From: Timmer, Louise [timmer@saclink.csus.edu]
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 12:57 PM
To: max.espinoza@asm.ca.gov
Cc: THunter930@aol.com; Diane D. Welch; Albert, Sue;
debbie.yaddow@gcccd.net
Subject: AB 2400 and FACT SHEET
Tricia Hunter informed me that you
are interested in learning more about the work ANA\C has been doing to support
AB 2400 that would allow the community college nursing programs to develop
pilot nursing programs leading to the baccalaureate degree.
- Beginning
in 1998, 17 state Legislatures have changed the community college
(CC) charter to include the option to offer baccalaureate degrees.
Because of the need for more baccalaureate prepared nurses, several
CC nursing programs now offer the baccalaureate degree in
nursing.
- In
2000, the Association of Community College Baccalaureate Education
was formed and the association has held annual conferences to discuss the
research data on the success of the CC baccalaureate programs. The
states offer from 7 -39 baccalaureate degrees at the CC
system. http://www.accbd.org/index.php
- California
has a 100,000 RN shortage and the hospitals prefer to hire BSN
nurses. The CC RNs are having a very difficult time finding jobs
today. The hospitals administrators believe that a BSN prepared
nurse is needed to care for the medically complex patients. The
recent research studies bear this out with fewer medication errors, better
health teaching, better management of patients and their families,
and better home preparations for the return of the patients
- All
community health positions for nurses require the baccalaureate
preparation: home health, community health, public health, long term care,
skilled nursing facilities, and school nursing. The health care
reform law has a focus on preventive health care with an increase need for
nurses to work in the community. More RNs will be employed in the
community, with a smaller number employed in hospitals. Currently,
40% of RNs work in the community and 60% work in hospitals.
- The
Board of Registered Nursing enforces a 100 unit nursing curriculum in all
pre-licensure nursing programs. The CC nursing programs must
implement 100 unit nursing curriculum along with a number of GE units for
the Associate Degree in Nursing. The nursing transcripts in the CC
system have an excess of 100 units before the graduate nurses can sit for
the state nursing exam and to graduate from the CC system. The UC
and CSU BSN degree is 120 units. The CC nursing graduates is lacking
only 20 units for the BSN degree. It appears more cost effective to
the taxpayer and to the nursing students if the CC nursing students could
stay 2 semesters longer to earn the BSN degree.
- The
CC nursing students have requested the option to complete the BSN
while they are still in the CC nursing program. It will save them
time, travel, money, and family sacrifice to complete the BSN at the same
time.
- The
CC nursing faculty are qualified to teach the upper division
courses. The CC nursing faculty want to offer the BSN degree.
All of the faculty have master’s degrees and several have PHD degrees.
- There
are 82 CC nursing programs graduating over 7,000 RN/year. The CSU
only has 18 nursing programs graduating over 2,000 BSN/Yr. It is
much easier to use the CC nursing faculty and the CC campuses than to
overwhelm the CSU nursing faculty and campuses with undergraduate students
who only need to take 20 units.
- The
minority nursing students choose CC nursing programs because they are less
expensive. California has over 125 ethnic groups who speak only
their native language. The minority nursing students want to work
within their communities after graduation. It is reasonable to keep
baccalaureate education affordable for minority students and offer a BSN
program in their own communities where they will work after graduation.
I would like to continue the
conversation with you and provide you the data and references.
Louise Timmer, EdD, MSN, RN