Education
West Penn Hospital School of Nursing
Accepting applications now for the class entering in August 2012!
The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing offers a 22-month RN Diploma program with:
Founded in 1892, the school is one of the first to be accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Inc. (NLNAC). West Penn Hospital is the first in Pittsburgh to achieve Magnet Recognition! Visit us on Facebook! For our Alumni. Request a Transcript. |
Click on this link for the Net Price Calculator to estimate your cost to attend the first year at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing. Figures are based on the academic year 2009/2010. |
Cost of AttendanceTranscripts
Graduates, download a Transcript Request form.
Alumni
Check the Alumni Association Web page for the Association newsletter, current officers and other Alumni information.
View photos of the Alumni Tea and Open House held to showcase the newly renovated School.
Please keep in touch - follow us on Facebook
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Magnet Recognition
On Dec. 7, 2006, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital achieved Magnet Recognition status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). West Penn is the first hospital in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania to receive this prestigious recognition, held by only about 6% of all healthcare facilities in the nation.
The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing is an active member of the National League for Nursing (NLN).
West Penn Hospital’s 2-Year Diploma RN Advantages
Considering whether a 2-year Diploma RN program such as West Penn Hospital School of Nursing (WPHSON) is for you? Check the following table:
WPHSON 2-Year RN Advantages
| Do you seek.... |
WPHSON 2-Year RN (Diploma) Program |
College 4-Year RN (BSN) Programs |
| ...quick involvement in direct patient care? |
WPHSON students start to interact with patients in about Week 4 of the program. By the end of Week 10 (First Term) at WPHSON, you will be able to perform fundamental nursing skills such as
|
Some 4-year programs provide initial experiences at the end of Year 2. Most 4-year programs defer significant patient interaction until Year 3. |
| ...to confirm your decision about a nursing career? | WPHSON’s early clinical/hospital experience allows you to more quickly determine if nursing is the career for you. | With deferred clinical/hospital experiences, you may not know if nursing is truly for you until 2 years into your 4-year degree program. |
| ...more clinical/hospital hands-on experiences? |
Our diploma program provides increasing clinical/hospital hours each term, so by the last term of the 22-month program, you’re experiencing ‘the life of an RN’. WPHSON readies students to enjoy their clinical experiences with confidence through pre-clinical sessions in the STAR (simulation) Center’s ‘virtual hospital’ - located in the SON building. |
Most 4-year nursing programs provide fewer clinical/hospital hours than 2-year programs. Some are providing simulation experiences in place of actual hospital clinical hours, not as pre-clinical training sessions. |
| ...a less costly, high-quality program for RN licensure? |
RN diploma and BSN degree program graduates take the same national RN licensure exam (NCLEX-RN). Because it is shorter, WPHSON’s 22-month RN diploma program costs less than a 4-year nursing program. WPHSON students qualify for the same federal and state funding as degree students – and for numerous WPHSON scholarships as well – and WPHSON has a full-time Financial Aid Officer on-site to help. |
RN diploma and BSN degree program graduates take the same national RN licensure exam (NCLEX-RN). Because they are longer, 4-year (BSN) programs are a more costly way to prepare for the RN licensure exam (NCLEX-RN). |
| ...more one-on-one contact with and interest from instructors? | WPHSON’s small-school atmosphere, with the classrooms, labs and dormitory in the same building, allows for more one-on-one contact with nursing instructors who are dedicated to offering students the support they need to achieve their goal of becoming an RN. | As college professors, BSN faculty often have formal office hours and may not be as available as diploma nursing school faculty. |
| ...your own program's nursing instructors present during clinical? | WPHSON clinical groups are small, and each nursing instructor remains with his/her group of students throughout each clinical/hospital experience, ready to answer questions and serve as a resource. | College/university nursing professors are often responsible for larger clinical/hospital groups of nursing students. Some may not stay on the nursing unit the entire time students are in clinical. |
| ...getting to know your classmates? | WPHSON’s smaller nursing classes foster camaraderie among the students and development of an internal support system. | College BSN classes are often large, so it may be harder to get to know other nursing students well. |
| ...diversity in clinical/hospital experiences? | WPHSON students have a wide variety of clinical/hospital experiences, including specialties such as
|
Some 4-year programs do not offer students clinical/hospital experiences in all specialties (for example, Operating Room). |
| ...earning your RN faster? |
WPHSON’s RN diploma program prepares students to take the NCLEX-RN exam in just 22 months (less than 2 years). |
A BSN student must complete the 4-year degree program before being permitted to take the RN licensure exam. |
| ...faster entry into RN workforce? |
WPHSON prepares students for the NCLEX-RN exam and entry into the RN workforce in just 22 months. As a working RN, your employer may help you pay for earning your BSN and higher nursing degrees. |
Achieving a BSN to qualify for the NCLEX-RN exam usually requires 4 years. |
| ...continuing education options? | RN licensure is all that is needed for bedside nursing in any specialty.
Fast-track programs abound for RNs to earn a BSN or MSN degree to become a nurse manager, nurse educator, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist or other type of nurse specialist - and your employer may help pay. |
While BSN students are in their junior and senior years to qualify for RN licensure, 2-year RN graduates can also be obtaining their BSN – while earning an RN’s salary. |
| ...higher salary? | Depending on where they work, RNs may earn slightly less until they achieve a BSN degree. | Many institutions pay RNs slightly more if they have a BSN degree. |
| ...a school that meets your lifestyle needs? |
WPHSON’s 2-year program is unique in Pittsburgh for offering on-site daycare, on-site college/university classes for the RN diploma and, for qualified students, concurrent Associate of Science degree in Allied Health from Clarion University. Visit our totally renovated building with "smart" classrooms, modern laboratories, comfortable private dorm rooms (wireless Internet) and beautiful lounges, porches, kitchens, and study areas. |
To contact us:
The Western Pennsylvania Hospital
School of Nursing
4900 Friendship Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15224
Telephone: 412.578.5538
Toll-free: 1.877.33NURSE
Facsimile: 412.578.1837
E-mail: sonadmissions@wpahs.org
To visit us:
The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing building is located across South Millvale Avenue from the main entrance to The Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
School History
West Penn Hospital's School of Nursing, founded in 1892, was the first nursing school in the nation to admit male students and one of the first to receive accreditation from the National League for Nursing.
On December 7, 2006, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital became the first hospital in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania to achieve Magnet™ Recognition Status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Dedicated to academic excellence, the School recently redesigned its curriculum to ensure continued leadership in preparing professional nurses to meet the challenges of patient care today and in the future.
To learn more about The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing, please view the School Catalog and Application Information online or contact us.
