Concordia University Irvine Expands Nursing Program to Meet Demand

As demand for registered nurses continues to grow nationwide and in the state of California, Concordia University Irvine (CUI) has expanded their Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program to accommodate more students. The nursing program added 24 student spaces to its fall cohort, bringing the number of new students up from 40 to 64, and will add another 24 spaces to a new cohort beginning in the summer semester.

“The ability to enroll more qualified applicants allows Concordia University Irvine to replenish the pool of exceptional nurses who are retiring and leaving the profession.”

The accelerated program is designed for people who hold a bachelor’s degree, allowing them to earn another bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN) in 11 to 18 months. Students are required to complete 765 hours in clinical settings and 127 units total are required for the ABSN degree, 75 of which can be transferred from a previous degree, including prerequisite work that has been completed at an accredited college or university.

A survey from UC San Francisco conducted in the fall of 2016 showed that 89 percent of California hospitals reported moderate demand or higher for registered nurses, a 48 percent increase from the same survey done in 2013. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the RN workforce is expected to grow to 3.2 million in 2024, up from 2.7 million in 2014, a total increase of 16 percent.

The nursing program expansion at CUI will include adding new staff and classroom space at the Park Place campus in Irvine. CUI plans to add full-time and adjunct clinical faculty, two new classrooms, an additional clinical skills and simulation lab, and more conference rooms. CUI Assistant Dean and Director of the Nursing Program Cheryl Smythe-Padgham tells OCRegister.com, “The ability to enroll more qualified applicants allows Concordia University Irvine to replenish the pool of exceptional nurses who are retiring and leaving the profession.”