Nursing Dual Degree Program

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Dual Degree Program - Code #2373

Jody Blankenship, Department Chair
Email address: NursingDepartment@alfredstate.edu

The demand for nurses with bachelor's degrees has never been greater. According to the Health and Medicine Division's (HMD) Future of Nursing: Leading Change, at a minimum, 80 percent of nurses should have at least a bachelor's degree by 2020. To maintain licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in New York State, RNs must have attained a baccalaureate degree or higher within 10 years of initial licensure. To meet this need, Alfred State now offers a dual degree.

The new dual degree nursing program is a model to meet the high demand for bachelor's degrees in nursing, while allowing the student to earn both an associate and baccalaureate degree over four years. The graduates of the associate program are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam at the end of the third year. The nursing program will prepare you to become a registered nurse - one of the fastest-growing professions in the country. Courses are sequential and progress from simple to more complex situations, with specialized content in obstetrics, mental health, and pediatrics integrated into the program. Clinical experience, an essential part of each nursing course, further enables you to gain technical competence to apply theoretical knowledge with practice. 

Advantages

Both the AAS and BS in nursing programs are registered by NYS Education Department. Graduates of the AAS degree are eligible to apply for licensure as a registered nurse and sit for the NCLEX-RN (RN National Boards) in any state.

Graduates of the AAS degree are eligible to apply for licensure as a registered nurse and sit for the NCLEX-RN in any state.

The BS in nursing program can be taken entirely online, allowing the student to progress at their own pace.  The BS in nursing Program is registered by the NYS Education Department.

Articulation agreements are in place between multiple regional community colleges and Alfred State for the BS in Nursing program.

Facilities

The upper-division completion program will enhance your knowledge and skills foundation to function more autonomously and interdependently in diverse, complex, and dynamic health care environments. Moreover, the program will enhance your potential to expand your responsibilities in practice to become a leader, coordinator, and manager of care. Lastly, the program will serve as a solid academic foundation for advanced study in nursing at the graduate level. Some of the BS in Nursing core courses will begin to be offered in both an on-campus setting (for residential students), while online opportunities will be available for students not living on or near campus, providing flexibility and learning style choices for the adult student and working professional.

It is strongly recommended that clinical site affiliations are submitted at least two months prior to taking the course to ensure that a clinical site agreement is in place.

Clinical components will be required in the following courses:

• NURS 6003 - Nursing Leadership and Management
• NURS 6413 - Health Assessment and Promotion Across the Lifespan
• NURS 7004 - Population Focused Care in the Community

As a graduate of this program, you will be prepared to assume a leadership role in the health care delivery system using gained experience, research, and technology for evidence-based decision making.  You will be equipped to deliver, lead, and coordinate care for a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds to improve client outcomes.

Program Student Learning Outcomes - AAS

• Patient-centered care – Acquires self-empowerment to provide holistic care to a diverse population while providing health education using learner-centered focused principles.
• Teamwork and collaboration – Demonstrates accountability and effective interpersonal relationships with clients and members of the health care team, and works collaboratively in professional practice.
• Evidence-based practice – Implements evidence-based practice to promote a caring environment that ensures client's safety, comfort, dignity, and self-esteem consistent with his/her developmental stage in an effective and efficient manner.
• Quality improvement – Demonstrates responsibility for continued learning and further growth.
• Safety – Manages care for clients while evaluating own performance to improve professional practice, quality of care, and safety in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Informatics – Applies technology and information management skills to retrieve data, communicate, support decision making, and submit information.

           Reference: Quality and Safety Education for Nurses, 2019

Program Student Learning Outcomes - BS in Nursing

• Synthesize theory and concepts from nursing, the liberal education domain, and other professions to expand knowledge.
• Create a plan to foster social justice through civic engagement.
• Apply principles of critical reflection, inquiry, and evidence-based practice to resolve nursing issues.
• Integrate leadership principles to design, manage, and coordinate care for individuals and populations in complex and changing health care delivery systems.
• Appraise issues related to health promotion and disease prevention to promote healthy life for individuals, families, groups, and populations across the lifespan, with attention to rural communities.
• Apply knowledge of informatics to foster inter- and intra-professional communication and collaboration in the delivery of safe, quality health care.
• Create a philosophy as a foundation for commitment to the profession, advancement, and lifelong learning.
• Use a variety of methods to communicate in written and oral form throughout the program.

Professional Opportunities

NYCLEX-RN First-time Candidate Pass Rate

	2021	2022	2023
Alfred State College	70.69% (41/58)	68.00% (34/50)	88.89% (48/54)
New York State	77.72% (13,920/17,911)	73.52% (12,200/16,595)	84.39% (9,266/10,980)
National Average	77.91% (66,808/88,349)	82.80% (71,639/86,520)	88.56% (165,036/186,352)

Student Completion of the Dual Degree Nursing Program

Dual Degree (AAS/BS) Program	2019	2020	2021
Completion Rates**	NA	NA	45% (39/87) Fall 2016 Cohort tracked for 5 years.  Full 1.5 times is 6 years.

**students who complete the program within 1.5 times of the length of program

Employment Statistics

Employment and continuing education rate of 100 percent - 100 percent are employed; 0 percent continued their education

Related Programs

Biological Science
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Health Information Technology
Health Sciences
Human Services
Liberal Arts and Sciences: Humanities
Radiologic Technology

Entrance Requirements

Required: Algebra, Biology, Chemistry

Required: It is essential that students are able to fully participate, with or without a reasonable accommodation, in clinical caring for clients as assigned. 

Nursing students should be able to: 

• Ambulate in a sufficient manner in order to appropriately and safely perform patient care.
• Lift at least 35 pounds.
• Function in a safe manner, not placing clients in jeopardy.
• Maintain confidentiality in regard to professional practice.
• Appropriately use standard medical equipment.
• Interpret data from electronic devices in a health care setting for the purpose of client care.
• Maintain professional composure at all times.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Required Equipment

A tier 1 laptop computer is required for students entering this degree program, as it will be needed for on-campus exams and other educational purposes.  Microsoft Office is required; internet access is required.  In addition, a handheld pocket-sized electronic device is required (i.e. smart phone) for downloading program software.  The device must have the capability to turn off both phone and camera.  Further system requirements will be sent via a newsletter in early June to newly admitted, transfer, and continuing students.  Laptop specifications are available at www.alfredstate.edu/required-laptops.

Licensure

Upon completion of the AAS degree portion of the dual degree program, graduates are eligible to apply for licensure. Completion of the AAS nursing program does not assure licensure as a registered professional nurse. Graduates of this portion of the dual degree nursing program meet the education requirements for admittance to the RN licensure exam; however, there is a requirement that the applicant be of “good moral character” and a fee must be paid for the test and license.

To be a licensed and registered as an RN in New York State, you must: 

• Be of good moral character
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Graduate from a nursing education program acceptable to NYSED
• Complete New York State required infection control coursework and child abuse reporting coursework
• Pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN) or another license examination acceptable to NYSED
• Apply for an RN license with NYSED

On the application for New York State licensure, the applicant is required to truthfully answer the following questions:

• Have you ever been found guilty after trial, or pleaded guilty, no contest, or nolo contendere to a crime (felony or misdemeanor) in any court?
• Are criminal charges pending against you in any court?
• Has any licensing or disciplinary authority refused to issue you a license or ever revoked, annulled, canceled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a professional license or certificate held by you now or previously, or ever fined, censured, reprimanded, or otherwise disciplined you?
• Are charges pending against you in any jurisdiction for any sort of professional misconduct?
• Has any hospital or licensed facility restricted or terminated your professional training, employment of privileges, or have you ever voluntarily or involuntarily resigned or withdrawn from such association to avoid imposition of such measures?

Accreditation/certification

• Alfred State College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104; 215-662-5606, http://www.msche.org. The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). http://www.acenursing.com/candidates/candidacy.asp
• The AAS nursing program at Alfred State College located in Alfred, NY is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326  404-975-5000, www.acenursing.org
  • The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the AAS nursing program is Continuing Accreditation 
  • View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm.
• The Alfred State College BS in nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.  (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 975-5000 http://www.acenursing.com/candidates/candidacy.asp
• Both the AAS and BS in Nursing Programs are registered by the NYS Education Department.  

 

TYPICAL FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM

For the AAS Nursing courses students must earn a "C" in Nursing I (NURS 1055 and NURS 1133) and Nursing II (NURS 2055 and NURS 2133) and a "C+" in Nursing III ((NURS 3055 and 3155) and Nursing IV (NURS 4055 and NURS 4155) to progress in the nursing program.  Competency in medication clinical computation is required each semester and is tested as part of each nursing semester.

NOTE: BIOL 1404 Anatomy & Physiology I and BIOL 2504 Anatomy & Physiology II have to be completed with a "C+" and must be taken in the classroom with lab component at the same college in a face-to-face environment.  Microbiology must be taken in the classroom with lab component at the same college in a face-to-face environment.

Specific policies related to progression in the nursing program and readmission to the nursing program are publicized to enrolled nursing students in the Nursing Student Handbook.

First

BIOL	1404	Anatomy & Physiology I	4
COMP	1503	Writing Studies	3
PSYC	1013	General Psychology	3
SOCI	1163	General Sociology	3
GLST	2113	Global & Diverse Perspectives	3
			16

Minimum of "C+" is required in BIOL 1404 to progress
Minimum of "C" grade is required for Nursing I

Second

BIOL	2504	Anatomy & Physiology II	4
LITR	xxx3	Literature Elective	3
PSYC	1023	Human Development	3
BIOL	1313	Nutrition	3
MATH	1123	Statistics I	3
		OR
MATH	2124	Statistical Methods & Analysis	4
			16-17

Minimum of "C+" is required in BIOL 2504 to progress
Minimum of a "C" grade is required for Nursing II

Third

NURS	1055	Nursing 1	5
BIOL	4254	General Microbiology	4
ANTH	5113	Cross-Cultural Encounters	3
NURS	1133	Nursing 1 Lab	3
			15

BIOL 4254 is a prerequisite for NURS IV.  A minimum grade of "C+" is required for BIOL 4254.
Minimum of a "C+" grade is required for NURS 4055 and NURS 4155.

Fourth

NURS	2055	Nursing II	5
NURS	2133	Nursing II Lab	3
SPCH	1083	Public Speaking	3
XXXX	xxx3	Gen Ed Elective	3
			14

A minimum of a "C" grade is required for all upper-level nursing courses

Fifth

NURS	3055	Nursing III	5
NURS	3155	Nursing III Lab	5
NURS	8003	Informtcs&Tech App in Hlthcare	3
NURS	5023	Contemporary Nursing	3
			16

Sixth

NURS	4055	Nursing IV	5
NURS	4155	Nursing IV Lab	5
BIOL	6403	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NURS	6413	Health Assmt & Promotion Acros	3
			16

A minimum of a "C" grade in all upper-level nursing courses is required

Student is eligible to apply for licensure as a registered professional nurse (RN-NCLEX) in any state.

Seventh

NURS	5003	Ethical Issues in Health Care	3
NURS	6003	Nursing Leadership/Management	3
NURS	7003	Nursing Research	3
XXXX	xxx3	Liberal Arts Elective (Upper Level)	3
XXXX	xxx3	Liberal Arts Elective (Upper Level)	3
			15

A minimum of a "C" grade for all upper-level nursing courses is required

Eighth

Evidence of RN Licensure required prior to progression into NURS 7004 Population Focused Care.

NURS	7004	Population Focused Care in Com	4
NURS	8013	Professional Capstone	3
NURS	xxx3	Nursing Elective (Upper Level)	3
XXXX	xxx3	Liberal Arts Elective (Upper Level)	3
XXXX	xxx3	Liberal Arts Elective (Upper Level)	3
			16

A minimum of a "C" grade in all upper-level nursing courses is required

*See our nursing website for full disclosure documentation at www.alfredstate.edu/nursing

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

AAS

• 63 credit hours
• 36 credits of nursing (Nursing I, II, III, IV)
• 12 credits of natural science (Anatomy & Physiology I and II with "C" or better, Microbiology)
• 6 credits of social science (General Psychology, Human Development)
• 6 credits of communication (Freshman Composition, Effective Speaking)
• 3 credits of Global Perspectives
• At least 1 credit of math (GE elective)
• A student must successfully complete all courses in the prescribed four-semester program and earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (Nursing I and II with a "C" or better, Nursing III and IV with a "C+" or better)

BS in nursing degree credits

• 124 credit hours
• 28 credits of upper-level nursing credits 
• 13 credits of natural science (Nutrition, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, or Microbiology)
• 9 credits of social science (General Sociology, General Psychology, or Human Development)
• 3 credits of humanities (literature elective)
• 3 credits of math (Statistics I or Statistical Methods)
• 3 credits of a general education elective not already required (American History, Fine Arts, or Foreign Language) 
• A student must successfully complete all courses in the prescribed four-semester program and earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 which is equivalent to a "C" average

Any student wishing for more information should contact the Nursing Department.