Open Doors: RN to BSN Programs in New York
If you have your RN license, it represents the culmination of a lot of hard work, which began with science courses and culminated in supervised practice and a license. It opened up doors that were closed before. After a while, though, you may get the sense that your current degree isn’t as far as you want to take you education — and perhaps, that there are doors still closed. Nurses choose RN to BS programs for a variety of reasons. Some nurses just want to be the best that they can be. This can mean rekindling that spark that first led them to chose the profession.
Courses at the BSN level go more into depth in theory, and they also place nursing into a broader societal context. They can impact nurse’s assessment abilities and their decision-making in high pressure situations. American Nurses Today reports that Rochester General Hospital has seen an improvement in patient care since taking measures to increase the number of nurses with BSN degrees. The number of patient falls per 1,000 days has decreased as has the average length of a patient’s stay. Organizations like ANA believe that while the ADN is an appropriate entry-level degree, professional nurses should complete their baccalaureate degree within ten years.
What can a nurse expect? A typical course of study includes health assessment and promotion, evidence-based practice, nursing leadership, and public health. There may be extras. For instance, there may be some kind of senior experience can include seminars, projects, and self reflection. The College of New Rochelle offers a SON Honors Program in Global Studies
BSN Career Mobility
In New York, a baccalaureate degree is necessary for many public health nursing positions, including all that carry the PHN title. A BSN is also expected by many prestigious hospitals. Magnet hospitals tend to be selective in their hiring practices. New York has 18 magnet facilities, locating in a variety of communities both in the metropolitan area and the upstate regions. Specialized clinical positions and care coordination positions are apt to require the higher degree, but some facilities hire only baccalaureate level RNs across the board.
RN to BSN Program Considerations
Program policies vary. Generally, you can expect to enter with a substantial number of lower level nursing courses, plus some general studies. Some programs award a small amount of additional credit for work experience. The program may take as little as one to two years if you choose a full-time or accelerated option. You may, however, choose to spread your nursing education out over several years.
Some courses are taught entirely online. Others incorporate various flexible options, like evening scheduling or one a day a week scheduling. Your classes may be on a traditional semester schedule, or you may take one module at a time. Robert Wesleyan College has a modular course where students meet with peers and colleagues for a four hour session each week and carry out a project.
If you know you’re going to pursue advanced practice, you may want to look into schools with a combined RN to BS/MS option. What about cost, though? Many employers offer tuition assistance. Some large medical centers also have partnerships with schools. Bassett Healthcare, for example, has a partnership with two local schools; RNs are eligible for this program if they work twelve hour shifts. They can take classes on-site, and tuition is paid back at the end on the program.
RN to BSN Programs in New York
Adelphi University
Alfred State College
American University of Beirut
Binghamton University
College of New Rochelle
College of Staten Island
D’Youville College
Daemen College
Dominican College of Blauvelt
Elmira College
Excelsior College
Farmingdale State University
Hartwick College
Hunter College of CUNY
Keuka College
Le Moyne College
Lehman College
Mercy College
Molloy College
Mount Saint Mary College – New York
Nazareth College
New York City College of Technology
New York Institute of Technology
New York University
Niagara University
Plattsburgh State University of New York
Robert Wesleyan College
Saint Francis College
Saint John Fisher College
Saint Joseph’s College – New York
Stonybrook University
SUNY (multiple locations)
The Sage Colleges
University of Rochester
Utica College
Wagner College
York College of CUNY
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