Nursing Degree Programs Approved For Manhattanville College

HARRISON, NY — The New York State Department of Education has approved Manhattanville College's application for new degree programs in nursing. Now the college is offering two degrees in nursing at its campus in Purchase: a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for traditional 4-year and transfer students as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for second-degree students who already hold a bachelor’s degree.

The college is accepting applications immediately for the fall. Find out more here.

Christine Dehne, Ph.D., dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, anticipates the influx of nursing students will bring an increased vibrancy and energy to campus and a renewed interest in Manhattanville’s already popular science courses.

“We are looking forward to welcoming the nursing majors,” said Dehne. “Plans are underway to enhance our facilities in order to support their specific needs and to offer opportunities for faculty to collaborate."

Manhattanville recently received a $60,000 grant to create state-of-the-art clinical learning laboratories for the new nursing degree program. READ MORE: Manhattanville Gets Grant For New Nursing Program

"Creating a School of Nursing and Health Sciences is an exciting step for the future of Manhattanville," said Manhattanville President Michael Geisler, Ph.D.

Recognizing the assistance of community partners and elected officials during the approval process, he thanked New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, New York State Assemblyman David Buchwald, and President and CEO of the Business Council of Westchester Marsha Gordon for their support.

"Empathy and collaborative spirit are central Manhattanville qualities that are integral to success in nursing, and these qualities are enhanced through the College’s foundation in liberal arts and commitment to design thinking," said Geisler.

The new school will help meet a growing national demand for nurses. The nursing field continues to grow at an accelerated rate, with the federal government projecting an expansion of 17 percent each year through 2028. With increasing emphasis on preventive and end-of-life care as well as an upsurge in chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, nurses will populate more areas of the healthcare field than ever before.

"A career in nursing offers competitive salaries and benefits, job security, career flexibility and the personal satisfaction that comes with helping and serving others. I was pleased to support Manhattanville’s efforts to establish the School of Nursing, which will help more students build fulfilling careers in an in-demand and growing field," Mayer said. "Thank you to my Education Committee Director, Georgia Asciutto, for your work and advocacy to ensure Manhattanville College had the necessary support to move forward."

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nursing school enrollment is not growing fast enough to meet the projected demand for nurses. Though the AACN reported a 3.7 percent enrollment increase in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs in 2018, this remains insufficient to populate many nursing services, including nurse faculty, researchers and primary care providers. A recent survey by the AACN found that 46 percent of employers require, and 88 percent strongly prefer, new hires to have a bachelor’s degree.

An estimated 1 million registered nurses will retire by 2030, creating a consistently high demand for a trained workforce.

"The Business Council of Westchester is fully supportive of educational programs that meet the critical needs of our region's employers, especially in the area of health care which has long faced a nursing shortage and will continue to need nurses as the population ages," said Gordon. "Congratulations to Manhattanville College on their award from the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council in support of their initiative to supply a pipeline of qualified nurses so our healthcare organizations in the Hudson Valley."

Simons, Ph.D., R.N., C.C.M.R., dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Manhattanville College and Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine, said the college's programs will prepare students to be patient-centered providers, able to balance “high tech and high care,” which will impact quality of care and health outcomes as well as enhance the patient experience.

“Our mission is to educate health professionals from a holistic framework in preparation to meet the needs of humanity in a complex health system locally, nationally and globally,” said Simons. “Nursing and health science are complementary to Manhattanville’ s rich history in the liberal arts. Nurses who graduate from Manhattanville will be design thinkers, patient-centered, holistically educated nurses."

Students will be educated in population health and value-based health care as well as palliative care. They may also attain certification in end-of-life care and will be eligible to sit for certification in holistic nursing.

According to Dehne, the School of Arts and Sciences offers an invaluable foundation for future nurses.

"Manhattanville's nursing students will benefit from our general education courses, some of which the faculty developed specifically with them in mind,” said Dehne. “The liberal arts curriculum will teach them to be nimble, consider multiple perspectives and to work collaboratively, which ultimately will prepare them for success.”

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.