Tennessee RN to BSN Programs

As the field of nursing continues to advance with healthcare changes and emergent technologies and practices, it's important for nurses to stay abreast of evidence-based best practices in the field. To this end, many nurses each year commit to undergoing an RN to BSN program to complete their degree. This advancement, while stressful, opens new pathways for success - both for patients and for nurses themselves.

Admissions Requirements for Tennessee RN to BSN Programs

Whether you've been in the workforce for a short break, or a longer term of work, returning to the classroom to complete your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) - even online! - can be stressful. Below, we've included some of the most common admissions criteria that appear throughout RN to BSN programs in Tennessee universities so that you can see what types of information you'll have to prepare and submit.

• Be fully admitted to your university of choice by the application deadline
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.6 (cumulative)
• Have graduated from an accredited RN diploma program, also known as an Associate's Degreen in Nursing (ADN)
• Complete all nursing prerequisites with a minimum of 'C' in ADN coursework
• Have an unencumbered nursing license valid for the state of Tennessee

RN to BSN Classes & Courses

Austin Peay University in Clarksville strives for year on year betterment of their online RN to BSN programming with the philosophy that now is the time for nurses to upgrade and update their credentials. Offered fully online, the program offers such courses as the following to help nurse's bridge knowledge and experiential gaps between ADN and BSN.

• NURS 4151 - Community and Public Health Nursing Clinical
• NURS 4170 - Leadership and Management of Professional Nursing
• NURS 4171 - Leadership and Management of Professional Nursing Clinical
• NURS 4180 Trends and Issues of Professional Nursing

Online RN to BSN Programs in Tennessee

Tennessee has more than 20 colleges, professional schools and universities that offer the RN to BSN program for nurses who wish to upgrade their ADN credentials. With an emphasis on health outcomes and leadership, nurses will find the theoretical components highly useful to integrate into their practice almost immediately. Online courses are designed to fit around a nurse's other personal and professional commitments.

Featured Online School

Carson-Newman University is home to a flexible but rigorous program that assists RNs in transitioning from ADN qualifications to BSN degree. Once they graduate, C-N students are well-positioned to explore further credential and job opportunities by pursuing their Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree.

Admissions and Program Length

There are some differences in RN to BSN program length throughout universities in Tennessee; however, the average seems to be about 1 year of full-time study. At a part-time pace, students may take up to three years to earn the required number of credits (usually somewhere between 30 and 50) that, coupled with their ADN transfer credits, will bring the total to 120 and allow for a BSN degree to be granted.

Tuition and Cost of Attendance

Students who take part in Cumberland University's program can expect to incur about $450 per credit hour and the course is comprised of approximately 37 core hours. Students are also levied a one-time application fee, as well as an undergraduate graduation fee - both of which total about $250 together. Finally, students should note that they are responsible for buying their own materials, equipment, and textbooks; tuition rates do not cover these expenses. Due to the distance education component of the online RN to BSN program, costs of living, food and transportation are not included in this tuition estimate.

Does an RN to BSN Increase My Salary?

With more education, the trend is that employees you earn more money and nursing is no exception to this. With a BSN degree, nurses will no longer be limited to the mostly bedside roles that an ADN degree affords, and with greater responsibility and leadership capacity comes more pay and upwardly mobile opportunities, for example in nursing areas like in ER and trauma, urgent care, and community health initiatives.

RN to BSN Salary Comparison in Tennessee

Tennessee RNs can earn as little as $41,000 or as much as almost $80,000 depending on the degree that they hold and their experience. Other minor factors like where they practice can also influence their salary, however the single biggest determining factor is whether they hold only an ADN degree or have continued on to achieve a BSN - a difference in some cases of more than $15,000 per year.

RN to BSN Programs

Careers in public health, clinical managers and government agencies could be the career advancement opportunities that become available to candidates that take up a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree. Making $4,000 more annually than an ADN nurse is also another benefit in investing in your career goals. The benefits of having a BSN degree or higher can be obtained by attending one of the more than 20 RN to BSN programs offered throughout the state and by different modalities, including online part-time studies.