For those who are interested: Recorder Community Newspapers > The Progress > News > Caldwell College and Mountainside Hospital partner

Mountainside Hospital, Montclair, and Caldwell College have announced a partnership agreement to create a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) degree program.

Finalization of the partnership is subject to approval of the National League of Nursing and the N.J. Board of Nursing. Following regulatory approval, applications for the new undergraduate program will be accepted for the fall 2010 entering class. Under the partnership, Caldwell College will offer a nursing degree for the first time in its history. The Mountainside School of Nursing will transition its diploma program into the degree partnership and be renamed the Mountainside Hospital Center for Nursing Practice.

Caldwell College will provide admissions, student services and non-nursing degree requirements. Mountainside’s faculty will teach courses in the theory and practice of nursing and clinical work will be performed at the hospital.

“Caldwell College is delighted to be able to partner with Mountainside Hospital to offer the BSN degree,” said Paul Douillard, vice president and dean of Academic Affairs at Caldwell College. “The hospital’s School of Nursing has a long history of offering a quality diploma program and we welcome the opportunity to work with the staff at Mountainside Hospital to further develop its nursing education program by moving to the BSN degree,” “We are fortunate to have on Caldwell’s faculty Dr. Sook Choi, a doctorally prepared nurse, who has agreed to work with Mountainside Hospital to develop the program and who will serve as the first director of the Caldwell College Nursing Program.”

Freshmen who are now enrolled at the Mountainside Nursing School will be the last to graduate with nursing diplomas upon completion of their scheduled two-year program in May 2011.

“While this marks the start of a new era in the history of our school, it also ensures that Mountainside’s tradition and reputation as an institution that prepares caring individuals for pivotal nursing roles will endure,” Fromhold said. “We are very excited about this proposed partnership. We look forward to working with our colleagues at Caldwell College to build one of the leading undergraduate nursing programs in our region.”

Founded in 1939 by the sisters of Saint Dominic, Caldwell College is a Catholic, co-ed, four year liberal arts institution, offering 28 undergraduate degrees, 20 graduate programs and one doctoral program. The college is located on a beautiful 70-acre campus in suburban Caldwell, NJ. Caldwell College provides students with a supportive community, a student/faculty ratio of 13 to 1, excellence in teaching, and innovative learning environments.

For further information about Caldwell College, visit www.caldwell.edu. For more information about Mountainside Hospital, visit www.mountainsidenow.com.