Nurses are a crucial part of the healthcare system and make up the largest section of the health profession. Based on data from the World Health Statistics Report, there are about 29 million nurses and midwives globally, 3.9 million in the United States.
As baby boomers age and the need for healthcare grows, the already in-demand field of nursing is expected to rise in the coming years. Together, healthcare systems, policymakers, and academic leaders are developing solutions to strengthen the nursing workforce – and that includes Sophia with our new Nursing Pathway.
Why Sophia Built a Nursing Pathway
Nursing is a constantly growing field. At Sophia, we’re committed to helping prospective nursing students get a start on their nursing education with our Nursing Pathway.
Sophia learners have always had the opportunity to take our self-paced health and science courses designed to transfer towards their chosen degree path, but it was largely up to them to determine which courses are most appropriate.
According to Bobby Wilson, Senior Product Manager at Sophia, “We have a lot of courses that relate to certain majors, but we haven’t yet packaged them in a way that allows learners to meaningfully plan their degree”
“Until now, it’s been ‘self-service’, and they’ve had to plot the courses for their major on their own.”
With this Nursing Pathway, courses can be packaged in such a way to help students determine not only which courses they need, but in what order, to help them plan their academic journey.
For example, students may complete Human Biology, then auto-enroll in Introduction to Chemistry. Following that, they can take Anatomy and Physiology I and II. If they need guidance, Sophia partner colleges are available to help with planning and mapping.
This is not to say that Sophia learners are restricted to the pathway, however. As Hunter Davis, Head of Product, illustrates, “Sophia is a facilitator, not an enforcer.” The goal is to contextualize these courses and provide a linear path, not to force students into courses they don’t need or at a time that isn’t ideal.”
According to Davis, “We want to provide a point of view on the courses that we think would be helpful and meaningful, but we’re not removing the student’s autonomy in the process. We believe in student choice over their experience.”
What Courses Are Included in the Nursing Pathway?
Nursing courses may differ from institution to institution, but they generally cover the hard sciences like biology, chemistry, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology. Nursing students also have similar requirements to other degree paths, such as gen ed courses.
Sophia offers an array of courses that may align with the core courses necessary for a nursing student, including:
- Human Biology Lecture and Lab
- Introduction to Chemistry Lecture and Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology I Lecture and Lab
- Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture and Lab
- Microbiology Lecture and Lab
- Introduction to Psychology
- Lifespan Development
- Introduction to Nutrition
Like all Sophia courses, the individual courses and Nursing Pathway are provided within the self-paced subscription format.
It’s important to discuss your preferred courses and transferable credits with your academic advisor at your chosen school, however.
Get Started!
Our nation is experiencing a major nursing shortage that may significantly impact healthcare. As lawmakers and healthcare systems seek opportunities to proactively address the shortage, Sophia is aspiring to expand our impact on learners and curate a more meaningful experience for nursing students.
According to Davis, gratitude is at the heart of the Nursing Pathway: “Our initiative is not only to benefit students, but to show our appreciation for the dedicated healthcare workers that serve our nation and communities daily. We’re hopeful that Nursing Pathways will have a profound impact and allow prospective nursing students to not only earn their degree for less money but make a positive contribution to the industry as a whole.”
Head over to the new Nursing Pathway page and start a free trial today - no credit card required!
