Empire State College’s School of Nursing
has announced a new online master
of science in nursing education, with the
first cohort of students expected to start
in January.
Research has demonstrated the positive
correlation among higher levels of education
obtained by nurses and improved
outcomes for patients, college officials said.
“Better-educated nurses have everything to
do with healthier people,” said Bridget Nettleton,
dean of the college’s School of Nursing.
The online M.S. in nursing education was
developed for nurse educators, whether
they are faculty at colleges and universities,
or nurse educators working in hospitals or
other health care centers.
“This program will give working nurses the opportunity to pursue a graduate degree in a flexible, online format that will allow them to maintain their careers and other life commitments at the same time. Further, empire State College’s online master’s nursing program will increase capacity for nursing education, something that is urgently needed,” said Nettleton.
according to the american association of Colleges of Nursing, nursing schools turned away more than 75,000 qualified applicants from bachelor’s and graduate nursing programs in 2011 alone, due to insufficient faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, clinical preceptors and budget constraints. a shortage of nurse faculty is cited as an especially pressing need by nursing schools reporting to the AACN.
The program received grant funding of $276,000 to train students in high-need career fields throughout New York state. Distributed for the next three years, the funds will be used to accelerate online course development for the program.
The empire State College School of Nursing, which enrolled its first class of students in the fall of 2008, was established to address the shortage of baccalaureateprepared nurses and nurse educators in the state.
Designed for early to mid-career nurses who want to advance their education and careers as leaders in health care organizations and community health settings, the undergraduate program today enrolls more than 1,000 students.
SUNY empire State College was established in 1971 to offer adult learners the opportunity to earn associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the State university of New York.
In addition to awarding credit for prior college-level learning, the college pairs each student with a faculty mentor who supports that student throughout his or her college career. Students engage in guided independent study and course work on site, online or a combination of both, which provides the flexibility for students to learn at the time, place and pace they choose.
Officials said the college serves more than 20,000 students worldwide at more than 35 locations in New York state and online. Its 70,000 alumni are active in their communities as entrepreneurs, politicians, business professionals, artists, nonprofit agency employees, teachers, veterans and active military, union members and more.