Bethany Lutheran College continues to move forward with plans to add a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree to its academic offerings. The College first announced the intent to create a nursing program in April 2013. Since that time, Sara Traylor PhD(c), MA, RN, CNE was hired as the College’s Director of Nursing. Traylor has been working with the College’s administration and State agencies to satisfy all of the requirements related to the development of the new program.

On October 1, 2015, the Minnesota Board of Nursing approved phase one of a three-phase program approval process required to develop the BSN program. Bethany is currently in phase two of proposed program development, which involves creating and equipping an applied learning laboratory, developing curriculum, and establishing clinical practicum sites. Traylor expects the next step in the approval process to take place sometime in Spring 2016.

The proposed nursing program in development is projected to offer its first classes in August 2017. This formal approval allows current freshmen and sophomore students at Bethany, who declare an interest in the nursing program, the authorization to take current college courses that will be required as pre-requisites or support courses for the proposed BSN program. The approval also gives Bethany permission to promote a proposed nursing program to prospective students.

Bethany has outstanding internal and external support for the development of the proposed program. Traylor remarked about the support the College has received since the announcement of the proposed BSN program.

“Bethany Lutheran College is thankful for the wonderful encouragement and support we’ve received from so many in the greater Mankato area during the development of the proposed nursing program. We’re looking forward to continued progress towards our goal of offering more nursing students the opportunity to study in Mankato and at Bethany.”