ADN School possibly closing next year...

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Oct 2, 2004

I found out the ADN program at my school may be closing next year because of politics. The school was part of a consortium with Haywood Technical and Southwestern Community College. Haywood Tech has requested to be removed from the consortium which would mean the end of the program at my school because we don't have the clinical facilities available in the local area. Apparently, there is a great deal of red tape with the NCBON to get accreditation and its an extremely lengthy process (the NCBON has up to 6 months to even review the application-maybe longer.)
The entire science department as well as the nursing department are in scramble mode. This will destroy a great deal of the college funding at our community college. Most people are taking pre-reqs specifically for the nursing program at our school. There would be no need to take some of the courses we've had to take AND we would have to add courses previously not required. (Organic Chemistry!!!)
I am totally distraught. I am in a VERY rural area. This closure means I have to drive AT LEAST 70 miles to go to nursing school and, I may have to go out of state (Georgia is closer and has better roads). It also means I may have to sell my house to afford to finish school. I'm worried sick. Just had to share.

Maggie - I am sorry to hear this news. Are you certain that your program is going to close before you can finish? Is the college offering any alternatives for you or the other students in your program? Seems awful that they would close the program before you could graduate. Hopefully this action will not happen. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

shay · Oct 7, 2004

Okay, I can't quite get a picture of where in the state you are. I'm in Raleigh-Durham. Where are you in relation to that? And I've heard that the NCBON is pretty difficult when it comes to accreditation of clinical sites. Yikes.

Maggie in NC · Oct 7, 2004

Okay, I can't quite get a picture of where in the state you are. I'm in Raleigh-Durham. Where are you in relation to that? And I've heard that the NCBON is pretty difficult when it comes to accreditation of clinical sites. Yikes.

Shay,

Most people have never heard of Murphy. I believe the accreditation of the clinical sites is going to be the most difficult part. We are extremely rural-all traumas are medivac'ed to major trauma centers. Closest clinical sites are: 90 miles Atlanta, 60 miles Chattanooga, TN, or 100 miles east to Asheville.

IF we do get accreditation, there will be ALOT of driving for clinicals-perhaps even overnight stays (which I had not counted on with young children as a single mom!).

Murphy is the most western town in the state of NC before hitting the TN and GA lines.

shay · Oct 7, 2004

Shay,
Most people have never heard of Murphy. I believe the accreditation of the clinical sites is going to be the most difficult part. We are extremely rural-all traumas are medivac'ed to major trauma centers. Closest clinical sites are: 90 miles Atlanta, 60 miles Chattanooga, TN, or 100 miles east to Asheville.
IF we do get accreditation, there will be ALOT of driving for clinicals-perhaps even overnight stays (which I had not counted on with young children as a single mom!).
Murphy is the most western town in the state of NC before hitting the TN and GA lines.

Oh wow, you really ARE way out there, aren't you??? Dang. Well shoot, Chattanooga is nice. If you want nasty horrible icky trauma, there's Grady in Atlanta. Wow, that sucks. I'm really sorry. Could you possibly transfer to a program in TN? I know that NC has reciprocity.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2004

Contact the NCBON. Ask what are your options if your school closes. They may have a plan that would not entail you losing what you have earned. Then contact your congressional representative (state level). They like having things to fight for, and just think about all the nurses and students and teachers and hospitals----being affected. That affects the whole community, not just you, as a nursing shortage exists and this closing would create a bigger problem. Focus on the big picture and you might get some help from other parties.

shay · Oct 7, 2004

Contact the NCBON. Ask what are your options if your school closes. They may have a plan that would not entail you losing what you have earned. Then contact your congressional representative (state level). They like having things to fight for, and just think about all the nurses and students and teachers and hospitals----being affected. That affects the whole community, not just you, as a nursing shortage exists and this closing would create a bigger problem. Focus on the big picture and you might get some help from other parties.

I don't know if she'd get much help right now from any NC state reps. You forget, one of our senators is running for VEEP, and that means all the dem senators and congressmen are stumping for him and the reps are stumping for Bush.

I would say contact Liddy Dole, as she is the former pres. of the Red Cross, but she's on a 7 state stump tour for Bush.

I think it's definitely worth a shot, but you may have to wait until after the elections to be heard. Right now all they are paying attention to are the upcoming elections, unfortunately.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Oct 23, 2004

Contact the NCBON. Ask what are your options if your school closes. They may have a plan that would not entail you losing what you have earned. Then contact your congressional representative (state level). They like having things to fight for, and just think about all the nurses and students and teachers and hospitals----being affected. That affects the whole community, not just you, as a nursing shortage exists and this closing would create a bigger problem. Focus on the big picture and you might get some help from other parties.

The NCBON is not being exactly user-friendly to the ADN and LPN schools across the state right now (I know this very well as I am an ADN instructor). There are some very controversial proposals that have been set forth by the Education Committee (with the backing of the NC Institute of MEDICINE). If these proposals are approved by the Education Committee in April and are passed by the entire board in May of next year, then many ADN and LPN programs across the state will close. There are many unfunded mandates and unrealistic practice requirements for a state whose community college faculty salaries are 47th in the nation. We can barely attract BSN's to faculty positions. The legislature does not seem to be in a big hurry to increase our salaries anytime soon, so we are unable to attract Master's faculty (who can make $20-30,000 dollars MORE yearly in private practice). The board is insisting that all faculty must be MSN's (NO master's in other areas accepted)including adjunct clinical faculty. This is just impossible under present conditions. Think about the economic impact in our communities and how awful the nursing shortage will become if all these schools close. :angryfire

Jolie, BSN · Oct 24, 2004

While no one would argue that having nursing instructors with advanced degrees is certainly desirable, I have always thought it very short-sighted to legally mandate it.

I attended a BSN program at a state university in Illinois eons ago, before the IL state legislature mandated MSNs for teaching in any RN program in the state. Our instructors all had MSNs, but per university policy, they were required to obtain a doctoral degree within 7 years, or lose their positions. Those who had no interest in pursuing doctoral degrees concentrated on their teaching, worked summers in local hospitals as staff relief, and were excellent teachers and role models. Those who pursued their doctoral degrees were typically so wrapped up in their own studies that they were ill-prepared to teach and pawned off most of their responsibilities on their TAs. Once they earned their degrees, they left for more prestigious jobs elsewhere.

20 years later, I still can't figure out what benefit it was to the students or the university to have such a requirement!

It also makes no sense that I can hold a staff-development position in a hospital, teaching nurses with more advanced formal education and more years of experience than I have, yet I am deemed "unqualified" to teach a fledgling student nurse. Go figure.

Vicky, I feel for you and for the citizens in my former home of NC, who have no idea the havoc this short-sighted law may bring to their daily lives in the form of a true nursing crisis!

Maggie in NC · Oct 24, 2004

Vicky, I feel for you and for the citizens in my former home of NC, who have no idea the havoc this short-sighted law may bring to their daily lives in the form of a true nursing crisis!

There is already a nursing crisis here!!! That has to be the saddest part! There are women and men very willing to go into nursing that get turned away, not because they aren't qualified to attend the program but because there aren't enough instructors to teach them!!! That would never happen in a business college at a university or community college!! It's most disturbing!

Maggie in NC · Oct 29, 2004

A miracle!! My school's ADN program has been saved!! Now all I need is a prayer and some good grades to make it in! I appreciate everyone's kind words and thoughts!

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Oct 29, 2004

Awesome!!! :balloons: :biggringi

Sending prayers and positive thoughts your way!