Earn While You Learn to Be an RN

The Missouri State Board of Nursing is making it easier for nursing students to learn and acclimate to the healthcare environment quickly and earn a salary while doing it.

The Missouri State Board of Nursing has directed its attention toward encouraging educators to develop new and innovative ways to get more qualified nursing graduates into the workforce.

The Board, using some of the flexibility allowed in its regulations, was able to approve a new model of nursing education less than 48 hours after it was requested – clearing the way for students to enter the pilot program in January 2020.

The curriculum change was a collaborative request made by East Central College (ECC) in Union, MO, Mercy Hospital Washington (MHW) in Washington, MO, and Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital (MBSH) in Sullivan, MO. The group asked for a curriculum change allowing them to introduce a new model of nursing education called “Earn While You Learn to be an RN,” which transforms the clinical learning experience by immersing fourth semester associate degree in nursing (ADN) students in an “earn while you learn” model of clinical education. This model is an avenue to combat the nursing shortage and to reduce new nurse turnover rates.