Prompted by the national and regional nursing shortage, George Fox University announced it will begin a bachelor of science in nursing program with expects to graduate its first nursing students in spring 2008.

University administrators expect by 2008 the program will contribute up to 40 new nurses a year to the region.

The Northwest Health Foundation (NHF) reported the regional nursing shortage as a public health crisis. Also, the American Hospital Association reports that about 13 percent of nursing positions nationwide currently are vacant.

“Our region needs more nurses,” says George Fox President David Brandt. George Fox University believes healing was a central part of Jesus’ ministry and they need to emulate his actions by educating health-care professionals for today’s world.

This creation of new program is expected to increase the annual number of Oregon baccalaureate-prepared nursing graduates by about 10 percent.

The program will offer classes on its Newberg campus and clinical experience at variety of off campus setting, including community hospitals, home-care and extended-care facilities, service agencies, and schools. Students will take general education core courses in humanities, religion, and the sciences. Graduates will be able to serve at a variety of health-care agencies or enter graduate programs in related fields.

Ronald Mitchell, chair of the Department of Nursing at Idaho State University, was hired as director of the new program, which will begin on Aug. 15.

According to George Fox officials, the university will become the fifth school in Oregon to offer a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree.