UNION COLLEGE
Union Rolls Out Nursing LPN to BSN Online Program Union College is launching an online LPN to BSN program to help nurses continue working while they advance their education and healthcare careers.
Scott Cushman/Union College
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his summer, Union College will launch its first online program—giving LPNs an opportunity to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing without the need to relocate. It will fill a market gap and help the nursing shortage. Many RN to BSN online programs are
available nationwide, but few LPN to BSN programs exist. This program will complement Union’s existing on-campus LPN to BSN option. “Creating an online option for the LPN-BSN program allows post-traditional students to continue working
while they are completing their bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Nicole Orian, chair of the Division of Nursing and dean of Online Education. “This design helps with the nursing shortage and creates accessibility for a group of students who might otherwise not be able to attend Union College.” LPNs typically provide more
basic nursing care—often in long-term care settings. While a nurse can earn an LPN license with one year of schooling, LPNs are limited in their scope of practice, earning potential, and where they can practice. In fact, many hospitals choose not to hire LPNs at all. Nurses with bachelor’s degrees have much broader opportunities to practice in specialty areas and move into leadership and management roles. In October 2010, The Institute of Medicine released the landmark report The Future of Nursing, which called for increasing the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the workforce to 80 percent. A growing body of research shows education has a strong
PA Program Receives Full Accreditation Through 2027
U
nion College’s Master of Physician Assistant program celebrated this week after being extended full accreditation through 2027—the maximum time period allowed by ARC-PA, the physician assistant educational accrediting commission. The accreditors found zero areas of non-compliance and
the program regained the Accreditation-Continued status for eight more years.“This is the best possible outcome,” said Dr. Frankie Rose, Union’s vice president for academic administration. “I am thankful for the work of Megan Heidtbrink and the entire PA faculty and staff to continue to provide an outstanding educational Courtesy Union College
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experience for our students.” The strength of that experience has been demonstrated by Union graduates’ consistently high first-time board pass rates. In fact, 100 percent of Union graduates passed the PA National Certification Exam on their first attempt in both 2017 and 2018. After the program was placed on AccreditationProbation when cited for some administrative and assessment issues in 2017, Heidtbrink was named PA program director and led the team through the process of strengthening the program in a variety of ways— including adding additional faculty and overhauling
assessment procedures. Launched in 1995, the Union College PA program confers a master’s level degree that prepares graduates for a life of healthcare service in what is consistently ranked as a top career choice by national rankings—including the #3 Best Job of 2018 by U.S. News and World Report. Ryan Teller is director of integrated marketing communications for Union College.
Learn more about the PA program by visiting ucollege.edu/pa.
