ECC and ECU Partner in RIBN Program for Nursing

Edgecombe Community College and East Carolina University have partnered to provide ECC nursing students with options to accelerate the completion of a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Through the Eastern North Carolina Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN) program, students complete the associate degree in nursing at ECC and the bachelor’s degree in nursing at ECU.

Students are dually admitted to both institutions. They spend the first three years at ECC. During the first year, students complete general education requirements and nursing prerequisite courses. Students also complete at least one online course per semester at ECU. At the end of their third year, they receive an associate degree in nursing.

After passing the state licensure exam, students progress to the fourth year of the program, completing coursework online at ECU in the RN to BSN program.

The Accelerated RIBN (aRIBN) program provides a three-year option in which students complete both the associate degree in nursing and bachelor’s degree in nursing. Students in the aRIBN track have already completed general education requirements and nursing prerequisites.

The RIBN program provides several advantages to students, especially with costs. Completing the first three years at the community college is much less expensive than attending ECU for four years. In addition, students receive added support through an RIBN student success advocate.

“This is an amazing opportunity for our students to start with us and complete their BSN degree with ECU,” says Dr. Bruce Panneton, vice president of instruction at ECC.

According to the ECU website, the university has partnered with 14 NC community colleges in the RIBN program. The partnership with ECC raises that number to 15.