Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH) has received Initial Approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing to offer the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Registered Nursing. On January 5, 2023, the Board voted to grant Initial Approval to ASUMH, which allows the college to recruit and enroll students in a traditional Registered Nursing program.
“We are very excited to receive Initial Approval for a traditional RN program. This new program offers students an additional path to complete their nursing education locally. Students will have the opportunity to complete their RN education in two years of full time, face to face classes. Depending on interest we anticipate accepting 16-24 students in the first class which will begin on May 30, 2023,” said Dr. Julia Gist, Dean of Health Sciences at ASUMH.
“We anticipate graduating between 60-75 RNs each year with the addition of this program which should assist in meeting the increasing nursing needs of our community,” Gist added.
The demand for RNs in the local community, as well as state- and nation-wide, has been the impetus for ASUMH to grow its nursing program. ASUMH currently provides an LPN/Paramedic to RN Program (AAS) and a Practical Nursing Program (TC) for students on its campus. Due to a request and support from the local healthcare community, ASUMH has designed the program to be a more direct pathway to RN for those students who prefer that alternative.
For many years, A-State has provided a traditional RN program that was housed on the ASUMH campus. Admissions to this program have been discontinued locally and the last students will graduate in December 2023. ASUMH’s RN program will begin in Summer 2023 after students have completed prerequisite courses. The deadline for applications is March 15. The 63-credit-hour program will help fulfill a local and state-wide need for registered nurses.
Data obtained from the Department of Labor (careeronestop.org) indicates that employment for RNs in Arkansas is projected to increase by 14% between 2018 and 2028. ASUMH is located in Baxter County where more than 30% of the population is 65 years and over compared to Arkansas where 17.5% of the population is 65 and over (census.gov). Baxter Health in Mountain Home is the largest provider of care in the area and in 2022 they reported a Medicare population of approximately 60%. This translates to an increase in the need for RNs in the facility and in support services in the community.
For more information on the Traditional Registered Nursing program and all other Health Sciences programs at ASUMH, contact Sarah Smith at (870) 508- 6266 or email sarahs@asumh.edu. The applications for all Health Sciences programs, including the Traditional Registered Nursing program, are located on the ASUMH website at this link: Health Sciences Application
