ENID, OK - If you’ve ever considered being a nurse, you’ll want to hear about this new program. INTEGRIS Health University powered by INTEGRIS Health and Oklahoma Christian University, is the result of an innovative academic partnership designed to increase the available pipeline of nurses.
There has been a nursing shortage in the United States, including Oklahoma, for many years – long before the existence of COVID-19. One thing the pandemic has certainly shown us, is that nurses are the backbone of the medical profession and we desperately need more of them.
INTEGRIS Health University creates flexibility for candidates by allowing them to work in a hospital setting while receiving their necessary credits. It uses a transformational nursing education model that is moving away from traditional education to a more blended approach with hands-on learning and online instruction.
The Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) to Registered Nurse (RN) program is open to CNAs and non-CNAs alike, meaning you do not have to be a CNA to participate. In fact, if a candidate is not already a CNA, INTEGRIS Health will pay for that candidate to become one through partnerships with several different vocational schools.
“INTEGRIS Health is eager to partner with academic institutions across the state to begin strategically transforming the future of nursing for Oklahoma,” says Kerri Bayer, the chief nurse executive at INTEGRIS Health. “It is through intentional effort that we will begin establishing pathways into the most noble and trusted profession of nursing in a way that aligns with student needs of today.”
She continues, “We are not only committed to growing the nursing workforce, but to ensuring life-long success for our nurses.”
The program is intended for both recent high school graduates and adults. Each student will perform delegated direct patient care activities to an assigned group of patients, under the supervision of a Registered Nurse.
Interested candidates will need to apply to both INTEGRIS Health and Oklahoma Christian University. Application forms provided in hyperlinks.
