To help recruit more nurses, UR will offer free tuition for some
The University of Rochester Medical Center and School of Nursing will enroll more than 30 students to a tuition-free accelerated bachelor's degree in nursing in 2023-24, the school announced Thursday, an offering it believes to be the first in the nation.
Upon enrollment in the 12-month program, the students will be guaranteed a post-graduation job within URMC and be required to stay in it for three years to have tuition fully forgiven.
"They'll have a commitment to work with us already in place before they even start, so all that stress is removed," said Karen Keady, vice president and chief nursing executive at URMC. "They'll have a very nice smooth transition between what happens in the classroom ... and what happens when they get to the clinical setting."
The accelerated program is available to students who have already attained a bachelor's degree in another area and are looking to make a mid-career change to nursing. It was one of the first in the nation when it launched about 20 years ago.
Laura-Ann Fiero, a current student in the program, said she first studied biology and psychology before deciding to switch to nursing.
"As I look back in my life, some of my interactions with nurses were a breath a fresh air," she said. "It's sometimes those acts of compassion and empathy and basic human kindness that kickstart the healing process for some people."
The median student in that program pays about $70,000 for tuition, School of Nursing Dean Lisa Kitko said. Students accepted under the tuition-free agreement will only have to pay other fees, typically around $5,000.
The nationwide shortage of nurses has reached crisis proportions. One report last June predicted a shortage of between 200,000 and 450,000 nurses by 2025
Nurses already in the field, meanwhile, are reporting unprecedented burnout due to the persisting COVID-19 pandemic. More than 7,000 nurses in New York City went on strike this week to attain pay raises and lower staff-to-patient ratios.
That urgent need is the reason UR decided to apply the tuition offer for its 12-month program rather than longer programs, Kitko said.
"We can have practice-ready nurses in 12 months," she said. "It's a great opportunity to help make an impact in the shortest time."
The School of Nursing is now accepting applications for the fall semester, with a deadline of March 1.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: UR to offer free tuition for some nurses
