Georgia Southwestern State University to expand nursing program

AMERICUS — Georgia Southwestern State University recently announced an expansion of its nursing program, effectively doubling the number of students entering the program each year to help address the critical shortage of nurses in the state.

Beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, GSW’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences will open a second nursing enrollment period, allowing an additional cohort of students to enter the program during spring semester.

Currently, a single enrollment period each fall admits 40 students into the nursing program.

“This is an exciting time for aspiring nursing students to come to GSW,” College of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean Sandra Daniel said. “By creating a culture and momentum for success, we anticipate more applicants and graduates from our nursing program who will be instrumental in addressing the nursing work force needs in our region and across the state.”

The shortage of registered nurses in Georgia has reached a critical level in recent years and continues to worsen. The Georgia Nurses Association said statistics show a potential shortage of 50,000 registered nurses in Georgia by the year 2030. The shortage can be attributed to the rapid growth of the state’s population and an elderly population that is living longer, sometimes with chronic conditions, and putting a strain on the health system.

Portions of south Georgia show more nursing jobs available than qualified applicants to fill them.

“Our students receive most of their clinical educational experiences in the southwest Georgia region, predominantly within the Phoebe (Putney) Health System, the largest health system in our region that serves a large rural population of the state,” Daniel said. “The breadth and quality of the clinical experiences within the system’s facilities provide our students with the competencies needed to enter the nursing work force.”

The expansion will also affect GSW’s guaranteed acceptance program, or GAP, which allows students the opportunity to be accepted into the nursing program before graduating from high school. With more seats available in the program, more high school students will be guaranteed spots.

“We’re excited to be able to expand our nursing program to help the state of Georgia close the gap in the field of nursing,” GSW President Neal Weaver said. “GSW is committed to meeting the work force needs of our region, and we hope this expansion will create new momentum for student success on our campus.”

Officials at GSW said nursing faculty will focus on providing the needed support and preparation for pre-nursing students to be successful as nursing students, including a living and learning community for students in GSW’s residence halls, advisement, and intentional engagement and support during the transition to GSW and into the nursing program.

Students who participate in GAP and meet the required benchmarks are guaranteed entry into the nursing program upon completion of their pre-nursing curriculum. Students in GAP will also receive a $1,000 on-campus housing scholarship during their freshman and sophomore years of study through support from the John and Betty Pope Fund for the Future of Caregiving.

Eligibility for the program depends on a combination of grade-point average and SAT/ACT scores. Interested students are encouraged to go to www.gsw.edu for more specific details about program requirements.

Jennifer Parks