UPMC Schools of Nursing
UPMC has a commitment to the education and development of the next generation of nurse professionals. Our hospital-based nursing schools combine unparalleled clinical experiences with exceptional academics. We prepare our graduates to enter the workforce to become leaders in health care and advocates for their patients.
2021 has been a year of unprecedented events driving a continually rising need for nurses, and UPMC Schools of Nursing are answering the call. In 2021, the number of schools expanded from four to five, with a branch of the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot in Erie, PA.
Three of our schools (UPMC Jameson, UPMC Jameson at UPMC Hamot, and UPMC
St. Margaret) also launched an LPN to RN program. The LPN to RN transition program accepts current LPNs, who meet the admission requirements, to forego the traditional first semester RN diploma courses by awarding credit for their education and licensure.
The UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot opened its doors to 99 students this fall. This brand-new school is the result of a partnership between UPMC Hamot and Hamot Health Foundation. The Hamot School of Nursing will focus on building a diverse student body that reflects the regional demographics through financial aid, support, and scholarships. As a result, 70.5% of the LPN to RN track and 27% of the RN track students are people of color. In addition to the newly constructed building, the school created a 5,000 sq foot nurse learning center in the main hospital where students learn through simulation, skills development, group instruction and 1:1 mentoring. In addition to offering a fall start, the school will begin offering interested applicants a second start in January of 2023.
Investing In Our Future Nurses: The inaugural class of students in the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at UPMC Hamot collectively received more than $185,000 in scholarships from Hamot Health Foundation.
The UPMC Schools of Nursing continues to grow. Registration for the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg, our sixth school, is now accepting applications for the first class to begin in fall 2022. A 16-month accelerated diploma program for registered nurses is available through a partnership between UPMC and Harrisburg University. Students will take non-nursing courses at Harrisburg University, nursing courses from UPMC faculty, and complete more than 900 hours of clinical rotations at UPMC Harrisburg and other regional central Pennsylvania UPMC facilities. The UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing at UPMC Harrisburg expects to welcome up to 200 students for its inaugural class. The fall 2022 semester will begin in August at Strawberry Square in downtown Harrisburg.
UPMC Schools of Nursing continue to offer full-time and a part-time evening/weekend programs for interested students. The enrollment in the UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing part-time program that had grown by 13% in 2020, has grown by another 22% in 2021, and is expected to have continued growth to meet the needs of students who attend school part time. UPMC Mercy School of Nursing will offer an extended program (24 months) this fall. The interest has been high, and the first class will start September 2022.
This 2021 fiscal year across all schools, we have seen an increase in new students/admissions of 49% with 368 students enrolled in 2020 and 548 students enrolled in 2021. Our schools added three new LPN-RN programs in August 2021 with 62 new students.
Our students have diverse backgrounds: single parents, heads of households, second career seekers, college graduates, recent high school graduates and full-time employees. We continue the trend of recent years diversifying our student populations by this year increasing our students of color by 26% and increasing our male students by 3.6%. Data indicates that in 2021, 14 percent of the student body are males and 16 percent are people of color.
UPMC wants our nursing students to succeed, and our nurse graduates to stay with UPMC as nurses in the future. With a vision to build on our student success and retention, UPMC Schools of Nursing has a new position: Mrs. Corie Schultheis, MSN, RN, CNE, is Program Manager for Student Success and Engagement. As Program Manager for Student Success and Engagement, Mrs. Schultheis provides a holistic student support program encompassing student experience from pre-enrollment through graduation. The Program Manager for Student Success and Engagement provides both academic support, such as meeting with at risk students to identify needs for improvement and success, and non-academic support to students, including partnering with LifeSolutions to create successful models of support. Under Mrs. Schultheis’s guidance, the UPMC Schools of Nursing remains an environment which recognizes and values differences in students, peers, patients, families, and communities.
UPMC Schools of Nursing graduates are a great pipeline of future UPMC nurses. Whether a recent high school graduate or a second-degree student, there’s a place for you at UPMC Schools of Nursing. Learn more about how to apply.