UCM School of Nursing Graduates are Well-Prepared to Enter a Rewarding, In-Demand Field

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 University of Central Missouri 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.