Bemidji nursing programs join forces

Starting this summer, the nursing programs at Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College in Bemidji will join forces under a combined Bemidji School of Nursing.

While the two programs will come together under one administration umbrella, NTC will continue to provide practical nursing and two-year registered nursing programs, while BSU will continue to offer the four-year, baccalaureate nursing program.

Dr. Jeanine Gangeness served as the chair of BSU's nursing program. She'll now serve as the Bemidji School of Nursing's founding dean.

"The goal is to have efficient, high quality education and to have a seamless transition from one program to the other," Gangeness said.

Gangeness says the school will help streamline the process of setting up clinical training sites off campus, and will also make the accreditation process more efficient.

For students, Gangeness says, it will mean an easier process of moving from the two-year into the four-year program, which is a growing trend.

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