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RN to BSN Online Programs: Focusing on Accelerated Program

  • Posted on February 6, 2012 at 4:23 am

An RN to BSN program is an educational course designed to train and qualify an RN for a Bachelor’s degree.
The most common ones are offered in university campuses, but these universities also provide RN to BSN online programs.
Working professionals and practicing nurses could benefit much from online education.

Many of these courses are also offered in fast-track versions.
Accelerated BSN programs only take 15 months to complete, which sounds very competitive considering that a regular RN-BSN course usually requires two to three years.
Here is some information on the accelerated courses.

Merely from the sound of it, a fast-track course requires full-time commitment and dedication.
They compress a typical three or 4-year syllabus into just about 15 months.
There are those that offer 12-month programs, while the longest ones are 18 months.

This is not a course to be completed in one’s spare time.
The ideal student is a working professional with a nursing background and who has received sponsorship to finish this course.
This means the student can afford to leave his or her job and not think about anything else but to complete the program.

An accelerated course is made up of a series of nursing theory and clinical classes that were specifically designed to help a student pass the NCLEX.
Everyone needs to pass the National Convention Licensure Exam (NCLEX) in order to become a nurse.
RNs are licensed nurses already, which means they do not need to take the test a second time, unless an RN is moving to another state since the exam differs from state to state.

Accelerated BSN programs look promising, especially for those who are in a hurry, but there are not as many being offered across the country.
The student can conduct a little research over the Internet to see if there is an available course nearby.
If there aren’t, the next best option is to go to a regular RN to BSN program.

For someone who is on sponsorship and has time to really focus on studying, it is best to apply on campus rather than online.
Online schooling has its benefits and so does in-campus schooling.
To most students, the traditional setup is still the most helpful one.

When studying for an RN to BSN degree, a student is taught specialized education and hands-on training.
Core courses involve basic nursing subjects such as Nursing Practice, Nursing Ethics, Caring Practice, Research, and Consolidated Learning Experience, as well as specialized subjects on different disciplines such as Anatomy, Pharmacology, Chemistry, and Biology.
These subjects are then supplemented with hands-on field exposures.

Other required courses may include Fundamentals of Nursing, Foundations of Health Care, Skills for Health Professionals, and Nursing Practice Theory.
Along with these basic subjects are diagnostic courses such as Foundational Nursing Assessment and Nursing Concepts.
But course requirements vary from college to college and state to state.

Most students, however, do not have the free time to get into an accelerated program or full-time schooling in a university.
This why RN to BSN online programs are now made available to everyone.
When studying online, the student may take on studies and work at the same time.

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Nurse Practitioner Programs Scholarships and Grants

  • Posted on January 18, 2012 at 12:43 pm

Get to know available scholarships, grants and financial aids for nurse practitioner programs.

To become a nurse practitioner is a great option if you want to advance your career as a nurse.
The sad part is that nurse practitioner programs can be expensive and even though this degree will put you in higher-paying jobs after you graduate, it does not fix the problem of how you will pay for an education out of your pocket.
As such, the best possible way is to qualify for scholarships and grants.

Scholarships and grants are fundamentally the same thing – financial assistance for college that does not need repayment once you graduate.
Scholarships are based on merits or your GPA while grants, on the other hand, are based on one’s financial needs.
Students can utilize both types of financial aids to pay for a nursing education.

The government provides numerous financial aid programs for interested students in almost all fields of study.
This is a great place to begin if you are searching for nurse practitioner programs scholarships and grants.
You may consider looking for private groups, companies and organizations, even nurse practitioner schools to fund your education such as US Medical Supplies, Saint John Foundation, Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Foundation, American College of Nurse Practitioners, National American Arab Nurses Association, National Black Nurses Association and National Health Service Corps.

Furthermore, many groups exclusively offer financial aid to all types of medical students, including nurses, so look for these forms of scholarships or grants.
There are financial aids for students irrespective of the area of study from various organizations, both local and national.
Make a shortlist of the possible institutions offering scholarships for a nursing education.

Each organization has its individual procedures, so always read the directions thoroughly and prepare the necessary information.
If you need to compose an application essay, as is common with scholarships, you may ask others to review your submission to help you check for typos and points to make your essay much stronger.
And, of course, always meet the deadlines.

For nurses, you may be eligible for other special forms of financial aid.
Some employers offer financial assistance for advanced education so if you are working as an RN or LPN for over a year, ask your employer for tuition reimbursement programs.
Also, some federal student loan forgiveness programs can greatly help you if you work in a field that is in dire need of nurses.

Several groups provide information on the available grants, scholarships and financial aid for nurses.
You may visit the website of US Department of Education, US Department of State and Student Gateway to the US Government.
Pell Grants are given by the Department of Education for low-income students and unlike federal loans, Pell Grants don’t have to be repaid.

To help you with your research, there are scholarships for students with specific academic interests, backgrounds and admission requirements.
You never know what you may qualify for so always expand and widen your scholarship search.
Many professional institutions offer scholarships for eligible students such as the American Marketing Association, Professional Women’s Foundation and The National Society for Accountants.

You may review the cost-saving tips from the US Government.
The site provides valuable strategies on how to effectively search for scholarships and grants.
Some tips are specific to colleges, but the information is applicable to both on-campus or online nurse practitioner programs.

Looking for nurse practitioner programs scholarships provides a level of commitment and hope for prospective students.
Given the right tools to do a careful search, you will know how to search for tuition assistance.
The bottom line is that there is no need to pay a dime out of pocket for your education if you are determined to become a nurse practitioner.

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RN to BSN Degree Programs: What to Expect

  • Posted on September 21, 2011 at 9:50 am

It is true that in most cases, nursing graduates of associate degrees and nursing diplomas have more actual clinical experience than graduates of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). That is why practicing RNs (Registered Nurses) often question the need for an RN to BSN degree. Whether or not you are strongly against the idea, or you’re actually considering getting a bachelor degree, here are a few facts about the program that you might want to know.

RN to BSN programs are designed for registered nurses who want to pursue their studies. So you’d find that the program whether taken in an online school or in a traditional school is very flexible. Schools recognize that practicing nurses have busy work schedules not to mention personal lives, so the program can be taken during weekends and nighttime in traditional schools and anytime you’re available in online schools.

If you’re just starting out without any nursing diplomas yet, you could start with the BSN degree first. The BSN degree takes four years to complete and would cut to chase, so to speak. After you graduate you will already be eligible to take the licensure board exam.

The first two years of BSN are mostly general subjects. The final two years are all nursing subjects. To finish the degree, students are required to complete a certain number of clinical hours, which will depend on the university and their curriculum.

If you have already studied nursing, your nursing units could be credited so that you spend fewer than four years in there. Also, some schools also credit your actual professional experience. These will all be determined upon enrollment and credentials analysis.

While the emphasis of two-year nursing degrees are on the actual clinical practice students study while on the course, BSN degree focuses on developing leadership skills, critical thinking skills, decision making skills, communication skills, theoretical knowledge on principles of nursing practices and many others. It will give students the opportunity to see the “whole picture” of the nursing profession. That is why BSN degree holders are expected to be able to fulfill higher responsibilities when they graduate.

When you graduate, you will also be expected to be able to make evaluations of current health practices and be able to promote healthy lifestyle and educate nursing care staff, families and other individuals about them. With your newly acquired leadership skills, it is also assumed that you’ll be able to manage healthcare staff and other nursing aides in a hospital. And as a bachelor degree holder, you are also expected to display professional behavior and assume ethical accountability over your own responsibilities.

When you graduate from an RN-BSN degree, not only will your responsibilities grow, you will also get higher pay. If you’re already practicing, it’s possible that the next time the company starts looking for key individuals in the hospital, you will be right there on their list. Promotion and higher pay, however, are not the only things that a BSN degree holder can expect.

Indeed, registered nurses with BSN degrees can look forward to a promising future. With the changing lifestyle of people and their healthcare needs, the healthcare industry is changing as well. Jobs are being created and employment prospects for nurses are also multiplying.

So if there’s ever a doubt in your mind that getting into an RN to BSN degree programs will not change anything in your life, vanish it. There are just so many advantages of getting a bachelor degree that you shouldn’t let the opportunity slip past you. Now is the time to explore the opportunities and possibilities that having a BSN degree will bring.

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