A $6.4 million grant to Northern Arizona University will expand NAU\u2019s accelerated nursing programs, including offering full-tuition scholarships to 240 students earning their nursing degrees to address Arizona\u2019s critical health care shortage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NAU is introducing a new compressed bachelor\u2019s in nursing (CBSN) program at campuses throughout the state including Flagstaff, Tucson and Yuma. The 16-month compressed program is designed for students with some college experience and is anticipated to launch in fall 2023. The CBSN program joins NAU\u2019s existing accelerated bachelor\u2019s in nursing (ABSN) program as affordable pathways to nursing degrees. The ABSN program, which is offered at select campuses this summer, is designed for students who have existing bachelor\u2019s degrees in a field outside of nursing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt NAU, we are committed to ensuring students are prepared to enter the nursing workforce our state so desperately needs,\u201d said NAU President Jos\u00e9 Luis Cruz Rivera<\/strong>. \u201cThanks to this state grant, NAU will significantly expand its nursing program offerings and educate more students who will positively contribute to serving Arizona\u2019s communities and address health equity throughout our state.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The grant funded by the State of Arizona through the Arizona Department of Health Services aims to address the shortage of health care workers in Arizona communities by removing financial barriers and ensuring people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to become nurses. Upon graduation, each scholarship recipient is required to work for four years as a nurse in Arizona. Graduates will secure nursing roles in all corners of the state, including rural and underserved communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cArizona is ranked in the top five states nationwide experiencing severe nursing shortages,\u201d Lillian Smith<\/strong>, dean of NAU\u2019s College of Health and Human Services highlighted. \u201cNAU is positioned to address this critical shortage by increasing access to high-quality accelerated nursing programs which will decrease the time of completion for practice-ready bachelor\u2019s prepared nurses to enter the workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe tuition scholarships remove economic barriers for those individuals who may be unable to return to school for financial reasons,\u201d added Janina Johnson<\/strong>, executive director of NAU\u2019s College of Nursing. \u201cNAU has a rich history of serving rural and underserved communities. With this grant and NAU\u2019s College of Nursing strong track record offering quality nursing education, we can support and graduate more nurses and build the nursing workforce across all Arizona communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n