UT’s associate of applied science of nursing program will admit its last cohort of students to the two-year degree program this fall.
The students in the cohort are planning to complete the program of study in May 2011, said Dr. Timothy Gaspar, dean of the College of Nursing. The faculty and staff at UT will work with the newly admitted students so they earn the associate degree in a timely manner.
“Increasingly, registered nurses are required to provide care that focuses on complex health-care needs based on evidenced-based practice, research, and the expertise of working with interdisciplinary providers in our health-care systems,” Gaspar said.
According to Gaspar, an increasing number of employers seek nurses with baccalaureate and graduate nursing degrees. He said the College of Nursing needs to realign human and fiscal resources so there is more focus on research, scholarship, expert practice and service at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.
“Registered nurses are not just part of the health-care team; in many cases, they are leading care efforts or are responsible for assessment and evaluation of patient, family needs and community health-care needs,” he said. “We need to provide faculty additional opportunities to conduct research to discover new and better clinical care delivery models and cutting-edge practices that will be part of the student educational experience.”
In the past, the associate of applied science of nursing program admitted about 50 students each semester; there are currently about 150 students taking nursing courses in the major. Students not accepted into the program this fall have been offered an opportunity to meet with a nursing adviser to discuss health-care career options at UT or at other educational institutions in northwest Ohio.
College leaders met with current associate degree students as well as faculty and staff over the last few weeks to discuss program closure, though few changes will be evident until the next academic year, Gaspar said.
