Drury joins local health care partnership

Last edited 12:15 p.m. [Editor's note: Information on the financial structure of the partnership has been added.]

Drury University has joined a local health care partnership that was initially established in 1986 in an effort to address a present-day nursing shortage.

The Springfield higher education institution is now part of the Southwest Baptist University Mercy College of Health Professions, according to a news release.

The partnership calls for students to receive their nonclinical education at Drury, didactic clinical instruction at SBU's Springfield campus and clinical opportunities through Mercy. Students who graduate through the program would receive a bachelor's in health science from Drury and associate in nursing from SBU, with the option of completing a bachelor's in nursing through SBU.

"Our students will gain access to the esteemed legacy of nursing education at SBU and Mercy, while seamlessly blending Drury’s liberal arts education to provide a powerful advantage that ensures they emerge as compassionate and skilled health care professionals poised to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others," said Beth Harville, Drury provost, in the release.

Drury students now can start registering for the program in fall 2024. Through the partnership, students would pay tuition to Drury and the university would reimburse SBU for nursing classing, said Drury spokesperson Jasmine Cooper.

SBU and Mercy last year expanded the partnership to add a bachelor’s in nursing, a bachelor’s registered nurse to Bachelor of Science in nursing completion course, a master’s in nursing and education, an associate degree of health science and a bachelor’s in health science, according to past reporting. As part of the expansion, SBU’s College of Health Professions was renamed to the SBU Mercy College of Health Professions.

The partnership is separate from the Alliance for Healthcare Education created last year by CoxHealth, Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield Public Schools.