SCSU Nursing programs are essential for the region’s success

Jessica Imrie had good, practical reasons for choosing St. Cloud State's nursing program: she could commute from home, get financial support from the hometown nursing home where she'd been working part-time and be part of a highly competitive, hands-on learning experience. But most importantly, she believed her training would be the gateway to a myriad of career opportunities in the healthcare field. Her rewarding career path has proved her instincts were right.

"I chose nursing because it would open many doors," Imrie said. "I knew the endless possibilities. Nurses can be in administration, provide bedside care, educate, be involved with informatics, etc. I knew nursing would also allow me financial security and freedom in my professional choices.

"The SCSU Nursing Program provided me with more clinical hours than any other nursing program in the state, which was really helpful in gaining confidence and knowledge as a new graduate nurse," Imrie continued, who went on to be an emergency care nurse at Fairview Northland in Princeton, earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Education from St. Catherine University and come full circle back to St. Cloud State to teach third-semester nursing students.

Many of Imrie's beneficial clinical hours were completed at CentraCare St. Cloud Hospital.

"As a five-time Magnet designated and teaching hospital, they considered students' educational levels and needs," Imrie said. "The precepting nurses take students under their wings and help to mold them into effective, efficient and caring nurses. My professional growth and identity have flourished because of my undergraduate experience, guidance and cultivation at SCSU, which I now have the privilege of providing nursing students daily."

SCSU's nursing program has been highly competitive since it was launched in 2004, when only 25 students could be admitted twice a year. Now every fall and every spring 45 new students are accepted into the traditional R.N. program, with unlimited capacity for the online bachelor's program. Nursing remains one of the most in-demand career fields in the state.

"When I applied to SCSU's nursing program, there were between 150 and 200 applicants," Imrie said. "It was very competitive. As we expanded to two start dates, the program is able to accept many more students.

"SCSU's nursing program and faculty helped me become a professional nurse," she added. "The program and faculty taught me to be a critical thinker, provide high-quality patient care and use clinical judgment in every healthcare-related encounter."

Highly Ranked and Regarded

Positive experiences such as Imrie's are the reason why this past year, St. Cloud State University's nursing program was ranked as the number two bachelor's public program in Minnesota by RegisteredNursing.org., a leading resource for the nursing industry. The ranking values how effectively a program supports students in their journey toward licensure and beyond. SCSU was also ranked as the No. 3 school overall for all programs in the state.

The evaluation process considers various factors, including past and present first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, which consistently are at the top of the state. SCSU was noted for its advanced simulation labs and special emphasis placed on applied clinical learning, preparing graduates to innovate in future patient care. Students have options for learning in the clinical settings of hospital inpatient and emergency room care, home care, clinics, public health, international nursing, hospice, mental health sites, elder care and more.

SCSU's Department of Nursing also recently launched an accelerated online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which supports part-time and full-time degree completion.

"We are honored to be recognized as one of the top bachelor's prepared nursing programs in Minnesota," said Roxanne Wilson, interim dean of the College of Health and Wellness Professions. "We have the top first-time Board of Nursing pass rates of all the bachelor's nursing programs in the Minnesota State system. Our graduates find jobs at CentraCare, Allina, Fairview, Essentia, Mayo, Health Partners, rural sites and throughout the entire country and world.

"We are proud of our program faculty, clinical sites and students for putting in the hard work to create excellence in local and global health," Wilson continued. "We have very dedicated faculty and staff who encourage and engage nursing students to become pivotal members of the healthcare community."

"Our nursing program continues to demonstrate academic and clinical excellence," Department of Nursing Chair and Associate Professor Jane Bagley said. "Being named one of the top nursing programs in Minnesota exemplifies the commitment to learning of each of our students."

It's not uncommon for Bagley to hear from employers how SCSU's pre-licensure graduates truly stand out in the workforce.

"Our students stand out in the knowledge, critical thinking and respected professionalism from a solid academic foundation provided by SCSU," Bagley said.

CentraCare Partnership

A key strength of the program is the extraordinary saturation of clinical hours SCSU nursing students have, much of that time with CentraCare. Nursing graduates finish with 2,016 theory hours and 914 clinical hours.

"Having students immersed in theclinical setting is integral for the development of essential nursing skills and overall competence," Bagley said. "We have a very strong collaboration with CentraCare; about 80 percent of SCSU pre-licensure graduates go on to work with CentraCare. Every one of our nursing students will complete a rotation with St. Cloud Hospital."

It was an extension of that already vital partnership for which St. Cloud State's nursing program received a significant gift of $1 million from CentraCare to help launch collaboration with the University of Minnesota to develop a Doctor of Nursing Practice program to fill critical rural needs.

This cooperative effort resulted in a DNP program with the degree awarded through the University of Minnesota. The first cohort of four students graduated in May 2024.

Three of the four are graduates of SCSU's traditional licensing/RN program and will be well prepared to give much-needed advanced health care to underserved communities in the region.

All learning experiences during the doctoral program are with CentraCare.

"While the role of our Department of Nursing is peripheral, we look to the program as a recruiting tool to attract students to our nursing programs," Bagley said.

As one of the three St. Cloud State educated RNs among this first graduating cohort, Wyatt Orth also will be taking his career to a new level.

"The nursing program at SCSU equipped me with all the necessary skills to be successful as a new graduate RN in the critical care setting at CentraCare," Orth said. "After serving numerous rural communities, SCSU and CentraCare presented an ideal opportunity for me to return for my DNP, allowing me to give back to the community I call home."

Orth said support from all partners in this significant new training ground for advanced health care practitioners in rural Minnesota has been exceptional.

"The seamless integration between CentraCare, SCSU and my current nurse practitioner program has fostered a positive educational experience," he said.

SCSU has been focused on providing Central Minnesota with highly trained nurses for decades, and they will continue to evolve as options like accelerated courses and DNP programs grow.

Bagley said it is a vital role for the success of the community.

"Our nursing programs are essential in providing a pipeline of essential health care workers within and throughout the region."

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