Ozarks Technical Community College, Certificate, Nursing (Off-site)

FORM OS: Off-Site Delivery Proposal Form

Sponsoring Institution(s):  Ozarks Technical Community College

Program Title:  Practical Nursing Program

Degree/Certificate:  Certificate in Practical Nursing

Options:  None

Institution Granting Degree:  Ozarks Technical Community College

Delivery Site(s):  Reeds Spring Education Center 22595A Main Street, Reeds Spring, MO, 65737

Mode of Program Delivery:  Seated Courses

CIP Classification:   51.1613

Implementation Date: July 2008

Cooperative Partners: St. John’s Regional Health Systems, Springfield, MO Cox Health Systems, Springfield, MO Skaggs Community Health Center, Branson, MO

Expected Date of First Graduation:    June 2009 Implementation Date: Summer 2008

AUTHORIZATION

Dr. Randy Humphrey, Vice President, Academic Affairs______________________________

Dr. Steven Bishop, Dean of Allied Health - 417-447-8802______________

2. NEED:

The mission of Ozarks Technical Community College is to provide accessible, high quality, affordable technical and general education that is responsive to the educational needs of the community and its diverse constituencies. The shortage of nurses has been a continual complaint of the southwest Missouri area health care facilities. The nursing shortage is projected to climb to 800,000 by the year 2010. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics also identifies nursing as the top occupation in job growth through the year 2012. According to the Missouri Hospital Workforce Report 2005, nursing is one of three professional positions with the highest vacancy rate in Missouri. A needs survey of health care employers, schools of nursing, and interested students indicated a definite and on-going need for an educational program in this area for practical nurses.

Ozarks Technical Community College has been requested to assume the sponsorship of the Practical Nursing program that currently is offered under the auspices of the Reeds Spring Public School System. The Practical Nursing program has been the only adult program offered by the school district and the Reeds Spring School Board voted to transfer sponsorship of this program to Ozarks Technical Community College. This program will be an Off-Site Delivery Option of OTC’s existing Practical Nursing program.

A. Student Demand:

FORM SE - STUDENT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS

Year	1	2	3	4	5
Full Time	40	40	40	40	40
Part Time	0	0	0	0	0
Total	40	40	40	40	40

Will enrollment be capped in the future?

The enrollment for the Practical Nursing program will be capped at 40 students per year for the foreseeable future. This enrollment limit is due to laboratory and clinical space available.

B. Market Demand:

National

Our Nation’s demand for nurses continues to increase as a result of its growing and aging population that requires more health care. Published documentation from a variety of sources such as National League for Nursing, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Missouri Hospital Workforce Report 2005, Occupational Outlook and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Response to the Nursing Shortage (2003) clearly indicates that the nursing supply is not keeping pace with the demand.

Job opportunities for all LPNs and RNs are expected to be excellent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected the need for more than one million new and replacement nurses by 2012. Replacements are needed for the approximately 500,000 retiring nurses. An additional 500,000 nurses are needed for the aging population. Employment of LPNs is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014. In fact, RNs are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations. The Missouri Department of Labor predicts that 5,784 new practical nurse positions will be needed by 2014 to meet the workforce demand.

State and Region

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Occupations Statistics and Employment Projections reported a need for a 17% growth for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and a 29% growth for registered nurses (RNs) nationally to the year 2014, and a 17% growth for LPNs and 17% growth for RNs in Missouri to the year 2012. The Missouri Department of Labor (2005) reported there were vacancy rates of an estimated unmet need in acute care for 740 RNs and 645 LPNs. These numbers did not include the drastic shortages in long-term care and public health. Employment for LPNs is expected to grow due to the increased response of long-term care needs of the elderly population and general growth of the healthcare industry, according to the Occupational Outlook handbook, 2004, 2005 edition.

Nursing has been identified by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics as a top occupation in job growth through the year 2012. According to the Missouri Hospital Workforce Report 2005, vacancy rates are lower in northern Missouri and increase in the southern regions of the state. Missouri’s migration and population growth patterns support these data. The northern half of Missouri gradually is losing its population while many southern regions are experiencing steady growth. The highest population increases in Missouri follow the Interstate 44 corridor diagonally from the Joplin and Springfield areas through the Lake of the Ozarks and into St. Louis. Consequently, the increase in population growth results in a need for expansion of health care services and nurses to deliver this health care.

In Greene County, two hospitals were researched (Sep/Oct 2006) and the findings showed vacancies for 31 LPN positions. The Springfield metropolitan area indicated 54 LPN positions vacant. According to the Missouri Workforce Report 2005, the average nurse vacancy rate for the entire Springfield metropolitan area was 12.3% per month. Cox Health Systems reported their current turnover rate was lower than the national average reporting at 11.5%. St. John’s Health Systems average turnover rate (2005) was 12.98%. The Ozarks and southwest regions are experiencing the highest nurse vacancy rates and the largest percent growth in population.

C. Societal Need:

Nurses provide health services to the individual, the family, and the community by promoting wellness, preventing illness, restoring health, and alleviating suffering. Nurses work as part of a health care team which, by a cooperative effort, contributes specific knowledge and skills to provide patients with the best possible health care.

The demand for nurses is expected to increase significantly. As the U.S. population ages, there is a growing population of hospitalized patients who are in need of more nurses per patient. Rapidly changing technology and more acutely ill patients require more nursing time and the expertise of nurses with more education.

Nurses work in many health care settings: hospital inpatient units, clinics, home health care, occupational health, all which cannot function without their high skill level. Their scope of practice includes assessing patients, planning care strategies, delegating care to others, staff teaching, managing care, maintaining patient safety, making nursing diagnoses, and collaborating with other health care professionals. Because the severity of illness in patients is high, they require complex care. Health care needs a solid nursing staff to provide that level of care.

Thus, the practical nurse is an indispensable partner in providing patient care, making direct improvements in the lives of patients, in the maintenance of the public's health, and in the effectiveness of individual health care providers.

D. Methodology used to determine “B” and “C” above.

Local data were obtained from needs assessment surveys conducted in Fall 2006.

Statistics for the above market demand information were obtained from the following sources:

Buerhaus, p., Staiger, D., & Auerbach, D. (2000). Implications of an aging registered workforce. American Medical Association. 22, 2948-2954.

Kettering, M. (2002).The nursing shortage: past, present and future. Journal of Nursing Administration. 32, 79-84.

Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, Regional Employment Statistics. Retrieved February 11, 2007 from: http://ded.mo.gov/researchandplanning/regional/Springfield/index.stm#employment.

Missouri Division of Professional Registration. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Missouri State Board of Nursing: http://pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. Retrieved February 08, 2007, from: http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm

Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-2007 Edition. Retrieved February 12, 2007, from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm

United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved Feb 09, 2007 from:http://www.bls.gov/emp/home.htm

Valentino, L. (2002). Future Employment Trends in Nursing: The nursing shortage has struck just about everywhere in the United States and there's no relief in sight-but its effects vary by region and specialty. American Journal of Nursing: Career Guide 2002. 24-28.

3. Duplication and collaboration

The 13 nursing schools in the Southwest Missouri Nursing Consortium graduate approximately 711 students per year: 157 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 312 Associate of Science in Nursing and 242 Practical Nursing. This number will not change with the change in sponsorship of this program from Reeds Spring Public School System to Ozarks Technical Community College. Missouri State Board of Nursing (2004) published nursing programs’ admission and graduation data reporting full admission classes with waiting lists. This limited number of student openings available is also noted in the southwest Missouri area.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2005) reports that more than 125,000 qualified nursing applicants were turned away in 2004. The number of nursing applicants indicates that the nursing shortage in southwest Missouri is not due to a lack of interested candidates but to the limited number of available openings into the nursing programs.

The program does maintain Clinical Affiliate Agreements with major hospitals in Springfield and Branson for students to participate in clinical practicum experiences.

4. Financial Projections (deleted)

5. Program Characteristics and Program Goals

Form PS: PROGRAM STRUCTURE

A. Total credits required for graduation: 47 - 49
B. Residency requirements, if any: 15
C. General education: Total credits: 15 - 17
Courses (specific courses OR distribution area and credits):

Anatomy & Physiology - 6 – 8 cr.
ENG 101Composition I - 3 cr.
PSY 110 Introduction to Psych - 3 cr.
BIO 130 Nutrition - 3 cr.

D. Major requirements: Total credits: 32

NUR 101 Personal Vocational Concepts - 2 cr.
NUR 110 Fund. Of Nursing I - 3 cr.
NUR 110 Fund. Of Nursing II - 3 cr.
NUR 205 Adult Medical-Surgical I - 7 cr.
NUR 215 Adult Med-Surg II + IV Therapy - 7 cr.
NUR 240 Management - 1 cr.
NUR 225 Maternal and Pediatric Nursing - 7 cr.
NUR 230 Community & Mental Health - 2 cr.

E. Free elective credits: 0 (Sum of C, D, and E should equal A.)

F. Requirements for thesis, internship or other capstone experience: The internship experience will be conducted during NUR 110, 120, 205, 215, 225 and 230 when the students will explore the role of the practical nurse in the Medical-Surgical, Mental Health, Pediatric, Obstetrics, Long-term care and Community Health Care settings.
G. Any unique features such as interdepartmental cooperation:

Form PG: PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE GOALS

Student Preparation

Students are admitted to the practical nursing program based on the following:

• Completion of the Psychological Services Bureau’s Aptitude for Practical Nursing exam with a mean score of 50% or higher. Official transcripts from high school and all colleges attended.
• Three personal or professional references dated within the last six months.
• Completion of Anatomy and Physiology with a grade of 80% or higher is required for admission into the nursing curriculum.
• Prior to entering the clinical practice component of the program, students must have a negative urine drug screen and criminal background check Students must also demonstrate immunity to Rubella, Hepatitis B, and have a negative test for Tuberculosis.

Characteristics of a specific population to be served if applicable

This program serves a largely rural population that is economically disadvantaged.  A significant percentage of the students are single mothers with limited opportunities who are trying to improve their socioeconomic status.

Faculty Characteristics

The program coordinator must be a registered nurse with a current undisciplined license to practice professional nursing in Missouri. In addition, the program coordinator must possess a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing that includes a clinical component, and be approved by the Missouri Board of Nursing. Nursing courses will be taught by qualified faculty that meet the qualifications of a current undisciplined license to practice professional nursing in Missouri, and a minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing with a clinical component. Faculty must have proficiency in content areas, and must be approved by the Missouri Board of Nursing prior to appointment.Full time nursing faculty will obtain a Missouri Teacher’s Certificate.

Expectations for professional activities, special student contact, teaching/learning innovation.

Faculty will be expected to participate annually in professional development activities including both teaching methodology and professional conferences specific to their teaching area.Non-nurse faculty shall have professional preparation and qualifications for the areas in which they are involved.Full-time faculty will be assigned to at least 75% of the credit hours required in the major area.Faculty will be available for special student contact outside of the classroom for at least 5 hours per week for individual tutoring, advising, or other special assistance.

Enrollment Projections

Student and Program Outcomes

Number of Graduates per annum at three and five years after implementation
We anticipate 40 graduates per annum at three and five years respectively after implementation.

Special skills specific to the program
Graduates will have the entry-level skills necessary to function as a practical nurse for hospitals, physician offices, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, public schools, and corporate industries.

Proportion of students who will achieve licensing, certification, or registration
After graduation the student is eligible to take the Practical Nurse Licensing Examination in the state of Missouri as described in the Missouri Nurse Practice Act. We anticipate 100% of the graduates to achieve licensure. This is consistent with the past history of graduates from the Reeds Spring Practical Nursing program.

Performance on national and/or local assessments. Include expected results on assessmentsof general education and on exit assessments in a particular discipline as well as the name of any nationally recognized assessments used.
Assessment of general education will be done utilizing the ACT Work Keys Exams. Students will be expected to score at or above the national average for these exams. HESI Exams will be utilized for exit assessments specific to the discipline of nursing. Students will be expected to perform at a level consistent with passing scores on these nationally recognized assessments.

Placement rates in related fields
Job placement is expected to be 100%.

Transfer rates, continuous study
Graduates have the opportunity to continue their nursing education through LPN to RN Bridge Programs to become Registered Professional Nurses. We anticipate approximately 30% of the graduates to continue their study towards their ASN or BSN degrees.

Program Approval and Accreditation
The Practical Nursing Program in Reeds Spring, MO is approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing. To assume sponsorship of the Reeds Spring Practical Nursing program, Ozarks Technical Community College must notify the Missouri State Board of Nursing in writing and submit the change of sponsorship form within 30 days of receipt.

Alumni and Employer Survey
Graduate and Employer surveys will be conducted within six months of graduation. A response rate of 80% with a 100% level of satisfaction will be expected from our graduates and employers. Feedback will be used in conjunction with other assessment data for program improvement.

6. Quality Assurance for Off-Site Programs

1. General Oversight: The program will be under the Allied Health Division of the college and will be administered by the Dean of Allied Health. The day-to-day on-site administration of the program will be under the control of the Program Coordinator who will supervise the nursing faculty and staff.
2. Faculty Qualifications: The qualifications of the faculty are the same as the faculty teaching on the main campus.
3. Support Services: Students will have access to all of the same support services available to students on the main campus. At specific periods of the year, support service representatives will be present at this off-site location to assist students

Institutional Characteristics

Ozarks Technical Community College is uniquely suited to offer an additional practical nursing program because we have an excellent reputation in the health care community for the graduates of ten allied health programs, including the practical nursing program at our main campus. Our classrooms and laboratories are well-equipped to support the nursing program with state-of-the-art audiovisual, computer, and medical equipment. Healthcare is one of the largest employers in the Springfield and Branson areas. Ozarks Technical Community College maintains cooperative arrangements for clinical practicum experiences with the major medical centers in the area. Ozarks Technical Community College is a receiving college for Missouri’s A+ scholarship recipients.