Creighton Nursing partners with Children’s for pediatric nursing scholarship
Image
Creighton University College of Nursing and Children’s Nebraska are partnering to expand the pathway of skilled pediatric nurses through Creighton’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program.
This initiative, made possible by the Ryan Foundation, will provide full-tuition scholarships to 40 ABSN students over five cohorts beginning in fall 2025. In exchange, all recipients will commit to two years of work at Children’s Nebraska, helping to meet the region’s growing demand for highly trained pediatric nurses.
“This innovative partnership will provide a steady pipeline of highly skilled pediatric nurses for our state, ensuring children and families receive both better physical care and the specialized support they need,” said Jessica Clark, DNP, RN, dean of Creighton’s College of Nursing. “Children’s Nebraska shares our commitment to caring for the whole person and we look forward to working with them to form the next generation of healthcare professionals.”
With a national shortage of pediatric nurses—particularly in specialties such as behavioral health and acute care—the collaboration between Creighton and Children’s Nebraska is timely and essential. The scholarship program will support students as they develop pediatric competencies and prepare to serve in one of 89 pediatric subspecialties across multiple Children’s Nebraska facilities.
“This scholarship program is a vital investment in the future of pediatric nursing,” said Pam Johnson-Carlson, DNP, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Children’s Nebraska. “By providing aspiring nurses with the education, experience and financial support they need, we are building a workforce that is prepared to meet the evolving needs of children and families across our region. This partnership ensures that highly skilled pediatric nurses will be ready to deliver exceptional care in both acute and specialized settings for years to come.”
Children’s Nebraska shares our vision for providing whole-person care and we couldn’t be more excited to help form the next generation of compassionate and competent pediatric nurses
— Jessica Clark, DNP, RN, dean of the College of Nursing
Image
The launch of this partnership aligns with Children’s Nebraska’s upcoming Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at its main Omaha campus, which opens in 2026 and aims to address the state’s urgent need for pediatric mental healthcare. By equipping more nurses with pediatric expertise, the collaboration directly supports this effort and strengthens the overall healthcare landscape for children in Nebraska.
Students interested in the ABSN Children’s scholarship are invited to apply for the ABSN program.
Creighton’s College of Nursing is home to one of the nation’s most successful and longest-running ABSN programs. Ranked among the top 30 nursing programs by U.S. News & World Report, Creighton has been providing high-quality accelerated nursing education for over 45 years, consistently exceeding national NCLEX pass rates. Through the rigorous 12-month program, students complete nearly 1,000 clinical hours, engage in a community health project and participate in a preceptorship, emerging as compassionate, practice-ready nurses.
