Agreement with U.Va. eases path to BSN

A new agreement between  the School of Nursing at the University of Virginia and the Virginia Community College System, including Germanna Community College, will guarantee admission to the school’s RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

The part time, 21-month program is designed to make it easier for full-time working nurses  to get their BSN. There will be one class a week, with a  clinical settings program in the second year that allows students to practice what they’ve learned in class.

“Germanna has gone a little bit further,” said Dr. Patti Lisk, acting Dean of Nursing and Health Technologies at GCC. “We have made it possible for students to attend the University of Virginia classes here on campus at Germanna through interactive video for their first year of study.” She said the classes will be broadcast from U.Va.to Germanna and that students at GCC will be able to converse with University of Virginia faculty as if they were in the same classroom..

Germanna will begin offering the program in the Fall of 2014.

Dr. Lisk said Germanna students will save both in terms of commuting time and on travel expenses  because they will only travel to U.Va. for the second year. 

“Germanna Community College is pleased that our ongoing partnership with the University of Virginia has resulted in yet another opportunity for our graduates,” GCC President David A. Sam said. “This program makes it very easy for RNs to earn their BSN by offering the program at Germanna. We wish to thank all who made this possible, including Culpeper Regional Hospital and Connie Kincheloe.”

Culpeper Regional Hospital and the U.Va. Medical Center have been partners since 2009.

Connie Kincheloe is a member of the GCC Educational Foundation Board, the U.Va. Medical Center Operating Board and Culpeper Regional Health System Board.

 "Congratulations to the U.Va. School of Nursing, the Virginia Community College System, and particularly Germanna Community College for this groundbreaking agreement,” Kincheloe said.

 She called the agreement “a great opportunity for our colleges and our students,” and “ an enormous value to the Commonwealth of Virginia with the growth statewide of our BSN workforce,"

 Germanna Educational Foundation Board member Joe Daniel said: “The University of Virginia has confirmed the quality of the students and the instruction at Germanna with this articulation agreement..  U.Va. Is an outstanding school and I am confident that the Germanna students will perform at the very highest level."