Program aims to help ease statewide nursing shortage.
Nursing students at Front Range Community College are gearing up to start their first semester of the school’s new RN-to-BSN Completion program.
“As the only nursing program in Larimer County, we’re eager to get started with our new bachelor’s degree,” said Jean Runyon, vice president of FRCC’s Larimer Campus in Fort Collins.
Colorado is currently experiencing an annual shortage of at least 500 nurses with four-year BSN degrees, and this figure is expected to grow to a cumulative shortage of 4,500 nurses with BSNs by 2024.
In the past, most nurses were only required to have a two-year associate degree. “Now many health care providers require their nurses to have a bachelor’s degree,” said Edith Matesic, director of FRCC’s BSN program. “Our BSN completion option will allow more of our trained, skilled nurses to graduate and go directly into the workforce.”
Demand for qualified nurses is increasing, in part, because many baby boomers in the profession are retiring. FRCC’s new program—along with others around the state—will help meet that need for skilled health care providers.