A partnership between Owensboro Health and the University of Louisville is expanding, allowing more area residents to earn a nursing degree without leaving Owensboro.
UofL’s Owensboro BSN Extension offers a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as a second-degree accelerated program for students with a prior undergraduate degree in a different subject. The traditional track can be completed in two years (for students with an associate’s degree) and the second degree requires 15 months of continuous coursework.
Currently, the program admits 70 students per year. The expansion means 100 students will be able to enter the program each year.
UofL Nursing Owensboro Extension Director Amy Higdon said the expansion will help fulfill the program’s goal of improving patient outcomes in western Kentucky, where she said healthcare providers are in the midst of a severe shortage of registered nurses.
“The goal of the program was to try to increase the number of BSN-prepared nurses in the Owensboro area,” Higdon said.
She described the expansion as a great opportunity for Owensboro residents looking to enter the healthcare field without being forced to attend classes at a university outside of the city.
“It’s really important that people know that all of the program requirements, whether that be classroom activities, clinical activities, labs, they’re all completed here locally in Owensboro,” Higdon said.
Classes and clinical rotations are held within Owensboro Health facilities. Higdon said the program’s content and hands-on approach are key to high licensure rates and job outcomes for graduates.
“Our five-year average for NCLEX [National Council Licensure Examination] pass rates is 97%,” Higdon explained. “It is rare that students do not already have employment secured by the time they graduate.”
More information about UofL’s Owensboro nursing program, including application materials can be found here.
