DIRECTOR'S WELCOME

Welcome to the University of Alaska Anchorage School of Nursing – THE School of Nursing for the State of Alaska! Your visit to this page suggests that you are interested in becoming a nurse. We hope that you will find a nursing program at UAA which will meet your needs.

In today’s health care world, nursing is an exciting and wide-open field with many career options. If you choose nursing as a profession, you will be joining a group of men and women who are intelligent, who care about people, and who make tremendous differences in the well-being and lives of those who benefit from nursing care. You will find opportunities to work in many and varied places, ranging from hospitals to individual homes and from urban settings to the most remote rural villages. UAA graduates are found in nearly every community in Alaska, in each of the 50 states, and in many foreign countries.

For Alaska to be a healthy state, it must possess a strong, well-prepared nursing workforce in appropriate numbers. At this time, the workforce is too small to meet the need and like many states in the country, Alaska is experiencing a “nursing shortage.” The UAA School of Nursing has increased enrollments to meet those needs. So, if you are interested in a nursing career, now is the right time to get started.

At UAA you will find nursing programs at several levels. We have special options for LPNs to earn an AAS degree and become a Registered Nurse. Professional nursing (preparation for being a Registered Nurse) is offered at the Baccalaureate and Associate degree levels. The Associate Degree (AAS) prepares graduates for practice in structured care settings such as hospitals. AAS graduates may also choose to advance their career through the baccalaureate completion program. The Baccalaureate program (BS) prepares graduates to practice in structured and unstructured settings (e.g. public health). Baccalaureate graduates are eligible to apply for graduate study in one of five specialty options offered at UAA. The options are: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Education, Community Health, and Nursing Administration.

UAA School of Nursing has increased access to nursing education through distance delivery for the AAS program in several communities across the state. In addition, students enrolled in the baccalaureate completion program and masters programs can complete much of the coursework through distance technology in their home communities. The Baccalaureate program in Anchorage is offered in a year-round format which allows students to complete nursing courses in an accelerated manner.

If you think nursing is a career choice for you, please browse our web site. We are proud of our high quality programs. When you complete a UAA nursing program, you will be well prepared to work in an exciting and challenging field where you can make a difference!

Thank you for your interest and time,

Jean E. Ballantyne, PhD, RN