Quincy and Plymouth Massachusetts:
On March 13, 2019, Quincy College has been granted Initial Approval status by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN). Quincy College may now accept applications for enrollment into the Associate in Science Degree in Nursing (ASN) Program and the Certificate of Completion in Practical Nursing (PN) Program. The ASN and PN programs will be offered on both the Quincy and Plymouth campuses, and the first cohorts of students will begin in the Fall of 2019.
“The Quincy College community is grateful for the support of Mayor Thomas Koch, the City of Quincy, the guidance of the Quincy College Board of Governors, the leadership of the Quincy College faculty and administration, and the efforts of the entire Division of Nursing for their work in developing these new programs at Quincy College. This collective effort has been led by Dr. Gerald Koocher, ABPP, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Roxanne Mihal, DNP, RN, CS-ANP, Dean of Nursing, and the Nursing Faculty who have worked tirelessly to revise, revisit, and re-design every facet of the new Quincy College Nursing program,” said Quincy College President, Michael Bellotti.
With this new administrative support, vision, and future of nursing, Quincy College is one of the only higher educational institutions to revitalize a program once censured from the Board of Registration of Nursing.
“The Quincy College nursing program has adapted to meet the evolving and complex workforce needs and expanded our facilities and educational processes to best prepare our students for the healthcare industry in which they will find themselves upon graduation. Our newly approved Associate of Science in Nursing Program and Practical Nursing Certificate programs are built upon a framework that draws heavily on the work of the Massachusetts Nurse of the Future Nursing Core Competencies (NOFNCC).
The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education developed this work to provide a seamless progression through all levels of nursing education. The competencies for which our students and faculty will be accountable during their course of study include patient-centered care, professionalism, leadership, informatics and technology, communication, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and systems-based practice.” Dr. Roxanne Mihal, DNP, RN, CS-ANP, Dean of the Academic Division of Nursing at Quincy College.
Admissions Requirements
With this approval from the Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN), Quincy College can admit 80 students in the Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN) degree program and 40 students in the Practical Nursing Certificate program for the Fall of 2019. The admissions criteria for the Quincy College Nursing program is competitive and selective. Prospective students must complete prerequisite classes with a Grade of C or better, pass the ATI TEAS test, and applicants are formally reviewed by Quincy College Division of Nursing with a formal interview process and a required Informational Session for entrance into the program.
Program Details
The Quincy College Nursing program is a brand-new program, re-designed, re-focused, and reflective of the changing landscape facing today’s professional nurses. The college will now offer an Associate in Science Degree in Nursing and a Certificate of Completion in Practical Nursing. The Quincy College Associate in Science Degree in Nursing is a full-time, 2-year program.
The Associate Degree nurse applies critical thinking skills working with an interdisciplinary team for the development, implementation, evaluation, and modification of nursing care for individuals, families, and communities. This nurse functions in a competent, ethical, and safe manner within the established Standards of Nursing Practice. The associate degree nurse manages resources for care delivery, delegates and supervises licensed and unlicensed assistive personnel. The graduate has a responsibility to be a part of the professional body of nursing. In that regard, the associate degree nurse accepts his/her responsibility to participate in public policy dialogue as it affects the changing contemporary health care systems and advocates for his/her client and the profession as well as promotes health in a complex health care environment.
The Quincy College Certificate of Completion in Practical Nursing is a Full-Time, 10 Month (40 Week) Certificate Program. The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is a valued member of the interprofessional healthcare team, providing competent, evidence-based nursing care in a variety of health care settings. The Licensed Practical Nurse is instrumental in meeting the healthcare needs of older adults and other diverse groups. Within their scope of practice, LPNs utilize the nursing process as the framework for delivering patient-centered nursing care. Standards of Practice and The Code of Ethics for the LPN provide guidelines for professional practice.
“We have built a curriculum, supported faculty, and designed a program truly for the future of Nursing. The Quincy College Nursing faculty have designed a curriculum that incorporates sound educational and learning theories as well as the standards and best practices of the nursing profession. The curriculum design is both a traditional system-based curriculum blended with a concept based curriculum. Delivery of the curriculum is through an active learning environment that encourages individual student contributions as they learn and achieve. This requires faculty to be actively involved with students in the classroom through mutual respect, responsibility, and collaboration. The teaching skills needed to deliver the concept-based curriculum require consideration of the diverse student backgrounds and perspectives that are represented in our student body, “Quincy College Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Gerald Koocher.
Student Success Measured and Defined
Long before students take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX ®), Quincy College Nursing students will be assessed at every phase for understanding and competency in patient-centered care, professionalism, leadership, informatics and technology, communication, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and systems-based practice. Simulations and case scenarios are built into the curriculum designed to help the students develop problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills. Simulations and scenarios will include attempts to include all environmental factors to make the students’ learning experience realistic and authentic.
“Quincy College Nursing graduates will enter the 21st century workforce with a solid foundation of the three primary skills sets a nurse must possess: cognitive, psycho motor, and affective skills. Skills they have learned in a purposeful and controlled learning environment at Quincy College. Graduates of our Associate in Science Degree in Nursing program will serve the growing patient population, engaging with them through an expanding network of primary, secondary, tertiary, long-term, and rehab facilities designed to assist the changing and complex needs of patients, in which they will utilize the latest technological advancements, and will themselves serve as educators who promote, maintain, and restore health to their patients,” Dr. Diane Gillis, DNP, RN, Assistant Dean for Academic and Clinical Experiences at Quincy College.
Future Outlook
Dr. Roxanne Mihal, DNP, RN, CS-ANP, Dean of the Academic Division of Nursing at Quincy College reflects on the BORN outcome and the future momentum of the Quincy College Nursing Program: ” We are 100% focused on delivering the very best education to our students, ensuring that they not only complete every core competency as a student but enter the workforce as a productive member of a healthcare environment. This collective effort has been led by Dr. Gerald Koocher, Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs and the Quincy College Nursing Faculty who have worked tirelessly to revise, revisit, and re-design every facet of the Quincy College Nursing program. We look forward to working with future nurses in the Quincy and Plymouth communities and to help them exceed industry benchmarks for success.”
For more information about Quincy College Nursing, visit: quincycollege.edu/nurse.