By Jordan Beach & Erika Neldner
Reinhardt University has answered the call for more professional, highly trained nurses as the need for health care services increases, enrolling more than 40 students in its first two cohorts in the newly established Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences. And, enrollment for both its Bachelor of Science in Nursing and its new RN to BSN online programs is ongoing.
According to the Georgia Nurses Association, a critical shortage of nurses is looming.
Citing an aging nursing workforce – with more than 50 percent of the workforce nearing retirement age – and increases in the population of ages 65 and older, statistics predict a potential shortage of 50,000 registered nurses in Georgia by the year 2030.
In addition to an aging population, the millennial generation has exceeded the size of the Boomer population, causing a need for more health care professionals, of which nurses are the largest sector, U.S. Census data shows. With demand high, BSN nurses have a strong earning potential in the workforce. Employment website Glassdoor.com, reports the average salary for a nurse having completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is nearly $72,000.
“At Reinhardt, students learn the skills they need to pursue a career in nursing in an atmosphere that educates the whole person in a unique setting emphasizing its historic liberal arts tradition that teaches them to think critically, hone communication skills and build teamworking abilities,” said Dr. Glynis Blackard, founding dean of the Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences.
Nursing student Clay Cowart chose Reinhardt to get individualized attention to prepare him for a career in caring for the elderly.
“I chose Reinhardt to receive one-on-one attention to make me a successful nurse and to expand my career possibilities to continue to work in gerontology and end-of-life care,” Cowart said.
On a national level, the nursing shortage in the United States proves to require up to 1 million nurses by 2020, according to a recently updated study from East Tennessee State University. And, according to The American Nurses Association, there will be more registered nurse jobs through 2022 than any other profession in the country.
With its recent approval from a national certification body, Reinhardt is able to offer its RN to BSN online – as well as its other online offerings – in 49 U.S. states, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing can be completed online with clinicals completed at any approved facility nationwide.
For more information opportunities within Reinhardt’s Cauble School of Nursing & Health Sciences, visit Nursing.Reinhardt.edu or call 1 (877) 346-4273.
