PORTLAND, Ore. — Concordia University, in Portland, offers students the chance to become a nurse in less than two years through its accelerated program. Students are able to enter the workforce eight months faster than previous programs.
The need for health care workers is critical right now, with many having left the field since the start of the pandemic.
The university closed over a year ago, but Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota took over the nursing program. The school will offer classes at its two Portland campuses this coming school year.
Associate Dean of Nursing Hollie Caldwell said the closure of Concordia University left many nursing students without a place to go. When Concordia St. Paul took over the program, it allowed the students to finish their degrees.
Concordia's curriculum is hybrid, so some classes will be online and others will be in a new state-of-the-art learning lab in Northeast Portland. There are almost 400 students currently enrolled in the program.
Caldwell said experienced nurses are retiring faster than they can be replaced.
"Our folks can get out into the workforce more quickly," Caldwell said. "Our accelerated students are also very unique. They're going to offer some unique things to the workforce. These are adult, more mature individuals. Often it's their second or third career, they are retooling."
There are three start dates for the program: September, January and May. When it comes to investing in the nursing career, students can earn 61 credits and the total cost of the program is around $64,000. For more information, go to https://absn.csp.edu/admissions.