UH Offering Accelerated Nursing Program Developed in Response to Nursing Shortage

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Posted: Sep 4, 2002

The UH Mānoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene is now offering an accelerated "fast-track" program enabling students to complete a bachelor‘s degree in nursing in just 17 months — less than half the time required to complete the traditional three-year program.

The university is funding the pilot program to assist with the economic downturn following the events of September 11, 2001. UH Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Deane Neubauer, who served concurrently as interim UH Mānoa chancellor until August 1, and UH Mānoa Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Karl Kim supported this program as it also addresses the nursing shortage in the state of Hawaiʻi by increasing the number of graduates prepared to provide nursing services to the community.

The accelerated curriculum path targets individuals with a prior bachelor‘s degree in any field that are interested in professional nursing as a career change option. Ten students began the pilot program on August 26, 2002. After successful completion of the program, a student will receive the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing, and be eligible for the RN licensure exam.

Recent registered nurse workforce data from the Community Initiative on Nursing of Hawaiʻi finds that 46 percent of nurses are 50 years of age or older and 43 percent of Hawaiʻi‘s 9,000 actively practicing registered nurses plan to retire within the next 10 years. To ensure access to quality health care services, an adequate supply of registered nurses is necessary. The nursing accelerated pathway is another endeavor to improve the health of Hawaiʻi‘s people.

For more information, visit: http://www.nursing.hawaii.edu