IHL grants initial approval for MSU-Meridian's master's degree nursing program
Feb. 16—Mississippi State University received approval from the Institutions of Higher Learning on Thursday to begin initial preparations for a master's degree program in nursing at its Riley campus of MSU-Meridian.
Aimed at addressing the state's nursing shortage, MSU-Meridian's accelerated master's degree program will be the first graduate entry-level nurse licensure program in Mississippi.
"This program is a game-changing opportunity for our university and the people and communities we serve," MSU President Mark E. Keenum said in a prepared statement announcing the action taken by the Board of Trustees of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. "This master's level nursing program is expanding access and options for those interested in pursing this noble profession, and it is addressing a dire shortage in our state and region."
Like national trends, Mississippi has witnessed a nursing shortage in recent years especially in the state's east central region where one in four nursing positions in Meridian is vacant, according to the release.
"MSU is taking care of what matters by creating a program that will help generations of future nursing students fulfill their calling to care for others and ultimately improve quality of life in communities across Mississippi," Keenum said.
The accelerated, 12-month, fast-track pathway is aimed at college graduates who hold degrees in non-nursing fields but are seeking a new career and a direct entry route to a registered nursing license, said Dr. Terry Dale Cruse, MSU-Meridian's head of campus and associate vice president.
"This program can significantly impact healthcare needs by growing the number of highly educated nurses who can become leaders in the field, teach others as faculty members, and generally increase access to high-quality healthcare," he said.
While MSU-Meridian's accelerated nursing program will be the first for Mississippi, about 75 such programs have been developed nationwide since 1970. Traditionally, the majority of registered nurses statewide have entered the field through associate or bachelor's degree programs.
Cruse said MSU-Meridian undertook a feasibility study over the last few years to see what programs were needed in the community.
The "resounding request" from community and hospital leaders was the need to graduate not only more nurses but nurses who have their bachelor's or a higher level degree, he said. "We are needing more nurses and we are needing more highly qualified nurses."
The Riley Foundation is contributing more than $6 million to implement the program, Cruse said. In addition, MSU-Meridian is receiving support from major hospitals and health systems in Meridian and surrounding communities through participation on its advisory council and assistance with curriculum development and clinical training.
"All of the startup for this program is being funded by the Riley Foundation," Cruse said. "Our local community will benefit from this program. Our state will benefit from this program, but there are no tax dollars involved in implementing this program. This is being fully funded by private gifts."
Cruse said the addition of the graduate nursing program shows MSU leaders are committed to partnering with the community to establish a health sciences campus in Meridian and to implement innovative programs to address local healthcare needs. The Riley campus is already home to a physician assistant studies program, the state's only publicly funded master's degree program of its kind.
The advantage of this program is that it will allow individuals who seek a career change or who seek this track later in their educational career to enter a nursing program with federal funding for graduate education, he said.
Thursday's IHL board vote gives MSU the approval to move forward with consulting and preparation for curriculum development, faculty hiring and development, and finishing the inter-professional simulated space in the Rosenbaum Health Sciences Building on the Riley campus.
After the stage 1 application requirements are met, MSU-Meridian will submit a stage 2 application to the board and an onsite visit will take place, Cruse said. After stage 2 requirements are met, MSU-Meridian will seek IHL approval of the stage 2 application, which would result in initial accreditation and allow for the admission of students into the program.
Cruse said if the timeline goes according to plan then the inaugural class of 36 graduate students will be admitted into the program some time in 2024. These graduates will be prepared as generalists in nursing practice with an emphasis on inter-professional and team leadership.
Once fully in place, the proposed program is expected to graduate up to 60 new registered nurses each year, Cruse said.