California Announces Online Nursing Program

In response to a need for licensed nurses in the state of California, Governor Schwarzenegger announced a plan help students obtain their nursing degree online.

Classes begin in California this month for the nation's first accredited, online baccalaureate degree nursing program approved by the Education/Licensing Committee of the Board of Registered Nurses.

"This partnership is a great example of our healthcare providers, educators, and the state working together to alleviate our nursing shortage and get more Californians to work," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a news release. "This new online program is a win-win for California by making nursing programs more accessible to people interested in pursuing this career path and helping to fill critically needed jobs throughout the state."

Partners of this program are the Governor's Task Force for the California Nurse Education Initiative, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Hospital Corporation of America, Tenet Health Foundation, Universal Health Services, Catholic Healthcare West, Kaiser Permanente, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Western Governors University.

This program uses partner hospitals to help train students in clinical practice - something that you can't do online. With the availability of this program, the state should see an increase of qualified nursing graduates who have been able to earn their nursing degree online.