CLEVELAND — Kent State University’s College of Nursing is making it easier for motivated students to pursue nursing careers by removing traditional admission barriers. The school now accepts academically strong students who didn’t take required high school science courses—a change that could help address the ongoing healthcare workforce shortage.
Tracey Motter, DNP, RN, the associate dean of academic affairs at Kent State’s College of Nursing, says many qualified students were being turned away simply because their high schools didn’t offer certain courses or they discovered their passion for nursing too late. “We looked at those students and many of them had 4.0s, 3.5s,” Matter explained. The new pathway allows these students to take one science course at a time instead of the traditional two per semester, while still graduating in four years.
The program incorporates artificial intelligence into nursing education, using advanced simulation labs where mannequins interact with students like real patients, providing immediate feedback on clinical decisions…