Nursing – News

��ý Western, Mosaic Life Care to provide innovative, affordable path for promising students to pursue their nursing careers

kheier — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 20:25:57 +0000

Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy and Mike Poore sign the Nursing Scholars of Promise agreement in the Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary Community Lab at ��ý on Nov. 7.

Nov. 7, 2024 – ��ý and Mosaic Life Care have signed a partnership agreement to provide financial, academic and career support to nursing students. The Nursing Scholars of Promise (NSP) program will cover three-quarters of the costs of earning a degree in nursing at ��ý Western in exchange for a four-year commitment to work at Mosaic following their graduation.

“The Mosaic-��ý Western Nursing Scholars of Promise builds on the strong relationship between our institutions,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, ��ý Western’s president. “For aspiring nurses who may lack the funds to pay for their degree this innovative program provides crucial financial support to students up front. Moreover, this earn-while-you-learn program provides guaranteed part-time employment at Mosaic during their schooling, helping them acclimate to the hospital environment and earn additional income.”

“In addition to providing an affordable path to their degree, work experience, and an opportunity to earn additional income, ��ý Western students in this program will also benefit from the support of a special advisor, dedicated to their educational success and career preparation,” said Mike Poore, Mosaic Life Care CEO. “With the help of ��ý Western, we are proud to embark on this new ’grow-our-own’ program to address the critical shortage of talented nurses.”

This latest collaboration between the University and Mosaic Life Care builds on the existing partnership between the institutions aimed at meeting the region’s healthcare workforce demands. In 2022, Mosaic and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation jointly contributed $500,000 toward the creation of a nearly $1 million state-of-art interprofessional lab at ��ý Western, which was named in their honor. The lab enables students across healthcare disciplines to develop their hands-on technical skills in simulated environments and supports students in the University’s respiratory therapy program.

“Emphasizing exceptional affordability, supportive student academic and career advising, hands-on work experience, and a simple, clearly-defined educational and career pathway,” said Kennedy, “the Nursing Scholars of Promise program illustrates that ��ý Western is a career-focused university, for everyone.”

For more information and to apply to the Nursing Scholars of Promise, visit the Department of Nursing website.

��ý is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. ��ý Western is located in St. Joseph, ��ý, and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural, and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu

State grant to support RN to MSN-Nurse Educator program

kheier — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 15:09:23 +0000

Jan. 9, 2024–For the third year in a row, ��ý has received a state grant to address the growing nursing shortage. The $386,780 grant from the ��ý State Board of Nursing will be used to develop an accelerated program for registered nurses with an associate’s degree to get master’s degrees that will prepare them to teach in ��ý schools of nursing.

“We’re grateful to the State Board of Nursing, Governor Parson and the ��ý General Assembly for recognizing the importance of educating nurses in the state,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, ��ý Western’s president. “Our nursing program does an outstanding job of educating not only the nurses of tomorrow, but the nurse educators of tomorrow as well.”

The program will allow registered nurses with an associate’s degree to quickly attain a Master of Science in Nursing, nurse educator track from ��ý Western. The grant will provide scholarship support for ten students who agree to teach in a ��ý school of nursing for at least three years after completing the accelerated RN to MSN program.

“An often overlooked factor in the nursing shortage is the shortage of faculty that limits capacity at nursing schools across the country,” said Dr. Heather Kendall, professor and chair of the Department of Nursing. “This grant will enable us to prepare more clinical nursing faculty to work in the state of ��ý.”

According to the , a total of 2,166 full-time faculty vacancies were identified in a 2022 survey of 909 nursing schools with baccalaureate and/or graduate programs across the country. Besides the vacancies, schools cited the need to create an additional 128 faculty positions to accommodate student demand. The data show a national nurse faculty vacancy rate of 8.8%.

The program will begin in August, with applications accepted beginning in March. RNs who are interested in learning more can email nursing@missouriwestern.edu.

The grant was one of 20 totaling $5 million last month.

“It is vitally important that we continue to invest in ��ý’s health care workforce to stay competitive nationally, especially for our high demand fields such as nursing,” Gov. Parson said.

The latest grant follows a 2023 award that supported a pilot program to help licensed practical nurses remain on the job while earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, and to allow greater use of ��ý Western’s clinical simulation lab.

“We were one of just two schools of nursing in the state to get grants in all three years, which I believe reflects the stellar quality of our program, our faculty and our graduates,” said Dr. Laura Reynolds, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “I am very appreciative of Dr. Kendall and all of our nursing faculty and staff for the amazing work that they do.”

The grants are part of the Nursing Education Incentive Program (NEIP).

��ý is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. ��ý Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .

Nursing programs accreditation extended for maximum term

kheier — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 20:05:01 +0000

��ý Western nursing students helped administer flu shots and provide health education during the Student Wellness Fair Oct. 18, 2023, in the Fulkerson Center.

Nov. 27, 2023–The baccalaureate and master’s degree nursing programs at ��ý have been reaccredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for 10 years, the maximum length of time allowed for accreditation. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs are now accredited through Dec. 31, 2033.

“The outstanding care that our nursing graduates provide to patients throughout the region and the country is the best evidence of the quality of our nursing program,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, ��ý Western’s president. “This accreditation provides additional assurance to students and employers that nurses who graduate from ��ý Western are well prepared for the challenges of today’s healthcare environment. I congratulate the Nursing Department faculty, staff and students for their outstanding work.”

The accreditation process is a thorough review of the nursing program based on four standards: mission and governance; institutional commitment and resources; curriculum and teaching-learning practices; and program outcomes. The nursing department began the process with a self-evaluation in 2021. CCNE then sent an accreditation team for an on-site evaluation earlier this year. Based on that team’s report, in October the CCNE Board of Commissioners ruled that all four standards had been met and there were no compliance concerns noted.

“Accreditation is a painstaking process that takes a lot of work by a lot of people, including our faculty, staff, students and clinical partners,” said Dr. Heather Kendall, chair of the Department of Nursing. “It’s very gratifying that our work resulted in accreditation for the maximum of 10 years, and I think it says a lot about the quality of our program and the quality of our graduates.”

Nursing education at ��ý Western dates back to 1971, when a two-year associate degree program began accepting 15 students per year. The four-year program has been nationally accredited since it began in 1986, when it accepted 20 students per year. The pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program currently enrolls up to 120 students per year. The department also offers an RN to BSN track that allows current registered nurses to obtain their bachelor’s degree in an online, flexible format that accommodates working schedules. RNs can earn their BSN degree in as little as 12 months.

The Master of Science in Nursing was added in 2010, and offers concentrations in health care leadership and nurse educator. The College of Science and Health and the Craig School of Business also partner to offer a MSN/MBA degree.

For information about ��ý Western’s nursing program, visit or call 816-271-4415. For more information about CCNE accreditation, visit .

The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in nursing at ��ý are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

��ý is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. ��ý Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit.

Nursing professor receives scholarship from MLC Foundation

kheier — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 16:02:49 +0000

Laura Nold, assistant professor of nursing at ��ý, recently received a scholarship from the Mosaic Life Care Foundation.

The 2023 Lowell C. Kruse Healthy Choices. Healthy Lives. Scholarship provides financial assistance to a first-year, full-time graduate student studying in areas leading to improved quality of life for the residents of the Mosaic Life Care service region. This includes careers in health care administration, early childhood development, not-for-profit management and educational leadership.

Nold is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice with a focus on leadership and innovations in healthcare. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2010 and a Master of Science in Nursing-Health Care Leadership in 2014, both from ��ý Western. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice with a focus on leadership and innovations in healthcare.

Students present climate change research at Alpha Chi convention

kheier — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 19:54:29 +0000

Photo courtesy of the Alpha Chi Facebook page.

April 21, 2023–Three students represented ��ý’s Alpha Chi Lambda chapter at this year’s Alpha Chi National Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Shannon Buehre, Hannah Shoemaker, Dr. Angela Hass, Dr. Teddi Deka, and Jordon Anderson (from left) at the Alpha Chi National Convention.

Students Shannon Buehre, senior biology major from Lee’s Summit, ��ý; Hannah Shoemaker, senior biology major from Goodman, ��ý; and Jordon Anderson, junior nursing major from St. Joseph, presented an interdisciplinary research project, “Climate change: The ‘ticking’ bomb – A program to prevent and treat Lyme disease in St. Joseph, ��ý.”

The project, mentored by Dr. Angela Haas, associate professor of history in the Department of Social Sciences and Humanities, incorporated the climate change conference theme by bringing awareness of the increases in tick populations with temperature increases. The project included a hypothetical grant proposal to increase Lyme disease awareness, identification and treatment.

Alpha Chi is a national college honor society for college juniors, seniors and graduate students of all academic disciplines. The society was founded in 1922 to promote and encourage academic scholarship by recognizing high-achieving students.

School of Nursing and Health Professions to host Open House April 19

kheier — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 20:21:13 +0000

April 14, 2023–The ��ý School of Nursing and Health Professions will host a Health Professions Open House for prospective students on Wednesday, April 19.

Participants will be able to meet with ��ý Western faculty and learn more about careers in health, sport and exercise science, nursing, physical therapy assistant, population health management, respiratory therapy and social work. Tours of the state-of-the art labs in Murphy Hall are included. Light refreshments will be served.

Check-in will begin at 5 p.m. in the Eder Hall Lobby, with activities scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested at .

NCLEX Success: 100% of December 2022 nursing graduates pass licensure exam on first try

kheier — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:37:41 +0000

A first-semester nursing student receives a white coat during the ��ý Western Lighting of the Lamp White Coat Ceremony on March 3, 2023.

March 21, 2023–All 44 of the ��ý students who received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree last December passed their NCLEX licensure exam on their first attempt.

“Congratulations to our nursing graduates for their outstanding performance, and to our nursing faculty who worked hard to prepare them well,” said Dr. Laura Reynolds, provost and vice president of academic affairs.

��ý Western nursing graduates typically outperform state and national average pass rates on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. The University’s 2022 first-time pass rate, for example, which included December 2021 and May 2022 graduates, was 85.87%, compared to the national average of 79.9%.

But a pass rate of 100% is rare. The last time all ��ý Western nursing graduates passed the exam on their first try was almost 15 years ago, in May, 2008.

“Our graduates worked really hard – they studied their tails off,” said Dr. Heather Kendall, professor of nursing and department chair. “And our nursing faculty are committed to our students’ success.”

To better prepare graduates for the exam, in recent semesters a face-to-face NCLEX review session has been incorporated into the last semester of ��ý Western’s nursing curriculum.

��ý Western nursing graduates are not only prepared for the exam, they are prepared for their careers. Dr. Kendall reports that when they crossed the stage to receive their diploma in December, 41 of the 44 graduates had a job in the field.

“There is a critical need for nurses in our communities, especially registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree, and we’re proud that we can help meet that workforce need,” said Dr. Crystal Harris, dean of the College of Science and Health.

The NCLEX-RN is an that nursing school graduates take to become registered nurses. It is a variable length, computerized, adaptive exam designed to test knowledge, skills and abilities essential to the safe and effective practice of nursing at the entry level.

��ý Western’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program accepts up to 60 students each semester. The program has a graduation rate of more than 90%, and a job placement rate of more than 95%.

Super Science Saturday at ��ý Western Jan. 28

kheier — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 18:31:18 +0000

Participants gather in Remington Hall for the chemistry demonstration finale during a past Super Science Saturday. Photo courtesy St. Joseph Museums.

Jan. 24, 2023–��ý and the St. Joseph Museums will host the 23rd annual Super Science Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 Admission is $5 for adults and children over 5. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

Science educators from ��ý Western and area high schools will present STEM-related activities and demonstrations in math, physics, chemistry, biology, meteorology, psychology, engineering technology, nursing and more. The Griffon Mobile Lab will offer hands-on experiments in the parking lot.

Other presenters include the Remington Nature Center, News-Press Now, and American Water.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance at .

��ý Western receives funding to address nursing shortage

kheier — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 13:30:42 +0000

Oct. 5, 2022–��ý has received a $230,000 grant from the ��ý State Board of Nursing to support a proposed pilot program to address the current nursing shortage. The grant will support a proposed pilot program to help licensed practical nurses (LPNs) remain on the job while earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and becoming registered nurses.

“The LPN to BSN Remote Pilot Project will allow us to work with clinical partners Mosaic Life Care and Liberty Hospital to provide access for LPNs to educational and clinical experiences at their worksites,” said Dr. Crystal Harris, dean of the College of Science and Health. “This will enable them to ‘earn while they learn’ while also fulfilling important workforce needs.”

LPNs will receive a grant-funded scholarship to pursue their BSN and licensure as a registered nurse, while also earning a salary and professional development funding that may be available from the employer.

“This is an outstanding example of how ��ý Western creates opportunities for people to enhance their skills while addressing a critical regional need,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, ��ý Western’s president. “Countless people will be impacted by this program, and I’m grateful for the strong partnerships we have with Mosaic Life Care, Liberty Hospital and the State Board of Nursing that make it possible.”

“The nursing program at ��ý Western continues to adapt and innovate curriculum delivery in this high-need area,” said Dr. Laura Reynolds, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Working alongside our partners, Dr. Harris and her team created an outstanding proposal which directly addresses workforce needs of the region and state.”

After the pilot program receives final approval from the State Board of Nursing later this year, ��ý Western will form a Professional Advancement Advisory Group, revise the BSN to allow for a remote format, expand the clinical partnerships with Mosaic and Liberty Hospital, including training additional clinical supervisors, and begin recruiting LPN to BSN students.

��ý Western is one of 11 colleges and universities to receive funding through the special appropriation to the ��ý State Board of Nursing to address the nursing shortage. .

“My administration has prioritized workforce development, especially for our high demand fields such as nursing,” Gov. Parson said in a press release. “It is vitally important that we continue to invest in ��ý’s health care workforce.”

Nursing students earn DAISY Awards

kheier — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 14:59:50 +0000

Nursing student Hai Le.

June 7, 2022–Two ��ý nursing students were awarded DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students for the spring 2022 semester.

Hai Le, third semester nursing student from Lee’s Summit, ��ý, and Shayla Bocchine, fourth semester nursing student from Agency, ��ý, were honored as part of the DAISY Foundation’s programs to recognize compassionate and excellent nurses and nursing students.

Le’s nominator pointed to his compassion for a supervising nurse who had gone without lunch when he was with her for clinicals. The next time he was paired with the nurse, he saw that the nurse again had a busy schedule, and used his lunch break to purchase lunch for her and ensure she took a quick break to eat.

“Hai’s compassion for this nurse and his decision to act on the nurse’s behalf is a valuable character trait in a nurse,” the nominator said. “His future patients and co-workers will be very lucky and blessed to have him as an advocate and support.”

Shayla’s nominator said she prioritizes the needs of patients and families.

“She is excited about new experiences and has acquired a variety of nursing skills during her rotation in the I.C.U.,” the nominator said. “She is a very effective communicator. Shayla is very compassionate and exemplifies what it means to be an excellent nurse.”

��ý Western offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree as well as a Diploma/ADN to BSN degree program for current RNs who want to earn their bachelor’s degree. Visit missouriwestern.edu/nursing/ for more information.

About the : An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem, The DAISY Foundation was formed in November 1999, by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The DAISY Foundation expresses gratitude to nurses with programs that recognize them for the extraordinary compassionate, skillful care they provide patients and families.

About ��ý Western: ��ý is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. ��ý Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .