NSU College of Allied Health and Nursing Splits into two Colleges

Nova Southeastern University’s College of Allied Health and Nursing officially became two separate colleges on Jan. 1: the College of Nursing and College of Health Care Sciences.

The College of Nursing will continue to serve 1,500 students at NSU’s main campus in Davie and its Student Educational Centers (SEC) in Miami, Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, and Orlando. The College of Health Care Sciences will continue to serve 2,500 students at NSU’s main campus and SECs in Miami, Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville. It will continue to provide degree programs in occupational therapy, anesthesiologist assistant, vascular sonography, audiology, physician assistant,  physical therapy, health sciences, and cardiovascular sonography programs.

The College of Health Care Sciences is the largest provider of entry-level physician assistant (PA) education and the second largest provider of entry-level doctor of audiology (Au.D.) education in the U.S. The college launched the first anesthesiologist assistant (AA) program in Florida and the 5th in the nation. The college is also the largest provider of entry-level AA education in the U.S.

The College of Nursing offers programs that not only assist non-nurses to achieve licensure but also offers options for all levels of degree programs for current nurses to enhance their educational status. The college is one of the most comprehensive providers of nursing education in the Southeast U.S. Nursing features an entry-level B.S.N., R.N. to B.S.N., R.N. to M.S.N, an online M.S.N., an M.S.N. advanced practice registered nurse program in family nurse practitioner (FNP), a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and an interdisciplinary nursing Ph.D. program in nursing education. The nursing program also offers its students three high-tech simulation labs in Davie, Miami, and Ft. Myers, providing interactive educational experiences using patient simulators. These high-tech patient simulators have voices; make heart, lung, bowel sounds; and have pulses and programmable vital signs that immerse the student in realistic clinical situations.

NSU’s College of Allied Health and Nursing originally started in 1993 with 15 students. The nursing program was added to the college in 2004 with 40 students. Today 4,000 students are served by the combined colleges. It was always in the master plan for nursing and health care sciences to form their own colleges because of anticipated growth, said Richard E. Davis, PA-C, Ed.D., dean of the College of Health Care Sciences.

“We have had astronomical success in both colleges over the last five years,” Dean Davis said. “Many of our programs are some of the most popular among students across the nation. Our graduates have a highly successful job placement rate.”

Marcella M. Rutherford, Ph.D., M.B.A., M.S.N., interim dean of the College of Nursing, said NSU’s nursing program matured into one of the largest nursing programs in Florida. “NSU’s nursing program has evolved into one of the significant providers of nursing education in the state,” she said.  “Our students’ scores on their licensing exams have consistently ranked much higher than the state and national average.  In addition, the College of Nursing is meeting the state’s nursing needs by preparing nurse leaders and educators.”