New Harrisburg Program Allows Students to Accelerate to a Nursing Degree
The School of Nursing launched a new accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program at the university’s central Pennsylvania campus in Harrisburg that can be completed in just four semesters. The accelerated program will begin in the spring 2020 semester.
“There is a growing demand in the health care field for highly skilled nursing professionals,” said Anne Krouse, dean of the School of Nursing. “This program meets that demand by providing second degree students in the greater Harrisburg area with the education and skills to earn a BSN in just five semesters.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statics, the nursing profession is expected to grow 15 percent through 2026, a rate much faster than other professions. The program is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree, but are not a licensed registered nurse (RN), and want to earn a BSN degree to embark on a nursing career.
“Graduates of the program will learn to be engaged and culturally compassionate practitioners focused on providing competent and quality care,” Krouse added.
The full-time, in-person program offers a flexible course delivery system with convenient class times during the day with clinical and lab sessions available in both the day and evenings throughout the week and weekend.
“Through this new opportunity, central Pennsylvania residents will have the chance to access rigorous and cutting-edge curricula, rewarding experiential opportunities, and personalized faculty mentorship that are a hallmark of the Widener nursing experience,” said President Julie E. Wollman.
The program is an extension of Widener’s nationally-recognized nursing school which is one of six national Centers for Excellence in the Science of Nursing Education. Nursing began to offer courses in Harrisburg since 1993 with the launch of the Family (Individual Across the Lifespan) CRNP master’s program. Since then, nursing has continued to grow its Harrisburg footprint to offer hybrid online and in-person programs such as MSN-to-PhD and Post-Baccalaureate RN-to-DNP, among many others.
