Jennifer Thompson, 38, left behind a lucrative career in pharmaceutical sales to become a nurse. She is one of 21 students enrolled in the University of New Hampshire's new direct entry master's in nursing program that is answering the call to fill the state and national need for more nurses prepared at higher levels of education.
"When I was working in sales and I would ask myself 'What did I do today?' I couldn't answer that question in a meaningful way," said Thompson, of Bedford. "Before I went into sales I worked as an exercise physiologist with cardiac patients, and I enjoyed the relationship I had with people. I wanted to get back to that, and I wanted to play a more direct role in patient care."
Like her classmates, Thompson's undergraduate degree is not in nursing. Many come from the corporate world, some from related fields like biotechnology, and one is even a geologist. These are exactly the students UNH is seeking for its program - those who have bachelor's degrees in other disciplines, but who want to enter the nursing profession and earn an advanced degree without having to complete an additional bachelor's degree.
UNH's direct entry master's in nursing program is unique in New Hampshire, and joins a growing trend of similar programs across the nation. Accelerated programs in nursing have shown a significant increase in the last 10 years in response to both the need for nurses and the interest in nursing as a result of the downturn in the economy.
The two-and a-half year, full-time program prepares students to take the Nursing Licensure Exam (NCLEX) after the first year of courses, become a Registered Nurse, and graduate with a master's degree in the clinical nursing leadership program. The master's of science in clinical nursing leadership program focuses on the development of nurses at the advanced clinician level.
"This innovative course of study develops expert nursing practice, promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, and fosters life-long learning skills," says Dorothy Rentschler, UNH associate professor of nursing and program director. "All students develop strong clinical decision-making and practice skills. The graduates of this program will be equipped to assume leadership positions in nursing service units, contribute to clinical nursing education, and function as expert clinicians in direct care roles."
The UNH program will increase the number of master's prepared nurses at patients' bedsides which, according to a recent study by Dr. Linda Aiken and colleagues, published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), leads to better patient outcomes and more cost effective care. In addition, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing states, "Graduates of accelerated programs are prized by nurse employers who value the many layers of skill and education these graduates bring to the workplace."
The association also reports that agencies are partnering with schools of nursing and offering scholarships to students as a means for recruiting highly qualified nurses. Thompson and several of her classmates have received $5,000 scholarships from the Foundation for Healthy Communities in Concord in exchange for a commitment to teach nursing courses within Registered Nurse programs in New Hampshire following their graduation.
The Foundation for Healthy Communities is a nonprofit corporation that exists to improve health and health care, and includes New Hampshire hospitals, health plans, clinicians, home care agencies and public policy leaders.
The need for nurses with master's and doctoral degrees to fill faculty positions is also critical, as more students are applying to nursing programs, but not enough teachers are available to meet the need.