AAPITA Supports Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degrees

Letter of Support

Dear Senator Newman,

On behalf of the Asian American Pacific Islander Trustees and Administrators Caucus (AAPITA) of the Community College League of California, I am writing to express our strong support for SB 895 by Senator Richard Roth, which would address California’s nursing shortage by authorizing 15 community college districts to award Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees.

California is suffering from a grave shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs). In 2018, more than 85% of hospitals in California reported that the demand for RNs far exceeded the available supply – a public health crisis that has not improved but rather, has been exacerbated by the global pandemic and growth of our aging senior population.

Historically, the community college Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) has been the basic credential requirement for employment as an RN in a healthcare facility.  Four-year institutions have traditionally awarded the BSN degree. However, the Healthcare Workforce requirements are changing, and hospitals are increasingly preferring and requiring a BSN degree.  According to a 2021 Health Impact report, 18% of California hospitals surveyed have listed a BSN was required for employment – twice the percentage noted in 2017.  Additionally, 54.3% of hospitals reported a preference for hiring nurses with BSN degrees.

SB 895 (Roth) bridges the nursing gap in the State by utilizing existing ADN programs at community colleges to address the lack of capacity in public, four-year nursing schools. With the difference between an ADN and a BSN being only an additional 30 units of upper-division, major coursework, several ADN programs are well positioned to expand their offerings to BSN degrees. SB 895 (Roth) establishes a sustainable and cost-neutral path forward for community colleges to meet the community and workforce demand for more nurses.

This is also a matter of Equity, whereby, more opportunities for enrollment into Community College BSN program will offer a more affordable pathway to credentialing more students who are unable to afford the high costs of attending either a UC, CSU, or For-Profit nursing program.

For these reasons, AAPITA urges your support for SB 895 (Roth). If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at suechan4ohlone@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Lee Chan

AAPITA Chair