As Nebraska continues to face critical shortages in access to health care and a demand for nurses, the Creighton University College of Nursing, Hastings College and Mary Lanning Healthcare announce a new partnership designed to meet the needs of Nebraskans and students who are interested in pursuing careers in nursing.
The 3+1 program in Hastings allows students to get the full Hastings College experience for three years before commencing Creighton’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which can be completed in as little as one year. The program will be accepting its first class this fall.
“Given Creighton’s longstanding presence in Hastings, this is a great partnership and one we look forward to continuing to grow for many years,” said College of Nursing Dean Catherine Todero, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “Students get a chance to be a part of the typical college experience at Hastings College, and then move directly into the Creighton nursing program while still living and going to school right in Hastings. It’s a great example of community-based education.”
For 30 years, Creighton has had a satellite campus in Hastings at Mary Lanning Healthcare, providing nursing education for students in central Nebraska.
Hastings College Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Gary C. Johnson, Ph.D., said the partnership has been an integral component of the Hastings community and a benefit for health care in central Nebraska. Johnson said the latest step of Hastings College partnering with Creighton will only serve to strengthen bonds and provide new outlets for students seeking to serve in the nursing field.
“We are very pleased to partner with Creighton and to be able to offer this to our students at Hastings College,” Johnson said. “Both Hastings College and Creighton have made commitments to serve Hastings and greater Nebraska. Being able to partner together now to provide education for much-needed nurses in this accelerated format is another example of that commitment. We look forward to strengthening our long-standing relationship with Mary Lanning and to building a long and fruitful partnership with the Creighton University College of Nursing.”
Students in the 3+1 program will graduate with two degrees: a bachelor’s degree from Hastings College in Biology-Health Systems, and their B.S.N. from Creighton. In that time, students will also become familiar with nursing practice through Creighton’s ongoing partnership with Mary Lanning Healthcare campus and its Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) partners in nearby communities.
Todero said while the program incorporates Creighton’s highly-regarded Accelerated B.S.N. program, typically completed in 12 months post degree, into a four-year collegiate experience, students may take longer to complete Hastings College requirements for the dual degree along with the needed prerequisites.
“It can certainly work for the student who wants to get in, get done and get into practice as quickly as possible,” Todero said. “But getting everything done in four years is not mandatory. Students who want to go at a slightly extended pace can be accommodated.”
Upon completion of the B.S.N., Creighton graduates are eligible for annual $2,000 loan repayments for five years through selected CHI employers.
To request more information, apply online or register for a Creighton University College of Nursing information session, visit Creighton.edu/Hastings or call 402.460.5719.
Hastings College is a private, four-year institution located in Hastings, Nebraska, that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. With 64 majors and 15 pre-professional programs, Hastings College has been named among “Great Schools, Great Prices” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review and a “Best Bang for the Buck” school by Washington Monthly. For more, go to hastings.edu.
