State-endorsed, nonprofit university aims to tackle nursing shortage
NASHVILLE – Western Governors University (WGU) announced today the expansion of its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Prelicensure) program to Tennessee to help students start their career in the nursing industry.
The accredited degree program has no prerequisites for enrollment and is a hybrid program approximately 60% online and 40% as hands-on clinical and lab time. Tennessee is expecting a shortfall of 8,500 registered nurses through 2035, according to the Tennessee Hospital Association. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects more than 200,000 openings nationwide for R.N. workers for each year through 2031, when nurse retirements and workforce exits are factored into the number of nurses needed in the United States.
“The nursing shortage is one of the most pressing challenges facing the state, exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic and an aging population,” said Kimberly K. Estep, regional vice president for WGU’s Southeast region. “For the last decade WGU has partnered with hospitals and health systems across Tennessee to teach, train and qualify nearly 3,000 health professionals. The new Prelicensure program means we can train and prepare even more by removing barriers to access for Tennesseans looking to make a difference and start a nursing career.”
Students complete multiple clinical rotations in hospitals and community-based settings for each clinical course and attain the degree that prepares them for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) R.N. licensing exam. Over the last five years, WGU’s first-time NCLEX-RN average pass rate has been 90.82 percent, markedly higher than the national average of all BSN programs as reported by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
WGU’s Michael O. Leavitt School of Health is expanding the Prelicensure degree program across the Southeast and establishing nursing simulation labs while also partnering with healthcare employers in communities for training sites and clinical faculty and staff. In Tennessee, students will have clinical opportunities available in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga.
“WGU has always been committed to meeting students where they are and our new program is a huge step in that process,” said Terry Linton MSN, RN, state director of nursing for WGU’s Southeast region. “Our hybrid model, with a mix of online and hands-on lab work, means we’re exceptionally positioned to grow the pipeline of nurses ready to join the workforce across Tennessee. Our program is designed to be welcoming to first-time nursing students, and together with WGU’s student support services, flexibility and best-in-class financial support, make it easier than ever for students to launch their nursing career.”
The WGU Prelicensure program is steadily expanding throughout the country, and is now available in 19 states, with the university actively establishing nursing labs and clinical spaces for in-person clinical and lab rotations. For more information about program specifics, visit www.wgu.edu/online-nursing-health-degrees/rn-prelicensure-nursing-bachelors-program.
