EDWARDSVILLE - The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SIUE SON) and Kaskaskia College have announced a new partnership. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree track enables community college students to rapidly achieve their baccalaureate degree from the SIUE SON after attending Kaskaskia to complete an associate degree and the majority of their general education requirements.
“This is going to benefit students who may not have originally seen themselves going into a four-year program,” said Roberta Harrison, PhD, assistant dean of the SON. “They can complete the coursework for an associate degree at the community college level. When they transition into our online program, they can already see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
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A student who successfully completes the first two semesters of outlined BS in Nursing Partnership curriculum at Kaskaskia can enroll in the first two SON courses for their third and fourth semesters. Once a student has successfully completed the ADN program at Kaskaskia and licensure as a registered nurse is obtained, the student may progress through the remaining four RN to BS nursing courses through the SON’s online program.
“Kaskaskia is the most recent among several community colleges seeking University partnerships to offer students a progressive track in achieving a baccalaureate degree in nursing,” said SON Dean Laura Bernaix, PhD, RN. “This type of partnership will have a positive effect on the workforce by increasing the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses at the bedside.”
In October 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, detailing how nurses’ roles, responsibilities and education should change to meet the needs of an aging, increasingly diverse population and to respond to a complex, evolving healthcare system. The report recommended increasing the percentage of the Bachelor of Science (BSN) prepared registered nurse (RN) workforce to 80 percent by 2020.
“We are very excited to partner with the SIUE School of Nursing and look forward to the benefits the new partnership will provide our students,” said Julie Obermark, associate dean of nursing and health sciences at Kaskaskia College. “Kaskaskia College has a long history of graduating successful nurses, and developing partnerships like this ensure a smooth transition for nurses to complete their BSN.”
About Kaskaskia College
Kaskaskia College is a comprehensive two-year community college in Centralia, Illinois, committed to the success of its students both academically and professionally. With more than 50 degree and 102 certificate programs available for transfer, or career training, Kaskaskia College prepares students for meaningful employment or transfer for further education. KC also provides a number of other educational opportunities for the citizens of its district, including adult education, continuing education, professional development, and customized business and industry training.
Located sixty miles east of St. Louis, Missouri, KC serves all or part of nine counties, including Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Marion, Washington, Jefferson, St. Clair, Madison and Montgomery. Kaskaskia College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.
About the SIUE School of Nursing
The SIUE School of Nursing’s fully accredited programs are committed to creating excellence in nursing leadership through innovative teaching, evidence-based practice, quality research, patient advocacy and community service. Enrolling nearly 1,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders in pursuit of shaping the nursing profession and impacting the health care environment. Through expanded programs located on the SIU Carbondale campus and SIU School of Medicine campus, the SIUE School of Nursing is helping to solve the region’s shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and enhance the quality of nursing practice within hospitals and medical centers.
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