Megan A Infanti Mraz & John T Taylor
West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA
Title: Responding to the need of the nursing workforce: Starting with the development of concurrent curriculum
Biography
Biography: Megan A Infanti Mraz & John T Taylor
Abstract
This presentation will focus on the development, implementation, and ongoing outcome measures of a concurrent nursing curriculum. In the 2015/2016 academic year, the average cost of tuition for higher education was $19,189 for a public/in state student and $39,529 for a private student (Digest for Education Statistics, 2017). These costs have doubled since 2005 in the public sector and 2001 in the private sector (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). Nurse educators are faced with the challenge of facilitating education to the incoming nursing workforce in a way that provides opportunity for all individuals with a passion for nursing. For many, a 4 year university experience is not a possibility. Because of financial concerns, or the need for an alternate schedule, the next generation of the nursing workforce may suffer due to lack of educational opportunities. Providing a concurrent nursing curriculum to nursing students is a method of nursing education that assists in meeting these needs. There is published data to support these programs in relation to success with the NCLEX examination, attrition and completion rates, and advancement to graduate studies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015) state that, “employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 16% from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations”. Additionally, the Institute of Medicine (2011) supported a goal of 80% Baccalaureate prepared nurses within the workforce by 2020. This call is consistent with a long standing stance from the American Nurses Association position statement for BSN as entry level into practice. The barriers of finance and scheduling identify a great challenge to the demands of the growing need for the nursing profession. Development, implementation, and measurement of ongoing outcomes will assist in supporting these challenges and needs.