Presentation for the
Minnesota Rural Health Care
Conference
July 17 and 18, 2006
Carol Church, RN BSN MS
[email protected]
Director Itasca Community College Practical Nursing Program 2003 -2006
Site Coordinator Moorhead and Fergus Falls Community Colleges Nursing Programs 2006-
“Career Ladder for Education and Advancement of Nursing”
A Project for Rural Minnesota
A part of The Nurse Education, Practice and Retention Grants
Program with the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services
This is where the online conversation started for Itasca
Community College……
2003
• Itasca Community College—
Practical Nursing Program
• Rainey River Community College—
Practical Nursing Program
• Hibbing Community College—
Associate Degree Nursing Program
• To create an accessible avenue of education
and career ladder advancement from Certified
Nursing Assistant to Licensed Practical Nurse to
Registered Nurse in a seamless sequence of
“blended”/on-line courses……
Year One:
• Readying our courses for online delivery
• Establishing the selection process for
online learners
• Establish clinical sites, and relationships
Year Two:
• Selection of first cohort group for the LPN
to RN distance option in Grand Rapids
and International Falls
• Design the online curriculum for Itasca’s
PN Program and Courses
• Select the first cohort group for Itasca’s
PN Program/Online delivery
Year Three:
• First distance cohort of RN students taking
their licensure exams…..
• Selection of the second distance cohort of
LPN to RN students for HCC
• Delivery of the PN Program online
• For Grand Rapids area, we have gained
approximately 30 RNs in 2 years time….all
students were able to complete the program and
clinicals, staying in their community…All of last
year RNs have successfully written their
Licensure Exam
• This number will help the community in keeping
in line with the number of healthcare workers
needed in the years to come……
• Itasca Community College Practical Nursing
Program is now “online” (Innovative program
design---have the ability to offer in institutions
with groups of 10 interested?)
• Itasca had a successful delivery of their online
practical nursing program 2005-2006… and will
continue to improve the flexible clinical
scheduling and work on recruitment efforts
• There are 11 students enrolled in the second
semester online in Fall, 2006
Specifics about the LPN Online
•
•
•
•
Theory classes are offered online… all three
semesters—a couple of the general academic courses
may be found through MN Online. Tests are proctored
in an institution close to the student, with students
taking responsibility for arrangements.
Skills Classes are taught via online class and with CDs
of Skills for students to learn and practice with
Test outs of Skills happen in a consolidated schedule
on campus
Clinical happens in a condensed fashion on an
average of one week each month
• Pilot Year 2006: 6
graduates and 4
passed Board
Licensure Exam to
date……
Contacts
• Suzanne Aldrich
Interim Director Practical Nursing
Itasca Community College
218-327-4457 or [email protected]