By: Sydnie Holzfaster
Missouri Western State University Board of Governors approved the establishment of a new School of Nursing and Health Professions.
The School of Nursing and Health Professions will be housed within the College of Professional Studies and will be led by an associate dean. The new school will include Western’s undergraduate and master’s degree programs in nursing, as well as the undergraduate degrees in health information management, physical therapy and the population health management degree.
Dean of Professional Studies Kathleen O’Connor acknowledges the complexities of the health relations programs and the need for a well-rounded professional staff.
“The nursing program at Missouri Western is one of our biggest and strongest programs.” O’Connor said. “It is a very complex and challenging department to manage, just because of the complexities.”
Western’s nursing program began as an associate’s degree program in 1971, admitting only 15 students. In 1986, the degree was expanded to a four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. A Master of Science in Nursing degree was established in 2010, offering two major concentrations: Healthcare Leadership and Nursing Educator.
Western admits approximately 100 students each year to the BSN program, with several working Registered Nursing students taking advantage of the RN to BSN program, which allows nurses to obtain their degree while they continue working.
In 2015 Mosaic Life Care established the first endowed Professorship in Western history, pledging $1.5 million to create an endowed professorship of Population Health. The gift helped establish a bachelor’s degree program in population health management, offered exclusively to Western students.
Missouri Western President Robert Vartabedian feels the establishment of the new school will highlight the roles the programs have in the university’s growth.
“Our health-related programs are extremely well respected and warrant a ‘school’ designation,” Vartabedian said. “The change recognizes the important role these programs have at Missouri Western, and will enhance the already strong external relationships our nursing and health professions programs have with Mosaic Life Care and other health industry organizations.”
