Missouri Valley obtains initial approval from state board

[cougarnurse]

For those interested: Marshall Democrat-News: Story: MVC nursing program obtains initial approval from state board of nursing



Applications still being accepted for first pre-nursing class for Fall 2009

The Missouri Valley College School of Nursing and Health Sciences has received initial approval from the Missouri State Board of Nursing to select the first nursing class for Fall 2010. The first group of pre-nursing students will begin in August.

Approval from the Missouri State Board of Nursing allows students to take the licensure exam upon successful completion of their coursework and obtaining a baccalaureate degree in nursing from MVC. Without the exam, students would not be eligible to work as a registered nurse.

The preparation for approval has been a work in progress.

"Attainment of this approval was a very long process that included many months of development of the School of Nursing proposal," said Tonya Eddy, director of the MVC School of Nursing and Health Sciences. "This document outlines how we at Missouri Valley intend to educate our nursing students, the goals we have for the school and the students, and plans for assuring the success of these nursing students."

Full approval is not given by the state board until the first class has completed the licensure exam, which will be near January 2014 for MVC as the nursing degree is a four-year program. MVC's first class will graduate in May of 2013 and have approximately six to eight months to complete the exam.

After these graduates have completed their licensure exam, the state board will review the curriculum, the pass rates of the students, and conduct an on-site inspection of the School of Nursing to advance MVC's approval to "Full Approval" status.

State Board Approval is the only mandatory approval needed by an education facility, but many institutions of higher learning also seek national accreditation.

"Being nationally accredited helps graduates who are seeking higher learning opportunities, Eddy said. "When a School of Nursing is accredited, they meet many educational criteria to demonstrate excellence in educational capabilities. Our goal of offering simulated learning in the School of Nursing is one aspect of education that will help enable us to achieve the academic excellence necessary to seek accreditation."

According to Eddy, she is currently beginning the process to seek Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accreditation. This accreditation is offered only to colleges offering baccalaureate or higher degrees.

Eddy said she and other MVC staff members are working diligently to prepare for the first group of pre-nursing students this fall. Construction of the School of Nursing has begun in the Buckner Wellness Center on the Fitzgibbon Hospital campus.

According to Eddy, MVC is taking applications for the nursing program. For more information, contact Eddy at eddyt@moval.edu or 660-831-4564.