MBU to launch accelerated nursing program
Missouri Baptist University is set to launch a one-year-long Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in June 2022.
The Missouri State Board of Nursing unanimously approved MBU’s request to offer an ABSN at their regularly scheduled meeting in December. More specifically, the approval allows MBU to begin a cohort of 24 students beginning this summer.
“Since its inception, the Missouri Baptist University School of Nursing has filled an important role in the St. Louis region and beyond through the intersection of innovative preparation with Christian perspectives,” said Dr. Keith Ross, MBU president. “The new ABSN will allow MBU to expand this worthy mission while also helping to address significant nursing shortages both locally and nationally.”
MBU’s ABSN program will be among the quickest and most affordable in the bi-state area. The one-year program will cost $39,600, which includes tuition, all fees and a new Apple iPad to learn how to communicate relevant patient data in an active learning classroom, lab and clinical setting.
As demand for nurses continues to rise locally and nationwide, the ABSN program at MBU was developed to provide an expedited pathway to RN licensure for post-traditional learners, including, but not limited to, those who already possess a bachelor’s degree in another field.
“The ABSN is designed for students who are motivated to enter the nursing workforce as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Amber Pyatt, dean of the School of Nursing. “Particularly as the nursing shortage has been amplified with the impact of COVID-19, our program seeks to provide an avenue to prepare students using the same level of innovation and excellence as our traditional BSN program, but in the quickest manner possible.”
In light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, along with a significant number of anticipated retirees in Missouri, the launch of MBU’s ABSN program comes when the demand for registered nurses who have earned a BSN is high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projections 2014-2024, Registered Nursing (RN) is listed among the top occupations in terms of job growth through 2024. The RN workforce is expected to grow from 2.7 million in 2014 to 3.2 million in 2024, an increase of 439,300 or 16 percent. The Bureau also projects the need for 649,100 replacement nurses in the workforce bringing the total number of job openings for nurses due to growth and replacement to more than 1 million by 2024. According to the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) Annual Workforce Report, the RN Vacancy in Missouri is 12 percent and in the St. Louis region is 11.2 percent.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage for registered nurses in Missouri is $65,900; meanwhile, those registered nurses in the 75th percentile are making $78,290 a year.
Courses for the ABSN are taught in MBU’s state-of-the art School of Nursing, located in the Walker Medical Building neighboring MBU’s main campus. The 8,000-plus square feet space has been transformed into an innovative learning space, which includes a simulation lab, technology-equipped training classrooms and community meeting areas.
Students interested in pursuing MBU’s ABSN program, please contact MBU Enrollment Counselor Meghan Neuner at Meghan.Neuner@mobap.edu or at (314) 392-2294.
Missouri Baptist University is a Christ-centered university located in Saint Louis. MBU offers more than 40 undergraduate degrees, graduate and doctoral degrees in nursing, education, business and religion. In addition to its 66-acre West St. Louis County campus, MBU offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs online and at its 10 regional learning centers throughout Saint Louis, in Southern Illinois and online. For more information, go to www.mobap.edu or call 1-877-434-1115
