Indiana State might merge nursing, health colleges

Indiana State University is considering merging its colleges of Nursing and Health and Human Performance to create a College of Nursing, Health and Human Services if funding and other issues can be resolved, according to The Tribune-Star of Terre Haute.

The reorganized college would focus on health sciences, human services and nursing professions. Both colleges are run by interim deans. If the merger is approved, a search would begin for a dean for the new college.

The new college initially would include all departments now in existence. But a new dean and the faculty later could decide to reallocate the college’s resources. No jobs would be lost, said ISU Provost Jack Maynard.

The realignment could come up for a trustee vote Feb. 23.

A recent Vanderbilt University Medical Center study said the projected national shortage of nurses has narrowed to 340,000 from an original estimate of 760,000. However, even though more people are shifting to nursing from other fields, the study found that the nation’s health care system will be overwhelmed if the shortage isn’t reduced further.