Pioneering pathways into nursing 

New master’s program provides more affordable and easy access for second-degree seekers  

Megan Starr Morgan had a successful 10-year career in human resources. She gained experience working as a business partner for a large retail company and then moved into a similar role at a leading technology company. Yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more for her professionally.  

When the COVID pandemic hit, I spent a lot of time in self-reflection. After much contemplation, I decided to take the leap and pursue my dream of entering the health care field.”   

—Megan Starr Morgan

For Nicholas Cabacungan, the switch to nursing looked a little different.  

“I spent almost all my undergraduate years preparing to get into dental school,” he said. “When I got there, it wasn’t what I wanted anymore.”   

Cabacungan and Starr Morgan are two of 23 students in the inaugural cohort of Linfield’s Master’s Entry into Professional Nursing, or MEPN, program. This program is geared specifically for individuals interested in entering the nursing field, but currently hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. With this five-term, 15-month curriculum, students are prepared for passing their nursing licensure exams and graduate with a Master of Science in Nursing.  

The MEPN program, the first of its kind in Oregon, provides a new pathway for individuals looking for a career change. Employment shifts over the last four years have indicated a large population of workers looking to switch careers, turning the “Great Resignation” into what some call the “Great Reshuffle.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported quit rates during the “Great Resignation” of 2021 reaching levels last seen in the 1970s. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 5% of the American workforce switched occupations in 2021. In fact, about half of workers who changed employers between 2019-2021 also moved to a different industry (48.3%) or occupation (49.5%).  

For those interested in pursuing a career in nursing, a master’s entry program allows them to follow their passions without having to earn a second bachelor’s degree, and  
for many people, it comes with a more appealing financial aid package.   

“Getting the Graduate PLUS Loan to pursue the MEPN is easier than getting one for another bachelor’s degree,” Cabacungan said. “Financially, it would look very different  
for me.”  

Entering nursing from a variety of fields  

The first cohort of MEPN students come from a range of backgrounds – including business, biology and public health – but the professors in the Linfield-Good Samaritan School of Nursing have found that the diverse educational and work histories of the cohort enrich the overall learning environment.  

“Second-degree students bring valuable skills such as communication, problem-solving and critical thinking that translates well into the nursing profession,” said Heidi Johnston, associate professor of nursing and director of the MEPN program. “The knowledge and perspectives brought from their prior degrees enhance the profession by providing unique insight and innovative ideas.”   

Cabacungan agrees.   

“In our practical simulations, we collaborate and view our clinical setting differently,” he said. “Our different backgrounds allow us to approach situations from various perspectives.”  

Starr Morgan has found her previous work experience to be an asset in her nursing education and practice.  

“The skills I gained through my previous career, particularly in communication, have helped me tremendously in the MEPN program,” she said. “Strong communication skills are an integral part of nursing and are required to be able to effectively collaborate with other nursing and healthcare professionals, as well as in building rapport and trust with patients.”  

Many of the characteristics of a successful nursing student, Cabacungan says, are transferable skills for those coming from different fields or industries. These include “adapting to unexpected situations, communicating your limitations and asking for help, and having compassion for your classmates, professors and patients.” 

Combining basic nursing education with graduate-level outcomes 

Central to the MEPN program is its emphasis on clinical practice experiences, enabling students to gain invaluable hands-on experience in real-world healthcare settings.  
Students like Starr Morgan and Cabacungan use simulation labs and placements in hospitals and clinics to apply their growing knowledge to practical situations.  

For Starr Morgan, the clinicals have offered much more than just training – they’ve provided a glimpse at the meaningful career she was looking for back in 2021.   

“I was in a recent clinical rotation at a skilled nursing facility, where I cared for a patient recovering from surgery with a chronic illness,” she said. “Throughout the experience, I learned about their background, family and recovery goals. On the day they were discharged, I was surprised to find them waiting in the lobby to personally say goodbye. This experience underscores the impact nurses can have through patient-centered care and the importance of building trusting relationships.”  

Linfield’s MEPN curriculum also includes classes and training that revolve around some of the complex challenges facing healthcare today: disease prevention, promotion of health and wellbeing, chronic disease care, regenerative or restorative care, palliative care and the need for culturally competent care.   

“As a prelicensure program, students are given the skills and training needed to enter the field of nursing,” Johnston said. “However, as a graduate-level program, there is also an emphasis on the topics and issues facing healthcare leaders today, such as population health, scholarship in nursing practice, systems-based practice, care coordination, interprofessional collaboration, and leadership. This combination prepares graduates to easily transition into management and leadership positions after gaining nursing practice experience.”  

As demand for highly skilled and compassionate nurses continues to rise, new pathways to the profession, like Linfield’s MEPN, are providing individuals with the training, skills and support needed to make a difference.  

“The faculty have been amazing,” Cabacungan said. “They’re always there to help and guide us through this intense program. And my classmates are just as supportive – we’re all in this together.”  

The first MEPN cohort will graduate from Linfield’s School of Nursing in 2024. The second cohort starts in January.