Florida A&M University is looking to help close the health care labor gap by expanding their nursing programs. FAMU started its RN to BSN nursing program with just five students in 2021. It's quickly grown and 30 students are now signed up to start classes this fall.
To keep up with the additional students, FAMU is expanding their partnership with Wiley University's subdivision to launch three new Masters of Science in Nursing program tracks.
Shelley Johnson is the Dean and Professor in the Nursing Program. She said this program will not only accommodate more students, but also help with the nursing shortage. "To make sure that the program was known and that people understood what we could do to help nursing," said Johnson.
Mary Mayhew is the President and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association. "Probably one of the worst health care workforce shortages that our hospitals have seen in decades," said Mayhew.
She said that Florida will be short 60,000 nurses by 2035. Mayhew saidthe crisis can be helped by programs like FAMU'S. "We're really excited about what we're seeing to increase the supply, the pipeline, of new nursing graduates and other health care professionals."
While expanding the BSN program will help the nursing shortage now, Johnson says the expansion of the Masters program will ensure they'll be more nurses in the future. "We need nurses prepared at the masters level to be able to educate more nurses and our program will be able to do that plus be able to provide care."
FAMU and Wiley University Services started their partnership of an RN to BSN degree and an MSN program in September 2021.
