New Statewide Nursing Agreement Makes It Easier For Students To Continue Education

A new statewide nursing articulation agreement will go into effect on July 1 and will give more students in Oklahoma the opportunity to get a college degree in nursing at the school of their choice.

The articulation agreement is a partnership between schools where one school agrees to accept certain credits from another school.

Students who've gone through a practical nursing program at Oklahoma CareerTech technology centers will be able to transfer up to 18 credit hours to public two-year universities all across the state.

State regents and CareerTech signed this agreement so the colleges and universities that opt in can accept those nursing credits earned at CareerTech institutions and make it easier for students to decide where they want to continue their education while also addressing the current nursing shortage.

"Healthcare affects everybody, and whether you’re rural, whether you're poverty, whether you are very successful, affluent, and urban, it affects everybody the same. Illnesses and health don’t care who you are or where you are. So it’s very important that we have uniform care for people that need it," Brent Haken, State Director of Oklahoma CareerTech said.

Making sure the participating technology centers and colleges are on the same page when it comes to transferring credits is a big issue. This articulation agreement will streamline the process.

"What we are hoping to provide is something that does not have to be revisited by each institution all the time. It’s so that we can provide something statewide so every institution can focus on the education that they are providing," Haken said.