New cohort of nursing students get ready to join co-ops

The incoming cohort will fan out across Cincinnati's premier healthcare institutions, stepping into some of the most dynamic and specialized clinical environments in the region. Placement sites include UC Medical Center (UCMC), UC West Chester Hospital, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) Burnet, College Hill, and Liberty campus.

Starting in May 2026 and lasting until graduation, UC Nursing students participating in the program will work in specialties spanning the full breadth of healthcare: the intensive care unit, women's health, emergency medicine, acute medical-surgical care, the operating room, mental health, cardiac specialties, the neonatal intensive care unit, dialysis, urgent care, and the cancer center.

The University of Cincinnati invented cooperative education in 1906, and since then has commanded a rich history in experience-based learning. That legacy runs deep across campus with thousands of students participating each year in one of the largest experience-based learning programs in the world.

For nursing students, that unique experience is woven into the fabric of their degree. The co-op program offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing students a paid, one-on-one mentorship with experienced preceptors in a wide range of units at Cincinnati’s premier healthcare institutions. Through this unique experience, students gain more than 500 hours of additional hands-on clinical practice, developing confidence, critical thinking, and professional skills needed to transition smoothly into their roles as registered nurses.

As active contributors to their units, co-op students work alongside seasoned nursing professionals to deliver patient care, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, and take on meaningful responsibilities, gaining firsthand experience in nursing leadership that extends well beyond the bedside.

“Our co-op program works because of the strength of our partnerships with local health systems,” explains Schwytzer. “The program's most measurable outcome is student readiness, which is confirmed by the number of job offers students get from their placement sites even before they graduate.”