UHC to Be Site for New WVU School of Nursing Campus; First Class to Begin Spring of 2023
By Chris Johnson on January 26, 2021
The West Virginia School of Nursing will offer one of its undergraduate nursing programs on the United Hospital Center campus in Bridgeport.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by officials from the WVU School of Nursing as well as UHC.
It will be the fifth WVU School of Nursing campus in the state and it offer an accelerated Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts (BS/BA) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The first group of students will begin in the spring of 2023.
“There is a high demand for registered nurses around the Bridgeport area, and we wanted to offer a geographically accessible, high quality option to those with an existing BS/BA degree who are interested in becoming nurses,” said Tara Hulsey, vice president of Health Promotion and Wellness and Dean of the WVU School of Nursing. “We are excited about this new partnership with UHC. This new campus is another way for us to help our communities provide quality healthcare to citizens.”
The nursing school will occupy in excess of 5,000 square feet on the fifth floor of the newly constructed East Wing at UHC, which will encompass more than 40,000 square feet at a total cost of $23 million. The space will include two classrooms, a skills lab, conference rooms, a student lounge, and offices.
“The shared mission of United Hospital Center and the WVU School of Nursing presents a unique opportunity for collaboration, enabling us to groom future generations of nurses who can meet the evolving healthcare needs of our region,” said Michael C. Tillman, president and CEO of UHC. “Skilled and compassionate nurses are critical to our mission, especially nurses who have the academic and clinical training that allows them to successfully adapt in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.
"If you have been around the back of the hospital you have noticed a crane. If you have been in the hospital and looked down you have seen a lot of mud and a big hole. The steel for that project which we call the East Addition will start to go up late this week or early next week. The addition is an exciting expansion for the hospital."
The BS/BA to BSN program offered on the Bridgeport campus will mirror the Morgantown campus program. The program is five full-time semesters, or 18 months in length, and consists of 66 credits of nursing curriculum. Students who have a BS or BA degree from an accredited college or university and want to become registered nurses are invited to apply between March 1 – July 1, 2021. A total of 24 students will be admitted each semester.
Hulsey said there is already a waiting list for the program and the required undergraduate degree does not have to be in the medical field. Prospective students would have to meet the admission criteria of a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale
"As we all know, we need more nurses," Hulsey said. "Through this partnership we are able to bring our accredited high-quality fast track program to the area and our partnership with UHC.
In addition to this new campus, the WVU School of Nursing offers its nursing programs on campuses in Beckley, Charleston, Keyser and Morgantown.
The WVU School of Nursing Project is part of a $1 million capital campaign at United Hospital Center. Contact Lora Edgell by calling 681-342-1455 or by emailing at lora.edgell@wvumedicine.orgfor more details on how you may provide support.
Editor's Note: Artist renderings courtesy of UHC. Bottom photo courtesy of UHC. Pictured from left is Michael C. Tillman, president and CEO of United Hospital Center; Tara Hulsey, vice president of Health Promotion and Wellness and Dean of the WVU School of Nursing; and Stephanie Smart, MSN, RN, vice president of Nursing at United Hospital Center; featured with an artist rendering of the skills lab.
Share
Sign up/stay connected
Create your profile to start adding photos, posting comments, and more.