At the present time, there is a shortage of competent licensed nurses in this country. A great part of the nursing workforce is or will be retiring in the near future, leaving a vast whole in the country’s health care delivery system. Nursing education programs are popping up all over the place in an attempt to fill the gap, but there is concern that the quality of nurses being dispensed into the workforce is substandard. Reputable nursing schools are accredited by the National League of Nursing (NLN) and must meet rigid educational requirements. All graduates are required to sit for licensure shortly after completion of the BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) program, and are allowed to work as a graduate nurse in the interim at certain facilities. If the applicant does not successfully pass the licensure exam, the graduate nurse permit is revoked and the graduate cannot reapply for a specific period of time afterward.
Choosing the right BSN program can be difficult and confusing because there are different types. There are registered nurses (RNs) educated through diploma or associate degree programs that are two years or less, or there are bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) programs, which traditionally requires a minimum of four years to complete. Comparatively speaking, a nurse who graduates from a BSN program is more desirable to many employers, because a baccalaureate education in nursing is based upon a study of the humanities/arts and sciences in conjunction with clinical nursing courses, and provides a foundation for continuing personal, professional, and educational development. Graduates develop competence and critical thinking skills in addition to general nursing skills, and are able to function in a variety of healthcare settings. Also, a BSN degree is considered the minimum educational requirement for many positions.
There are different ways to reach this level, such as a traditional BSN program where the student fulfills arts and sciences general education credits the first and second years followed by nursing courses the last two years. This program prepares students to sit for a state registered nurse licensure exam after graduation. An RN to BSN program is designed for registered nurses who want to earn their BSN degree, and get credit for nursing skills already learned through school or work experience. There are also second degree BSN and accelerated BSN programs for non-nurses who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. Credit is given for completed liberal arts requirements and focus is placed on nursing course work. These two programs have more stringent schedules than a BSN or RN to BSN program, and are not as flexible because of the condensed structure. All of these nursing programs will get you what you want, a BSN degree, which can open up a whole new world for you.
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