MidAmerica Nazarene University and HCA Midwest Health – the region’s largest healthcare system, entered into a collaborative agreement today, making MNU a Preferred Education Partner with HCA Midwest Health, solidifying the long-standing association between the two organizations. MNU School of Nursing students have benefitted from clinical placements at the health system’s hospitals, and this new agreement provides additional placements, greater exposure and collaboration with HCA nurses and leaders, and opportunities to transition to HCA career positions upon graduation.

HCA Midwest is the Kansas City area’s largest healthcare provider, with seven hospitals, dozens of outpatient centers, clinics, physician practices, surgery centers, and other facilities and services. HCA Midwest is also one of the area’s largest employers, with over 10,000 colleagues. The scope of these HCA resources makes this collaboration highly valuable to MNU students, faculty and graduates, according to MNU School of Nursing Associate Dean Sarah Miller, EdD, DNP, APRN, FNP-C.

“This is a step beyond our current relationship,” Miller says. “Students will have more exposure to HCA leaders and nurses, allowing them to glean relevant knowledge from nursing leaders inside the boardroom and on the frontlines of patient care.”

Miller says additional clinical placements may offer more students a nearly seamless transition to a career if they choose to work for an HCA facility after graduation. She adds that HCA will offer “capstone” placements at the end of a student’s program, giving them a real feel for working on the unit.

“Both organizations will continue to look for ways to be more collaborative, which will lead to an expansion of the relationship,” Miller says.

“We are facing a nursing shortage throughout the country, including here in Kansas City,” said HCA Midwest Health Division Chief Nursing Officer, Amber Boes “Partnerships like the one we solidified today with MidAmerica Nazarene University are critical to exposing students to the profession earlier in their education journey, while also being mentored with HCA nursing leaders.”