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GREENVILLE, Pa. -- A recently approved agreement between Thiel College and Sharon Regional Medical Center-Sharon Regional School of Nursing has led to a collaborative program that will graduate students with a Bachelor of Science in nursing.
Students will begin taking classes in the fall at Thiel College. Students in the program will be Thiel College students, but will be admitted to both Sharon Regional's Registered Nurse program and Thiel College's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
Students in the program will be active members of the Thiel community and eligible for all student life programs and athletics. Students in the program who meet the requirements will get an R.N. through Sharon Regional and complete additional coursework at Thiel College to graduate with a B.S.N.
"The addition of nursing is exciting news for the region and for the College's allied health programs," Thiel College President Susan Traverso said. "The current demands on our region's and our nation's health care system have shown the tremendous need for qualified and trained health care professionals. This innovative affiliation with Sharon Regional benefits western Pennsylvania and beyond, and it shows what can be accomplished when institutions collaborate."
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of jobs for all health care occupations will grow 18 percent by 2026, which is the highest among all occupational groups in the country. The program comes at a time when the health care industry generally, and nurses, specifically, are at the center of the fight against COVID-19. A report from the Pennsylvania Auditor General suggests that by 2030, Pennsylvania will have a shortage of 4,000 nurses.
"We have traditionally offered a very successful diploma program at Sharon Regional School of Nursing, but do realize some students prefer the degree path. With that being said, we are proud to be collaborating with Thiel College to offer our students the ability to obtain credit for coursework done at Sharon Regional toward their Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Thiel College," Robert Rogalski, president of Sharon Regional Medical Center, said.