Lynchburg College hopes to provide a boost to area nursing needs this fall when it launches its first master’s program in the field.
The college’s department of nursing plans to offer a master of science in nursing program with two areas of emphasis for students interested in becoming a clinical nurse leader or an educator in nursing.
The 15-month program targets students who already have earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, said Angela Taylor, director of nursing at LC.
Similar master’s programs in the Central Virginia area are aimed toward students with degrees in other areas of study, she said.
“We certainly don’t want to duplicate programs,” Taylor said. “We want to make sure that we’re meeting the needs of our health care providers in the area.”
The role of the clinical nurse leader was developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to address emerging patient-care needs, according to an LC news release. Graduates of the program would work to integrate health care services, advocate for the patient and the health care organization and facilitate quality improvement.
Students in that program also will have the option of adding a year of coursework to earn a dual MBA degree, Taylor said.
As for the education program, it will address an industry-wide shortage of nurses who pursue teaching, Taylor said.
“We’re finding that a lot of the nurses in academia or in nursing education are either approaching, or are at retirement age,” she said. “We just don’t see as many nurses coming into education with all the other (nursing) options available.”
Taylor hopes to enroll a total of at least 20 students for both areas of the program in the fall, she said. The school currently is accepting applications.
More information is available at www.lynchburg.edu/msn. Anyone interested also may attend the school’s next graduate studies information session from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 16, in LC’s Alumni House Lounge.
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