Albany State University’s Department of Nursing has received “continued approval” from the Georgia Board of Nursing through 2015.
ALBANY, GA --
Albany State University’s Department of Nursing has received “continued approval” from the Georgia Board of Nursing through 2015. Annual reviews and approval from the agency means the university’s nursing education standards meet state regulations in training students to deliver safe and effective care to patients in a holistic manner.
There are three classifications for approval: full, provisional and conditional. ASU has received full approval. The approval allows students to continue the pursuit of baccalaureate degrees, including registered nurses (RNs) who are students in ASU’s registered nurse completion program. “Full approval means that we’re providing a quality experience for health care providers. I’m very proud of our students and faculty,” said Dr. Cathy Williams, ASU Nursing Department Chair.
Annually, the division’s academic programs undergo a thorough review; then the fourth year, during a 2-3 day campus visit, the Board of Nursing reviewer evaluates the program, according to Williams. The assessment includes a review of the curriculum and course objectives of the generic Bachelor of Science, the accelerated second degree Bachelor of Science, and the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science programs. Interviews were conducted with faculty, staff and nurse leaders at hospitals where students engage in clinical training. Class loads and space allocations were also reviewed. Additionally, student retention, attrition and graduation rates were examined. “We’re always preparing for this extensive review,” said Williams, the Fuller E. Calloway Endowed Professor. At the end of the process, a determination is made.
ASU is the only historically black university in the state with a nursing program. “This approval is evidence of the stellar work that our nursing faculty and students continually do. Our nursing program is among the best in the state,” said ASU President Dr. Everette J. Freeman. Presently, there are 300 students enrolled in the pre-nursing program and 150 undergraduate students are on track to become registered nurses. The Georgia Board of Nursing requires students to maintain an 80 percent pass rate every year to earn full approval of a license without sanctions. ASU students exceeded the mandate with a 100 percent pass rate in 2011.
ASU began offering nursing baccalaureate degrees in 1961. For more information about how to enroll in the 2012-2013 class, please call 229-430-3027.
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