UC Granted Accreditation For Nursing Programs

Utica, NY (WIBX) - Utica College was recently granted accreditation for its nursing programs.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education--the group responsible for granting accreditation--looks at four standards before they issue their ruling and according to board members, UC's nursing programs "met or exceeded" the qualifying factors. The four standards looked at are the programs mission and governance, institutional commitment and resources, curriculum and teaching-learning practices, and the programs effectiveness.

Catherine Brownell, Chair and Associate Professor of Nursing said the accreditation granted by CCNE will give their nursing students an advantage after graduation. She said, "CCNE accreditation is the gold standard in baccalaureate and higher education in nursing, and an important step in building the nursing program to its full potential. We are able to integrate new research into our nursing curriculum, so that our graduates can stay on the cutting edge of changes in medicine and health care delivery. This clearly gives them an advantage when they begin working in the field."

UC offers a 4 year degree in nursing, and after graduation students can take National Council Licensure Examination to become Registered Nurses. The college also offers an online Registered Nurse to Bachelor's of Science (RN-BS) program. Officials with the school say the program is geared toward nurses with Associate's degrees who are looking to improve their skill and knowledge in the field.

According to the release, New York State lawmakers are looking at legislation that will mandate that nurses with Associate degrees enroll in a Bachelor's degree program within 10 years after getting their Registered Nurses license. More information about UC's nursing programs can be found by calling 1-800-782-8884 or 315-792-3396.