Kady Linnea Klasne looked on helplessly as someone who needed medical care, but she lacked the skills and training to help others. Klasne is now celebrated and honored for her excellence as a registered nurse. She has worked closely with patients – assisting them through some of their most challenging medical problems.
Trained and assigned to the intensive care unit of a Dallas-area hospital, where she has been lauded with several health care awards, she now wants something else – to add a bachelor’s degree to her name, showing that she has expanded her knowledge and skills and is now qualified to seek out other nursing opportunities, including teaching.
“This program is great. It’s convenient. Financially, this was the best way to go. Nothing else compares to what Dallas College is offering,” said Klasne, a mother of three who works full-time while taking online classes.
Klasne, an associate degree from Dallas College, is among the first students to enroll in the baccalaureate program. She is on target to graduate next year.
She has seen trauma up close and marvels at what happens when professionals are calm and competent.
“I started my nursing career during Covid, which made everything challenging, but I got through it. The options with a bachelor’s degree are endless. There is so much to do besides bedside nursing.”
Healthcare is among the top rising careers that come with an added promise to improve patient outcomes, said Dr. Chiquesha Davis, academic chair for the RN-BSN Nursing Program. Texas is among many states grappling with addressing nursing shortages.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 275,000 additional nurses are needed from 2020 to 2030 and that employment opportunities for nurses will grow 9 percent faster than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.
Affordable programs like the advanced nursing degree at Dallas College give healthcare students a jump in their careers and address the staffing shortages for nurses.
Since its BSN degree launched, the Texas Board of Nursing has allowed Dallas College to enroll as many students as it can handle, provided there are sufficient teachers to guide them through the curriculum. The BSN program will make Dallas College a higher education institution of choice, attracting various students from varied backgrounds.
These degrees are game changers for those looking to fulfill a variety of occupations, according to Dr. Davis.
“We don’t have a cap anymore. We can take as many as we like,” Dr. Davis said. “The program is growing. Now, our nursing students in the associate program don’t need to go and look at another college or university to get their bachelor’s degree. They can stay with us and get a very affordable and value-based bachelor’s degree.”
The first class enrolled in the fully online program is on a 12-month fast track and projected to graduate in summer 2025.
A robust group of 25 is enrolled in this Fall semester, Dr. Davis said.
Students who obtain a bachelor’s degree from Dallas College can enter several healthcare settings, including school nursing, specialized clinics, or underserved areas such as rural communities.
Dallas College’s curriculum includes the option for the student to begin the path for a certification that allows students to also work as bilingual medical interpreters. They must be fluent in Spanish and English to become a certified Spanish interpreter.
Bilingual students are hard sought after because they play dual roles in the healthcare industry – providing health care and interpreting on behalf of patients and medical staff. Dr. Davis said. She hopes that at least 10 percent of the students enrolled in the BSN program would consider completing the language certification.
“In the hospitals, they need more language (interpreters). We have identified this as needing interpreters on the radar,” Dr. Davis said.
Spanish is the only language offered at this time, but other languages, including Russian and Mandarin, may be considered.
Additionally, Dallas College is building partnerships with other colleges to help BSN students pursue advanced degrees in health care. Talks are underway with surrounding graduate schools to grab this uncharted territory so Dallas College BSN students can pursue master’s degrees in healthcare.
