Shorter College and Floyd Medical Center Announce Partnership for Nursing Education
 
July 1 - Shorter College and Floyd Medical Center today announced a partnership that will help provide a unique nursing education opportunity in this part of Northwest Georgia. Floyd has pledged a $25,000 annual investment in the Shorter College School of Nursing, which will begin offering courses toward the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in the fall of 2010. The partnership also provides for a portion of the clinical instruction for Shorter’s nursing students to be completed at Floyd facilities.

Shorter College President Dr. Harold E. Newman described the partnership as mutually beneficial for the two Rome-based organizations. “We greatly appreciate Floyd’s investment in the establishment and the continued development of our Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program,” he added.

Floyd’s Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Shea Bennett is serving on the development committee for the new program. When asked what this program will mean to health care in our area, she said, “Nursing is an increasingly demanding profession, and the scope of knowledge is constantly growing. This Bachelor of Nursing program will provide Rome and the surrounding area with professionals who are well equipped to face the challenges of nursing and provide excellent patient care.”

Floyd President and Chief Executive Officer Kurt Stuenkel said the partnership will benefit Floyd by providing a bachelor’s-trained pool of future employees. “We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful nursing education programs in our area. Floyd is proud to support the development and education of the next generation of nurses. We see this as part of our commitment to be the Employer of Choice and the Provider of Choice.”

Shorter’s nursing program, headed by Dr. Vanice Roberts, dean, recently received high acclaim from the Georgia Board of Nursing after a review of its first progress report. The nursing curriculum is built on a solid liberal arts foundation that will provide the graduate with the ability to apply knowledge and critical reasoning in the areas of communication, assessment, cultural sensitivity and resourcefulness, Dr. Roberts said. For more information on Shorter’s nursing program, visit www.shorter.edu/academics/nursing/nursing.

Founded in 1873, Shorter College is a Christian college committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges, and The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its lists of best value and best Southeastern colleges. The college offers bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas, master’s level and undergraduate degree programs for working adults, online courses, and a vibrant intercollegiate athletic program. Shorter will transition to university status June 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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