Commonwealth Health, Jersey College partner for nursing school at Moses Taylor
Oct. 10—Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton will soon house a nursing school, the product of a partnership between Commonwealth Health and Jersey College.
Inaugural classes at the Jersey College School of Nursing Scranton campus will begin in January. It will offer both an RN program, preparing students to become registered nurses, and an LPN to RN bridge program for licensed practical nurses working to further their careers, according to the college's website.
"The need for nurses in this market and across the country has been high for some time and is expected to continue," Todd Burda, Chief Nursing Officer of Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital of Scranton, said in a press release. "Among other factors driving need, nurses have many employment options. We believe that engaging with well-educated students to share the values, philosophies and practices of Commonwealth Health hospitals will help us care for our communities into the future."
The hospital-based program at Moses Taylor "offers students the ability to learn the art and science of nursing" in a hospital setting, allowing students a "seamless transition from classroom theory to clinical application," Commonwealth's release notes.
Jersey College's website includes information on a Commonwealth Health-sponsored tuition assistance program for nursing students who commit to work at Commonwealth's Moses Taylor Hospital, Regional Hospital of Scranton or Wilkes-Barre General Hospital upon graduation. Students who work for one or more of the facilities throughout their enrollment are eligible for tuition reimbursement from Commonwealth; graduates who work for one or more of the hospitals will be eligible for loan forgiveness. There are also scholarship opportunities.
The Scranton site will consist of 13,000-square-foot campus, 1,500-square-foot simulation lab, seven classrooms, student study rooms and lounge space. The college's website also notes the professional nursing program is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and the Scranton campus is authorized as an education enterprise by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Jersey College Chancellor Greg Karzhevsky said in the press release that the college and Commonwealth Health have worked for months to "develop a unique nursing education experience."
"From our initial meetings, the Commonwealth Health leadership teams have shared our vision for this collaborative model of educating future nurses to care for patients in Northeastern Pennsylvania," he said.
Efforts to reach Jersey College officials directly were not immediately successful.
Check back for updates
Contact the writer: jhorvath@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9141; @jhorvathTT on Twitter.
