Iowa State’s first class of nursing students will begin class in the fall.

After going through several stages of approval from organizations such as the Higher Learning Commission and the Iowa Board of Nursing, Iowa State’s nursing program will officially begin classes on August 20, 2018.

Students enrolled in the program must have already received their Associate Degree in Nursing, otherwise known as ADN, from another school, as Iowa State’s program is a Registered Nurse (RN) to Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

“Evidence shows that the more baccalaureate nurses you have in your staff, the better your health outcomes,” said Virginia Wangerin, director of nursing education.

Wangerin was hired by Iowa State to create the program from the ground up. She created the curriculum and worked on the integration of a new major into the university.

While developing the curriculum, Wangerin mainly looked at three things. First, she looked at the university’s mission and strategic plan. Next, she looked at the evolution of nursing over the last few decades to find that nurses are more and more at the heart of healthcare and improving the health of communities.

Wangerin put together an advisory committee of community healthcare providers, potential nursing students, practicing nurses and nurses who already have a BSN. She asked them what is important for the program and what nurses need as they make a transition from an associate degree to a BSN.

At least 32 credits must be earned through Iowa State as part of this program, and each student needs 120 credits total to graduate. However, credits may transfer in from community colleges and associate degrees. More information can be found on the nursing program’s website.

Students from Des Moines Area Community College’s (DMACC) nursing program could potentially benefit from Iowa State’s new program. DMACC does not currently offer a BSN program, so students from the local campuses must travel farther to gain that knowledge.

“[This program] allows [DMACC nursing] students to continue to advance their degrees locally, and also continue to work as a nurse,” said Kendra Ericson, DMACC director of nursing.

Iowa State will also be working with Mary Greeley Medical Center and other local health care providers to offer their locations for clinical experiences.

“We are an organization that is very committed to increasing our number of baccalaureate prepared nurses,” Neal Loess, chief nursing executive of Mary Greeley Medial Center, said. “We hire a lot of wonderful nurses out of the DMACC program, but this is a way for them to grow professionally and clinically in their practice.”

Mary Greeley requires each new nurse that is hired to complete their BSN within six years of hire. They also provide $3,000 each calendar year for tuition for BSN education.