SOUTHEAST MISSOURI HOSPITAL OPENS NURSING SCHOOL MONDAY

Southeast Missouri Hospital's School of Nursing will start classes Monday morning in its new facility, located at 2851 Professional Court.

Sixteen area students will make up the first class, which offers a one-year program of licensed practical nurses wanting to become registered nurses.

"This LPN to RN diploma program is currently the only one of its kind in Missouri," said Sandy Buchheit, director of the new school, which is an intensive 48-week course. "The intent of the program is to offer a scholastically and clinically sound nursing education program to provide LPNs with an opportunity for career mobility."

"RNs are essential members of the health care team," said Karen Hendrickson, assistant administrator at Southeast Hospital. "We're pleased of offer nurses in our region another educational option."

The State Board of Nursing gave approval for the school in January of this year.

The Professional Court building was acquired by the hospital under a lease arrangement, and will house classroom activities for the new school. Most clinical practices will be performed at the hospital.

The Southeast School of Nursing is the second such program at the hospital. When Southeast opened in 1928, a hospital-based School of Nursing began operation, providing a three-hear course of study. That school closed during the mid-1930s.

"The school of nursing has changed dramatically since Southeast first offered a program of nursing instruction," said Buchheit. "The need for registered nurses has also changed with the times."

Buchheit added that statistics show the need for registered nurses in this country may exceed the supply by 200,000 this year.

"By the year 2000, we may be short 500,000 nurses in the U.S.," she said. "Needs for additional RNs will continue to escalate as the population ages and longterm and home health care expand."

Currently, 80 percent of all registered nurses are employed.