Northwestern Named a Top School for Online Nursing Education

November 15, 2022

Northwestern Oklahoma State University has been named one of today’s best schools for online higher education in healthcare by EduMed.org. Northwestern’s online nursing programs have earned top honors for their overall quality, affordability and commitment to student success. 

“We are thrilled to be named as one of the top programs for Online Nursing Programs in Oklahoma,” Dr. Leslie Collins, Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing and associate professor of nursing, said.  “This is a testament to our dedicated faculty and their hard work in preparing Northwestern graduates.”

Take a look at the full rankings to see Northwestern placed fourth: 

Best Online Nursing Programs in Oklahoma – https://www.edumed.org/online-schools/nursing-rn-programs/oklahoma/#4-year-schools                                                                                     

“Our rankings showcase the schools giving future nurses and allied health professionals the best chance to succeed from day one in the classroom to day one on the job,” said Wes Harris, outreach coordinator for EduMed.org. “This starts with low-cost tuition, but also includes academic counseling, career placement and other key resources that students need to graduate and get hired.”

EduMed.org’s rankings come at a time when the demand for trained healthcare professionals is on the rise. According to Mercer, a global consulting leader in healthcare, the U.S. will see millions of vacancies in critical healthcare positions by 2025. Nurse practitioner, nursing assistant and home health aide roles stand to experience some of the greatest shortages over the next three years and beyond. 

“One key to solving the healthcare shortage is making higher education more accessible,” Harris said. “Online programs open the door to students who may not be able to commit to a campus-based program while working or to commute to a classroom at all. Each school in our rankings has made online learning a priority.”

EduMed.org researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the schools themselves. The website’s data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each healthcare discipline. Primary data points include: 

• Academic counseling services
• Career placement services
• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Tuition
• Percent of students receiving school-based financial aid
• Amount of school-based aid per student

To be eligible, a school must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online program in the ranking subject. Just 8 percent of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position. 

“We know how important it is to increase the number of nurses in Oklahoma and take pride in ensuring that our graduates are well prepared and ready to meet health care needs,” Collins said. “This recognition is important in showing that Northwestern Nursing completes these tasks and does so with student success and affordability at the forefront.” 

Northwestern is one of only two public universities in Oklahoma to offer a Family Nurse Practitioner program, was the first public university with a BSN to DNP offering, and the only program in the state with an emphasis on nursing in rural communities.

For more information on Northwestern’s nursing degree programs visit www.nwosu.edu/school-of-professional-studies/nursing or contact Collins at (580) 327-8489 or lncollins@nwosu.edu.

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CONTACT FOR RELEASE:
Erin Davis, University Relations Specialist
eedavis@nwosu.edu, 580-327-8480