Tucson, Ariz. (Nov. 5, 2021) – Nationally and locally, nurses are in demand.
But while there are plenty of students passionate about this helping profession, many college and university nursing programs are turning them away.
In 2019, more than 80,000 qualified applicants were left behind, due to a lack of nursing faculty, clinical placements and space, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Grand Canyon University’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions is heeding the call for help with an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in Tucson that is designed to put these health care heroes on the front lines in as little as 16 months.
Rooted in GCU’s Christian principles, the program combines the fundamentals and theories of nursing using an innovative e-platform created by Orbis Education Services, and providing hands on nursing skills, immersive simulation experiences, and patient-centered care in clinical and community settings.
“The idea is to help the next generation of nurses test their critical thinking and technical skills,” said Kimarie Jeffreys, ABSN program director in Tucson. Students also work in a real-world environment as part of clinical rotations at Tucson Medical Center.
Upon completion of the program, students must sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). GCU employs an NCLEX Success Manager to guide prelicensure nurses through this rigorous process to become registered nurses.
GCU’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions has a nearly 35-year tradition of preparing students to fill evolving healthcare roles as highly qualified professionals educated in direct care, management, health education and administration.
At 96.17%, the university boasted one of the highest first-time student pass rates on the NCLEX exam in 2020, exceeding the state average of 91.44% for the year and the national average of 86.58%.
“This is good news because the shortage of nurses is well-documented,” Jeffreys said.
The market demand for nurses is projected to grow 9% from 2020 to 2030, with about 194,500 openings each year, on average, over the next decade for registered nurses on a national basis, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
GCU’s ABSN program offers start dates in January, May and September. Prospective students must have at least 60 transferable credits.
For more information, visit absn.gcu.edu/.
About Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers 270 academic programs, emphases and certificates for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit www.gcu.edu.
About Orbis Education Services
Orbis Education Services develops, markets and manages health care education solutions that result in outstanding student outcomes and help alleviate workforce shortages for hospitals and health care systems. Founded in 2003, the company forms strategic partnerships with academic institutions and health care systems to enable the delivery of high-quality, clinically intensive nursing, occupational therapy and other health care education programs. Orbis Education is a division of Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (LOPE), a publicly traded shared services partner dedicated to serving colleges and universities. For more information, visit www.orbiseducation.com.
