SOUTHEAST HOSPITAL APPROVED TO OFFER ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN NURSING

Southeast Missouri Hospital's School of Nursing has received approval to change to an associate degree of nursing program.

Under the new program, nurses not only earn their registered nurse degree, they also earn the academic associate degree.

Approval for the proposal, which will offer a new educational option for practical nurses wishing to advance their careers, was given by the State Board of Nursing in Jefferson City.

Sandy Buchheit, director of the School of Nursing, said the transition to an associate degree of nursing program is based on a national movement toward two entry levels -- a bachelor of science in nursing or associate degree in nursing -- into professional nursing practice.

The Southeast Missouri Hospital School of Nursing began offering an LPN to RN diploma program in 1991. The last diploma class will graduate in July 1994, and ADN students will be admitted in August 1994. Enrollment in the ADN program will be limited to 30.

The new program, Hendrickson said, is a collaborative effort with Southeast Missouri State University.

The school of nursing, Hendrickson said, is contracting with Southeast to provide required non-nursing general education courses concurrently with nursing courses.

In addition to 39 hours of nursing course work, students in the 48-week program must acquire 23 hours of college level general education courses. These courses include anatomy/physiology, microbiology, introduction to psychology, nutrition, chemistry and introduction to sociology.

The majority of general education course work, Hendrickson said, will be offered at the school of nursing and taught by university faculty.

Hendrickson, who is a member of the State Board of Nursing, said that RN to BSN programs favor associate degree candidates for admission. "Diploma graduates can find articulation time consuming and frustrating because they are often expected to repeat course work rather than be allowed to build upon prior knowledge. Not only is this time consuming, it is costly in tuition."

Hendrickson emphasized it is the school's intent to work toward accreditation to the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The School of Nursing already has an affiliation agreement with Kent Library on the Southeast campus. Under that agreement, students and faculty have library privileges for educational resources. Students in the School of Nursing may access reference materials at Kent via telephone modem.