HAMLET – Richmond Community College and Gardner-Webb University officially signed an agreement earlier this week that will allow RichmondCC graduates of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Gardner-Webb.
This articulation agreement is the first of its kind that Gardner-Webb has developed with a community college. Under the agreement, Gardner-Webb will accept up to 90 credit hours from RichmondCC toward the BSN, providing RichmondCC nursing graduates a significant savings on tuition and fees in pursuing their BSN.
“This agreement will impact both of our institutions, but we feel the impact and benefit this partnership will have for our students is more important,” said Dr. Sharon Starr, associate provost for the College of Health Sciences at Gardner-Webb. “They will have a seamless transition to their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This is important because the nursing profession is pushing more and more for a baccalaureate or higher degree.”
Students who complete the BSN can continue into the Master of Nursing program at Gardner-Webb.
The Institute of Medicine’s 2011 report on the future of nursing focuses on the need to increase the level of nursing education in today’s nursing workforce. The goal set forth by the Institute of Medicine is an increase of BSN prepared nurses to 80 percent by 2020.
Starr noted that not all students who dream of becoming a nurse have the means to go to a four-year school to get a bachelor’s degree.
“This partnership will impact the delivery of quality of healthcare in this community by providing a cost effective way for these nurses to increase their level of education. It will also provide a more educated workforce for all the healthcare facilities that are in this area,” Starr said.
RichmondCC has a long history partnering with Gardner-Webb and has been offering Gardner-Webb classes on campus since the 1980s. Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC, said he was proud to be blazing this new trail with the university.
“What you see today is an example of two great institutions working together to be innovative, creative and forward thinking,” McInnis said. “Gardner-Webb has been both responsive and creative in tackling the challenges that our students in our communities are facing.”
One of those challenges, McInnis said, is the increased need for credentials for someone going into new careers and new opportunities.
“In today’s world, it’s what credentials do you have to have to be successful or to get your foot in the door. This new agreement with Gardner-Webb is all about expanding those credentials so there’s a greater pool of qualified, well-trained and motivated nurses in our area,” McInnis said.
The Hunt School of Nursing at Gardner-Webb University will begin accepting RichmondCC’s ADN graduates this fall semester in the RN-to-BSN program.
To learn more, call RichmondCC’s Career and Transfer Center at (910) 410-1830.
