OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing is offering a new program to help boost the number of registered nurses in the state.

The nursing school says it will provide early, guaranteed admission in the RN to BSN program for qualified students enrolled in associate degree nursing programs at the six community colleges in the state.

The six community colleges are: Central Community College in Kearney and Grand Island; Metro Community College in Omaha; Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte; Northeast Community College in Norfolk; Southeast Community College in Lincoln; and West Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff.

Juliann Sebastian, dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, hopes the agreement helps Nebraska reach its goal of attaining 80 percent of registered nurses with BSN degrees.