APIN Grant Project: North Carolina

UNIQUE VALUE:  RIBN brings a unique value through educational partnerships between community or private colleges and state or private funded universities that will increase the proportion of BSN prepared nurses in our workforce in an economically-feasible and community-focused manner. Each key stakeholder/partner benefits from RIBN’s unique value as follows:

• Nursing Student:  has an affordable and accessible option for obtaining a baccalaureate degree while remaining in one’s home community; a longer career with increased earnings and career options; and increased educational opportunities for graduate education at the masters and doctoral levels.
• Academic Institution (Community College, Private College, and University):  maintains a dual-admission, dual-enrollment educational program that meets all accreditation requirements, utilizes scarce faculty resources efficiently and effectively; and builds the pipeline for future faculty.
• Employer:  hires higher proportion of entry level BSN-prepared RN staff to meet standards of care; experiences significant cost savings related to educational assistance and retention. 
• Patient/Family/Community:  receives care from RN who is better prepared to provide care in complex situations and settings.

STUDENTS IN THE RIBN TRACK: 

• Are dually admitted both to the college and the university;
• Complete the first three years home-based at the community or private college with prerequisite, general study courses the first year and then nursing courses the second and third years, while also taking a university course per semester;
• Receive their Associate Degree in Nursing at the end of the third year, successfully pass the NCLEX-RN to be eligible to progress into fourth year of the program;
• Complete the fourth year at the university with particular emphasis on gerontological, community health nursing, use of evidenced-based nursing knowledge, and leadership development to complete the BSN degree.
• During the 4th year, RIBN students have the option to work part-time as a Registered Nurse while completing their BSN degree.

RESOURCES:

• “So You Want to Be a Nurse: Think RIBN” an e-RIBN recruitment strategy to reach students and counselors  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8akOpodTYf4
• Project History: http://www.ribn.org/library/library/documents/brief-history-of-ribn-project-2008-2016.pdf
• Business Case Analysis and Economic Impact Report http://www.ribn.org/business-case
• Project Accomplishments 2010-2016:  http://www.ribn.org/library/library/other-resources/ribn2016-accomplishments-report.pdf

** More information available at www.ribn.org