University Offering Classes in Berlin to Help Nurses Earn Bachelor’s Degrees
Nurses can earn their bachelor’s degrees more conveniently at ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin thanks to a unique partnership with Marian University.
According to Pam Mork, director of nursing at ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin, the program combines online and classroom learning and takes about 18 months for nurses to complete.
“We had staff members asking for ways to continue their education and we saw this as an opportunity to do that,” she said. “ThedaCare promotes lifelong learning and this is in sync with the organization’s values.”
Offering the program in Berlin makes it more convenient for local nurses to attend, said Stacey Akey, vice president for Alumni, Institutional Partnerships and Career Services for Marian University in Fond du Lac. “The classes are held locally so it is easily accessible and students do not have to worry about traveling back and forth to Fond du Lac for the course,” she said.
In Wisconsin, registered nurses can hold either an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree, Mork said. “Some nurses earn a two-year degree so they can start working sooner, but have plans to eventually earn their bachelor’s degree,” she said. “The program in Berlin is one way they can more easily do that.”
The course at ThedaCare Medical Center-Berlin will be a mix of general education liberal arts classes and advanced nursing classes. Marian University has offered similar onsite programs for other healthcare providers.
Marian University will create cohorts of students who will take their courses at the same time, Akey said. “In cohorts, the students partner together and lift each other up,” she said.
The program is open to not only ThedaCare nurses, but all nurses living in the Berlin area who want to earn their bachelor’s degree. The goal is to start classes mid-March with about 15 to 20 students, Akey said.
Mork said there is a lot of interest about the program. “Our nurses are excited about this opportunity to improve their education here in town,” she said.
Anyone interested in more information or applying for the program can contact Andrea Wolf, an academic advisor at Marian University, at 920.923.8148.
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 34 clinics in nine counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. The ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton opened in February. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
