A Nursing Partnership To Accelerate Academic Progression

Associate degree nursing faculty in a Midwestern state reported that their students were being excluded from many clinical experiences and that their graduates were not being hired in Magnet (R) or Magnet-seeking hospitals. University and community college faculty formed a partnership to promote academic progression. Barriers of residency requirements, financial aid, and accreditation were overcome. Students complete all BSN prerequisites, take ADN and BSN courses simultaneously, graduate with both degrees, and take the national licensure examination. This is a viable model allowing nursing students to remain in their home town, thus decreasing costs and increasing the number of BSN-prepared nurses in rural areas.