Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing Update

Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, Spring 2006 by Stone, Susan

FSMFN Developing an ADN-MSN Program

A goal of the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing (FSMFN) faculty and Board of Directors is to establish an ADN-MSN Bridge Program. This bridge option will be designed to offer registered nurses who hold an Associate Degree in Nursing and have a desire to become a nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner, the opportunity to complete the required course work and bridge directly into the MSN Program. Students will not complete a bachelor's degree.

Many of those sending inquiries to our Program hold an ADN. A recent survey of inquiries revealed that of the 205 respondents, 92 (43%) currently hold an ADN and would be interested in entering a bridge option at FSMFN if it were available. Results of a similar survey of current students at FSMFN revealed the following:

Of the 150 respondents to the survey, 53% started their nursing career with an ADN. Of those starting with an ADN, 75% of those would have been interested in the ADN-MSN option if it were offered at the FSMFN. 80% of respondents believe there is a need for an ADN-MSN Program at FSMFN.

During the summer of 2005, the Curriculum Committee designed the bridge plan. The plan includes completion of six courses worth 20 credits. Students will be required to complete all courses in 12 months. Upon successful completion of the courses, they will be eligible to start the MSN curriculum.

Curriculum Overview Bridge Year

The objective of the FSMFN Bridge Year is to provide the opportunity for students to meet the baccalaureate nurse competencies.

This Bridge Plan of courses was approved by the Faculty at the October 2005 Faculty Meeting. A proposal was brought forward to the Board of Directors (BOD) at the October Board Meeting and was approved. The Plan was submitted to the Kentucky Council on Post Secondary Education in November of 2005 and was added to the FSMFN state licensure in December 2005. The proposal and curriculum were submitted to Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in December of 2005. We received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges (SACS) in January. The next step will be to submit the plan to the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the American College of Nurse-Midwifery Division of Accreditation (ACNM/DOA). Assuming approval, a pilot class will be admitted to the ADN-MSN bridge in September of 2006. We will keep everyone updated on the progress of this option for educating more midwives and nurse practitioners.

The Annual President's Report for 2005 has been published. You may read the report by going to http://www.midwives.org/PresidentsAnnualReport/pres2006.pdf. If you would like a print copy of the Report, you may call Shelley Aldridge at 859-253-3637.

Enrollment is up at the FSMFN. We enrolled 34% more students in 2005 when compared to 2004. This growth is especially apparent in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program. While nurse-midwifery is stable, enrollment in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program more than doubled. Interest in the new Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Program is garnering increased interest. Class 47, admitted in November of 2005, was the largest class that has been admitted to FSMFN in over ten years. We will be enrolling five students in that Program in the March 2006 class. It appears that offering the MSN has had a tremendously positive effect.

- Dr. Susan Stone, President and Dean