Cooperation, not duplication, key for state's nursing programs

Michigan community colleges across the state are advocating for legislation in House Bill 5557 that would allow them to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees. 

Viewed as duplicative and counterproductive in solving Michigan’s current nursing shortage, Michigan universities—public and private—are pushing back on the initiative. 

Michigan’s community colleges and universities have a long history of strong partnerships to provide seamless student transfer across academic and professional programs, including the BSN degree. Today, 27 BSN programs are offered by Michigan’s public and private, non-profit four-year colleges and universities at 37 different locations throughout the state; the vast majority of which are already under capacity. 

The state’s community colleges offer some of the best nursing programs in the nation, preparing Associate Degree in Nursing-level nurses who fill vital roles in health care centers and hospitals. Universities build upon that strong ADN foundation, offering bachelor, master and doctoral programs for nurses who wish to advance their degree to take on higher-level roles. 

Both contributions are necessary for a strong, responsive health care industry. Allowing community colleges to transition from their current mission to prepare ADN nurses to instead focus on programs accredited to offer BSN degrees will require new investments from very limited state resources available for higher education. 

The consortium of universities opposing the legislation are advocating for cooperation over duplication. Promoting solutions that continue to pair community college and university programs to support a robust nursing pipeline is the quickest, most cost-effective solution to our current labor shortage. 

“Strengthening the pipeline between community colleges and universities will provide Michigan the professional nursing workforce it ultimately needs," says LisaSingleterry, interim director and associate professor in Western's Bronson School of Nursing. "​RN​s who have earned an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) are already in the workforce. ​The key to a robust nursing profession ​is education. Research has shown that care provided by BSN prepared nurses improves patient outcomes. WMU welcomes the opportunity to further partner with our community college allies and work together to develop the next generation of ​BSN prepared nurses.”

For registered nurses with an associate degree who wish to obtain a four-year degree, 19 BSN completion programs exist in the state, with all currently having seats available. Students in Michigan have ample access to nursing education whether they begin with an ADN at a community college, then study for the BSN degree while working in the field, or enroll in a BSN program upon completion of the ADN.  

If you agree that it is not necessary to expand the mission of Michigan’s community college to provide BSN programming, please call or write your elected officials and ask them to oppose this legislation. Encourage them to seek solutions that benefit from collaboration among community colleges and universities to provide cost-effective higher education programing for students and taxpayers alike.