MTU to create nursing program, aims to help Finlandia students

HOUGHTON, Mich. (WLUC) - Michigan Tech University (MTU) is looking to add a nursing program to its offerings.

Students could obtain a Bachelor of Science in nursing. MTU Interim Provost Andrew Storer hopes this will help nursing students at Finlandia University once it closes this spring.

“The classes that are offered there are being moved over to Michigan Tech and will be offered by MTU is the plan,” Storer said. “The faculty and staff that are involved in the nursing program will be coming to Michigan Tech. We are excited to have them in our community.”

Storer adds that it’s important to keep a nursing program in the Copper Country.

“We know that there is a shortage of nurses and there are also a lot of students who are pursuing a degree in nursing, a lot of them in the Western U.P.,” Storer said.

Kendra Stipech is a nurse at UPHS-Portage and a member of the Michigan Nursing Association. She highlights the importance of filling the gap in nursing education.

“I’m really happy that Michigan Tech is taking on this program, it’s going to be important locally to improve bedside nursing care and have safe patient-to-nurse staffing ratios,” Stipech said.

In a statement, UP Health System- Portage said:

“We remain committed to continuing to welcome students into our hospital through clinical shadowing opportunities to ensure students can find success when it comes time to graduate, I would like to thank Finlandia University for their collaboration over the years and we look forward to this new opportunity with Michigan Technological University.”

Michigan Tech University is working through accreditation and certification to offer the nursing program this fall.

“We’re working with our university’s senate so they can approve curriculum and our department of biological sciences looking at space needs to make sure we have all the space and facilities to offer a high-quality program,” Storer said.

Storer said students from Finlandia can submit an application to Michigan Tech.

TV6 has reached out to Finlandia University for the number of students, faculty and staff in its nursing program, but has not heard back.

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