nursing. "As the economy improves, we will see the nursing shortage become critical. To help address this community issue, the university has joined forces with St. Rose Dominican Hospitals to address the region's future need for nurses. We expect that people who enter into nurse education programs now will find a different employment environment at the end of their degree program as the economy rebounds. "

Rod A. Davis, president and CEO of St. Rose Dominican Hospitals added, "Our three hospitals are well-known for providing quality, compassionate healthcare for the community, and our nurses are one of the main reasons we are able to provide that high level of care. We are looking forward to working with the USN College of Nursing to provide this much needed educational resource to our community."

This event is free and open to the public. To register, or for more information, call 877-885-8399 or visit www.comeexplorenursing.com.  

About USN

The University of Southern Nevada (USN) started as the Nevada College of Pharmacy, a private, non-profit institution, and now has degree programs of study in business, nursing and dental medicine. USN is a leader in transforming health care education with an uncompromising commitment to provide individuals the freedom to learn and grow in a collaborative and supportive environment that fosters success.

About St. Rose Dominican Hospitals

As the community's only not-for-profit, religiously sponsored hospital system, St. Rose Dominican Hospitals three campuses – Rose de Lima, Siena and San Martin - are guided by the vision and core values of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and Catholic Healthcare West (CHW). As the community grows, St. Rose's mission is to serve people in need. For more information, visit www.strosehospitals.org.

About the USN College of Nursing

The mission of the USN College of Nursing is to provide a quality and innovative education to meet the diverse health needs of our society. The College's accelerated BSN program prepares students for entry-level registered nurse positions in a variety of health care environments. Graduates will use critical thinking skills for effective problem solving, decision making, and independent judgment to provide culturally competent and developmentally appropriate care in the practice of nursing and to function as a member of the health care team. Upon successful completion of the curriculum, students are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN to become registered nurses.  For more information, visit http://www.usn.edu/nursing/

About USN's Accelerated BSN Program

The USN accelerated program is a second bachelor's degree program and offers fully-accredited, accelerated nursing education in 14 months. The program blends the "anytime, anywhere" convenience and flexibility of online instruction with on-site clinical skill development taught by experienced nurse educators and clinical rotations in southern Nevada healthcare facilities such as the St. Rose Dominican hospital system. The curriculum focuses on clinical areas including medical surgical, obstetrics, mental-community health, maternal-newborn, and pediatrics nursing. Students are guided by faculty online and on-site and, upon graduation, are well-prepared for a career in nursing. For more information, visit www.USNnursing.com.

SOURCE University of Southern Nevada