Online RN to BSN Programs at Large State Universities

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 4.6 million jobs will be created in the healthcare field through 2018. Many of these jobs will be for nurses and for supervising nurses. While an RN is required, in order to move up the ladder of administration at many hospitals, a BSN, or Bachelor of Science in nursing, is a requirement for advancement. Online RN to BSN programs help RNs to gain this credential without going to a bricks-and-mortar school, but choosing an accredited, large state university's RN to BSN program may be another way to boost your profile.

Online RN to BSN Programs - How to Choose?

With so many online-only or for-profit colleges entering the online health career training field, it can seem like online nursing degrees at the bachelor's level can be earned from just about any college. Part of the reason for this explosion is demand, and part of the reason is convenience. Most RN to BSN programs involve theory, and theory isn't as hands-on as the associate degree portion of RN training.

Students going from a registered nurse credential who have already earned an associate degree in nursing need classwork and hands-on work, but if they're already employed as an RN in a hospital or office setting, then the hands-on work is covered by their job. Enrolling in online courses for the BSN is much easier for the student, and for the college, than trying to organize an online associate degree program in nursing.

Accredited Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Why Choose a Large State University?

Larger state institutions have been slow to get into the online RN to BSN field, but that's true for most e-learning in general. The for-profit colleges, like University of Phoenix, jumped in first because they saw profit. With larger, well-established state schools like Penn State, Kent State, and University of Texas at Arlington, offering an e-learning RN to BSN degree became a necessary step to remain competitive.

State universities typically have more resources, a more diverse faculty in terms of preparation and research, and they use full-time faculty as opposed to adjuncts. This means that the faculty focus on teaching and research, and are paid properly for the time they devote to students. Colleges that rely on adjuncts for the majority of their professors (and most for-profit and online colleges do so) often do not offer the level of professor access that RNs need to ask questions, receive email tutoring and guidance, etc. when earning a Bachelor of Nursing degree online.

Questions To Ask Any Recruiter for an RN to BSN Program

1. What percentage of your faculty are full-time? If the answer is less than 50 percent, ask why.
2. How solid are your online systems? If you can't log in, you can't submit assignments, and busy nurses need a stable online classroom and dashboard.
3. How does your program help graduates? What percentage find employment or receive promotions? If the college can't answer this, look for one that can.