Drexel & Cooper U Target New Grad Readiness
Drexel University and Cooper University Health Care have partnered to better prepare new nursing graduates for clinical practice. The program focuses on closing the gap between classroom theory and real-world demands through immersive simulation and interprofessional teamwork.
The Drexel-Cooper "Bridge to Practice" initiative will give Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing students early clinical experience in high-demand specialties like women's health and pediatrics. This partnership also provides tuition discounts to Cooper employees and their families for over 25 of Drexel's nursing programs, aiming to create clearer career pathways. This collaboration addresses a critical gap, as studies show as few as 14% of new nursing graduates meet acceptable assessment standards for practice. Furthermore, 29% have difficulty recognizing urgent patient conditions, and 57% need improvement in care management skills, such as choosing appropriate interventions. The transition from student to professional is a known stressor, with many new graduates feeling unprepared for the complexities of real-world clinical work. Inadequate staffing in maternal health units is linked to a higher risk of missed care, which can lead to negative outcomes like cesarean births and hemorrhage. Investing in the nursing and midwifery workforce is a critical factor in reducing maternal mortality, particularly in areas with limited resources. The demand for nurse-midwives and other advanced practice registered nurses is projected to grow significantly faster than average, with an expected 38% increase between 2022 and 2032. This translates to a need for about 29,200 new APRNs each year to meet demand. Globally, there is a projected shortfall of 980,000 midwives needed to provide adequate care. Recent legislative changes in Virginia, effective July 2025, are set to significantly improve the practice environment for Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs). New laws grant CNMs with 1,000 hours of experience independent practice authority, mandate full reimbursement parity from insurers, and expand hospital privileges to help address staffing shortages. Another recent Virginia law, HB 1904, now allows certified nurse-midwives to provide newborn nursery care when a pediatrician is unavailable, a measure aimed at keeping rural labor and delivery units open. Previously, these units had to have a pediatrician on-call 24/7, a requirement that staffing shortages made difficult to meet.
