New statewide nursing program announced

Prospective students need to prepare now for changes that go into effect in 2008 at five Connecticut community college campuses

NVCC nursing students participate in a class.

WATERBURY (July 11, 2007) — The five Connecticut community colleges that offer associate degrees in nursing — including Naugatuck Valley Community College — have come together in an innovative project that will result in all five having the same nursing curriculum and admission requirements next year.

The changes will not go into effect until fall 2008, but they will affect all prospective nursing students immediately. That’s because the admissions process for fall 2008 begins in the next few months and the nursing programs’ already rigorous admissions requirements are changing under the new system.

In addition to NVCC, the new program will affect the nursing programs at Capital Community College in Hartford, Gateway Community College in North Haven, Norwalk Community College in Norwalk and Three Rivers Community College in Norwich.

Today, each of the five community colleges involved has its own curriculum and admissions process, with programs varying from four semesters to six. The new program will be four semesters with 68 credits. Currently the NVCC program is six semesters.

“The new Connecticut Community Colleges Nursing Program not only creates a consistent admissions process and curriculum, but it will also promote student retention by allowing students to transfer between colleges more easily, and allow for faculty collaboration and resource sharing,” said Joanne Ottman, NVCC’s director of allied health, nursing and physical education programs.

“The application process for fall 2008 begins in October 2007, so all prospective nursing students need to meet now with their admissions counselors to find out how they might be affected,” Ottman said.

The new admission process will allow students to list a first and second choice of schools. Last year, about 300 students applied separately to at least two state community college nursing programs. Under the new system, a student will apply to their first-choice school, but be allowed to list a second choice without having to complete the second application process.

This year, the NVCC nursing program accepted 110 students, but more than 100 are on the waiting list to get in.

“In our many years of experience, it is not unusual for some capable students to be forced to drop out for a limited time in the middle of this demanding program due to personal or financial reasons,” said NVCC President Richard L. Sanders. “This statewide curriculum will facilitate reentry after only a one-semester absence — not necessary at the same community college — rather than having to wait a full year to reenroll.”

This statewide model is already being used in Arizona, Indiana and other states, but it is still a relatively new concept, Ottman said. The goal is to help more students complete their studies and therefore alleviate the ongoing nationwide nursing shortage that threatens to balloon to more than 1 million over the next several years.

The new program, which has been in development for the past two years, will not change the cost to students. And there is a transition plan in place for the first year to limit any possible adverse effects to prospective students. “We are doing everything we can to make this as smooth a transition as possible,” Ottman said. “We don’t want to penalize students who have been preparing for a year to come into the program.”

The new program has been approved by the Connecticut Community Colleges Board of Trustees, as well as the state Department of Higher Education. It is pending approval by the state nursing board.

Students preparing to apply to the NVCC nursing program can call the NVCC Admissions Office at (203) 575-8040 for more information about how the new program might affect them.

NVCC serves more than 10,000 students with more than 100 associate degree and credit certificate programs, as well as hundreds of non-credit courses. It serves 35 communities across western Connecticut from Litchfield to Waterbury to Seymour to Southbury and Danbury. NVCC’s 110-acre campus is located off exit 18 on Interstate 84.