Pictured at the signing ceremony are (seated from left): Dr. Anne McGinley, dean of Nursing, Health Sciences and Human Services at Camden County College; Dr. Lisa Easterby, dean of Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing; and Dr. Filomela Marshall, dean of the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing at Thomas Edison State University; along with Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing students (standing from left): Zachary Weidensaul, Samantha Brant and Gerard Schuler.
Camden County College, Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing and the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing at Thomas Edison State University have collaborated to create a dual admission nursing program that enables students to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in four years.
The “Finish in Four” program will allow graduates of the nursing cooperative program offered by Camden County College and Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing to transfer and apply up to 80 credits to the online RN-BSN program at Thomas Edison State University.
“This partnership answers a key recommendation from the Institute of Medicine report, The Future of Nursing, which calls for an increase in the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80 percent by 2020,” said Dr. Filomela Marshall, dean of the W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing at Thomas Edison State University. “Many hospitals and healthcare organizations have shown an increase in hiring nurses with a BSN. This trend is driven by the research that demonstrates the educational level of professional nurses is clearly linked to better patient outcomes.”
The program will provide a pipeline of baccalaureate-prepared nurses to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in Camden and throughout the Delaware Valley. The public-private collaboration provides a seamless transition for eligible students enrolled in the nursing cooperative program offered by Camden County College and Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing, where students complete a nursing diploma and an associate in science degree.
“This model is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when nursing education at the baccalaureate degree level collaborates with diploma/associate degree programs,” said Dr. Anne McGinley, dean of Nursing, Health Sciences and Human Services at Camden County College.
Eligible students enrolled in the cohort-based program will be granted conditional acceptance to the RN-BSN program at Thomas Edison State University and full acceptance once they complete the nursing diploma and associate in science degree and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Students enrolled under the collaboration will receive discounted tuition and a deferred payment option.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner with Thomas Edison. Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing and Camden County College provide a challenging curriculum coupled with 880 clinical hours of practical, hands-on experiences that thoroughly prepare students for nursing in today’s healthcare environment,” said Dr. Lisa Easterby, dean of Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing. “This partnership allows our students to complete their BSN degree in one additional year following graduation from the cooperative program—and at considerable savings in tuition.”
Dr. Margaret Hamilton, vice president of Academic Affairs at Camden County College, added, “This agreement will ensure that any student wanting to complete a BSN will be able to attend nursing school in their own community at a reasonable cost and be able to complete their BSN on their own time.”
Those interested in the program may contact Mary Beth Sauter, coordinator of Enrollment Services for Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing, at (856) 757-3726.
Vi-Anne Antrum, DNP