MSC Today - Macon State College

Georgia Board of Nursing Grants MSC Approval To Offer Four - Year Nursing Degree

From left to right, Dr. Vickie Brown, Dr. Becky Corvey, Dr. Pam O' Neal and Sheryl Winn of the Division of Nursing and Health Sciences display the multiple reports submitted to the Georgia Board of Nursing over the past 17 months. The board approved the RN - BSN completion Degree on March 12.

This fall Macon State College nursing students will be studying Concepts of Nurses as Educators and Nurses as Leader/Manager, both upper - division classes.

It's what Dr. Pam O' Neal has worked for since arriving at the College nearly two years ago to assume the duties of chair of the Division of Nursing and Health Sciences. Her first priority - guiding the development of Macon State's bachelor of science completion degree in nursing - has consumed much of her time.

"Long before I arrived, the nursing faculty here had been working toward this goal," O' Neal said. "I just more or less took the reins, and together we're making this dream a reality through perseverance and commitment."

Since July 2002, O' Neal and the faculty have worked closely with the Georgia Board of Nursing to develop MSC's junior - and - senior - level nursing courses. Four detailed reports and nearly 500 pages later, the Board of Nursing on March 12 granted initial approval for Macon State to begin offering baccalaureate - level nursing courses beginning fall 2004.

"This is a remarkable achievement for the College, and it is the first time that I am aware of that the Georgia Board of Nursing granted approval of the entire upper - division curriculum at one meeting," O' Neal said.

The eight - member Board of Nursing is responsible for the regulation of professional Registered Nurses and advanced practice Registered Nurses, and also oversees the development of rules and regulations that set the standards for nursing practice and education.

The March 12 action came almost two years to the date that the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents granted Macon State permission to begin developing what is called an RN - BSN Completion Program, one specifically designed for practicing Registered Nurses with associate degrees or hospital diplomas.

The bachelor of science in nursing, the College's seventh baccalaureate degree, consists of 60 academic credit hours beyond the associate degree in nursing. Students are eligible to enter any program once they have completed an associate degree or hospital diploma and earned state licensure as RNs.

"I have to give credit to our outstanding nursing faculty who put in so many hours and worked so hard outlining the details of the curriculum and the admission process," O' Neal said. "We have developed an innovative and tailored RN - BSN Completion Program."

The highly credentialed RN - BSN faculty include O' Neal, Dr. Becky Corvey, director of the nursing program, Dr. Vickie Brown, professor of nursing, and Sheryl Winn, an assistant professor of nursing who is certified in advanced practice nursing.

A baccalaureate education in nursing, O' Neal said, offers a broader, more scientific curriculum, which gives Registered Nurses the perspective and understanding of health - and factors affecting health - in the rapidly changing health care industry.

"The role of the RN has changed over the years," O' Neal said. "Today's professional nurses must be skilled providers, designers, managers and coordinators of care. Their responsibilities now range from direct patient care and case management to establishing nursing practice standards, developing quality assurance procedures and directing complex nursing care systems.

"Our baccalaureate nursing program will focus on developing those abilities in our graduates."

In 1971, Macon State introduced an associate of science degree in nursing. Since then, 2,396 nursing students have graduated from the College. Corvey calls the RN - BSN degree an extension of the associate program.

"With the RN - BSN Completion Program, we are building on our successful associate degree program," Corvey said. "The program is a new extension that offers additional opportunities for our current and potential students."

"It's a continuation of professional development and career advancement," O' Neal added.

Demand for Registered Nurses is significantly growing, driven by 21st century trends such as the aging Baby Boomer population, technological advances in the health care field and the expanding role of RNs throughout the health care industry, as well as the fact that older RNs are retiring.

"Most states, including Georgia, are grappling with nursing shortages. By 2010, the state of Georgia is expected to have a shortfall of 15,000 Registered Nurses, and nationwide, we will need more than one million new nurses by 2010," O' Neal said, citing figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Once the Regents approved the development of the RN - BSN, the Division of Nursing and Health Sciences began carefully crafting degree program plans to present to the state Board of Nursing for the initial approval.

For O' Neal, Corvey, Brown and Winn, the past 20 months have been devoted to report preparations, curriculum development and recruitment functions.

"Since October 2002, we've submitted four reports to the Georgia Board of Nursing," Corvey said, "and each has required the Board of Nursing stamp of approval before we could proceed to the next step of development."

Macon State's nursing program posted an outline application for the RN - BSN program in January, and dozens of Registered Nurses applied almost immediately. O' Neal anticipates accepting up to 40 students in the first RN - BSN class. The nursing faculty members have made scheduling flexibility a priority in order to accommodate RNs who want to pursue the degree while continuing to work in the profession.

"For example, nurses who work three 12 - hour shifts can take all their classes one day a week if they choose," Corvey said, "or some may elect to take only one class per semester or two or three classes each semester. We've tried to tailor our program to meet the needs of RNs in our region."

The faculty also has taken into account that RNs returning to the classroom may be eligible to exempt certain courses. "For example, nurses who have been doing physical assessments daily in their current practice may take a departmental exam to validate their proficiency," Corvey said, "and if successful in the department exam, they can receive credit without having to take the course."

All nursing classes and labs move to the new Charles H. Jones Building in the summer. Featuring state - of - the - art instructional space for nursing and other health sciences and modern labs for biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, the 78,000 - square foot, three - story Jones Building will house the Division of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Online applications for RNs interested in Macon State's new baccalaureate program for professional nurses can be found at http://www.maconstate.edu/nursing/ . Call (478) 471 - 2762 for more information.