Photo courtesy of Neal Wagner.
The University of Montevallo has been named one of the most picturesque college campuses in the South by Southern Living magazine.
The University of Montevallo will offer a new Nursing Program in the newly established College of Health Professions in August. The program, which will offer a pre-licensure BSN track and an RN to BSN track, was approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing at their meeting on May 17.
“We are delighted to launch our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and look forward to welcoming our inaugural group of nursing students this August,” said Dr. Crystal Bennett, Dean of the College of Health Professions.
Increased demand for health care professionals, coupled with challenges coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted an opportunity for the University to address the need for more nurses and provide support for the future of the profession in the state of Alabama.
According to Dr. Courtney Bentley, provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs at UM, faculty have been working to expand programs in health professions and grow existing hallmark programs that have long thrived on campus.
“We are thrilled to now support the preparation of nurse leaders in central Alabama,” Bentley said. “We are confident that our nursing graduates will positively impact their home communities by providing high quality health care underscored by an ethic of care predicated on interprofessional learning and clinical competency.”
The pre-licensure BSN track is for students who are not already licensed registered nurses, preparing them to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination-RN (NCLEX-RN) after graduation. Students will learn to apply their classroom studies to their nursing professional practice with the help of dedicated faculty with small class sizes (faculty-to-student ratio is 1:24 in a classroom). They will also have opportunities to engage in simulation lab experiences and complete their clinical experiences at hospitals, clinics and various community agencies in the surrounding area.
“This is an exciting time for Montevallo and our health care community,” said Holly Dean, CEO of Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster. “Montevallo has worked hard to make this program a reality to meet the needs of our community, and we are so excited to be part of that journey. It will be amazing to see aspiring nurses fulfill their dreams at Montevallo and we are hopeful many will join our team at Shelby going forward.”
UM’s pre-licensure BSN program is a specialized admission program, which means admission to UM does not guarantee admission to the Nursing Program. Applicants must first be admitted to UM through the Office of Admissions prior to applying to the BSN program. Applications for the pre-licensure track will be open early June through July 8.
The RN to BSN track is for students who are licensed in Alabama as a registered nurse and have their associate’s degree in nursing. The baccalaureate curriculum is designed to prepare students for work within the growing and changing health care environment. The program is a three-semester hybrid format with required integrated clinical practice experiences that may be completed in approved clinical sites in the student’s community. To apply for the RN to BSN program, applicants must apply to the University of Montevallo Undergraduate Admissions office.
The Nursing Program will be housed in UM’s newly renovated Myrick Hall. The Simulation and Skills Lab, two patient simulation rooms, two observation rooms, two classrooms and a nurses’ station were completed as part of renovations in the building in August 2023. Additional renovations will be completed by July. A ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted for the new nursing facilities in February.
The College of Health Professions, approved by the UM Board of Trustees during its quarterly meeting May 1, will also house existing programs and departments at UM. The Exercise and Nutrition Science Program will move to the new college with the Nursing Program at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year. The Social Work Program and Department of Communication Science and Disorders will join the new college beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year.
For more information about UM’s new Nursing Program including admission requirements and application information, visit montevallo.edu/nursing.
-Submitted by Wesley Hallman
