Expanding Access to Nursing Education

Bristol Launches Evening and Weekend Nursing Program

Meeting the growing demand for nurses requires not only strong academic programs, but also flexible pathways that reflect the realities of today’s students. Bristol Community College’s Evening and Weekend Nursing Program represents a bold step forward – designed specifically for working adults, parents, and career-changers who are unable to pursue traditional daytime nursing education.

Launched as a pilot in January 2025, the program was developed to remove barriers that often prevent capable students from entering the nursing profession. The inaugural cohort began with seven students, all balancing employment, family responsibilities, and coursework. While the challenges were real, four students successfully completed the spring and summer terms and continued into the next semester – demonstrating both resilience and the promise of this innovative model.

Lessons learned from the pilot year directly informed refinements now underway. Beginning in Spring 2026, the program is transitioning fully to a hybrid format, with didactic coursework delivered online and all labs and clinical experiences offered exclusively during evenings and weekends. This structure directly reflects student feedback and aligns with accreditation standards established by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. Importantly, the revised model also ensures students remain eligible for financial aid by maintaining appropriate credit loads.

The Evening and Weekend Nursing Program mirrors the college’s long-standing hybrid nursing curriculum – unchanged in its academic rigor since 2012 – while expanding access through guaranteed evening and weekend lab and clinical placements.

Growth is already on the horizon. The Spring 2026 cohort welcomed 16 students, with plans to expand to a full cohort of 24 students by Spring 2027. To support this growth, the college is actively hiring additional clinical faculty and program support staff, strengthening the foundation for long-term sustainability and student success.

This progress is made possible thanks to the generosity and vision of our donors. Kathy and Brian MacLean and the Charlton Charity Fund played an instrumental role in bringing the Evening and Weekend Nursing Program to fruition. Their support enabled Bristol to pilot the program, learn from real-world student experiences, and refine the model to better serve future cohorts. Because of their investment, more students will be able to pursue nursing careers – strengthening the regional health care workforce and improving patient care across our communities.