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

Direct Connection to Policy Area 1 of The Illinois Commitment
Local Partnership to Provide Expanded Opportunities in Health Care Education
Highland Community College
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice?
The partnership addresses the insufficient number of qualified nurses in the district. Additionally it addresses
program access, space limitations, and budget constraints by offering a complete Associate Degree Nursing
program in the evening and by jointly establishing an advanced learning lab.
Description of the effective practice:
Highland Community College (HCC) has entered a partnership agreement with Freeport Health Network (FHN)
to market, recruit, and fund a full-time evening program in the Associate Degree in Nursing. Additionally, the
agreement provides the College with the opportunity to develop continuing education opportunities for
employees of the Network.
As a result of regular meetings to implement the partnership agreement, HCC and FHN have developed
additional collaborative agreements. FHN has agreed to support the College’s fund-raising activities in the
community to build designated space for the nursing program and to provide equipment for an advanced
learning lab; and in return HCC has agreed to share the advanced learning lab with FHN for its continuing staff
development program. The partners are exploring ways to expand clinical experiences for HCC nursing
students using FHN staff.
How does this practice achieve sustainability?
Start-up costs have been shared by the partners for the first three years of the evening ADN program with the
College budgeting funds to assume full responsibility for faculty salaries once the evening program is viable.
Continuing education offerings generate fees and reimbursement dollars.
Enrollments have been strong and applications continue to exceed the number of spaces available.
What are the results/measurable outcomes?
Applications for the evening program have been strong and the program has been filled each fall since its
implementation. Spring 2005 the program graduated its first class with 5 students completing, and spring 2006
a second class graduated 6 students. To date graduates have a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX.
Staff development offerings through Highland’s Business Institute have generated 126 reimbursable credit hours
and have offered continuing education to 523 trainees for an income of $28,334.
Contact Information
Name: Vicki Jensen
Email: vicki.jensen@highland.edu
Phone: (815) 599-3531
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