To help solve a shortage of nurses in Louisville and the surrounding region, Bellarmine
University鈥檚 nursing school has added a January start date for its one-year accelerated nursing degree program. The additional start date will allow 50 people with a prior bachelor鈥檚 degree in
another field to earn a second degree in nursing by the end of next year.
Graduates of the accelerated nursing program will be well-prepared to seek licensure
through their state board of nursing. Bellarmine graduates are consistently above
national, regional and local pass rates for the licensure exam with a 93% first time
pass rate over the last five years, according to the Kentucky Board of Nursing.
鈥淲e want to help people considering a career change make a swift transition into nursing
so they can earn a degree, become licensed, and quickly make a difference,鈥� said Lori
Minton, Director of the Accelerated Nursing Program in Bellarmine鈥檚 Donna and Allan
Lansing School of Nursing and Clinical Sciences. 鈥淭o help ensure our community has
adequate nursing capacity once the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, we decided
to add this January start date, and increased the number of seats available from 30
to 50.鈥�
Last month, the American Nurses Association urged the federal government to , writing: 鈥淎NA is deeply concerned that this severe shortage of nurses, especially
in areas experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 cases, will have long-term repercussions
for the profession, the entire healthcare delivery system, and ultimately, on the
health of the nation.鈥�
Minton noted that, locally, the severe shortage means there are many job openings
for nurses with competitive pay and benefits, a trend that she expects to continue.
Bellarmine鈥檚 program allows students to master clinical skills and the theoretical
knowledge needed for success in nursing careers.
鈥淏ellarmine is well-known for producing the best nurses,鈥� said Kristin Pickerell,
director of critical care and emergency services at Norton Healthcare. 鈥淎s a nursing
manager I always sought out Bellarmine nurses when I was hiring."
Lori Minton said that the accelerated nursing degree application process takes 4 to
6 weeks to complete. After January, the next start date for the Accelerated Nursing
Program is in May 2022. Learn more about the program, explore financial assistance
and apply at /absn.