Scott Turner
In Motion Staff Writer
January heralds the beginning of the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Daytona State College. The process behind reaching this milestone was meticulous and involved.
Dr. Linda Miles, Chair of the Daytona State College School of Nursing, took time to explain the process and her eventual success in obtaining the degree.
“The bachelor’s degree has been in the works since 2009,” Miles said. “We began by looking into the community to assess the need for it.”
The program started as surveys of local area nurses and employees, as well as students enrolled in the Associate of Science in Nursing program. Several surveys were conducted and after the data was compiled, the need for a BS in nursing was proven.
“The planning of the degree took into consideration the needs of those wishing to take it,” she said. “We have a true partnership with the community. We’ve included them in the process from day one.”
Certified nurses who have obtained an Associate of Science in Nursing and passed the national exam to become certified are qualified to enroll. The coursework itself is a hybrid program, with an emphasis on clinical experience.
“We wanted to provide nurses with a way to obtain a bachelor’s degree that would provide the holder with better opportunities for advancement in the field,” said Miles.
These clinical aspects will be handled by the six local area hospitals that are already a part of the Associate in Nursing program and build upon the existing foundation. Hospitals involved with the program are Halifax Medical Center, Bert Fish Medical Center, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, Florida Hospital DeLand, Florida Hospital Fish and Florida Hospital Flagler. The program utilizes existing facilities on campus and at present no expansion is planned.
Schedules themselves are based around the needs of the community and students. The program is also designed for working nurses as well.
“We’re hoping by scheduling (the program) for working nurses, that more of them can capitalize on it.” Miles explained.
While the program itself is new, a significant amount of interest has already been shown. As of mid-October, 72 applicants are in various stages of application and 32 have already been accepted to the program. According to Miles, these numbers are expected to continue to rise.