Manhattanville College Receives Approval to Establish Nursing School
Manhattanville College, located in Purchase, has received approval to launch degree programs through its new School of Nursing and Health Sciences from the New York State Education Department.
Manhattanville now offers two degrees in nursing: Bachelor of Science in Nursing for traditional 4-year and transfer students as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for second-degree students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. The college is accepting applications immediately for the fall. More information is available at www.mville.edu/nursing.
Manhattanville President Michael Geisler, Ph.D., recognized the assistance of community partners and elected officials during the approval process. He specifically thanked New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald, and President and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester, Marsha Gordon, for their support.
“Empathy and collaborative spirit are central Manhattanville qualities that are integral to success in nursing, and these qualities are enhanced through the College’s foundation in liberal arts and commitment to design thinking,” said Geisler. “Creating a School of Nursing and Health Sciences is an exciting step for the future of Manhattanville.”
The new school will help meet a growing national demand for nurses. The nursing field continues to grow at an accelerated rate, with the federal government projecting an expansion of 17% each year through 2028. With increasing emphasis on preventive and end-of-life care as well as an upsurge in chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, nurses will populate more areas of the healthcare field than ever before.
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), nursing school enrollment is not growing fast enough to meet the projected demand for nurses. Though the AACN reported a 3.7% enrollment increase in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs in 2018, this remains insufficient to populate many nursing services, including nurse faculty, researchers and primary care providers. A recent survey by the AACN found that 46% of employers require, and 88% strongly prefer, new hires to have a bachelor’s degree. An estimated one million registered nurses will retire by 2030, creating a consistently high demand for a trained workforce.
Simons, Ph.D., R.N., C.C.M.R., dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Manhattanville College and Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine, said the programs will prepare students to be patient-centered providers, able to balance “high tech and high care,” which will impact quality of care and health outcomes as well as enhance the patient experience.
