Lyon College launches online nursing degree
by October 24, 2023 2:14 pm 488 views
Batesville-based Lyon College recently launched a new online bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) program. The program has two paths for students and the inaugural class is slated for 2024.
“Lyon College’s innovative program is designed to create more pathways to meet the growing demand for nurses in Arkansas and to equip working nurses to transfer their experience into leadership,” said Dr. Rebecca Le, program director. “Our goal is to empower registered nurses with the essential competencies demanded by modern healthcare.”
Developed in partnership with White River Health of Batesville and Arkansas community colleges, the Lyon College BSN program offers two distinct pathways.
The pre-nursing entry pathway prepares students for admission to an RN licensure program and completion of the BSN degree. Based on the completion of admission criteria, students may begin Lyon College courses before, during or after entering a nursing licensure program. Forty block credits will transfer from the RN licensure program to Lyon College.
“This early admissions program will accelerate the numbers of BSN-prepared nurses in our workforce while maximizing the graduate’s eligibility for diverse employment options,” Le said.
The post-nursing entry pathway is designed for nurses who have already earned the RN qualification and professional licensure. This completion program builds on and expands established nursing knowledge, skills and attitudes while providing research-based nursing science, principles of nursing leadership and a liberal arts foundation. Similar to the pre-nursing pathway, 40 block credits will transfer from the RN licensure program.
Newly released statistics from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) underscore the significance of higher nursing education in improving patient outcomes. Hospitals staffed with 80% BSN-prepared nurses had 24.6% lower odds of inpatient mortality compared to those with only 30% BSN-prepared nurses.
“Lyon College’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is a testament to our commitment to advancing healthcare education,” said Lyon College Provost Dr. Kurt Grafton. “This program will empower our students to elevate their skills, enhance patient care, and make an even greater impact on our Arkansas communities.”
BSN-prepared nurses have demonstrated abilities that benefit patients and healthcare providers, including:
· A 24% greater odds of survival among patients who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest.
· A 10% lower odds of death in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
· A 32% decrease in surgical mortality cases in hospitals that increased their proportion of BSN-prepared nurses over time.
· A decrease in length of stay from 5.1 days to 4.7 days (7.8% decrease) in hospitals that increased their proportion of BSN-prepared nurses over time.