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Loyola Seeks to Help Solve Staffing Shortage by Launching Accelerated Nursing Program

Analysis  |  By Carol Davis  
   August 22, 2022

Fast-tracked degree will provide students guaranteed clinical placements with one of Loyola's local healthcare partners.

Loyola University is launching an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) degree this spring to help fill the need for nurses.

The 17-month accelerated program caters to career changers and people who already have a bachelor’s degree in any field of study but need science credits and clinical placements to begin practicing, according to a Loyola press release.

The full-time, hybrid program provides students a combination of online learning and in-person clinical experience at facilities around the New Orleans area. Now enrolling for the spring 2023 academic term, the ABSN degree was designed to keep the profession of nursing accessible and in-reach, according to Loyola.

The program caters to those seeking a meaningful career change as well as recent graduates with a bachelor’s degree in any field of study. 

The School of Nursing’s education focuses on holistic health, patient-centered care, and experiential learning. This fast-tracked degree will provide students guaranteed clinical placements with one of Loyola’s local healthcare partners and a maximum faculty-to-student ratio of 1:10 during clinical work.

In addition to providing hands-on experience to students, the ABSN degree offers the convenience of online learning for a portion of coursework and extensive preparation for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). 

The new ABSN program was built upon the school’s pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing program it launched in partnership with Ochsner Health System last year.

Loyola’s new, fast-tracked degree comes at a time when the demand for nurses is growing.

A recent study from consulting group McKinsey & Company predicts the United States may need between 200,000 to 450,000 nurses by 2025.

To meet this demand, the McKinsey study says, the U.S. would need to more than double the number of new graduates entering and staying in the nursing workforce every year for the next three years straight.

Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.


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