EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State University College of Nursing is offering a new degree program that could have as many as 50 new nurses working in hospitals, clinics and other settings within a year.

Through the Accelerated Second Degree BSN program, students who already have a bachelor’s degree can pursue a nursing degree. It’s an intensive program, designed to quickly get new, qualified nurses into the work force, said College of Nursing Dean Marilyn Rothert.

After completion of the prerequisites, students can finish the program in 12 months, graduate with a BSN and be eligible to take the licensure exam for a registered nurse.

Between classes and clinical experiences, Rothert said the average student would easily spend more than 40 hours a week working on the program.

“We can recruit mature students that are highly motivated to become professional nurses,” Rothert said. “These students can also move rapidly to graduate schools and faculty positions to address the nursing faculty shortage.”

In addition to the accelerated program, which adds 48 more students, the College of Nursing has also expanded its traditional BSN program from 80 to 100 students.

“Enrollments are increasing at the undergraduate level, but we’re still predicting serious nursing shortages,” Rothert said. “Our graduates are hired before they graduate and can go just about anywhere they wish. However, most do stay in Michigan.”

The development of the accelerated option program is being supported through the state of Michigan’s Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Funds, a program designed to train more high-quality health-care workers at an accelerated pace. This funding is in partnership with Ingham Regional Medical Center, Oakwood Healthcare Systems, Sparrow Health Systems and William Beaumont Hospital. The program provides student stipends, support for clinical faculty and curriculum implementation.

For more information about the MSU College of Nursing’s academic programs, visit the Web at http://nursing.msu.edu/programs.asp