February 1, 2022
The program will help trained and licensed nurses quickly get back into the field as the state faces a serious nursing shortage
(CHAPEL HILL, N.C.) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is helping to address the state’s looming nursing shortage by making it easier for nurses to re-enter the workforce.
Today, UNC-Chapel Hill Digital and Lifelong Learning, the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing and the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program announced they will offer discounted tuition for an accelerated version of their online, self-paced Registered Nurse Refresher theory course through April 30.
This nurse refresher program will help previously trained and licensed nurses quickly return to the profession.
“The shortage of nurses across the state has become an even greater concern during this pandemic” said Peggy Wilmoth, interim dean of the UNC School of Nursing. “We’re hopeful that by offering this fast-track program, nurses will be able to quickly and affordably return to the workforce and provide North Carolinians with the care they need.”
The pandemic has underscored an urgent need for experienced healthcare professional across our state, but North Carolina faced a shortage of nurses long before the pandemic began. A workforce model recently developed by Cecil G. Sheps Center Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy projects a shortage of 12,500 registered nurses – about 11% of the RN workforce — by 2033.
Students who enroll in the accelerated RN Refresher program between Feb. 1 and April 30 will receive a tuition discount of $250. The program includes a self-paced, online theory course and a clinical practicum, and registered nurses living anywhere in the United States are eligible to enroll.
The program for registered nurses can be utilized by both those who have lapsed in their licensure and active RNs who are looking to refresh and update their knowledge.
Historically, the theory course takes up to nine months to complete. To graduate nurses in time to meet the highest need, the accelerated version must be completed in three months. The condensed timeframe provides nurses the same breadth of knowledge and training in the most updated technology and approaches.
Nurses who want to apply for the program and waived fees can visit nurserefresher.web.unc.edu/accelerated-offer for more information.