July 30, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Nursing will hold a series of informational meetings to discuss careers in nursing for individuals who have completed their bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing and are interested in becoming a nurse. The meetings are planned over three nights from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Emmet O'Neal Library in Mountain Brook on Thurs., Aug. 21; Vestavia Hills Public Library on Mon., Aug. 25; and Homewood Public Library on Tues., Aug. 26.

The meetings are free and open to the public. UAB School of Nursing faculty and staff will provide information on the school's Accelerated Master's Entry to Nursing Pathway (AMNP) program, an intensive 24 to 36 month master's program for persons with a bachelor's degree in any field. This second degree program, which began it's first class in May, is designed to introduce 45 new nurses annually into the workforce, in addition to the more than 250 students currently graduated each year through the bachelor's and master's programs offered by the UAB School of Nursing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1.2 million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2014 and, of this number, federal analysts project that more than 703,000 will be newly created RN positions that will account for 40 percent of all new jobs in the health care sector. The Alabama Hospital Association estimates the demand for nurses in the state will increase by 25 percent over the next five years.

"Nurses are the front line for medical needs," said UAB School of Nursing Dean Doreen Harper, Ph.D. "These intensive programs have proven to be highly effective in other states in easing the burden of nursing vacancies and adding to the pool of needed nursing faculty."

Harper said benefits of the program include its ability to attract mature, motivated students to the nursing profession and that these students are more likely to remain in Central Alabama and the state. Additionally, it provides the UAB School of Nursing the ability to groom and mentor students toward becoming expert clinicians and future faculty members.

For more information on the AMNP or the informational meetings at the libraries, contact Cecilia Ohman, M.S.N., R.N., nurse recruiter, at 205-934-5491 or 205-975-5302.