Title of Effective Practice: - California Postsecondary Education ...

Direct Connection to Policy Area 4 of The Illinois Commitment
Growth and Recruitment of Faculty and Students
St. Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice?
With the increase in the need for nurses, and the continuation of the shortage of nurses, the faculty and
administration identified a need to increase growth and recruitment of faculty and students.
Description of the effective practice:
The effective practice for this area relates to the faculty currently teaching getting older, some looking at
retirement, and a need for new and fresh faculty. To accommodate the shortage of nurses, the college has
increased enrollment in the BSN program and the MSN program. We started increasing the enrollment during
the spring of 2006, and Fall 2006, we will increase our enrollment to 90 students per semester. For faculty, we
have an educational track in our MSN program. With grooming and guidance, we have been able to recruit our
own to help with the shortage of faculty. We are also looking at the Medical Center for sharing of MSN staff
who could teach one or two days a week on clinical.
How does this practice achieve sustainability?
By having an increase in nursing students, the College assists with decreasing the nursing shortage in the area.
With growing our own faculty or working jointly with OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, we provide faculty to
teach the increased number of students.
What are the results/measurable outcomes?
For 2005-2006 our measure of success included enrolling 11 new RN-BSN students (target 10); enrolling 180
generic new students in the BSN program, beginning 2006-2007 (had 134 new students 2005-2006); mirror
demographics of 79% White (86% actual), 17% African American (2% actual), 2% Hispanics (2% actual),