New Nursing Program to Be Offered in Sacramento

Program Addresses Growing Nursing Shortage

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Beginning in January 2002, Oakland's Samuel Merritt College, will begin offering classes at its new Sacramento Regional Center, located at 1610 Arden Way, leading to a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). The recent affiliation between Sutter Health and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and its affiliate, Samuel Merritt College, provide an excellent opportunity to develop an outreach pre-licensure program for the preparation of registered nurses in the Sacramento Valley. The program is designed for college graduates who have a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing area, and allows students to become Registered Nurses (RNs) in less than two years.

The curriculum for the Sacramento program is designed to enable students to complete the California requirements for RN licensure at the end of four full-time semesters. Once licensed, students can begin working as nurses and may complete the graduate component in case management on either a full or part-time basis. Enrollment for the first entering class, which starts in January 2002, is 24 students, and increases to 36 students for the second entering class.

The Sutter Resource Library, located in the Sutter Cancer Center midtown in Sacramento, will be the primary library resource for Samuel Merritt nursing students' research needs. "We're very excited to be a part of Samuel Merritt's nursing students education," said K.D. Profit, Sutter Resource Librarian. "The amazing support we receive from Sutter Hospitals Foundation allows our resource library to carry the most up-to-date books and journals these students will need for their research work."

California is in the midst of a serious nurse shortage and may be facing the worst shortage of nursing professionals in history. According to the state Economic Development Department, California faces a shortfall of more than 25,000 registered nurses by 2006. Although there are approximately 4,700 new RN graduates annually from California schools, the California Healthcare Association reports there is a need for 4,000 more. The latest numbers from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing indicate that enrollments in five-year baccalaureate nursing schools dropped 16.6 percent during the past five years.

An open house is being held on Wednesday, Aug, 8 from 6:30 - 8 p.m. for those interested in learning more about the program. Counselors will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to review prerequisite coursework and answer specific questions. Interested applicants should bring copies of their transcripts for evaluation. For further information or to make a reservation contact Anne Seed, Associate Director of Admissions, at (510) 869-6610 or aseed@samuelmerritt.edu.

Samuel Merritt College, affiliated with Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Sutter Health, was founded in 1909 and offers undergraduate degrees in nursing and graduate degrees in physical therapy, nursing, occupational therapy, and physician assistant. Samuel Merritt College is the first institution of higher education to receive the prestigious California Governor's Quality Award.