Places on Aarhus University’s new APN track – which offers nurses an education in advanced clinical nursing – are in great demand. The 147 applications demonstrate the need for professional development at a time when the healthcare sector is undergoing major changes, says the vice-dean.

2019.03.19 | Sabina Bjerre Hansen

Health’s new APN track on the Master’s degree programme in Nursing has attracted twice as many applicants as it has places for.

When studies commence in September, more nurses than ever will flock to Aarhus University. One hundred and forty-seven of them have applied for one of the seventy places that the university is offering on the new Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) track as part of the Master’s degree programme in Nursing.

Overwhelming interest

"We've received more than twice as many applicants as we have places for. And what’s more, that’s even without any decrease in the number of applications to the traditional Nursing Science track. So it looks like focusing on the APN track was the right move. The demands on the healthcare system and its focus are changing along with a wish to provide services closer to home for patients, and this increases the need for nurses who can contribute to the professional development of treatment continuity. Also across the municipal and regional treatment options for the increasing number of patients with multimorbidity,” says Charlotte Ringsted, vice-dean for education at Aarhus University, Health.

The next step is to assess the many applicants and see whether they meet the criteria.

“Once we’ve completed our analysis we can start at whether we should offer more student places on the APN track next year,” says the vice-dean.

Facts about the applications

• There were a total of 337 applications to the two tracks on the Master’s degree programme in Nursing (NS + APN).
• Applications to the APN track totalled 147, with 76 at Aarhus University’s campus in Emdrup and 71 at the campus in Aarhus.
• The vast majority of applications are 1st priority applications (approx. 82 per cent).

Read more about the Master's degree programme in Nursing and the new APN track in the articles ”Health offering new track on the Master's degree programme in Nursing” and ”New Master's degree track in Advanced Practice Nursing on the way”.

Contact

Vice-dean for Education Charlotte Ringsted
Aarhus University, Health
Mobile: (+45) 9350 8222
Email: charlotte.ringsted@au.dk