Oklahoma State University - Center for Health Sciences

PROJECT PURPOSE

Over the past two decades, the registered nurse (RN) workforce has been challenged by a national nursing shortage that exceeded 150,000 RNs, two economic recessions, a COVID pandemic, and the implementation of health reforms affecting the marketplace. This shortage is expected to intensify as Baby Boomers age and the need for health care continues to increase. In the absence of decisive action, nurses will practice under increased stress. As the healthcare system is strained by an aging population and broadened access to public medical care, nurses will feel the front-line weight of patient responsibility. Adding to the challenge is the fact that nursing schools across the country are struggling to expand capacity to meet the rising demand for care. Our proposed BSN program would meet this need by adding nurses with bachelor?s level degrees and thus a higher level of training and expertise. Our program would be offered at OSU-CHS and OSU-Tulsa in partnership with OSU Medical Center and surrounding health systems. Our goal would be to graduate 100 BSN nurses per year. To attain this goal, we would hire a nursing administrator, nursing faculty, staff, supplies, and retrofit an existing building to create a nursing education facility.

EVIDENCE

According to the American Nursing Association, more than 500,000 seasoned RNs are anticipated to retire by 2022. In addition, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the need for 1.1 million new RNs for expansion and replacement of retirees, and to avoid a nursing shortage. Over the past decade, the average age of employed RNs has increased by nearly two years, from 42.7 years in 2000 to 44.6 years in 2010. These factors, combined with an anticipated strengthening of the economy, will create a renewed critical shortage for nurses.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

According to an Oct. 1, 2021 report by Kaiser Health News, rural Americans are dying of COVID at more than twice the rate of their urban counterparts ? a divide that health experts say is likely to widen as access to medical care shrinks for a population that tends to be older, sicker, heavier, poorer and less vaccinated. This holds especially true for Oklahoma, where we rank last in most health statistics. While the initial surge of COVID-19 deaths skipped over much of rural America, where roughly 15% of Americans live, nonmetropolitan mortality rates quickly started to outpace those of metropolitan areas as the virus spread nationwide before vaccinations became available, according to data from the Rural Policy Research Institute. Since the pandemic began, about 1 in 434 rural Americans have died of COVID, compared with roughly 1 in 513 urban Americans, the institute?s data shows. And though vaccines have reduced overall COVID death rates since the winter peak, rural mortality rates are now more than double urban rates ? and accelerating quickly. Beyond the pandemic, OSU-CHS seeks to serve rural and underserved areas as a key aspect of our mission, and this nursing program will target rural Oklahoma.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

This project is the development of an educational program. Project performance would be based on accreditation benchmarks to include: 1) Hire nursing administrator 2) Meeting with Tulsa Hospitals to discuss plan and support 3) Meeting with Oklahoma Nursing Board (Nursing Admin) a. Title 485 4) Notify OSRHE a. OSRHE standards Chapter 3 page 218 5) Notify CCNE 6) Hire Admins / Staff/ Faculty (Nursing Admin) 7) Develop OSU Curriculum 8) Approval by A&M Regents 9) Approval by OSRHE 10) Approval by OK Board of Nursing 11) Full Approval by CCNE

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

Would need to identify philanthropic funding in community or additional federal funding.

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Not able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma