Hospital Corporation of America has awarded a grant of $500,000 to Lipscomb University to support the new Lipscomb/Vanderbilt Nursing Partnership, officials announced today.

The grant, to be distributed to Lipscomb over three years, will cover the initial costs associated with adding the program to the Lipscomb curriculum, said Lipscomb President Stephen F. Flatt.

“We deeply appreciate the fact that HCA shares our vision for nursing education and is willing to provide the financial support necessary to make this monumental venture possible. HCA has a wonderful record of supporting a variety of works that enhance the community,” Flatt said.

“I believe the Lipscomb/Vanderbilt Nursing Partnership will do more to recruit and prepare new nurses than any other initiative in this area. This grant will make a tremendous difference in the quality of health care in the region and nation,” Flatt said.

“The national nurse shortage remains a serious issue for hospitals across the country,” said Jack O. Bovender Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of HCA. “We are pleased to be able to help a local institution develop their nursing program. This will provide more educational opportunities for those seeking a career in healthcare and increase the available pool of nurses – a winning combination for everyone.”

In December, the Tennessee State Board of Nursing approved a partnership agreement between Lipscomb University and the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing that will allow Lipscomb to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree with courses provided by Vanderbilt.

Students in the program will take their first five semesters of foundational nursing courses at Lipscomb. The remaining three semesters of professional nursing courses and clinical experiences will be offered at Vanderbilt. Upon successful completion of the program students will receive the Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lipscomb.

In addition to the grant, HCA is one of three companies — along with Vanderbilt University Medical Center and National HealthCare Corp. — that have agreed to provide tuition assistance to qualified students during their professional coursework in return for a work commitment after graduation.

“A student who completes this program of study will have had the experience of an academic career in both a liberal arts environment of a small university campus and a health sciences environment of a major research university,” said Linda Norman, D.S.N., senior associate dean for academics at VUSN, who will also serve as director of the BSN program at Lipscomb.

“This unique combination of study on two differently oriented campuses will provide a student with training in nursing, strongly complemented by extensive study in the humanities and social sciences. Thus, the student will be well educated to function as a bachelor’s degree nurse, and also have the necessary foundation to pursue master’s and doctoral studies in nursing,” she added.

Lipscomb has offered pre-nursing courses since 1949 when the university began offering pre-professional studies. Some 22 students now enrolled at Lipscomb are eligible for the new program, and university officials expect about 30 freshmen to enroll in the program this fall. Applications for the program are still being accepted through the university’s Admissions Office.

For additional information on the BSN program at Lipscomb, visit nursing.lipscomb.edu.