Partnership to Improve Nursing Care

(L-R) Dr. Demetrius Porche, Dean LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing; Joan Y. Davis, Chancellor of Delgado Community College

LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing and Delgado Community College have entered into an agreement to increase the number of nurses with bachelor’s degrees and get them into the workforce sooner. The Early Admission Registered Nurse (EARN) Program will grant earlier access for students pursuing an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) at Delgado Community College Charity School of Nursing to the LSU Health New Orleans Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program. Students can be concurrently enrolled in Delgado’s associate nursing degree program and LSU Health New Orleans’ RN to BSN degree program. The first group of students will be admitted to the EARN Program for the Fall 2018 semester. The application deadline for the fall semester is July 1, 2018, and for the spring semester, it is October 1, 2018.

In 2010, the Institute of Medicine released a landmark report on the Future of Nursing initiated by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. A major recommendation of this report was to increase the number of baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the workforce to 80% by 2020. The recommendation was supported by evidence that patient outcomes improved with higher levels of nursing education and that health care system complexity demanded more advanced preparation for nurses.

“The EARN Program will provide a seamless progression in nursing education to meet the educational needs of the citizens of Louisiana, decrease the time required for students to complete BSN degrees and assist in assuring a qualified health care workforce to improve patient outcomes,” notes Dr. Demetrius Porche, Dean of LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing. “We are pleased to welcome Delgado students to LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing, the only nursing school in Louisiana within an academic health sciences center.”

Requirements for admission to the EARN Program include:

Students must be admitted to Delgado and have completed all prerequisites and the second semester coursework.

Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.8.

Students must meet the definition of residency at each institution to qualify for in-state tuition.

Candidates for admission to the EARN Program will be accepted collaboratively by designated representatives from both Delgado and LSU Health New Orleans. Qualified applicants will apply to the EARN Program through LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing. Enrollment in the EARN Program terminates upon completion of the Delgado Community College Charity School of Nursing ASN Program. The student will then petition LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing to transfer to the RN to BSN Program for the remainder of the required coursework.

Presently, students at Delgado Community College Charity School of Nursing should contact the Dean’s Office for screening eligibility. LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing will then work with students referred by Delgado to begin advising on the program’s details, progression and academics. Applicants must be familiar with admissions criteria and processes that are posted online for both institutions here and here. Students are strongly encouraged to begin the screening process early, as the application process may take some time.

“This agreement establishes a pipeline to address the shortage of qualified nurses for our state,” notes Dr. Larry Hollier, Chancellor of LSU Health New Orleans. “By sharing resources and complementing our individual strengths, we are providing great value to the state and all those we serve. We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration with Delgado Community College to benefit our students with an education of the highest quality, as well as the patients they will care for.”

“Educational partnerships like this one that have lasting benefits for our community as well as our institutions are one reason why higher education is key to a brighter future and better way of life in our city and region,” said Joan Y. Davis, chancellor of Delgado Community College. “All of us at Delgado are proud of Charity School of Nursing and LSU Health Sciences Center's long records of community service through education. This new agreement strengthens an already strong and lasting partnership.”