Demand for nursing program continues to increase

INDIANAPOLIS – Ivy Tech Community College most recently reported the Associate of Science in Nursing class posted a 90 percent completion rate for the program.

Ivy Tech’s in-demand, selective admission nursing program receives thousands of applications each term, but the college must selectively admit only a few hundred.  For the Fall 2015 term, the college received more than 2,200 applications for its Associate of Science degree in Nursing and admitted 674 students for its available program capacity.  For Spring 2015, applications totaled 935 and 450 were admitted to the program.

“These are impressive completion numbers for one of our marquee selective admission programs,” said Ivy Tech President Thomas J. Snyder.  “Many of our nursing students have spent years on their educational journey and their hard work is rewarded with a degree that has currency in the workplace.”

Ivy Tech continues to produce more nurses than any other college in the state of Indiana with more than 1,000 nurses graduating each year with Ivy Tech credentials.  Ivy Tech’s nursing programs are approved by the Indiana State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing Inc.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing is the top occupation in terms of the largest job growth from 2008 to 2018.  Government analysts project more than 581,500 new RN jobs will be created through 2018.  Other projections indicate that by 2025, the U.S. nursing shortage will grow to more than 260,000 registered nurses.

“As the health care industry continues to evolve and expand, Ivy Tech is committed to providing the skilled workers needed to help fill employment gaps, so our state can continue to thrive,” said Snyder.  “Ivy Tech’s important role of educating the nurses of tomorrow is something we are very proud of.”

In order to provide Ivy Tech’s continued success in its nursing program, numerous internal initiatives have been developed, including increased integration of high fidelity simulation in lecture, lab and clinical courses; collaborative learning environments; flipped classrooms; interdisciplinary learning activities; and taking different approaches to college-sponsored graduate education to produce educators to teach Ivy Tech’s nursing programs.

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system serving nearly 200,000 students annually.  Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its communities.  In addition, its courses and programs transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.