By Janice Phelan,
March 19, 2019
Nursing students work in the nursing skills lab at UCM’s Missouri Innovation Campus
in Lee’s Summit.
Graduates from the ŷƵ School of Nursing are making a positive impact throughout the region by providing quality healthcare
in a wide variety of areas. Placement rates for UCM nursing students is 100 percent
with graduates well-prepared to enter the demanding, yet rewarding field of nursing.
“There is going to continue to be a phenomenal shortage of nurses due to the growing
number of older people and the ongoing need for elderly care,” said Dr. Julie Clawson,
UCM School of Nursing chair and professor. “We offer an affordable, quality program
that provides our students with a worthwhile investment as well as a valuable service
to the public.”
Nationally accredited since 1978, the UCM nursing program is designed to graduate
competent, caring and mindful practitioners committed to the service of creating and
leading a culture of health.
UCM has two bachelor’s programs and a master’s program, offered at the Missouri Innovation
Campus, the university’s Lee’s Summit location, as well as through online courses.
Programs are:
- A generic-option bachelor’s degree in nursing, also known as prelicensure, which graduates
around 80 nurses annually. The RN to bachelor’s degree nursing option with approximately
90 graduates each year.
- A master’s degree in nursing, primarily an online program geared for working adults,
with close to 200 students currently enrolled. This part-time program includes two
emphasis areas -- family nurse practitioner and nurse educator.
- The comprehensive programs include clinical rotations at a number of quality healthcare
facilities. Close to 95 percent of UCM nursing graduates stay in Missouri, filling
vital needs throughout the state.
Diversity of training and academic rigor are major advantages of the UCM program.
“Our graduates tell us they appreciate the diversity in their preparation, from small
hospitals to the largest urban medical center,” Clawson said. “This is a rigorous
program. We hear from our clinical partners that our students are well-prepared to
enter the healthcare field and are valuable employees.”
Mentoring is another important component of the UCM program with students gaining
first-hand experience through clinical practicums, simulations and volunteer events.
Nursing graduates have numerous career options including pediatrics, medical/surgical
nursing, women’s health, critical care, population health and neonatal. In addition,
a career in nursing provides graduates with opportunities to develop expertise and
advance professionally.
The UCM School of Nursing has partnered for many years with Summit Technology Academy’s
pre-professional nursing program, operated at the Missouri Innovation Campus by the
Lee’s Summit R-7 School District. This two-year program includes high-school students
from throughout the metropolitan area with many of the participants going on to earn
degrees in nursing.
For information about UCM’s nursing programs is available on our website.