help! looking for online rn-bsn or rn-msn

N1colina · Mar 7, 2011

You should look into WGU (Western Governors University) That's where I am interested in going. Check out their website for more info, and there are threads on here, from students that are currently attending. :)

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 7, 2011

does anyone have any ideas of good online schools? im looking for one that does not require chem, statistics, or history. i do not want to take extra classes at another school just to apply. and i want a school that does not include things like group projects? & maybe one that doesnt require a clinical component. anyone in a school that they like right now? if i could save some credits by going straight rn to msn that would be even better. thank you :)

As you probably know, if you are an RN with baccalaureate in a field other than nursing, you can go straight to an MSN program without bothering to get the BSN. All the MSN programs for non-BSNs that I'm aware of require bridge courses however (usually 3) to be taken before the nursing grad courses. This may or may not save time over first getting the BSN, depending on your academic background. Though I considered going this route, I've decided to get my BSN instead. This is partly because it's almost as expensive to do the RN-MSN bridge courses as it is to just get a BSN (depending on where you go, you may have to pay the grad tuition rate for the bridge courses) and in my case, it doesn't really save any time (I have nearly all of the prereqs required for most programs). Since there's no significant time or cost savings, it seemed worth it to just get the BSN first. Also, since my longer-term goal is to get to FNP, I did not want to be in grad school with no significant experience as a nurse -I've been unsuccessful in finding a job as an ADN-RN because nearly every health care facility in my neck of the woods has gone to "BSN required" in their job postings. I hope to start an on line RN-BSN program before the summer and with any luck, will have the BSN by late next summer.

From what I can see, many and probably most of the on line RN-BSN programs don't require clinicals (or have only one or 2 classes with limited clinicals). You might be asking a bit too much with some of your other criteria though. There are schools that don't require Chem, Stat or History - but probably none that don't require at least on of the 3. I can tell you that OU, UT-A, Jacksonville U, Temple and Drexel don't have clinicals but most of them require Stat and Chem. Nearly every school I looked at has some kind of humanities requirements, which is where the history part comes in. UT-A for example requires 3 semesters of history: Two in US History and one in Texas history. Your best bet may be one of the virtural, for-profit schools. Be aware though that at least one (it may WGU) has a unique grade structure that will inhibit your ability to be accepted to grad school.

JM RN · Mar 7, 2011

Thanks so much for the replies! I know I'm asking for a lot. I definitely want to be able to go to grad school later on. I do not have a bachelors in another field. I was looking at Penn state online because at least with them you can do all the classes at the same time and at their school instead of having them done before you apply. I don't mind the clinical component as much. I just want it all to be doable with work and family. Thank you :)

JM RN · Mar 7, 2011

And I Prefer doing clinicals over having to take prereqs to apply to a school.