ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Claflin university’s online RN to Bachelor of Science nursing program has received national accreditation from the commission on collegiate nursing education.
The accreditation looks at a broad range of topics from departmental practices to how students are being assessed on learning material.
This announcement comes on the hills of the institute of medicine pushing for the profession to increase the number of registered nurses with a bachelors degree to 80% by 2020.
"I enjoy my job and I knew if I wanted to keep my job I knew I had to get on the bandwagon" says Tracy Sandifer.
Sandifer an RN interim nurse manager who has been in the field for nearly 2 decades is graduating with her bachelors from Clafin in December and says she sees how having the degree will make a difference for those she serves.
"It prepares to better take care of our patients. We learn some scientific processes you know nursing processes that are needed to take care of our patients and by having the bachelors it better prepares you for that role" says Sandifer.
Dr. Shannon B. Smith, chair of the nursing department at Claflin University says, "The baccalaureate program helps the nurses to think beyond caring for a group of patients."
Dr. Smith goes on to say, "It's population focus and patient centered where I consider the entire patient and not just the illness that the patient has."