CCU's Nursing Degree Receives National Accreditation
Colorado Christian University (Lakewood, Colo.), a fully accredited, private university near Denver, announced today that the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) -- officially recognized by the U.S. secretary of education -- has granted a full five-year national accreditation for the University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN). Colorado Christian University is proud to be a member of the CCNE accredited schools.
The degree at CCU offers students the choice between two program options: an online RN to BSN option designed for registered nurses who need to complete their bachelor's degree, and then a BSN pre-licensure option that will be offered statewide beginning January 2011 to educate nursing students who are not already registered nurses. Both options are designed with the needs of working adults in mind.
The CCNE accreditation comes at a time when America is stuck with a nationwide shortage of registered nurses (RN), and it's becoming more noticeable as aging baby boomers increase demand in health care of all types. Meanwhile, enrollment in many nursing schools dwindles while yet other institutions can't offer enough seats or adequate teaching faculty to accommodate students who are seeking to become baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
Considering the national nursing deficit, it's been estimated that between 2002 and 2012 Colorado will rank fifth-highest among states falling short of nurses. Reasons include the number of aging baby boomers in the state, an older or burnt-out nursing workforce, insufficient recruits to replace them or fill newly created positions, and mismatched nurses to meet Colorado's racial and ethnic diversity. Similar trends in neighboring states have also raised questions about hiring competition among states for the limited pool of available nurses.
CCU's five-year accreditation is the longest granted for new nursing programs by CCNE, an autonomous organization that contributes to the improvement of public health by ensuring the quality and integrity of baccalaureate, graduate, and residency programs in nursing. While the BSN program's RN to BSN option is offered entirely online, the BSN pre-licensure option will be offered statewide via a combination of online and in-seat delivery, and will feature clinical experiences at partner sites convenient to students throughout Colorado.
CCU nursing is headed by Dr. Barbara White, RN, who is recognized for her extensive international teaching and nursing-education experience. "National nursing-program accreditation by CCNE indicates that our BSN degree program is of exceptional quality and is engaged in effective educational practices," she commented. "Our vision is to educate the next generation of Christian nurse leaders who will combine both the scientific and sacred foundations of the profession into highly competent practice and will view nursing as ministry."
For more information visit CCU's Nursing website.