Research College of Nursing (RCoN) has expanded its Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) program across four hospitals within HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City’s leading healthcare provider. As the first DEU program in Kansas City, this unique instructional model prepares undergraduate students beyond the traditional clinical setting and allows nursing students to learn at an exponential rate.
“The DEU is not only a better way for nursing students to learn, it’s also a wonderful opportunity for staff nurses to help shape the future of health care,” says Dr. Thad Wilson, president of Research College of Nursing. “Our students benefit from the expertise of leading clinicians and we are excited to extend this program throughout Kansas City. Students are paired one-on-one in each DEU with an expert at the bedside. A semester of in-depth learning and networking proves invaluable to their nursing career and the quality of care they will provide to their future patients.”
Six years of student success within the first dedicated units at Research Medical Center, which is part of HCA Midwest Health, has spurred the addition of four hospital partnerships for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), spring 2019 curriculum. This clinical expansion perfectly aligns with Research College of Nursing celebrating 35 years of the BSN program. As the program continues to evolve, undergraduate transfer students will have access to HCA Midwest Health facilities within the DEU expansion, including: Belton Regional Medical Center, Centerpoint Medical Center, Lee’s Summit Medical Center and Menorah Medical Center.
“Nursing students have even more opportunities to grow and develop through our DEU program,” says Heather Lewis, MSN, MA, RN, Research College of Nursing DEU coordinator. “Our goal is to educate students as professional nurses who provide safe, quality healthcare. We appreciate the support of each hospital, unit and clinical instructor as we prepare the next generation of nurses for high-quality, compassionate healthcare.”
“Our DEU expansion is an exciting milestone because we’ve seen the program transform student learning and positively impact the units involved and look forward to replicating that success across the region,” says Research Medical Center President and Chief Executive Officer Jackie DeSouza-Van Blaricum. “We are committed to the care and improvement of human life and our growing DEU program helps us live that purpose through preparing the next generation of nurses.”
For more information on Research College of Nursing’s BSN or DEU program, visit http://researchcollege.edu/academics/undergraduate/.