University to launch nursing degree program

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — As the nation suffers from a nursing shortage, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is launching an accelerated nursing degree program to get more nurses in the field sooner.

Officials announced last week that the accelerated bachelor of science in nursing degree program will begin this fall.

The program is intended for those who already have bachelor’s degrees in any field and who want to transition into a nursing career, the news release said.

“It will be a tremendous amount of work,” Chris Smith, director of the university’s School of Nursing, said in a phone call. “This is for the individual who really has the desire to become competent as a bachelor-prepared nurse. They have to be able to handle a rigorous program.”

Unlike the traditional nursing degree pathway that takes around five semesters to complete, the accelerated degree is completed in three semesters, or one calendar year, Smith said.

Of the 59 credit hours required by the program, more than a third — 21 credit hours — will be completed in clinical settings, giving essential hands-on experience.

The program stems from a need to expand the university’s existing nursing program, which, enrollment-wise, has been unaffected by the pandemic, university Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jerold Hale said in a news release.

“We’ve not seen a downturn in applications,” Smith said.

He said the university has more applicants than available spots and has had to turn away qualified applicants at a time when demand is high.

“[ Hospitals] are working toward getting adequate staffing back in all their facilities because nurses are the backbone of a hospital,” Smith said. “Other people come and go, but nurses are always there, and if nurses aren’t there to take caare of patients, hospitals have no reason to exist.”

Chattanooga-area health care leaders praised the new program.