Rn Degree online? Or PSW bridging program?

World International

Published

Nurses Month 2024 | Discounts & Freebies AORN Celebrates Nurses Month
Specializes in PSW.

I want to get my RN degree but I NEED to do it from home as I am unable to get to a University to do it. The closest schools to me are about an hour away and I just can't do that everyday. I have my PSW, but have not found a program that does bridging from this to RN. Are there any? If so, where? Are there any programs that can be done online to get a basic RN degree online? The only things I am finding are RN-BScN or other.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

There are no RN degree programs available by distance education. Nursing is a hands-on profession and can't be taught online. The only reason the RN-BSN programs can operate that way is that to do them you have to have already been an RN and have a specified number of practice hours to get into the program. So those students already have all the skills; they need the liberal arts courses and more theory for the degree. And the gulf between PSW and RN is far too wide to bridge online, never mind to BSN. There really is no way around it, you have to go to the mountain, the mountain can't come to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PSW.

Is there any way to get an RPN online then?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Are you talking about Registered Practical Nurse or Registered Psychiatric Nurse? Not that it really matters because only the 560 hour theory portion of the Registered Psychiatric Nursing program at Stenberg (which is a private college in Surrey, BC with very high tuitions... roughly 4 times that charged by community colleges and universities) are offered online, but not the 1400 hours of clinical practice required. Clinical practice obviously can't be done online, it has to be in person. Stenberg is the only Canadian college that I could find with even a partial online psych nurse program. Practical nursing cannot be taught by distance ed either, because it's even more hands-on in many ways than the RN program. You'd still have to go to the mountain.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There is no program that bridges PSW to RN. The gap two professions are damned too wide. Moreover, a certifcate in PSW is not recognised for RN-BSN program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Norquest in Edmonton does a PN diploma online BUT you must do your clinicals in Alberta (I have heard of a few people doing them in BC, but that's not the norm).

If I remember right, the LTC placement is five weeks, the med/surg is seven and then there are specialized placements over a month or so and then the final preceptorship which is something around 130 hours. So, you'd be spending a lot of time out here.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Where are you from? Athabasca does LPN- BSN online as long as you have the prerequisites and 1700 hours work experience.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh, so how does Norquest distance Practical Nursing program work exactly? Does the clinicals mean I have to fly over 2 provinces to Alberta every year for up to a month just to do their practicals?

I understand that practical nursing is very hands-on... but is there no way to push all the practicals together, back to back? Just how rigid is the program structure usually? It just seems difficult for someone in my position if I'm living on my own, to take time off from work, and then rent a place in Alberta for a few weeks. Kind of takes away from the purpose of distance learning to some degree for me anyways...

Btw, the LPN-RN bridge program at Athabasca requires you to be a registered LPN with Alberta's college of practical nurses? Does this mean you have to get re-tested and also do the 1700 hours of work have to be as a LPN in Alberta? Oh, if I'm reading this right, being an LPN only reduces the BN degree by 1 year?

Thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The clinicals in the PN programme relate to the units under study, so there is no way to compress them.

You must have a practice permit issued by CLPNA and whatever province you live in if you go the AU route.

The bridge was never very popular with working LPNs in AB because of the fact you only got admitted to second year (even when it was done by GMCC and the UofA). Even if you had all the arts requirements completed you still had to follow the semesters. Many also object to the required verified hours of employment for programme admission because let's face it, any grade 12 student can apply for and be accepted into the BScN.

Nursing education in Canada is very different to that in the US. We don't have the ADN, the part time programmes, the seemingly speedy routes that are discussed on other areas of these boards. Canadian nursing education is time consuming and often soul destroying.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Ugh... yeah, that is kind of ugly.

To train to be a LPN and get 1700 hrs under your belt would already require a minimum of 3 years if everything worked out perfectly.

Maybe it's best to try my luck as a mature student.. =\

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PSW.
Where are you from? Athabasca does LPN- BSN online as long as you have the prerequisites and 1700 hours work experience.

I'm in Ontario, and not an LPN. I only have my PSW so I guess that route is out too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment