Central Piedmont Community College and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recently signed an articulation agreement for nursing students, which will help facilitate the educational process at both institutions. The agreement will ensure a smooth transition for graduates of CPCC’s Associate’s degree in Nursing into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree completion for registered nurses at UNC Charlotte.

By following the curriculum plan developed for the articulation agreement, a graduate with an Associate’s degree in nursing from CPCC can more efficiently plan his or her academic schedule to better facilitate entry into the RN-to-BSN completion program at UNC Charlotte. This articulation will also help encourage students to continue their nursing education and earn the advanced degrees required to become nurse educators. In addition to the shortage of nurses for healthcare delivery, a shortage of qualified nurse educators also exists.

”The agreement comes at a time when all nursing programs are working to address the critical shortage of nurses across the state and nation,” states Ruth Hedgpeth, division director of Nursing, Human Services, and Early Childhood Education at CPCC. “The articulation ensures a smooth transition for our students into the program at UNC Charlotte.”

Dr. Lucille Travis, associate dean and director of UNC Charlotte's School of Nursing, noted that a recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association found patient outcomes improve when they are under the care of a nurse with a baccalaureate degree.

"As there is a national shortage of nursing faculty reducing our ability to produce more nurses, we have to 'grow our own'," said Travis. "A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can be the beginning of the educational pipeline to graduate education and becoming a faculty member."

UNC Charlotte’s School of Nursing is doing its part to help alleviate the shortage of nurses. The May 2006 graduating class of bachelor’s degree recipients in nursing earned a 97 percent pass rate on the North Carolina registered nurse licensing exam.

And the graduating class of master’s students in Adult and Family Nurse Practitioners earned a 100 percent pass rate on their American Nurses Certification Center certification exam. The graduating class of master’s students from the Nurse Anesthesia program earned a 98 percent pass rate on their national certification examination.

Nationally, community colleges educate the majority (63 percent) of all Allied Health professionals. In addition, community colleges are the primary educators of new registered nurses throughout the United States. CPCC offers ten Allied Health curriculums. The College also offers many Allied Health certifications through Corporate and Continuing Education.

About CPCC
CPCC is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering 100 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education and special interest classes. CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.

About UNC Charlotte
A doctoral/research intensive university, UNC Charlotte celebrated its 60th anniversary in September. It is the fourth-largest of the 16-constituent University of North Carolina system and the largest institution of higher education in the Charlotte region. The university comprises seven professional colleges and currently offers 17 doctoral programs, 59 master’s degree programs and 85 programs leading to bachelor’s degrees. Enrollment exceeds 21,500 students, including more than 4,400 graduate students.
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Media contact for UNC Charlotte: Paul Nowell, 704.687.2393, pmnowell@uncc.edu

Media contact for CPCC: Jerri Haigler, 704.330.6660, jerri.haigler@cpcc.edu