Following a change in the nursing student schedule at Cochise College, students will be required to attend one lecture per week at the Sierra Vista Campus.

The students will begin these lectures in August, according to a press release issued by the college.

According to the press release, "Pending the outcome of a comprehensive strategic plan for the nursing program, to include input from a community-wide advisory committee and local healthcare providers, the change will take effect on an interim basis as the nursing program boosts student clinical hours and works towards re-accreditation."

The previous schedule included two lectures per week, with lectures split between the Douglas and Sierra Vista campuses.

The change applies to both freshmen, who will meet for lecture on Wednesdays, and sophomores, who will meet for lecture on Mondays. Labs will continue to be available at the Douglas and Sierra Vista campuses, with additional labs available at some of the college's Extended Campus centers.

Students will continue to complete clinical hours at existing sites throughout southeast Arizona, with the possible addition of the state prison complex in Douglas and the Douglas Dialysis Center.

Faculty advisors will continue to serve students at the Douglas and Sierra Vista Campuses as well as other locations, the release stated.

"The decision was made around what is in the best interest of the students in the program," said Dr. Karen Nicodemus, president of Cochise College. "The college is looking at how best to mitigate travel for students and plans to do so as part of the strategic planning process."

The college planned the interim schedule in response to the following:

ˆ During the 2007-2008 academic year, the program will undergo a national accrediting process per the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. To strengthen the program, it will add 90 clinical hours to the 624 hours that students currently complete. While the 714 total clinical hours falls within the average of most associate degree nursing programs, it also requires consolidation of twice-weekly lectures into one. In addition, the program will implement computerized testing with the addition of at least 75 computers.

ˆ In order to mitigate travel time for all students, the college in spring 2007 began teaching nursing lectures for freshman students via interactive television. However, due to a number of difficulties, as well as the preference of students to drive to lectures for face-to-face interaction with peers and faculty, ITV delivery of nursing lectures was suspended.

According to the release, the college has doubled the number of nursing students within the last 10 years in response to local, state, and national demands.

"As the nursing program has grown, it experienced many changes, and we now have an opportunity to take a comprehensive look at it," Nicodemus said. "We intend to revisit the issue of using technology and to look at costs, student demographics and the needs of the our service area.

"Because we consider nursing a premier college program and a center of excellence that meets a critical need, we look forward to actively engaging with the community as part of the strategic planning process."