SAN MARCOS – Applications are now being accepted for a bachelor's degree program in nursing at Cal State San Marcos.

Classes for the registered nurse to bachelor of nursing degree program, offered by the School of Nursing and Extended Learning, begins Aug. 27. Judith Papenhausen, director of the nursing school, said the program is geared toward those with an associate's degree in nursing.

“We surveyed Tri-City, Scripps and Palomar Pomerado (medical centers),” she said. “There was a great deal of interest in the program.”

A bachelor's degree adds to the nurses' skill set and prepares them for career advancement, Papenhausen said.

“It is necessary for nurses looking for upward mobility,” Papenhausen said. “Many hospitals require bachelor's degrees for managerial positions. And in today's health care system, nurses are doing the physical care but also health education, the psycho-social support.”

To make the program accessible for students working anywhere in the county, lectures will be offered through interactive videos, Papenhausen said. Students will be able to complete their clinical rotations at convenient locations.

The demand for nurses in California and in the nation continues to soar. According to the California Employment Development Department, there will be 109,100 job openings for registered nurses by 2014. Cal State San Marcos' nursing school opened its doors in fall 2006 in response to the growing need for nurses.

Along with a three-year bachelor's degree program, the school offers a 17-month accelerated bachelor's degree program for students who have degrees in other subjects; a registered nurse refresher program for those who wish to re-enter the profession and a licensed vocational nurse to bachelor of nursing degree program and a licensed vocational nurse to registered nurse program.

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