First Accelerated Nursing Degree Program Students Graduate at UW |
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Aug. 31, 2007 -- The inaugural class of an innovative nursing education program at the University of Wyoming has graduated.
Nineteen students were awarded nursing degrees under the Accelerated Nursing Degree program in the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing.
Lynsey Angel of Cheyenne says she chose the program because she had already earned a bachelor of science degree in social work, with a minor in psychology from UW.
"I loved UW and was more than happy to return to the Cowboy State from Colorado to work on another bachelor's degree," says Angel, who now works at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. "I love the faculty and the fact that it was a year program was enough to seal the deal. The year format definitely made it more appealing to quit my job and go back to school. It is very intense, but well worth it."
The UW nursing program, which helps students complete their degrees in 15 months on average rather than in two or four years, is geared to increasing the number of nurses working in Wyoming. The approach is designed for people who have decided to enter nursing as a second career.
Danielle Bowers of Sheridan, says the program allowed her to stay close to home, while earning a nursing degree.
"It also was the quickest way to a nursing degree for me. A lot of the other programs I looked at were going to take longer to even start since most of them have a one- to two-year lag between applying and beginning the program," says Bowers, who earned her first bachelor degree at UW. She hopes to work for a few years as a registered nurse and then become a nurse practitioner.
As a non-traditional student, Kelly Whisenand of Jackson says the accelerated outreach program is exactly what she wanted, because she would not have enjoyed a two- or four-year program.
"It allowed me to live at home for the most part and graduate in 15 months with a second bachelor's degree, putting me in a good position for hospital management or advance practice nursing," Whisenand says.
The program is a collaboration of the School of Nursing and the UW Outreach School. The graduates, who had already earned bachelor's degrees and met the requirements to be accepted to the program, concentrate solely on nursing courses to complete the accelerated program. The courses include a combination of online theory and instruction as well as intensive practical skill training.
UW adopted this program to address the impending nursing shortage. Wyoming is facing one of the nation's worst nursing shortages in part because of its rapidly aging population, says Mary Burman, interim dean of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing.
For more information about the Accelerated Nursing Degree program, visit the UW Web site at http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/nursing.
Listed by hometowns, are the program's first graduates:
Billings, Mont. -- Steve Bakken, Carrie Knudson.
Cheyenne -- Lynsey Angel.
Fort Collins, Colo. -- Heather Greidanus.
Gillette -- Darin George.
Greeley, Colo. -- Joshua Hayes.
Houston, Texas -- Tiffany Pijanowski.
Jackson -- Kelly Whisenand.
Laramie -- Jamie Basinger, Elizabeth Huffsmith, Eric Roman.
Merced, Calif. -- Marin Favier.
Newcastle -- Stacy Washburn.
North Platte, Neb. -- Tessa Covington.
Rock Springs -- Emmaline Newman.
Salt Lake City, Utah -- Kyle Anderson.
Saratoga -- Nettie Cowan.
Sheridan -- Danielle Bowers.
Wilson -- Laura Fearon.
Posted on Friday, August 31, 2007
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