The has formed a new strategic hospital partnership with Health First, Brevard County’s largest private employer, to offer an on-site Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing () degree program.

This public-private partnership meets a national objective set by the (NAM, formerly ) in its landmark β€œβ€ report. The NAM recommends increasing the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80 percent by 2020. As nurses take on a more critical role, the goal is to create a higher educated workforce able to produce β€œsafe, quality care and coverage for all patients.” A published in The Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that β€œin hospitals with higher proportions of nurses educated at the baccalaureate level or higher, surgical patients experienced lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates.”

β€œThroughout its history, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has sought out strategic partnerships in its community to provide innovative educational opportunities,” said Dr. Mary Lou Sole, dean at the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ College of Nursing. β€œBy partnering with Health First, we are able to answer a national call for more BSN-educated nurses and make it easier for RNs in Brevard County to obtain an advanced degree.”

To increase its BSN-prepared workforce, will offer classroom space for the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ program at its education center in Melbourne and will help fund a faculty member to serve as an instructor and advisor for the program. Additionally, Health First recently increased its tuition benefit for eligible associates and the Health First Foundation is offering scholarship opportunities to cover tuition.

β€œWe are pleased to be able to provide our nursing associates convenient access to the nationally ranked program at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½,” said Connie Bradley, DNP, RN, FACHE, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Health First. β€œThis is an exciting partnership that will benefit not only our nurses, but also the communities we serve by providing a higher percentage of BSN-prepared nurses to care for our patients and members across our integrated delivery network.”

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ has been educating Brevard County nurses for more than 30 years at its , and is the first and only public institution to offer a BSN degree in the county. The program is offered in a classroom setting, while the is the first in the state to be offered fully online.

Through the Health First partnership, the traditionally online RN to BSN will be taught in a hybrid format of face-to-face classroom and online classes to ease students into the program. Another unique aspect of the program is that it is designed to provide a cohort of students to complete the program together. The program will be open to all RNs in the community, not just those employed by Health First. Prospective students may apply September 1 – October 1. Classes will begin in spring 2016.