Community Colleges Could Offer 4-Year Nursing Degree Under New CA Bill

RIVERSIDE, CA — California's nursing shortage continues to be felt. One state Senator has an idea to help boost the numbers, and he's generated support from places most impacted by his proposal.

Sen. Richard D. Roth (D-Riverside) introduced Senate Bill 895 last month. If passed, the legislation would authorize the Chancellor of the Community Colleges to select up to 15 community college districts to offer Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing.

The program would be a pilot and selected community college districts must already offer nationally accredited associate degrees in nursing.

“For decades, California has suffered from a shortage of registered nurses, and this problem has been exacerbated in recent years due to the pandemic and it’s expected to worsen due to an increase in RN retirements," Roth said. "While the nursing shortage is a national problem, it is particularly acute here in our state ... ."

A key factor contributing to the shortage is the capacity of California’s nursing schools — it's not large enough to keep up with demand. Hospitals are increasingly preferring and requiring a Bachelor of Science degree for nurses. Yet a March 2023 report from CalMatters found applicants to four-year nursing school programs are far outnumbering available classroom spots and yearslong waitlists are in place.

The California State University, the University of California, and private nursing schools have historically awarded Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing, while the community college associate degree in nursing has been the basic credential requirement for employment as a registered nurse in a healthcare facility.

"California is expected to face a shortage of more than 44,000 registered nurses by 2030, but the state’s bachelor's degree programs currently only have space for about 25% of the qualified applicants," said Lee Lambert, chancellor, Foothill De-Anza Community College District.

There are 70+ nursing schools across California’s community colleges that are "perfectly positioned to meet this need and provide a practical, low-cost, high-quality solution to the acute shortage of nurses in California," according to Francisco C. Rodriguez, chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District.

Roth believes that utilizing existing community college nursing programs to bridge California's Bachelor of Science gap would assist CSU and UC in addressing the applicant overflow problem.

With the difference between a two- and four-year nursing degree being only about 30 units of coursework, several associate nursing programs are well-positioned to expand their offerings to BSN degrees, according to Roth.

California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian supports the legislation.

"The healthcare staffing crisis is a major area of need for California’s workforce and a priority for the California Community Colleges. We look forward to collaborating with the Governor and legislature, our labor and industry partners, educators, and our colleges on this critical issue," she said.

The Chief Executive Officers of the California Community Colleges Board also backs the bill as a way to increase pathways to nursing degrees, according to Julianna Barnes, CEOCCC president, league board chair, chancellor, South Orange County Community College District.

Barnes said the legislation would make a four-year nursing degree more accessible and affordable.

"Many of our campuses have extraordinary nursing programs, and the expansion to include BSN degrees broadens affordable and locally accessible options in the state," she said. "Students have great interest in seeking this degree as the means to a high-paying career yet need an affordable and accessible approach. California community colleges have the capacity and the desire to serve students’ needs for nursing baccalaureate programs, and this legislation provides an immediate and sustainable solution."

State Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced), who helped author the bill, said affordability and accessibility are crucial in areas where aspiring nurses can be trained in the communities that most need them.

"For regions like mine that are historically underserved and continue to suffer from a healthcare workforce shortage, this program is a game changer," Caballero said.

The San Joaquin Valley also faces a significant nursing shortage in a population that is
medically underserved and has growing healthcare needs, according to Carole Goldsmith, chancellor, State Center Community College District, Fresno.

"By enabling our community colleges, which already play a crucial role in training the majority of the state's RNs, this bill will allow us to meet unfilled demand and significantly enhance our capacity to meet local and statewide healthcare needs," Goldsmith said.

In addition to Los Angeles, Foothill De-Anza and State Center, other California Community College Districts supporting the legislation are Cerritos, MiraCosta and Riverside.

"With California's projected need for over 36,000 licensed nurses by 2030, and specifically 3,500 in the San Diego region alone, the urgency cannot be overstated," said Sunita "Sunny" Cooke, superintendent/president, MiraCosta College. "By enabling community colleges to offer bachelor's degrees in nursing, we can significantly increase the number of qualified nursing professionals ready to serve our communities. This legislation represents a forward-thinking approach to healthcare education, directly addressing the needs of our communities and ensuring that we are prepared to meet the health challenges of tomorrow."