Linking diploma and bachelor's degree nursing education: an Illinois experiment

Changes in the traditional applicant pool, coupled with increased numbers of diploma and associate degree graduates seeking additional nursing education, have promoted the development of nontraditional educational pathways in collegiate schools of nursing. The authors describe a unique cooperative arrangement with a provision that allows students to transfer to a bachelor's nursing program before completing their diploma studies. On the basis of initial student and faculty reports, standardized test performance, academic performance, and National Council Licensure Examination scores, this educational experiment has been successful. The planning, implementation, and evaluation of the project required considerable time and effort on the part of the administration and faculty of both schools. The program's success has led the schools to consider other cooperative ventures. The authors conclude that this approach may serve as a model for other schools interested in providing educational mobility for diploma students.