North Dakota’s Nursing Shortage Gets Shot in the Arm with Mary’s New Three-Credit College Course for High Schoolers

北达科他州的首个此类课程将于1月18日开始, 2023, and partners with 俾斯麦 Public School’s Career Academy and Technical Center

俾斯麦,ND — High School seniors in 俾斯麦 can now take a new Introduction to Nursing course from the University of Mary through a partnership with the 俾斯麦 Public School’s Career Academy and Technical Center and earn three dual high school and college credits. Interested seniors can enroll in this pilot course at the Career Academy — that starts this upcoming spring semester — and if they maintain an overall 3.平均绩点5分或ACT成绩24分, they are guaranteed early assurance into the nation’s top-rated nursing program (according to the 2021 national benchmarking service, 在立博中文版进行山地测量. 

“给高中毕业生, this course creates an early pathway into the nursing field that has reached the critical shortage stage in North Dakota and across the United States,博士说。. 比利Madler, associate dean of nursing at University of Mary’s Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences, and Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (2016). “This aligns with our university’s mission as we hold a responsibility to serve the needs of this region, 及以后, 通过帮助控制这种短缺. This course will engage the high school student in the broad scope of nursing, 让他们尝尝当护士的滋味, and potentially begin their journey towards a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree that will eventually help provide a workforce pipeline that the nursing industry so desperately needs.”

Madler is not aware of any other college or university in North Dakota offering this type of course-partnership for high school seniors. 部分原因是, the 俾斯麦 Career Academy is uniquely set up with an academically qualified instructor teaching the course — Jessica Mehlhoff, 谁拥有护理学硕士(MSN)学位.

“I am excited to be a part of this collaboration bringing nursing education to the students and future nurses of 俾斯麦 Public 学校,梅尔霍夫说. “I feel this is a unique and amazing opportunity for students to jump-start their education in nursing through the partnership between the 俾斯麦 Public 学校 and the University of Mary. The Introduction to Nursing course provides a professional foundation and exposes students to nursing education while in high school. 通过这门双学分课程, students will save time and money on their college education while gaining valuable knowledge of the nursing profession.” 

顾名思义, this course introduces students to the nursing profession by looking at current and historical influences; community nursing; patient-centeredness and the essence of caring; incorporation of cultural considerations in the delivery of care; ethics and values of the profession; legal implications in nursing practice, and principles to support effective and therapeutic communication in the face of a commonly technology-infused environment. Students will also be provided hands-on application with patient simulators on University of Mary’s campus.

This course and the spring semester for the Career Academy begins Wednesday, January 18. As of right now, there are no prerequisites other than being a high school senior. Madler说, it is important to reduce obstacles for motivated students and provide them the greatest opportunity to leverage their time for focus on courses that will support their overall goals to pursue a particular field of interest. Science and math courses are vital in the high school preparation of students aspiring to be nurses. This course will enhance that preparation and be a springboard for future study.

打个比方, 说Madler, 这门课程为学生们培育了护理的幼苗, 我们想要施肥和浇水. In the end, we are making the nursing field more accessible to high school students in our community. A whole country needs care, and these students are going to help provide it.”

Various aid packages are available for nursing students attending the University of Mary, 包括志圣慷慨的奖学金机会. Alexius and Sanford Health, so students can focus on becoming a nurse with less worry about the financial aspect of paying for their degree.

“除了护士短缺这个事实之外, BPS knows the interest in nursing and the health sciences in general is deeper than just exploratory,Dale Hoerauf说, 职业学院职业与技术教育主任. “Over 100 students from area public and private schools — including Saint Mary’s and Shiloh — become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) every year by passing our CNA course. That course has become a great launching pad for this new Introduction to Nursing course. 话虽如此, 取决于这门课的需求, we could see the list of dual-credit health sciences courses grow in the future that would provide even more support for not only the nursing field, 但其他医疗保健行业.” 

High school seniors interested in taking this course should contact Hoerauf (dale_hoerauf@bismarckschools.org)或梅尔霍夫(jessica_mehlhoff@bismarckschools.org), and those who want more information about the University of Mary’s nursing program can email Madler (bmadler@yetan.net).