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Studies conducted by interested community health care administrators and
nurse educators in the 1960s revealed a pressing need for a
baccalaureate nursing program. In September 1973, Wright State
University started the first baccalaureate nursing program in the Dayton
area. The program opened with sixty-one students. In 1975, eleven
students became the first graduates, nine of whom were already
registered nurses. Now about 800 undergraduates are enrolled. The
undergraduate program also includes an RN/BSN track for registered
nurses who wish to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. In
2004, an accelerated option, Baccalaureate Education Accelerates Career
Opportunities in Nursing (BEACON) was added to the undergraduate
program. This allows students with a bachelors degree to earn a BSN in
15 months. The CONH first received full accreditation from the National
League for Nursing in May 1976. In April 2005, full accreditation was
awarded by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for 10 years.
In January 1978, the program admitted the first students to its master's
program. Just a year and a half later, in June 1979, the first
graduates completed the program. Within six months, in December 1979,
the College received National League for Nursing accreditation for a
period of eight years for both the master's and baccalaureate programs.
Currently, approximately 200 students are enrolled in the master's
program each year, including RN students with a bachelor's degree in
another field in the bridge program. In July 1997, the program received
re-accreditation from the National League for Nursing for both
baccalaureate and master's programs for eight years. In 1993, the
Family Nurse Practitioner track was added to the master's program which
included community health, adult health, education, and administration
tracks. In 1995, a child and adolescent health track was begun with
federal support. Although originally called a School of Nursing the
program was approved as the College of Nursing and Health in 1995. In
1998, the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program was initiated with
federal funding. In fall 2000, a graduate program for school nursing
was initiated.
In June 1984, the college entered into a collaborative agreement with
the Division of Nursing at Miami Valley Hospital to form a Center for
Excellence in nursing education. This agreement affords unique
opportunities for research, clinical practice, and education. The
College of Nursing and Health has contracts with approximately 100
clinical agencies in the area which are used for clinical experiences
and research. For many years, the program had a mobile health unit
which provided valuable learning experiences for students and service to
the community. Further outreach to the community takes place through
the Center for Healthy Communities, an outgrowth of a grant originally
funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for multi disciplinary health care
activities.
In 1993, H.B. 478 established Wright State, Case Western Reserve, and
University of Cincinnati as Advanced Practice Nursing pilot projects.
This legislation allowed advanced practice nurses to be reimbursed
through the Ohio Department of Human Services. In May 2000 advanced
practice nurses received prescriptive authority. Wright State faculty
assumed a leadership role in promoting legislation and rules in the
state of Ohio to allow Advanced Practice Nurses to function in their
full scope of practice.
In 2001 the College received its first National Institute of Nursing
Research grant. Dean Patricia Martin spearheaded Cameos of Caring, a
regional collaboration of health care organizations honoring bedside
nurses who exemplify excellence in nursing care. The Nursing Institute
of West Central Ohio, a federally funded collaboration among nursing
education programs, health care agencies and administrators in a 16
county region, was established in 2005.
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