INTEGRIS Hospital Partners with Oklahoma Christian University to Address Statewide Nursing Shortage
The prolonged presence of COVID-19 has exasperated the nursing shortage across the United States, including Oklahoma. To meet this need, INTEGRIS Health partnered with Oklahoma Christian University to educate, train and employ nurses more efficiently through INTEGRIS University.
“Integris University is a modernized college experience, meeting students where they are at while they navigate work and career advancement,” said Brandon Tatum, Chief Strategy Officer at Oklahoma Christian University. “Oklahoma Christian University is proud to be partners in this effort to deliver a modernized education model that fully immerses students in a hands-on learning and working environment while affordably earning a Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Through this program, students will be more experienced and better prepared than their peers to enter the workforce or take their career to the next level.”
INTEGRIS University creates flexibility for candidates by allowing them to work in a hospital setting while earning necessary credits. It uses a transformational education model by implementing a blended approach with hands-on learning, delivering direct patient care under the supervision of an RN, combined with online instruction. Upon completion of the program and earning their BSN at Oklahoma Christian University, students transition seamlessly into nursing roles within the INTEGRIS Health system.
This breakthrough education-certification-employment model is the result of an innovative academic partnership. Oklahoma Christian University’s College of Nursing is led by a premier team of faculty with the most advanced facilities in Oklahoma and boasts a 92% NCLEX board pass rate. INTEGRIS Health is the state’s largest not-for-profit and Oklahoma-owned health care system.
The Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) to Registered Nurse (RN) program is open to both CNAs and non-CNAs. To make the path more accessible, INTEGRIS Health is paying for candidates to earn their CNA certification through a partnership with Metro Tech and opening eligibility for both recent high school graduates as well as adult learners.
Applications for INTEGRIS University are now open. Candidates must apply to both INTEGRIS Health and Oklahoma Christian University, which can be done by visiting https://www.oc.edu/academics/online/integris.
