Michigan Tech steps in to meet need for nurses
Finlandia University is closing, and with it goes its nursing program. Michigan Technological University has stepped in to take over the program to meet the local need.
Graduates of Finlandia’s baccalaureate nursing program (BSN) have regularly staffed our local hospitals and medical providers. With Finlandia closing, the nearest BSN is at Northern Michigan University, 100 miles away.
Overall, there are currently 37 baccalaureate nursing programs approved by Michigan’s Board of Nursing in the state, including the Finlandia program.
Gogebic Community College offers a two-year nursing program in both Houghton and Ironwood, as does the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College. After one year, students can earn an LPN (licensed practical nurse). After two years, they earn an associate in nursing degree and can become RNs (registered nurse). Some then go on to complete their BSN at partner universities.
Tech will offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing starting in the fall of 2023, a four-year degree that will prepare students to work in nursing management or go on to graduate programs in nursing, as well as doing direct patient care.
Good Idea, Bad Idea?
Some people think it’s a good thing that Michigan Tech is taking over Finlandia’s program. Area hospitals and other healthcare facilities say they need more nurses. Others question whether we require more nursing programs in the Keweenaw and whether a vocational program like nursing is appropriate for Michigan Tech.
It's completely appropriate, says Andrew Storer, Michigan Tech provost.
“It is a logical fit for Michigan Tech, as a STEM-focused institution and a technological institution,” he said. “It will prepare students to be leaders in the nursing field.
“Nurses are using a lot of new technology, and research at Michigan Tech is developing new technologies, I would argue that this is a professional program in the STEM field that fits perfectly with Michigan Tech.”
David Hemmer, dean of Michigan Tech’s College of Sciences and Arts, agrees. He calls the nursing program absolutely appropriate.
“An important part of our mission is to educate students to meet the needs of the employers of Michigan, and there is a critical need for nurses, especially in the Upper Peninsula,” he said.
And Rick Koubek, Michigan Tech president, said, “Pairing a science-focused degree with industry needs, that’s what Michigan Tech does best.”
Hemmer goes on to say, “We pride ourselves in the College of Sciences and Arts on providing great degree programs and dedicated advising for students who are interested in a variety of careers in the health professions, including medical school, veterinary school, physical therapy, physician assistants, medical laboratory scientists and more. Nursing is a natural fit for us.”
Claire Danielson, advisor to Michigan Tech’s laboratory sciences program, points out: “This program may also help to shed light on our programs like medical laboratory science, kinesiology and other pre-health options that students may not know exist.”
The American Association of Critical-care Nurses has stated that baccalaureate education is the minimum level required for entry into professional nursing practice in today’s complex healthcare environment.
Nursing Shortage
Storer said health care providers were concerned over the loss of Finlandia’s program.
“Finlandia worked with 20 area health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities, and they all told us of the need to maintain a local BSN program to support the local healthcare system,” he said.
The United States and the global market are experiencing a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as the demand for more and different nursing services grows. Peter Buerhaus, Douglas Staiger, and David Auerbach reported in the journal Health Affairs that the U.S. may experience a shortage of more than 500,000 registered nurses by the year 2025.
Casey Huckins, interim chair of Biological Sciences at Michigan Tech, said, “According to Michigan Labor and Economic Opportunity documents, there is a strong need for healthcare workers, including many types of nurses, in rural Michigan as well as across the nation.”
The new nursing program will be housed in the Department of Biological Sciences.
Finlandia and Michigan Tech are working collaboratively with the Finlandia nursing program accrediting agency, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Higher Learning Commission to arrange program accreditation.
What They’ll Study
Huckins said, “Biological Sciences has a long history of educating and preparing students to enter fields related to human health. Nurses are applied biologists, so having them join us makes sense, and we are happy to welcome them.”
The nursing program at Michigan Tech will integrate courses in the humanities, social, biological and natural sciences with the theory and practice of nursing. The curriculum will remain essentially the same as it was at Finlandia, with some minor adjustments to incorporate Michigan Tech’s non-nursing courses and general education program.
Projected enrollment is 16 per year, with an estimated total program size of 54 without the need for more faculty. The Michigan Board of Nursing limits the size of a clinical group to eight students per instructor, impacting the need for clinical instructors.
The BSN program is designed to provide the stimulus and foundation for progression to the graduate level of academic preparation, in addition to producing RNs to do direct patient care.
Costs
Presenting the nursing program to the Michigan Tech University Senate, Storer said that the cost of the program is expected to be $550,000 for the first year, including fringe benefits and supplies, services and equipment for six full time faculty and one full-time staff member. There will also be a one-time $2,500 accreditation new applicant fee and an annual accreditation fee of $2,777.
Financial analysis suggests that tuition generated by this program is sufficient to cover the faculty and staff costs in its first year and would generate net income for the university by fiscal year 2027, Storer went on to say.
Overall, it appears that Michigan Tech’s move to take over the Finlandia nursing program is a win-win for Tech, the nursing students and faculty at Finlandia and the community.
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