As the nursing shortage persists, Alverno College in Mesa, AZ opens their nursing education center to prepare students to sit for the NCLEX.
The new nursing college opened in March 2022 with 13,000 square feet of space to teach, practice, and prepare new nurses for the workforce. With the ability to enroll over 200 students per year, Alverno College has multiple programs available for incoming students including:
–RN to BSN (12 months, fully online)
Created for nurses that already have an Associates degree, the RN to BSN program is a quick way for nurses to get their Bachelor of Science degree and open more opportunities.
–Nursing (4 years, Mesa campus)
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is a four year, full-time program created for those fresh out of high school, or those attending college for the first time.
–Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (18-20 months, Mesa campus)
Students graduate with both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing. This path is designed for students with a bachelor’s degree in another field.
–Doctor of Nursing Practice (18 months, fully online)
The DNP program has two potential tracks, direct care or leadership and is available to those with their Master of Science in Nursing degree.
There is an average of a 10% vacancy rate for registered nurses in hospitals nationally. In a March 2022 study, 52% of nurses were considering leaving their current position. The main reasons for nurses leaving their positions included short-staffing, lack of work-life balance, and inability to perform their job satisfactorily. Nurses want to feel proud of the care they deliver to patients and it is difficult to achieve that with extra patients, supply chain disruptions, and lack of support from management.
A survey in 2020 showed the average age of a registered nurse was 52. This is only 13 years from the average retirement age, signaling there could be a large wave of retirees in the coming years. Opening new nursing colleges and accelerated programs are one way to increase the output of nurses in the community.
The various paths outside of the traditional 4-year degree opens up new possibilities for those wanting to study nursing, but originally chose a different career path. Former flight attendants, engineers, and marketing managers have changed directions and went into nursing. The shorter time frames from start to finish are also attractive to many because of the decreased financial strain being out of the workforce.
With the growing population in Arizona, several new hospitals being constructed, and seasonal snowbird population, the need for more healthcare workers will become imminent. Nurses are also employed outside of hospitals in various settings. IV hydration companies, med spas, mental health centers, and detox centers are a few other businesses that employ nurses.
Paige Ellsworth BSN, RN is a travel health specialist for Away Clinic. Paige educates international travelers on yellow fever, typhoid, and Japanese encephalitis vaccines. She enjoys hiking, running, and teaching CPR classes in her free time.