WALNUT >> Recognizing the shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses, Mt. San Antonio College and Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, will partner to launch a bachelor of science in nursing program on the Mt. SAC campus.
Classes begin Monday with the goal of 30 students in the inaugural 2015-2016 year. Mount Saint Mary’s will offer the associate degree in nursing to bachelor of science in nursing. Admissions for the program will be handled through the Los Angeles-based university, according to a news release from Mt. SAC.
“There is a growing need both locally and nationally for this advanced training,” said Dr. Susie Chen, liaison for the program. “Most hospitals now want nurses with bachelor’s degrees.”
The demand for registered nurses is expected to outpace the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 2012 to 2022, nursing jobs should increase by 19 percent.
Mount Saint Mary’s has made a major commitment to move more associates students into the bachelor’s degree level, said Diane Vines, dean of nursing at Mount Saint Mary’s.
“That’s why we created the RN to BSN Program, and that’s why we are pleased to partner with Mt. SAC. We want to help nurses reach this new standard in California’s hospitals and healthcare facilities.”
Through the educational partnership, classes will be held on the Mt. SAC campus and online, and will be taught by faculty from both colleges.
The 35-unit program will consist of three continuous semesters of full-time study with core courses ranging from pediatric nursing to palliative care. Assigned hands-on clinical experience will be arranged in Mt. SAC’s local area.
Surveys have shown that more than 75 percent of Mt. SAC nursing students want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
“We are honored to partner with Mount Saint Mary’s in this initiative. By working together, we have created a seamless process for students to first earn their associate’s degree through our nationally ranked program, and then take the next step and earn a bachelor’s degree from Mount Saint Mary’s excellent program. Our students will be well prepared to enter a surging job market and to lead the next generation of nursing professionals,” said Mt. SAC President and CEO Dr. William Scroggins.
Last year, Mt. SAC’s nursing program was ranked 13th among nursing programs in the western United States community colleges in a survey by NurseJournal.org. Mt. SAC’s nursing program serves 240 students, and its students achieved a 91 percent pass rate on the 2014 state board nursing exam.
