Mar 11, 2014 03:44 PM EDT By Jaleesa Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Touro University California announced Tuesday the opening of a new nursing program designed for working registered nurses with an Associate or Baccalaureate degree in Nursing and leading to a Master's Degree in Nursing and Clinical Nurse Leader Certification.

The School of Nursing - which will be in the College of Education and Health Sciences - will be launched August 2014.

"The university has a strong history of contributing to the regional healthcare workforce through programs in Physician Assistant Studies Public Health Osteopathic Medicine and Pharmacy" Marilyn Hopkins, COO and provost of Touro University California, said in a statement. "The new School of Nursing will expand this commitment to workforce preparation."

University officials said the post-licensure nursing program will build on skills gained in entry level nursing programs. Students who hold an Associate Degree in the field can complete the curriculum with 46 units of coursework taken over an 18-month period. Those with a Baccalaureate Degree will enter the curriculum after the first two academic sessions and take a total of 33 units of coursework over a 13-month period. About half the curriculum will be offered online with remaining courses offered one evening per week and one Sunday per month.

"The need for a baccalaureate and advanced degree program in nursing is critical to meeting the health care needs of Solano County. Advanced nursing degrees are imperative to meet the demand for nursing faculty, clinical nurse leaders, nurse practitioners and researchers" Dr. Ann Stoltz, newly appointed Director for the School of Nursing, said in a statement.

Nurses with a master's degree will play an important role in implementing the enacted Affordable Care Act. The new health care delivery system will result in an additional 32 million Americans needing access to primary care services. The new collaborative health care model will rely on the availability of nurse leaders with advanced education.

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