Be Part of the Future of Nursing: RN to BSN Programs in New Hampshire
Do you want to be a part of the future of nursing? If so, you’ll likely want to continue your education beyond the ADN level. In its 2010 report, “The Future of Nursing”, the Institute of Medicine announced a goal: 80% of the nursing workforce was to have bachelor’s level education by 2020.
Both ANA and the AACN have long argued for the baccalaureate as the standard for professional nursing. The BSN is better preparation for an increasingly complex healthcare system, one in which there are constant advances in medications and technologies. According to the AACN, there are fewer adverse events at hospitals that employ high percentages of baccalaureate level nurses. The BSN also prepares nurses to work with more autonomy in community-based settings. In order to serve patients better, health practitioners need to work in interdisciplinary teams. Other healthcare practitioners have seen increased educational demands over the years. If nurses are to collaborate effectively with practitioners in other fields, they need an education that is comparable.
What can you expect in an RN to BSN program? One subject you will study is health assessment. You will fine tune your ability to evaluate a patient’s condition. You may also learn to assess family needs. In a baccalaureate nursing program, there is more emphasis on systems, including families, workplaces, and communities. Other upper-division nursing topics include public health nursing, informatics, and leadership. Within the general perimeters outlined by the NLNAC and CCNE, there are ample opportunities for individualization. At the University of New Hampshire, students are invited to select one nursing role and investigate it in-depth as a capstone project.
BSN Career Mobility
The BSN can help you meet career goals. Some New Hampshire healthcare employers have a career ladder system in place that takes into account educational level as well as experience. The BSN is often preferred for positions that require leadership and coordinative skills. BSN-preferred positions include clinical coordinator, house coordinator, and clinical informatics nurse. The BSN may be required for health education or case management positions. If leadership is your forte, the BSN can get you as far as a director position at some New Hampshire facilities.
Baccalaureate education can make you more marketable for clinical positions as well. Magnet hospitals are known for excellent working conditions and also for selectivity in hiring. New Hampshire currently has three facilities, two in Nashua and one in Lebanon. An example of a BSN-preferred position at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center is ICU RN.
RN to BSN Program Considerations
As an ADN or diploma graduate, you can expect to get credit for past coursework. There are other experiences that may shorten your time in school as well. Credit may be granted for strong performance on challenge examinations. At the University of New Hampshire, for example, you may receive four units of credit for a specialty certification.
There are a lot of choices to be made. You may opt for an online or hybrid program. Even courses that are taught in the traditional classroom may not have traditional scheduling. You may have to attend just one day a week — this often works well for nurses who have long shifts a few days each week. You may choose to take one course per semester or several. Some distance programs have classes that last less than a semester; you always focus on just one class at a time, but you may move through the program at a quick pace.
You may pay full-time rates or you may pay per credit. The per-credit rates may seem expensive, but they don’t necessarily come out of your paycheck. Employers like Cottage Hospital offer tuition reimbursement as a benefit.
RN to BSN Programs in New Hampshire
Franklin Pierce College
Rivier College
University of New Hampshire
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