Plans for a nursing program at Benedictine College have been approved by both the Board of Directors and the faculty and professional courses in nursing could begin as early as the fall of 2010.

A search is currently underway for a program director. The director will have either a Ph.D. or a masters in nursing and will be responsible for preparing the program. The college plans to offer pre-nursing classes this coming fall and begin accepting applications for the program in the spring of 2010 for Juniors to begin the program in the fall of 2010.

President Stephen Minnis confirmed that the college is planning to use facilities belonging to the Atchison hospital for classrooms, offices, and lab facilities.

“The [new] hospital is due to be finished sometime in 2010,” Minnis said. “Our hope is that we would get those facilities sometime during 2010 and then we could make modifications to the building that we choose by the fall.”

Minnis said that as of yet, no documents have been signed with the Atchison Hospital but negotiations are ongoing.

“There will be some up front costs,” he said. “We’ve done a financial analysis and determined that this program not only pays for itself but is revenue positive based upon additional students coming to college for the nursing program.”

Minnis said a conservative estimate for the program was that it could draw a total of 100 students – 25 from each class to the college.

Dr. Daniel Bowen, professor in the Biology department said he believed the nursing program could be a big draw for Benedictine.

“I think that the demand is there” he said. “With a nursing program Benedictine College has the potential to gain a good number of students.”