Overview
There is a shortage of nurses in Iowa and across the nation, leading to an increased emphasis on not only producing new practice-ready nurses but also preparing nurses at baccalaureate and higher degree levels. The degree is ‘accelerated’ compared to a 4-year BSN degree, however students completing the program are equally qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam which licenses them as a Registered Nurse. The A-BSN program meets the standards for nursing accreditation. The prerequisites and curriculum meet accreditation standards and will be submitted to the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Students entering the program must have completed a non-nursing bachelor’s degree and meet the prerequisites for entry. It provides a streamlined pathway for individuals to leverage their prior academic experience. The A-BSN instruction is rigorous with courses offered in a 15-month, full-time curriculum following standard ISU summer, fall, winter, spring, summer sessions.
The proposed A-BSN curriculum is an innovative partnership between Iowa State University and Mary Greeley Medical Center that aims to create a unique university nursing program in partnership with a community hospital. No similar model was found in the literature, making this partnership a pioneering and innovative approach to nursing education. The partnership between Iowa State University and Mary Greeley Medical Center will:
- Establish a Regent university and a community-based hospital nursing program.
- Implement an innovative approach to nursing education.
- Provide a viable option to address the critical shortage of nurses.
- Better meet the health needs of Iowans and improve health outcomes.
- Create new health degree pathways and program at Iowa State University.
- Address the healthcare needs and demands for baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
- Create an innovative solution to expand flexible community-based learning opportunities to enable learners to gain specialized skills and experiences while addressing the needs of rural and urban communities.
- Partner with communities to identify, address, and overcome societal barriers.
- Serve as a recruitment and retention tool for practicing nurses.
- Effectively utilize collaborative resources.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Synthesize theory and concepts from the arts and humanities, natural and social sciences, and nursing as a professional holistic practice and scientific discipline.
- Engage in professional, culturally sensitive, compassionate, and ethically aligned care that honors the dignity and uniqueness of all individuals and communities, striving to understand their lived experiences and connections with others.
- Utilize information processes and technology to improve communication, address health literacy, manage knowledge, reduce errors, and support decision-making that assists in delivering optimal care for all individuals, families, and communities.
- Translate research findings to support evidence-based, competent, safe, and effective nursing care to individuals, families, and communities in all settings across the lifespan.
- Demonstrate a commitment to professionalism and professional identity that embodies the values and characteristics of nursing while incorporating the concepts of self-reflection, well-being, and continuous learning.
- Examine the interconnection amongst the healthcare delivery continuum, including collaborative activities among stakeholders that impact health outcomes through systems thinking, health promotion, and ethical response initiatives.
- Develop personal, professional, and leadership skills with a commitment to personal growth, expansion of professional knowledge and expertise, and emboldens leadership practice in the healthcare industry.
- Analyze how social, cultural, and environmental determinants of health and social structure interact to affect access, provision of care, and health outcomes at local, regional, national, and global levels to improve population health while instilling a sense of global citizenship and ethical responsibility.
