RN to BSN Online...Need advice

Blackheartednurse · Feb 20, 2011

I'm doing a second term of RN to BSN program through Kaplan University,I'm required to take 18 classes in addition to my ADN program,right now I'm into my both second and third class.I'm looking at 2-3 years approximately,it all depends on how many classes I will decide to take.My program is very expensive (it is totally online except for the practicum at the end of the program (public health clinicals). It will cost me about 30-40 thousand grands.I always wanted to complete Bachelor of Nursing but I decided to wait for about 1.5 after I got my associate (I graduated with my ASN in 2009).I needed a break.I sorta regret not starting my BSN sooner right after school,I wasted a good year of looking for an job instead starting my BSN (I would be probably almost done). In the meantime after 1.5 year of searching I found a job in a home health agency and have been working as home health nurse for about 8 months now.I guess I'm paying my dues now (trust me home health for a new grad or even for an experience nurse is definitely stressful and time consuming).I'm taking two online classes right now and it is sometimes hard to deal with both working and studing (I take my charting home).Of course it is doable but requires good motivation and organization.

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Feb 20, 2011

I am doing a RN-BSN program competely online, through Western Governors University.

It is $3,000 a term for each term is 6 months and I will be done in 2 terms.

I am in my third class right now, mostly it is just papers, however I am looking at starting my community health practicium soon.

It is very doable and you have a mentor who checks in with you once a week to make sure you are on track and answer any questions you have

AnaCatRN · Feb 20, 2011

I am finishing my online RN-BSN program at Chamberlain College of Nursing this week (I'm so excited to be nearly done). I took 2 classes each 8 week session (3 classes the first session), and it took me about 11 months. It cost about $20,000, all of which I paid for with federal grants and loans (I was unemployed when I started). There are no clinicals, because they feel we did enough in the ADN program and have experience. There are a lot of papers to write, and it is time consuming. I've enjoyed it, and I think I actually had better experiences with class discussions online than I did in the brick and mortar ADN program.

I think it was worth it, and I'm glad I did it. Hopefully I'll be enrolling in an FNP MSN program in August. I definitely feel that the level of writing and self-study required in my program prepared me well for starting grad school. It does take a lot of discipline and motivation, because you can easily mess yourself up by procrastinating. Online schools can be just as rigorous, if not more so, than brick and mortar schools. There are no "lectures," you have to read lectures and texts on your own and do a lot of scholarly research papers. No one is going to feed the material to you, which is good, because all nurses need to be able to learn on their own. Many hospitals that offer "onsite" BSN and MSN programs are now using online schools instead of brick and mortar schools, so online RN-BSN degrees aren't seen as shady as they once were. Good luck with your search for the right program for you!

silentRN · Feb 20, 2011

I'm doing mine through Grand Canyon University which is in Phoenix, arizona. I get a discount cause of the hospital I work at, plus trying to get the hospital to pay for it. It's to the equivalent of 3 semesters. It's module based, so you focus on 1 class at a time for 5 weeks each. It's worth it because you are getting your BSN, and now days you really need your BSN. Writing papers gets old, but you get out what you put into the class. I like it, plus it gives me something to do. I compared that program to Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University, which both required me to take another semester of pre-reqs, and were another 4 semesters of RN-BSN classes which made a total of 5 semester compared to the 3 I'm doing now! Their RN-BSN program were all online too. I don't think I have ever seen a RN-BSN program at any university that wasn't online. Just make sure it's accredited.

anon695 · Feb 20, 2011

I'm not quite at the point of enrolling yet, but just an FYI - a lot of the programs mentioned above are for-profit. Chamberlain is a division of DeVry. Kaplan is the Washington Post Company. Grand Canyon's full name is "Grand Canyon University Inc." $20K is very expensive for a BSN bridge, and $30-40K is highway robbery. Many state university systems now have an online RN-BSN option and a state school is a whole lot cheaper than these for-profits. NY, MA, TX, OH, WY, FL, AL, KS state universities have online RN-BSN and there are more states that have it. Often, there is a flat rate per credit, it does not matter if you live in that state or not. Explore your options and comparison shop before you choose.

MomRN0913 · Feb 20, 2011

I am doing a RN-BSN program competely online, through Western Governors University.
It is $3,000 a term for each term is 6 months and I will be done in 2 terms.
I am in my third class right now, mostly it is just papers, however I am looking at starting my community health practicium soon.
It is very doable and you have a mentor who checks in with you once a week to make sure you are on track and answer any questions you have

So you can finish it in a year? If I want to do it in 18 months- 1 year, is it an option? I am looking into it now, my hospital is requiring me ot finish it within 2 years and will give me 2K a year. I was just making sure i want ot stay here first.....

annbananz · Feb 20, 2011

Check out Texas Tech (there should be some threads on it: RN-BSN program at Texas Tech) I'm getting my ADN first and then applying to Texas Tech for my BSN. It's a year long and I believe under $7000. All online. There's a thread out there that tells you the format of the program (how many classes you'll be taking per term).

Good Luck!

AshleyElizabethRN · Feb 20, 2011

Thanks everyone for all of your help :redpinkhe ..I have a lot to think about

DebanamRN, MSN, RN · Feb 20, 2011

I'm doing Chamberlain. Not cheap, but mostly painless. Lots of papers, but no clinicals. I didn't want to go to a classroom setting or do any clinicals. I work in an ER and my life is a clinical! I also wanted to be done fast and pay off all my loans before my son goes to college in 4 years. Work is paying for a nice chunk of my BSN and I'm really excited to be nearly done. Chamberlain was also very generous in accepting my old credits.

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Feb 20, 2011

So you can finish it in a year? If I want to do it in 18 months- 1 year, is it an option? I am looking into it now, my hospital is requiring me ot finish it within 2 years and will give me 2K a year. I was just making sure i want ot stay here first.....

Yes, you work at your own pace so if you wanted to cram all 23 credits in within 6 months and finish in one term you could and then it would only cost you 3k. You just have to finish 12 credits in 6 months you could always do more in that time frame.

The classes are not that hard, just a lot of papers.

It has been mentioned above that a lot of the universites are for profit, however WGU is not, which is why the cost is so much lower

mtsteelhorse · Feb 21, 2011

I think WGU is probably excellent but be advised the NP program I want to apply to does NOT accept their BSN because you don't earn a GPA per se. The pass score = a 3.0 and our state school won't accept a program that doesn't award letter grades and a GPA.

Good luck with your decision!