A nursing shortage exists nationwide, and perhaps nowhere else in the country is that felt more than in Florida. The demand for registered nurses in the state is projected to grow 16.2% by 2024, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
To help meet this growing need, Utica College is offering its accelerated path to nursing to even more qualified students with non-nursing college credits or degrees by expanding its presence in Florida with a new ABSN program near Fort Lauderdale-Miami — Miramar to be exact.
Between the state’s growing demand for nurses and the addition of our new learning site, there’s never been a better time — or place — for qualified students to enter the profession. Like our existing St. Petersburg location, our 16-month ABSN program in Miramar will offer three start dates a year, and we are currently searching for qualified candidates for its inaugural class in August 2018.
Why Pursue a B.S. in Nursing from Utica College?
We know you have many options to pursue your nursing education, so why consider the Utica College ABSN program in Florida, now with a learning site in Miramar?
For one, our accredited B.S. in Nursing program, with a reputation for student success, involves a blended learning model that combines online coursework with hands-on experience in labs and clinical placements in top area healthcare facilities. Not to mention Florida offers plenty of opportunities for nurses thanks to high demand and the state joining the Nursing Licensure Compact in 2018.
Online Coursework
Complete online ABSN nursing coursework at any time of the day or night through an interactive e-Learning platform that allows you to:
- Read and listen to lecture material as often as you want.
- Participate in simulated learning modules.
- Finish course assignments.
- Interact with other students via a discussion forum.
- Join scheduled chat sessions with instructors.
Hands-On Skills Labs
Like our other our ABSN program sites in St. Petersburg, Florida and Syracuse, New York, our Miramar learning site will feature a state-of-the-art skills and simulation lab, where you’ll use real hospital equipment to “treat” high-fidelity medical manikins in a mock clinical setting before taking care of real patients. We designed this portion of our ABSN program to help you build confidence in your nursing skills before putting them to work in the real world during clinical rotations.
Diverse Clinical Rotations
Clinical rotations at top area healthcare facilities in South Florida begin your first semester of the ABSN program, allowing you to explore different areas of medicine so you can find your fit in the nursing world. As a nursing student, you can expect to gain valuable real-world experience in:
- Adult Health
- Pediatrics
- Acute Care
- Mental Health
- Community Health
- Health Promotion
A History of Student Success
Founded in 1946, Utica College has a reputation for student success. It’s a private, nonprofit institution with accreditations and licensure at the university and nursing school levels, ensuring your accelerated nursing education meets strict standards and qualifies you to sit for the NCLEX exam.
It continues to expand its programs in new, innovative ways to provide students in South Florida more opportunities to a quality nursing education. In fact, the Utica College ABSN program has a proven track record of preparing students for rewarding nursing careers: In 2017, Utica College’s St. Petersburg graduates had an ABSN NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate of 91%, which exceeds the national average. (Note: NCLEX data is not available for our South Florida site because it is new and has not yet had a graduating cohort.)
Nursing Near Fort Lauderdale - Miami
Not only will you be attending an accredited nursing school, you’ll live in an area with plenty of sunshine, beaches and nightlife. Plus, you’ll be entering into a metro with a healthy job market and economy. Should you choose to stay in Florida after graduation, you have a high likelihood of finding a job with a great starting salary. In the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area, registered nurses earn an annual mean wage of $67,990, according to a May 2016 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
Florida: A Nurse Licensure Compact State
Another reason Florida is a great place to start your nursing career? It became a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state in 2018. That means if you graduate from the Utica College ABSN program, pass the NCLEX-RN exam and claim primary residency in Florida, you can practice nursing in any NLC state with just one multistate license.
If you’re from an NLC state but are currently waitlisted, it may make sense for you to claim primary residency in Florida to enroll in the Utica College ABSN program near Fort Lauderdale - Miami. As of 2018, 29 states have passed legislation to join the new agreement, including nearby Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
What is the Nurse Licensure Compact?
The NLC started in 2000 to meet the need of healthcare delivery systems for highly qualified nursing care across state lines. The map below shows all the states currently part of the NLC.
Multistate Licensing Eligibility
Nurses are eligible for Florida Compact Licensure if they:
- Have an active RN license in good standing.
- Claim legal residence in Florida.
- Meet Florida’s licensing requirements.
- Pass federal and state fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
Keep in mind that you can take the NCLEX in any state after you graduate; your results are sent directly to the Board of Nursing where you applied for your testing authorization and licensure.
Benefits of Living in an NLC State
Florida becoming an NLC state is advantageous to nursing students because it:
- Offers a level of affordability and convenience for qualified nurses wanting to practice across state borders.
- Streamlines the licensing process for nurses doing case management or telehealth in multiple NLC states.
- Allows more nurses to pursue travel nursing and legally practice in neighboring NLC states during natural disasters more readily.
- Eliminates the extra paperwork and costly fees needed to obtain multiple state licenses.
Let Your Future in Nursing Shine
The Utica College ABSN program will offer three start dates each year. We are currently accepting applications for our first start in August 2018. If you’re ready to apply your existing non-nursing college credits toward a nursing degree and meet our admissions requirements, we have a seat for you.
To see if you and our ABSN program near Fort Lauderdale – Miami are a good match, start by contacting one of our dedicated admission representatives. He or she will be happy to guide you through the admissions process.
