The looming crisis of a worldwide shortage of nurses
has led the Johns Hopkins University
School of Nursing to
expand its student enrollment through a new accelerated
second degree entry point for the education of future
nurses.
Beginning in January 2005, the School of Nursing will
provide the Hopkins "brand" of outstanding nursing
education to an additional baccalaureate class of
approximately 50 students who already hold bachelor's
degrees in other disciplines. The 17-month accelerated
option will produce an additional cohort of clinically
expert nurses who will graduate in May 2006.
According to Sandra Angell, School of Nursing
associate dean for student affairs, "Historically Hopkins
has heeded the social imperative to respond in times of
crises. During World War II, the nursing diploma program
doubled its enrollment. It is time for us to take the lead
once again."
Angell added that a soaring and extraordinarily
high-quality applicant pool, plus a growing wait list,
encouraged School of Nursing Dean Martha N. Hill; Anne
Belcher, senior associate dean for academic affairs; and
herself to create an opportunity that would address the
crisis while meeting the needs of more applicants seeking
careers in nursing.
"We have expanded existing class sizes to the maximum,
but that alone will not be enough to lessen the shortage,"
Angell explained. "We looked at how we could take advantage
of the applicant pool and wait list by rearranging class
schedules, adding faculty, using our facilities to maximum
capacity throughout the week, [and] expanding our clinical
experiences, and still maintain the highest quality in
nursing education."
For more information about the 17-month accelerated
January entry point at the School of Nursing and the full
range of financial aid and merit scholarship opportunities,
go to
www.son.jhmi.edu or call the Admissions Office at
410-955-7548.
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