By Danielle Davidson News Editor ddavids1@my.westga.edu
On September 19, University of West Georgia President Beheruz N. Sethna announced the establishment of a School of Nursing, an upgrade from the department in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Nursing became an official program of study at UWG in 1974, and recent growth and enrollment encouraged the administration and faculty to move up to a full-fledged School. As a semi-independent and separate school, nursing can provide greater support for its students and better serve the community.
"Separate school status for nursing is timely as this structure will better prepare the university to assist our nursing program in its efforts to adapt to the changing environment of health care and the growing demand for nurses within that changing environment," said Dr. Thomas J. Hynes, provost for UWG.
He also believes that the new structure of the school will enhance UWG's efforts to increase nurses in the state of Georgia.
On both a statewide and a nationwide scale, many hospitals are experiencing drastic shortages of nurses to provide patient care. Colleges and universities, the key bases for most nursing graduates, reflect these small numbers with smaller classes and fewer faculty. While trying to resolve this crisis, the new School will increase UWG's visibility as a foremost Georgia college as well as attract upper-level students and faculty.
Dr. Kathryn Grams, former chair of the Department of Nursing, was named the first dean of the new school, which offers Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Nursing and enrolls students on campus in Carrollton as well as satellite campuses in Dalton, Newnan and Rome.
"In the last academic year, 117 graduates received degrees in nursing with 99 percent of the pre-licensure graduates passing the national licensing exam on their first attempt," Grams said. "This year, more than 325 students are enrolled in nursing courses and more than 800 have declared nursing as a major at UWG."
The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education nationally accredits the current degrees of nursing, establishing credit to the school. The Georgia Board of Nursing Funding granted full approval on a School of Nursing facility, pending funding. The requested building went to the top of the capital request list for the University System of Georgia; an upcoming session of the General Assembly will survey the issue and hopefully grant funding.
In his announcement email, President Sethna encouraged future development, stating, "This organizational change is consistent with those of our peer institutions, and is best for the recruiting and placement of our first-class students…Please join us in congratulating them, and in wishing the School of Nursing, Dean Grams, the founding Faculty, Staff, and Students of the School, the very best for their future."
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