Well there goes the neighborhood...

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Our local community college, it looks like, will be one of three in our state approved (with $$ funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation APIN Grant, of course) to be the first to develop and pilot a bachelors in nursing program. No, not a transfer to a four-year university. They will offer their very own community college RN> BSN.

They're phasing out their ADN program altogether, and going strictly AAS-T (which has more pre-reqs), at which point a student can then enroll with them for the fourth year upon completion.

They're supposed to be implementing in Fall 2014.

Interesting...

Cha-ching goes the community college(s).

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In my town they have the RN to bsn st the CC too. But they still run the ADN program. Are you saying they canned the ADN program and just have the RN to BSN?

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She's saying they're canning the ADN program to bilk more money out of people for a BSN.

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Yes. The exact wording on the college website says they're doing away with the ADN. All potential students will be required to take an "AAS-T" program of study (more classes). They can still get their RN, but it is designed to encourage applicants to enter their BSN program after obtaining their RN license.

"_____ community college has been selected by the _____ Center for Nursing as one of three schools in _____ state to add an RNB program between now and 2014.

In order to ease the transition from an associate's degree to a BSN program, the college will begin phasing out the current associate's degree in nursing and add an associate in applied science-transfer (AAS-T) degree option for nursing students. Students enrolled in 2012-13 and 2013-14 will have the option of both the associate degree and the AAS-T degree. Students who earn an AAS-T degree will qualify to apply for the RNB program, though the AAS-T degree does not guarantee acceptance into the RNB program."

I cannot say that this is an entirely bad thing, I'm all for nurses furthering their education, and "one degree for entry to practice" is not a bad idea. But if this catches on across the country, it will really put the screws into ALL ADN's to complete a bachelors. Which means a lot more pre-reqs for general studies, and nursing. Think of the revenue to be had by colleges across the country! They must be salivating.

I feel badly for all the nurses (including myself) that have and are currently shelling out $20K a year to finish a bachelor's at a university, when shortly a BSN will be (relatively speaking only) "cheap and easy to come by" at a CC near you.

This trend has implications for all ADN RN's across the country. No longer will an ADN be satisfactory.

I have an Associate of Applied Science in nursing...but even all my pre-req's don't satisfy this CC's program for entry into their RNB program. MORE classes...

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Ours canned the ADN program a while ago. They now have LPN, LPN to RN, RN to BSN or BSN. You cannot do RN unless you've gone through the LPN program. It takes 1 full year for LPN, another for LPN to RN, then another for RN to BSN. It's 5 semesters for BSN once you get pre reqs done. So...kinda crazy but some people want to go slower so they can work or whatever. I'm in the BSN program and I'm glad I got in! Every program is competitive!

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It's got me wondering...what other bachelors degrees are offered via a community college? None, that I'm aware of, only transfer programs to a four-year university.

I'm not sure how I feel about it.

On one hand, it "cheapens" the BSN, on the other hand it makes it more accessible to all.

Then again, moving toward a BSN-only standard for entry to practice, may discourage the students that want into the profession only for a quick and easy solution to a paycheck, not because they love science and medicine.

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Public perception/respect, and all that we fight for. I don't want to hear any CC-BSN nurse complaining in the future about the lack thereof...

... to add insult to injury...a friend of mine who recently retired as second-in-command on a rather notable naval ship wrote me the following today:

"...So you can get your BSN, A/C and refrigeration certification, and learn to weld at the same place?"

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our Penn State Campus is canning the ADN program - the Fall 2014 class will be the last ADN class - after that it will be BSN only due to the demands of hospitals wanting BSN nurses...

they still will offer the RN to BSN as it is wildly popular...

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Specializes in public health, women's health, reproductive health.

I'm not sure how the BSN is cheapened by the community college offering it. --Unless by cheap you just mean it costs less. I am imagining that the education would be rather like many other colleges that people go to get said degree. These days, ADN programs at community colleges can be quite difficult to get in and I'm quite sure most of them offer a very good education. Why would that change?

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what state is this

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

As long as the CC requires all the pre-reqs (broad education, not just nursing, but the English, writing, history, chemistries, political/social, arts classes that the rest of us did for a BSN) and offers the leadership, management and research courses; who cares which university or college the degree is earned at?

If by cheapened you mean less than a full bachelor's education, yes. Otherwise, why worry about it? The accreditation folks aren't going to be fooled.

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Specializes in Oncology.

As a student getting her rn at a community college, I am very put off by the assumption that the degree will be "cheapend" because it came from a community college. The lowly CC I am attending is one of the best nursing schools around, easily going head to head with any over priced private college in the area.

I am sure you didn't intend to insult me, but I must say, your elitist attitude certainly did.

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