RushUNursing

Dear Pd: We have accepted everyone from the Summer 2014 waitlist that was guaranteed a seat for the Spring 2015 class. Make sure to check your email (your were sent an email early this morning) and give Molly a call. Congratulations, Pd.

Dear DDeborah31, The official Admission Packets (E-Acceptance Packet) for the summer (May) 2014 and fall (September) 2014 classes will be emailed on the evening of March 5, 2014

Dear Applicants, There are currently 106 males out of 1007 total students (10.5%) enrolled at Rush University College of Nursing. Currently there are 33 males out of 249 enrolled GEM students (13.2%). To compare this number to the national average there are approximately 294,063 male RNs, which makes up 9.6% of the total nursing population. The Rush University College of Nursing has dedicated financial need and merit scholarships for diverse and underrepresented students (males included) in nursing. These scholarships come from a number of different sources, but represent a focused effort on the part of the College of Nursing to provide dedicated dollars to increase the diversity of our student body. The college understands the importance of preparing nurse clinicians who reflect the populations for which we care and the need to provide financial assistance to help our students meet their goals. We encourage diverse applicants to simply apply for financial aid. If there is an available scholarship for which you qualify, you will be automatically considered. If you have questions about the financial aid process, please refer to the Office of Financial Aid website. In May 2013, Rush University College of Nursing was awarded a $120,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation toward scholarships for the pre-licensure generalist entry master's (GEM) program. Lisa Rosenberg, PhD, RN, is the director for this new grant. For the Spring 2014 (Jan.) term Rush will offer selected newly enrolled qualified GEM students from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds a $10,000 RWJF scholarship. Funds from the College of Nursing and the University Diversity Scholarship Award Program will provide matching grants of $10,000 to an additional number of qualified students in the Summer 2014 (May) term who meet the RWJF criteria and are in financial need. "We believe these scholarships will make a significant impact in reducing student debt, while increasing the opportunity for diverse or disadvantaged students to receive a graduate education in nursing," said Lisa Rosenberg, NCIN program director and associate dean for admissions and recruitment in the college. This is the fifth time in the last six years Rush University College of Nursing has been awarded this grant. Students will be eligible for the Robert Wood Johnson GEM scholarships if they are African-American, Hispanic, American Indian, specific Asian populations or male (groups underrepresented in nursing) or from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. An individual from a financially disadvantaged background is defined as one who comes from a family with an annual income below a level based on low-income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for changes in the consumer price index (CPI), and adjusted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services for use in health professions and nursing programs. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid if they are interested in applying for this award.

Dear Bronze: In today's complex health care environments, from acute to chronic to community settings, nurses are taking on more responsibility for the delivery of quality patient care. It has become clear that the traditional way of educating nurses needs to be re-thought. While similar to bachelor's programs in that they prepare graduates for generalist practice, the pre-licensure direct entry master's: generalist entry master's program includes the comprehensive clinical leadership content that most bachelor programs are unable to include — evidence-based practice, quality improvement, clinical outcomes management, team building and delegation, inter-professional communication, informatics and fiscal accountability. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) collects data on entry-level master’s degree programs (MSNs), which remain a popular pathway into nursing for those transitioning into nursing with degrees in other fields. Graduates from these programs are most likely to have secured jobs at graduation (73% for MSNs vs. 57% for BSNs) and at four to six months post-graduation (92% for MSNs vs. 88% for BSNs). These data illustrate a continued employer preference for hiring the best educated entry-level nurse possible. I hope this helps.