Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The latest on the nursing proposal for North Carolina community colleges:
1:15 p.m.
North Carolina's community college leaders are avoiding a move toward offering four-year nursing degrees that would lead to new questions about the mission of one of the country's largest system of two-year campuses.
The state's community college board on Friday opted against launching a feasibility study into the pros and cons of offering a four-year nursing degree. About a half-dozen states offer advanced nursing education at community colleges.
A study by community college leaders and health-industry groups said the idea is one way to reach a goal of 80 percent of nurses holding four-year degrees by 2020 as the health care environment gets more complex.
The community college board decided instead to develop online learning and expand the ability of graduates to earn nursing degrees from a public university.
5 a.m.
North Carolina is confronting a chronic nursing shortage by considering whether its network of two-year community colleges should break with the past and offer four-year nursing degrees.
The state's community college board could take the next step Friday by launching a feasibility study into the pros and cons. About a half-dozen states offer advanced nursing education at community colleges.
A study by community college leaders and health-industry groups said the idea is one way to reach a goal of 80 percent of the country's nurses holding four-year degrees by 2020 as the health care environment gets more complex.
The committee said an in-depth study is needed because community colleges accredited to offer four-year nursing degrees could then offer bachelor's degrees in other fields, blurring the line with universities.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
