Online BSN - Is it taken seriously?

JZ_RN · Oct 24, 2012

Gee, the people who went 4 years straight, probably have debt from over-priced tuition and who sat through class after class to get their BSN will do anything to feel superior to us ASN nurses, even when we get our BSN, but in the more convenient and less expensive way. NEWSFLASH- BSN is BSN. And an RN is an RN. We take the same classes and the same NCLEX-RN. Proud to be an RN who started ADN and who used online BSN. Don't like it? Too bad. Go pay your loans.

/rant

Just so tired of being put down for doing things that are actually positive. Don't have a BSN. You're crap. Didn't go to a physical class at a 4 year school? You're crap.

Get off your high horses people.

MedChica · Oct 24, 2012

I'm researching options as well.

I'm looking into Western Governer's. It's cheap. The governor backs it. I still have to check matriculation but it seems as if the credits are transferrable. More

importantly, it appears that you attend your clinicals at different facilties in the city. I don't care abolut classtime...as long as I can show up in a medical facility and practice my skills. I'm a hands-on learner.

That's right up my alley.

If a program is set up like that? I don't understand why others would look down on it. It doesn't matter, anyhow. If the schools accept the credits, I mean.

Most on here will say that it's experience that makes the nurse. I've said the same too (in regards to health care professionals, though). But...the minute that someone mentions achieving a degree through alternative means, that goes out the window. Really? SMH

To that end, I'd agree with the poster above me: Go pay down your 'interest-bearing loans' and stop worrying about the affairs of people who played the game better.

There's a fairly cheap BSN program in my State. Prairie View A&M. I'd have to relocate, though. Their passrates are consistently over 91%. They're apart of the UT system and I know that credit transfer wouldn't be a problem. I'm considering the future and understand that I probably won't stop at BSN.

Fact is, 'traditional college' is entirely too expensive. Yeah, I said it. Too expensive and it's hardly worth it.

I'm 31 and not interested in creating then digging myself out of a mound of debt at this stage in the game.

Not for a 4 year degree. It's just not worth it, to me.

So -- if I'm going to wrack up debt, it will be when I'm post-grad (master's, doctorate). I know fully well that this path will cost me. I'm shooting for Baylor and UTHSC-Houston. The tuition's pretty...high.

So, this is what compels me to seek a better alternative.

mrmedical, ASN, BSN · Oct 25, 2012

In my observations, state schools and reknown nursing schools that offer online RN-BSN curriculum are seen by my coworkers and the general hospital environment as equivalent in status as the same didactic in-class version of the courses. Nursing is in an interesting position in that it is considered a professional level degree, where in contrast to other four year degrees, can be completely mostly online.

On the other hand, schools that are addressed as diploma mills, shopping mall schools, or are new nursing schools that don't have any history or legacy of producing nurses (ie: UoP, Keiser, Kaplan College, South Univ., ect) are seen with less prestige. I think most people understand that others choose these routes for a number of reasons such as convenience, affordability, low barriers to entry; but don't hold them to the same level of preparation as the prior mentioned curriculum. Personally, I think if you're seeking higher education, you're doing yourself a disservice in choosing a lesser caliber of schooling at the expense of convenience (if that is what is important to you - some people just want to get their BSN done; and that's fine as long as you're honest with yourself). I do think it would be foolish to say that they are the equivalent level education as a better ranked BSN program. You get what you pay for.

In my opinion, it's folly to say that a BSN = BSN, because BSN education is not standardized from state to state, and from accrediating instititution to accrediating institution. There are very many colors of the spectrum here; from very poor to excellent.

It's leaves a different impression when someone tells you oh I graduated from Obscure-Schools BSN program versus John Hopkins School of Nursing. One is objectively better than the other and the consistent production of top tier graduates.

BUT! It's not limited to nursing in that regard. Criminal justice majors from diploma mill vs state school get the same flak. Same for education, management, and IT. People want to work with people who know their stuff, and intially when you're starting a job with new people, the way they measure your competency is based on how difficult the curriculum of your education was and how well you succeeded in it.

I think we are going about this the wrong way, instead of trying to not hurt every one's feelings and telling them it's an equal playing field, we should be encouraging our coworkers and fellow RNs to pursue quality education for both themselves and the nursing field. We should also focus concerns on diploma mills that lower the bar for nursing and have them step up on a state and national level.

That's my opinion. Sorry if I offend, I just feel as nurses that we can do better in regards to our education as it stands.

happyinillinois · Oct 25, 2012

I don't know if people realize it, but the course work in RN-BSN is in leadership, informatics, theory, evidenced based research and public health. ADN and BSN have the same number of clinical hours set by your state nursing board. There aren't additional clinical hours, that was covered in the ADN program. The additional class work in the BSN is the fluffier leadership stuff that a BSN took as part of their program, plus what other classes the program might require such as Stats, etc.

Wave Watcher · Oct 25, 2012

Please make sure your state recognizes the degree from whichever school you decide on. For example: I called UOP and asked about their online BSN degree and they said Tennessee did not recognize their program due to accreditation? This was approx. 2 yrs ago. I never did ask any further questions. So, it may be something to look into. Good luck! :)

mmm333, LVN · Oct 25, 2012

Ohio University is currently waiving out of state tuition for their online RN-BSN. I enrolled. It's a good old brick and mortar school with a long history of providing education to military, etc. by correspondence/proctored testing on military bases, going back before the internet.

The were involved in some of that "college education for prison inmates" stuff as well. So they have all of that experience behind their online division (eCampus).

Amnesty · Oct 25, 2012

My online BSN program was through a state university. They offer traditional and online versions of their classes. The diploma is the same. It does not state whether I graduated from the online portion or the classroom based portion. My BSN is treated the same as any other BSN.

IMO, this is the best way to do it! I got my first Bachelor's Degree from a school like this, and while I decided to do the distanced learning route and do all of the online courses, my diploma doesn't reflect that. No employer will ever know whether it was an online program or a brick-and-mortar type of thing unless they ask for transcripts, I suppose, and none ever have.

The tuition was much cheaper than the strictly online schools I looked at, and it gave me more options. I intend to get my ADN and then go back and do my RN to BSN or perhaps even MSN in this same manner.

mmm333, LVN · Oct 25, 2012

For anyone interested in the direction of online learning, watch this TED Talk: Daphne Koller: What we're learning from online education | Video on TED.com

Trauma Columnist · Oct 25, 2012

I did University of Phoenix online ADN to BSN and completed it in 2004. Then I did an MSN, again from University of Phoenix in 2005. Then, I did two post-MSN certificates (from another school locally).

And...you know what? I have a great advanced practice nurse job, am well respected and have had absolutely no problems.

amygarside · Oct 25, 2012

Of course, if one would try to study online nursing, then one has to research the legitimate ones because we cannot really help it if there are scammers out there. So far I heard favorable views about taking your online BSN.

BluegrassRN · Oct 25, 2012

I've seen my transcripts, and they don't reflect whether my class was online or in a classroom, either. I agree with the others who say it depends more upon te school. My state school serves a huge rural and military population, and has been doing distance learning classes for programs like RN to BSN since the early 80s. All other state and most community colleges in my state have jumped on that bandwagon in the last decade. It's a necessity in our environment of large rural areas and nontraditional students. Universities haven't always been very accommodating of nontraditionals who have families and jobs. Now teir market simply demands it.

IMO, this is the best way to do it! I got my first Bachelor's Degree from a school like this, and while I decided to do the distanced learning route and do all of the online courses, my diploma doesn't reflect that. No employer will ever know whether it was an online program or a brick-and-mortar type of thing unless they ask for transcripts, I suppose, and none ever have. The tuition was much cheaper than the strictly online schools I looked at, and it gave me more options. I intend to get my ADN and then go back and do my RN to BSN or perhaps even MSN in this same manner.

netglow, ASN, RN · Oct 25, 2012

I think at issue in this thread is the fact that many readers/posters have not been involved in education for years, and remember how things were decades ago. Well things have changed.

Almost all colleges have fully integrated online coursework into their curriculum. This now for at least a decade.