WCSU Nursing Department Poised for Expansion

From WCSU: Western Connecticut State University submits the accompanying press release to announce the most recent honors received by the nationally recognized Department of Nursing at Western, including the designation by www.RegisteredNursing.org of the WCSU bachelor's degree curriculum in nursing as the top RN training program in the state of Connecticut. Noting that WCSU has consistently maintained pass rates exceeding 94 percent for graduates taking the RN licensure examination, RegisteredNursing.org managing editor Brooke Wallace said that "Western not only supports students during their time in class but also does an outstanding job in preparing students for an RN career in the health care world."

The latest honor comes at a time when Western is opening new state-of-the-art instructional facilities for nursing care simulations of actual clinical conditions, in preparation for a major expansion in nursing enrollment that will roughly double the number of students in Western's core bachelor's degree program in nursing within three years. Nursing Department Chair Joan Palladino observed that Western's nursing program is growing enrollment in its bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs to meet the steadily increasing demand for RNs with bachelor's degrees in the health care field, as well as the heightened need for specialized professionals including nurse practitioners and nursing educators. Palladino credits the Western nursing faculty's strong clinical experience and commitment to student success as key factors in the department's achievement of 100 percent job placement in the health care workforce for all nursing students in the bachelor's degree program within six months of graduation.

Photos courtesy of WCSU ( "Pictured clockwise from left to right during a clinical care simulation are WCSU nursing students Brianna Reda, Edward Tapia, Alexandra Marrale, Alison Sartori, Lauren Coy, Jessica Valverde and Zoila Guevara."

"Alexandra Marrale (left) looks on as Alison Sartori adjusts the respiratory mask for a SIM Man during the WCSU nursing students' lab exercise.")