Aspiring nurses soon will have access to an undergraduate program at West Virginia University’s new School of Nursing campus located at WVU Medicine United Hospital Center in Bridgeport.
The new campus is the fifth location in the state that provides WVU School of Nursing programs. An accelerated Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts to Bachelor of Science in Nursing will seat the first cohort of students for the spring 2023 semester.
“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,” Dr. Tara Hulsey, vice president of Health Promotion and Wellness and dean of the WVU School of Nursing, said. “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 our state’s 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 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,” Michael C. Tillman, president and CEO of UHC, said. “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.”
The BS/BA to BSN program offered on the Bridgeport campus will mirror the Morgantown campus program. The program runs 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, 2022. A total of 24 students will be admitted each year.
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 lora.edgell@wvumedicine.org for more details on how to provide support.
Photo caption: An artist's rendering illustrates the future WVU School of Nursing Bridgeport campus skills lab located at WVU Medicine United Hospital Center.
