Rep. Chris Cannon told Provo College faculty and staff on Monday that the college's role in educating nurses will be more important as health care changes.

The Utah Republican was visiting Provo College, a for-profit career college, as part of a Career College Association-sponsored congressional visit.

"There are instances in which being competent is more important than having a degree," he said about the school's ability to get students through its registered nurse program in less than two years. The college's first RN class started in February 2005, and students will turn their tassels in September. The college's largest program is the medical assistant program, in which about 100 of the college's 600 students are enrolled.

He said as more research is done on genes and the diseases certain genes cause, health care will switch from a managed-care approach to prevention and wellness, putting nurses in the spotlight. "The job of nursing is going to be a different role."

Susan Stoler, nursing program administrator at Provo College, said nurses already play a big role in prevention and wellness in health care. "Of the medical profession, nursing is perhaps most involved with prevention and wellness. A community and public health nurse might be involved in immunization clinics, which would promote wellness in that it would prevent disease. A nurse working in prenatal care might advise patients on their diet and what they would need to do to ensure that they and their baby are healthy."

Laura Delong of CCA said the Congressional Visit Program is intended to let legislators see the role for-profit colleges play in preparing students for the workforce. The U.S. House will consider reauthorizing the Higher Education Act this year, and Delong said for-profit career colleges want more funding, better recognition as higher education institutions, better transferability of credits and wider use of telecommunication technology. "When they see legislation in D.C., they can say, 'Oh, yeah, that affects Provo College.' "

Anna Chang-Yen can be reached at 344-2549.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.