Collaborative program to help meet demand for baccalaureate prepared nurses
By Mandi Enger
Providing an efficient and seamless pathway for Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) students to also complete a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, Nevada State College (NSC) and Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) have partnered to form a collaborative nursing program. With the completion of a new articulation agreement, the program will admit its first students during the fall 2013 semester.
We are pleased to work with TMCC in order to provide quality educational opportunities for our students and future nurses, said NSC President Bart Patterson. Together, we will develop a highly-educated nursing workforce in Nevada to meet the State’s focus on building and expanding the healthcare sector.
The development of the program is in response to the recommendation by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for registered nurses (RNs) across the nation to complete their bachelor’s degree within 10 years of receiving their ADN. The Future of Nursing report released by IOM in 2010 also encourages 80 percent of nurses to become baccalaureate prepared by 2020.
According to the IOM report, approximately 50 percent of nurses across the nation have completed their BSN and in Nevada, that percentage is closer to 42, said Sherrilyn Coffman, interim dean of the NSC School of Nursing. Additionally, it is estimated that Nevada will be 30 percent short of the projected RN demand by 2020.
After successfully completing their first semester in the ADN program, TMCC students will be eligible to apply for provisional admission into the NSC RN to BSN program. Accepted students will then be required to complete at least one general education course at NSC each year while working on their two-year degree. Students will also need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) prior to full admission to NSC.
The RN to BSN program at NSC began in 2004. All post-licensure nursing courses are offered online with content designed for current RNs. Over 150 students were enrolled in the program during the 2012-2013 year. With the addition of the TMCC articulation agreement, enrollment is projected to increase to 425 by 2021.
Our partnership with NSC will not only benefit students but will meet the emerging needs of the healthcare industry, said TMCC President Maria C. Sheehan. Together, we look forward to the growth and success of the program.
Students in the TMCC Maxine S. Jacobs Nursing Program may contact the NSC Transfer Coordinator for additional program details by emailing erin.hall@nsc.edu or by calling 702-992-2118.