NHCC Partners with Minnesota State-Mankato for Nursing Program
Nursing shortages are a huge concern these days.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, retirement, turnover, rising demand to provide care for an aging population, and shortage of trained nurse educators and faculty are the main factors contributing to the shortage.
Now, North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park is hoping to meet the challenge.
It’s teaming up with Minnesota State University-Mankato to expand opportunities for its nursing students and putting more nurses in areas of critical need.
Ceremonial signing for new program to help combat nursing shortage
North Hennepin Community College student Alexandria Kingsley-Olivares dreams of becoming a nurse.
“My grandma had dementia like towards the end of her life. Being able to see the nurses take care of her and seeing how well they treated my family-that’s exactly what I want to be able to do.”
Increasing opportunities for nursing students like Kingsley-Olivares is the purpose behind a new program known as the Maverick (Nursing) Advance (Transfer) Plan, or “MAP”.
Under the plan, students who complete their Associate of Nursing degree from North Hennepin Community College and meet other requirements will be able to seamlessly transition into the Bachelor of Nursing program at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
“Being able to transition from a community college over to a four-year seamlessly is just the icing on the cake,” says Kingsley-Olivares.
With a bachelor’s degree in nursing, graduates will have more opportunities to obtain jobs in managerial and specialized positions, even becoming nursing teachers, all of which are experiencing critical needs.
“Nationally, there’s a major shortage with nurses. We have more nurses leaving the profession faster than we are able to produce them and I think strategically, this partnership will help us address that shortage,” says Dr. David Hood, MNSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The MAP program will be offered fully online to students, accommodating their busy schedules.
“Students are able to complete their associates and go into the world to work, but still have a very convenient way to be able to pursue that bachelor’s degree,” says Hood.
“I’ll be working as a nurse, so I can kind of go at my own pace,” says Kingsley-Olivares.
North Hennepin Community College student Alexandria Kingsley-Olivares benefiting from”MAP” Program
The program is offering a lift to help nurses, who already provide so much help to others.
Hood says this is the third MAP agreement the Minnesota State University-Mankato has signed with a community college within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
For CCX News, Sarah Alain.
