Health Minister Nelson Bascome has again defended the new nursing programme set to start at the Bermuda College next fall.

He has come under-fire from nurses who are concerned that the course could allow Bermudian students to graduate as a registered nurse without a bachelor's degree.

Currently nursing students at the College must complete an associates degree in general science before completing a bachelor's in nursing at Hampton College, in Virginia. According to Mr. Bascome, however, the new programme would encourage Bermudians to complete a four-year bachelor's degree at the College, but it could be shortened to three years.

In the House of Assembly on Friday he said: "The Bermudian Nursing Education Pathway will see our students working toward a four-year Bachelor's Degree in nursing.

"They will however have the opportunity to achieve an associates degree in nursing by completing a total of three years.

"This will be achieved by them completing two-years at the Bermuda College working towards an Associates Degree and then continuing for a further one-year clinical rotation which will include assignment to an overseas institution.

"The advantage of this programme to what we presently have is that the student will focus on nursing throughout the programme as opposed to Arts and Sciences and since their clinical rotation will happen both on-Island and overseas they will not have to pick up and leave Bermuda for an extended period."

The Royal College of Nursing in the United Kingdom states that nurses must take either a three-year diploma or a three to four-year degree course.

The American Nurses Association says that students can take a four-year university program, a two-year associate degree programme or a three-year diploma degree and pass the NCLEX to become a registered nurse.

However, those who complete an associates degree would be prepared for nursing roles that require nursing theory or technical proficiency.

Mr. Bascome also stated that the American Association of Community Colleges reports 98 percent of associate degree nurses are employed within six months or graduation.

Of those with an associates degree or who are diploma RN's 42 percent are nurse clinicians, 29 percent are clinical nurse specialists, 47 percent are head nurses and 62 percent are supervisors.

The nursing programme at the College is needed, added, Mr. Bascome to address the international shortage of nurses and he tried to allay fears of the standard of training by saying it would be internationally recognised.

He added: "This will be a quality programme that is accredited, progressive and internationally affiliated.

"We recognise the concerns that members of the nursing community are raising and we believe that international affiliation and accreditation of the programme will address those concerns.

"This is a start for Bermuda and a pathway into the nursing profession designed to meet the needs of our community."