Orlando, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2019) — Rasmussen College, a regionally accredited private college, today announced the expansion of its Professional Nursing Associate’s degree (ADN) program to its new Orlando campus.1 The Rasmussen College ADN program, which can be completed in as few as 18 months, prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN national certification exam to earn the licensure needed to become a registered nurse (RN).2 As an off-campus instructional site to the Ocala campus, the Rasmussen College Orlando campus’s ADN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and is now available with classes beginning in April.3 This program is also offered with the ADN Mobility Bridge Entrance Option, which is designed for students who are already licensed practical nurses (LPNs) committed to the nursing profession and eager to launch their careers as quickly as possible. The ADN Mobility Bridge Entrance Option allows students to advance their education in as few as 12-18 months.2
“We are thrilled to expand our Professional Nursing Associate’s degree program to Orlando — an area that continues to see the need for highly qualified nurses to fill workforce shortages,” said Karen Guty, area dean of the nursing associate’s degree program at Rasmussen College. “As the number-one educator of Professional Nursing Associate’s degree students in the country in 2016 and 2017, our ADN program is designed to give students the skills, knowledge and attitude to confidently care for diverse clientele and confidently sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. We are proud not only to expand our School of Nursing into Orlando to positively impact the health care needs of the community, but also to provide a strong curriculum that will train our students for success in increasingly complex and demanding healthcare environments.”
The ADN program, which is taught by experienced nurse educators, is available with Flex Choice®, allowing students to combine traditional online coursework and self-directed assessments to receive credit for what they already know.
High Demand for RNs
The time is right for Rasmussen College to expand its School of Nursing into the Orlando market as there is an extraordinary need for healthcare and nursing professionals across the United States, and specifically in Florida. The American Nurses Association estimates the United States will need to produce more than 1 million new registered nurses by 2022 to fulfill the country’s healthcare needs. According to the Burning Glass Program Insight tool, demand for registered nurses in Florida is expected to grow by more than 25 percent over the next nine years (2018-2027).
“With an increased emphasis nationwide on preventive care, the growing rates of chronic conditions, and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boomer generation, everyone is feeling the need for hiring highly competent nurses,” said Dr. Joan Rich, vice president of nursing at Rasmussen College. “Our ADN program is taught by experienced faculty who bring practical day-to-day applications into all of their Nursing courses. With immersive clinical opportunities in a variety of settings, Rasmussen College students are fully prepared for the scenarios they’ll encounter in the workforce.”
New Nursing Simulation Labs
The Orlando instructional site includes two new nursing simulation labs to provide an enhanced and safe learning experience for its ADN students and prepare them to enter today’s growing healthcare field.
The technology rich simulation labs will serve as both classrooms and simulation spaces for students and faculty.
School of Nursing faculty and students will have access to the following:
- Six hospital bed stations where students perform learned tasks in a realistic patient care experience. Each station is stocked with additional equipment to provide an authentic experience.
- Simulation equipment includes six new high-tech mannequins such as a Simulation Mom that faculty can control from an observation room. The mannequins provide the student nurses the opportunity to experience and practice patient care scenarios in the safety of a laboratory setting.
- Ample classroom space for briefing and debriefing to support deeper learning with the simulation experience.
Students interested in learning more are encouraged to attend a nursing information session at the Orlando campus. Contact the campus for details or visit: rasmussen.edu/nursing-session-form/.
1 Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. hlcommission.org | 800-621-7440
2 Completion time is dependent on transfer credits accepted and courses completed each term.
3 The Rasmussen College Professional Nursing Associate’s degree program in New Port Richey/West Pasco and Ocala (with an off-campus instructional site in Orlando), Florida; Kansas City/Overland Park (with an off-campus instructional site in Topeka), Kansas; Bloomington, Mankato, Moorhead and St. Cloud, Minnesota; and Green Bay and Wausau, Wisconsin, is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
