Thirteen years and counting: Outcomes of a concurrent ASN/BSN enrollment program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Policy

Background:

• The Institute of Medicine's 2011 report, The Future of Nursing, recommended 80% of the nursing workforce be baccalaureate-prepared by 2020.
• Concurrent enrollment programs offer a pathway for simultaneous associate and baccalaureate nursing education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the University of Central Florida's 13-year experience with a Concurrent Enrollment Program.
• To evaluate the program's outcomes in relation to the Institute of Medicine's goals.

Main Methods:

• Described program development, structure, advisement, and curriculum.
• Analyzed data on National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) pass rates.
• Collected data on program completion rates, comparison with traditional RN-BSN students, and graduate school progression.

Main Results:

• The Concurrent Program demonstrated positive outcomes over 13 years.
• NCLEX-RN pass rates and completion rates were favorable.
• Program graduates showed progression to graduate studies.

Conclusions:

• The described Concurrent Program model, implemented between a university and state college partners, supports the achievement of the Institute of Medicine's goals.
• This model provides a viable strategy for increasing the number of baccalaureate-prepared Registered Nurses.