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April 28, 2005

UPT adds nursing degree

Beginning this fall, Pitt’s Titusville campus will offer an associate degree in nursing.

The new program is designed to be completed in two years of full-time study, with graduates earning an associate of science degree upon completion. Graduates will be prepared to sit for the state licensing exam to become registered nurses.

In addition, the program’s emphasis on the sciences will provide graduates with a solid foundation for baccalaureate and master’s-level programs, according to program director Mary Aukerman, who was hired to develop the program through collaboration with Pitt’s School of Nursing.

“The current shortage of nurses across Pennsylvania and the nation was one of several reasons for developing this program,” said Aukerman, who prior to coming to UPT served as the director of nursing at UPMC Shadyside for more than 12 years. The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis predicts an escalating shortfall of nurses for years to come, she noted.

Two full-time and five part-time faculty will be hired during the first year to teach nursing classes. Additional teachers will be hired for the second year.

Area hospitals and health care facilities that will provide clinical training sites for the program include: Titusville Area Hospital, UPMC Northwest, Meadville Medical Center, Corry Memorial Hospital, Warren General Hospital, Clarion Psychiatric Center and Beverly Healthcare.

“This new nursing program will increase enrollment, recruit additional faculty, create a meaningful career avenue for students and contribute essential workers for our health care facilities,” Aukerman said.

For more information, visit the web site: www.upt.pitt.edu/upt_nursing or call 814/827-4515.


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