RN to BSN Programs

For decades, the leaders in the field of nursing have encouraged Associate's and Diploma level nurses to pursue a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Research has proven that nurses with higher education experience improved job satisfaction, improved patient outcomes, fewer medication errors, and decreased mortality rates.

Within the last few years, the push to hire Bachelor's educated registered nurses has really gained momentum. It's obvious that in the future the Bachelor's degree will be minimum education requirement for registered nurses.

Interested in an online RN to BSN program?

Find RN to BSN Programs in Your State

Select your state from below and view a full list of accredited RN to BSN programs both online and campus based.

How Long Are RN to BSN Programs?

The general requirement is 120 credit hours, including undergraduate hours already completed during the Associate's degree program.

So, for most students, it's really just 30 upper-level courses.

The breakdown is generally:

• 60 undergraduate credit hours (which is the Associate's degree you already have)
• 30 upper-level BSN courses
• 30 practical or clinical hours, or equivalency exams (most schools consider full-time RN employment as satisfying the required hours)

What Are the RN to BSN Program Requirements?

While program requirements will vary by school, there are some basics they all share:

• Licensure
• Criminal background check
• General admission criteria
• Full-time RN employment or equivalency exams

Licensure

RN to BSN programs require its students to be registered nurses in good standing. This means no disciplinary action without explanation and follow-up. If you have had issues with disciplinary action against your license be sure to check the school's policy on this.

Criminal Background Check

As with Associate's degree program, a clean criminal background check is required for the RN to BSN program. Along with this, some schools may require a drug test or physical.

General Admission Criteria

Based on undergraduate transcripts from accredited institutions many schools have a minimum 2.0 GPA requirement and required undergraduate courses. Most students have satisfied the general admission requirements as these were also required to pass the Associate's degree program.

Full-Time RN Employment or Equivalency Exams

About 30 hours of clinical/practical hours or equivalency exams are required for many RN to BSN programs. If the student is a full-time working RN throughout the program this will satisfy the requirement for most schools. For RN's who are not working during the program, many schools offer exams or other ways to satisfy the 30 hour requirement. The best thing to do is to discuss this with the school's advisor.

What Classes Are Required for a RN to BSN Program?

The Bachelor's curriculum does not address clinical components in the same fashion as the Associate's degree program because these were already mastered in order to become licensed, but general requirements for each RN to BSN program will include these.

Undergraduate requirements vary by program and are usually about 60 credit hours, include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Biology
• Math
• English
• Foreign Language
• Chemistry
• And electives

RN to BSN program curriculum varies by school, but generally they include:

• Community Health Nursing
• Evidence Based Practice
• Statistics for Nurses
• RN Collaborative Healthcare
• Nursing Management
• Healthcare Informatics
• Nursing Ethics
• Nursing Leadership
• Nutrition

The format for online learning involves reading from an electronic textbook, emailing, discussion boards, and chat rooms. Most schools offer additional help for students who want it via telephone or private email with the instructor.

Finding help during classes is usually quick and easy. The school wants you to succeed and are motivated to provide any additional resources or answer any questions. Some platforms allow for online chat while logged in.

Online RN to BSN Programs

Many, many, many online RN to BSN programs are advertised on the internet. A simple search will provide a plethora of options and finding the right online RN to BSN program has never been easier. From online programs to a traditional classroom setting the right fit is accessible for all nurses.

Advantages and disadvantages to any style of learning are a personal decision. Consider your own learning style and what you respond to as a student when reading more about online learning.

Advantages of Online RN to BSN Programs

Some advantages to online learning include:

• Flexibility
• Having a virtual location allowing for prestigious schools out-of-state
• Learning from the comfort of your living room
• Eliminates language barriers
• Information previously discussed is still available for review later

Flexibility

Attending classes from the comfort of your living room can't be beat. Participation in classes can be completed around a work schedule, usually allowing full-time work during school. For many nurses this level of flexibility alone is enough to pursue online education.

Raising a family as well working and maintaining a social life is certainly possible with the flexibility of internet-based learning. Some schools require full-time registered nurse employment status to be maintained throughout the program.

But, don't be under the assumption that online school is easy! Most schools require daily or 3-4 day a week log-in's for class participation. This may be cumbersome after a long day of working bedside as a nurse!

Weekly projects with group participation are usually required as well. This may be in the form of a Powerpoint presentation, essay, research paper, or something like this. Many hours of schoolwork are usually required. Reading from a text and proving comprehension in some form are also part of online learning.

Clinical hours are not required for the RN to BSN program. The state does not require taking an exam like the NCLEX-RN or becoming newly licensed as a BSN educated RN. Once the nurse has become licensed as a RN by the state, no clinical hours are required unless he or she wishes to pursue a Master's degree in Nursing.

Virtual Location

Because the RN to BSN bridge program is usually available 100% online the student can live anywhere in the world and attend classes. Clinicals are not required by the State for a RN to BSN program, however some programs may require full-time employment as a RN.

This opens up the possibility of attending competitive universities outside of one's state. Some of which have wonderful reputations within the nursing community. When considering the cost of these universities versus other schools, think about what the end-goal is and whether it matters to have a degree from an expensive university with a well-known name or if a less well-known but accredited schools serves your needs.

If the end-goal is to attend graduate school then having a more prestigious Bachelor's degree is advantageous. Also some employers, such as research facilities or schools, may only hire nurses with a more prestigious degree.

Why sit in a hard chair in a bland lecture hall when you can put your feet up with a glass of wine and learn just as much? So much of school is about reading and comprehension that it just makes sense to spend this time being comfortable in your own home. With no commute and no traffic to sit in, you can be relaxed while you participate in discussion boards for class participation points, or just read the E-textbook and work on your projects while earning your degree.

Eliminates Language Barriers

In a traditional English-language classroom setting, international students have a harder time understanding the course content and following along with lectures. With online school, either the school can provide a platform with the students' native language or translation programs are available. Sometimes just using Google Translate is enough. The best part about this is that the student is able to learn more effectively because he or she can actually understand 100% of the course materials.

Information Previously Discussed is Still Available for Review Later

Any information the instructor went over during the class is still available. Unlike a traditional classroom, the chalkboard is never erased and the speed at which a student can write isn't a factor! Everything is typed and communicated through the E-classroom. This information is stored until the class is over and sometimes longer than that. Information can also be printed at home.

What Should I Consider When Choosing an Online RN to BSN Program?

The main points of consideration include:

• Accreditation
• Length of program
• Program model
• Tuition cost

Accreditation

Ensuring the proper accreditations are in place for a RN to BSN program is essential. Attending graduate school may not be an option if the school is not accredited by the proper nursing and educational bodies. Locating an ideal graduate school, or a few potentials, and checking into their accreditation requirements for eligibility may be the best way to avoid frustrations later. See are overview of nursing school accreditation.

Length of Program

While schools may vary in length most require approximately 30 credit hours of upper level BSN courses. This does not include prerequisite classes, which vary by school. Most prerequisite courses are completed with the ADN.

For many online RN to BSN programs, the courses are 5-7 weeks long and are taken one at a time, but each curriculum varies by school and how motivated the student is to completing the program in a timely manner. This is because most online programs are self-paced and courses can be taken 1 at a time or more than 1 at a time or breaks can be taken between courses. This model is great for flexibility but some students may find it difficult to stay motivated with this structure.

Program Model

Various types of RN to BSN programs exist, as discussed above. Traditional versus online programs as well as hybrid courses are available. And within these models are self-paced and structured curriculums. The best way to decide which model best suites each student is to consider the style of learner and the amount of time to required to finish the program.

• Are you a person who needs to be strongly guided through each course to have the discipline to finish?
• Are you a self-motivated person who wants to complete the program as fast as possible?

Tuition Costs

When determining a budget for school consider the end-goal. Will a raise in pay and tuition assistance be possible upon graduation? And consider what the increase in pay and tuition reimbursement is worth when spending money on a program. Many hospitals offer a 5% raise with about $2000 a semester in reimbursement, although this varies by company. Consider the financial aid payments and interest rates with regard to the increase in pay.

How Do I Pay for the RN to BSN Program?

Scholarships, grants, private loans, and cash payment programs are available for those who qualify.

Accredited online nursing schools have financial aid available for those requiring student loans. Most schools meet these criteria.

Before taking out student loans or a private loan, it may be wise to think about the pros and cons of accepting student loans to pay for school.

• Will the degree help you to make more money?
• Have more job flexibility?
• Is it a stepping stone to attending graduate school which will earn more money?

The answer for all these questions in transitioning from a RN to BSN program is "yes!"

Many students find it makes sense to take out student loans to pay for the program if the employer offers a raise, allows the nurse to apply for management positions which are higher paying, or when the end-goal is to become a Master's degree educated advanced practitioner, which has a higher salary base than bedside nursing with an Associate's degree.

If the end-goal is to attend a Master's program then consider how much of a pay increase this will be and the necessity of having the BSN as a stepping stone. There are some RN to MSN programs available but they are less common than RN to BSN and BSN to MSN programs. Also the requirements and length of these programs will vary greatly.

Scholarships and Grants

Scholarships and grants are available for nursing students. A little research into this goes a long way. Many nursing organizations offer help with paying for nursing school in the hopes that more and more students will choose nursing as a major. This is good for the long-term health of the field because it alleviates the current nursing shortage and helps prevent a worsening nursing shortage in the future.

Some great organizations offering nursing scholarships and/or grants include:

• https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/ugsp
• https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps/scholarship
• http://www.rmhc.org/
• http://www.gmsp.org/
• http://minoritynurse.com/nursing-scholarships/
• http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/
• http://www.nln.org/professional-development-programs/grants-and-scholarships
• http://www.forevernursing.org/
• https://www.b4brands.com/br-nursing-scholarship/
• http://melandfoundation.org/?page_id=44

Bear in mind that scholarships and grants may come with stipulations and requirements for keeping the money they provide. This is usually a GPA requirement or requirement for completion of the program. If something happens and the student has to withdraw from school or fails out of school, he or she could be responsible to repay the money. So be sure to read and approve of the stipulations before accepting the money.

For the working RN many places of employment will provide tuition reimbursement for BSN bridge programs, both online and in-classroom styles. This may cover one class a semester or be 100% repayment. Ask your human resources department about tuition reimbursement.

Private Loans

Private loans may also be available for those who qualify. The student may find that tuition at some nursing schools, especially private schools, may exceed the amount of federal financial aid awarded. The thought of taking out another loan, such as a private loan, may seem intimidating. These are usually at a higher interest rate than federal loans. But, again, consider that an increase in salary will offset the cost of student loans and the long-term earning potential for a Bachelor's educated registered nurse is higher than an Associate's degree educated registered nurse.

If student loans, scholarships, or grants are not possible, or not desirable, most schools offer incremental cash payment programs.

Cash Payment Programs

These programs are offered and managed by the school. The total cost of tuition for a semester is broken up into the amount of months a semester is and the student pays for each semester monthly or weekly. For example, if tuition for a semester is $2000 and the semester is 5 weeks long, the weekly payment would be $400. Interest usually does not apply since it is not a loan.

Finding a way to pay for the RN to BSN program may take some time and creativity, but the overall benefit is worthwhile. This is especially true for the less experienced RN who will be in the workforce for a long time.

Because more registered nurses are graduating from schools across the country and helping to decrease the nursing shortage, it is possible that the BSN will be required for all registered nurses to begin or maintain employment in the future. This was done once before with the nursing diploma program.

The diploma program was designed to train nurses in both clinical and textbook knowledge, usually within a hospital setting and by other nurses or physicians. Nurses then graduated with a diploma and were able to start work. When RN programs became more organized diploma educated nurses were "grandfathered" into the workforce without the initial requirement of advancing education by most facilities.

Many of these nurses moved into retirement, but for those that didn't, they were eventually required to obtain an Associate's degree or Bachelor's degree to maintain their RN license.

The future of nursing is to move to this model as more and more Bachelor's degree nurses begin work. Associate's degree educated nurses will likely be required to obtain his or her Bachelor's degree at some point during their career.

Are Clinical Hours Required for the RN to BSN Program?

Clinical hours are not required for the RN to BSN program in order to meet state requirements, like they are for the Associate's degree program. Because the Bachelor's educated nurse works clinically in the same capacity as the Associate's educated nurse no additional clinical hours are required by the state. The only reason clinical hours are required is to qualify for state licensure, meaning to qualify to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam and become registered as a nurse. The BSN program is exempt from this because the RN is already licensed. But consider that most programs require 30 hours or clinical/practical hours or an equivalency exam.

This requirement is usually satisfied with full-time RN employment maintained throughout the RN to BSN program. Equivalency testing is available if the student will not be employed as a RN throughout the program, but this is definitely something to ask the school's advisor more about. By comparison, in Associate's degree programs the usual clinical hour requirement is around 300 hours.

Is a RN to BSN Bridge Program Right for Me?

For the registered nurse who enjoys the field of nursing and wishes to either:

• Stay competitive in the field
• Learn even more about how to be a great nurse and help people, or
• Wishes to shift gears to a non-clinical position

The answer is "absolutely!"

Can I Still Work While Attending a RN to BSN Program?

Yes! And not only can you work, but most schools require it!

Maintaining full-time employment as a registered nurse during the RN to BSN program is encouraged by most schools. Not only does this satisfy the 30 "clinical hours" requirement of many RN to BSN programs, but it allows for the nurse to take advantage of the employer's tuition reimbursement programs and qualify for certain nursing scholarships and grants.

Many online RN to BSN programs are flexible enough to allow for full-time employment hours without a lot of adjustment. If the course requires daily or 3-4 day a week participation log-in's, meaning participating in a chat room discussion or posting on a discussion board, this usually only takes 15-30 minutes maximum. This can be annoying after a long day at work at bedside but it's definitely not enough of a time consumer to require quitting work. Besides, most bedside nurses work 3 twelve hour shifts a week. This allows for entire days of working on projects and assignments.

Never before have so many RN to BSN bridge programs been available. School's are offering so many options that the right program is available for every RN.

The BSN student can take those required 30 upper level credit hours in 5-7 week online courses from the comfort of the living room and be done in under a year all while continuing to work full-time as a RN. If that's not the best option, the student can choose a traditional classroom program and finish in a short amount of time while networking and learning with like-minded nurses in the field, also while working full-time at his or her current nursing job.

The shift to hire and promote Bachelor's degree educated nurses has been moving forward for years. Nursing students are on wait lists and have been flocking schools to become nurses. Healthcare facilities are able to be more selective because so many graduates are entering the workforce. For the working RN this means more education is needed to stay competitive in the field.

Healthcare facilities prefer to hire Bachelor's degree educated nurses because research has shown improvements in patient mortality, patient outcomes, and nursing job satisfaction. With the overwhelming evidence demonstrating the benefits of hiring Bachelor's degree educated nurses it undeniable that every RN needs to heed the call and become a BSN.

Schools have never made it easier to become a BSN. Don't wait!

List of Online RN to BSN Programs

Listed below are online RN to BSN programs from across the country, get more details about each program by visit the school's webpage.

Select State from the Menu: Select StateAlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict Of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

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OTHER RN BRIDGE PROGRAMS

• LPN to RN
• RN to MSN