Monday, January 28, 2002

WILMINGTON, NC - Through the combined efforts of nursing programs at UNC Wilmington and UNC Charlotte, registered nurses practicing in North Carolina can now take the first of four core nursing courses leading to a bachelor's degree via online/distance learning. The pilot course now underway – leadership and management – is the first such collaboration between nursing schools in North Carolina. It is believed to be the first in the nation.

The two universities jointly developed the course through a $25,000 grant from the UNC Office of the President designed to spur collaborative program planning. Three other core courses – professional issues, research and health assessment – are planned to be offered in this same collaborative manner, although UNC Wilmington and UNC Charlotte have been offering separate Web-based learning options for RNs with associate degrees since 1998 and 2000, respectively.

This new joint effort maximizes the resources from both institutions to meet the state's need for nurses with baccalaureate degrees. Students receive a computer CD that was developed by Drs. Bettie Glenn and Virginia Adams, associate dean for academic affairs and dean at the School of Nursing at UNC Wilmington, respectively, and Dr. Sonya Hardin, assistant professor at UNC Charlotte’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. The disc contains instructional materials with visual and audio enhancements. Drs. Glenn and Hardin are teaching approximately 22 and 30 students, respectively.

Among the UNCW class are students from Fayetteville and Jacksonville as well as other locations in Columbus, Brunswick and Onslow counties. In the Charlotte program, students are enrolled from Asheville and Hendersonville, as well as Guilford and Mecklenburg counties.

“By combining our resources, UNC Charlotte and UNC Wilmington are able to offer an online program that further enhances access to education,” said Dr. Sue Bishop, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at UNC Charlotte. “Our goal is to work together to increase the number of nurses in the state who have bachelor’s degrees in nursing.”

“There is a critical need for baccalaureate-prepared nurses in North Carolina,” said UNCW's Dr. Glenn. “Research indicates that nurses who obtain advanced education provide care in a more comprehensive manner. Furthermore, in most non-traditional settings such as home health care, public health departments, secondary schools or community-based practices, a bachelor's degree is preferred.”

Data from the North Carolina Center for Nursing indicate that approximately 68 percent of the 70,000 registered nurses working in North Carolina hold associate degrees in nursing, so the potential market for this program is significant. According to Dr. Glenn, registered nurses who earn a diploma through hospital-based education or those with an associate degree (ADN) may have the same opportunities as graduates of a baccalaureate program; however, the majority of health-related agencies are looking for nurses with advanced education to fill management positions.

Both market needs as well as students’ lifestyles have contributed to the need for online course development. The majority of practicing registered nurses must balance work and family obligations to return to school.

“Increasingly complex clients in the health care system today need nurses with this advanced education,” said Dr. Pamala Larsen, associate dean for academic affairs and director of distance education for UNC Charlotte’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. “Collaborating with the School of Nursing at UNC Wilmington provides a win-win situation for nurses across the state in providing greater access to advanced education.”

An informative World Wide Web site is under development and will be online in February 2002. Updated information also will be posted on the schools Web sites: UNC Charlotte’s College of Nursing and Health Professions (www.uncc.edu/colleges/health/), or UNCW’s School of Nursing (www.uncwil.edu/son/).

For more information about this program, contact Dr. Bettie Glenn, School of Nursing at UNC Wilmington, at 910/962-3784 or Dr. Pamala Larsen, College of Nursing and Health Professions at UNC Charlotte at 704/687-4651.

Media contacts: Phillip Brown, UNC Wilmington, 910/962-7223

Tony Hoppa, UNC Charlotte, 704/687-2143