CON Partner Norton Healthcare Announces First Nursing Apprenticeship Program in Country, KY Gov. Celebrates with Nursing Students
Pictured above from left to right: Tracy Williams, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer of Norton Healthcare, Kim Tharp-Barrie, DNP, RN, vice president of Norton Healthcare Institute for Nursing, Pat Howard, PhD, RN, FAAN, executive vice dean of academic affairs and partnerships, and Tricia MacCallum, project manager for the UK College of Nursing-Norton Healthcare Academic Practice-Partnership.
Norton Healthcare – the College's partner in building a doctorally prepared nursing workforce – announced the first nursing apprenticeship program in the U.S. on Thursday, June 29 among several distinguished leaders, including Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.
The three-tier program will allow student nurses to gain one-on-one experience with a practicing nurse. Gov. Bevin was eager to celebrate with its students and support the College of Nursing and Norton Healthcare in their ongoing partnership.
"This is an exciting time for our nurses as they begin their careers," says Pat Howard, PhD, RN, FAAN, executive vice dean of academic affairs and partnerships at the College of Nursing. "Norton Healthcare has been instrumental in pushing our DNP Program forward and developing top nurse leaders to serve at the highest clinical ranks. We congratulate them on this oustanding achievement."
In his opening comments, Norton Healthcare CEO Russell F. Cox expressed satisfaction with another innovative workforce development program – the University of Kentucky College of Nursing BSN-DNP partnership, now in its fourth year. The program is a seven-year commitment to transition approximately 150 of Norton’s BSN staff nurses into advanced practice nurses with doctoral-level education.
Read more about the program here.
