| Rutgers hopes to help New Jersey's nursing shortage | | | | Jersey that offer baccalaureate or graduate degrees |
| by opening a new School of Nursing at the | | | | in nursing. The Rutgers-Camden school is one of few |
| Rutgers-Camden Campus. These plans, recently | | | | schools that offer nursing degrees below Trenton. |
| released to the public by Rutgers President Richard L. | | | | This scarcity of nursing professionals in New Jersey is |
| McCormick, could potentially be put into effect later | | | | reflected in the state of health care across America. |
| this fall if ratified by the Rutgers Board of Governors, | | | | The United States is suffering through one of the |
| the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and | | | | worst nursing shortages in the last century. Schools all |
| the New Jersey Presidents' Council. | | | | around the nation are attempting to ameliorate this |
| Rutgers-Camden enrolls more than 5,000 students | | | | problem by increasing funds allotted to and enrollment |
| across the levels of undergraduate, master's level and | | | | in nursing programs. |
| PhD students in their schools; Arts and Sciences, the | | | | This nursing school will enroll at least 345 |
| Graduate School, University College, the School of | | | | undergraduate and graduate students in the next six |
| Law and the School of Business. The School of | | | | years. This should greatly lessen the strain put on |
| Nursing would be a welcome addition to the mix of | | | | other nursing schools in New Jersey, while promoting |
| professional schools at the Rutgers Camden campus. | | | | health care as a career in southern New Jersey. |
| The Rutgers-Camden campus already offers a | | | | Additionally, the plans to create a nursing PhD |
| nursing major to students enrolled in the College of | | | | program at the school would be an innovative tool |
| Arts and Sciences. The campus is also known for a | | | | for bringing the best and brightest to nursing |
| high pass rate on the NCLEX exam, a test required | | | | education, by creating a new supply of nursing |
| for students to become registered nurses - 93% in | | | | professors across the United States. |
| the last two years. | | | | Rutgers alumni are excited to hear about the plans |
| McCormick hopes that expanding this major into an | | | | for a school of nursing. J. Mark Baiada, who graduated |
| entire school could create a higher standard of | | | | from Rutgers with both undergraduate and MBA |
| performance and education in the areas that need | | | | degrees, founder of Bayada Nurses, praised the |
| nurses most. McCormick stated, "This announcement | | | | program, stating that "I am proud as both a Rutgers |
| signals Rutgers' full commitment to advancing nursing | | | | alumnus and South Jersey resident that Rutgers is |
| education - and, indeed, the overall quality of health | | | | providing students with more nursing opportunities to |
| care - in southern New Jersey. We look forward to | | | | make a difference in the lives of others." |
| working closely with hospitals and other health care | | | | School administrators plan to partner their students |
| agencies throughout the region as we build a school | | | | with community health care centers, providing both |
| that addresses the needs of their vital profession." | | | | undergraduate and graduate students with hands on |
| There are currently less than twenty schools in New | | | | opportunities for learning. |