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Grant will help Adena's accelerated nurse training

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With the help of a $750,000 federal grant, Adena Health System soon will be part of a fast-track program to educate nurses who will graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing degree, as well as credits toward a master’s degree.

The Ohio University Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing: Accelerated Direct Entry Second Degree Education program, or BASE, was proposed by Dr. Joyce Zurmehly, Adena’s Director of Evidence-Based Practice. She also is an Associate Professor at Ohio University.

The grant was awarded this month to Ohio University by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. OU is partnering with Adena and others in offering the accelerated nursing program to students.

“The program is designed for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in another field and wish to change career paths in a short amount of time. The purpose of the BASE program is to prepare nurses for entry-level professional practice and provide a solid foundation for graduate study,” Zurmehly said.

“A rapidly growing shortage of professional nurses and a significant under-representation of minorities in nursing threaten culturally competent health care in the United States.”

In Ohio, alone, a 29% nursing shortage is anticipated by 2020, and the Appalachian region of the state, which includes all of the counties served by Adena, has an especially great need, Zurmehly emphasized.

HRSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable.

Accelerated classes will be offered in Adena’s PACCAR Medical Education Center, as well as on the main campus of Ohio University and OU’s Ironton campus. The long-term goal is to also offer classes in Lancaster and Zanesville.

Denise Minor, Adena’s Chief Medical Officer, said the grant will not only benefit patients in southern Ohio, but will offer new opportunities for those in the region with degrees who are looking for new career opportunities.

She and Zurmehly said they envision students attending classes on a full-time basis. Upon completion of the 20-month BASE program, students graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and take the National Council for Licensure Examination for their registered nurse license. The program also prepares students for graduate studies leading to a master’s degree.

Zurmehly said students will be linked with community health care partners for both financial support and mentoring.

Student screenings are scheduled to begin in January 2012, with classes beginning in the fall of 2012. For more information, contact Ohio University-Chillicothe at 740-774-7282.[[In-content Ad]]

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