what is RN-to-BSN?

Coruscatedgirl · Jan 9, 2008

And since RN's are already licensed, do they have to do clinicals again when going from ADN to BSN? Inquiring minds want to know....

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2008

RN-to-BSN program..what does that mean? I thought a BS in nursing is a register nurse..

RN to BSN programs is the nursing education tract that ADN RN's and Diploma RNs take to upgrate the degree to a BSN.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2008

And since RN's are already licensed, do they have to do clinicals again when going from ADN to BSN? Inquiring minds want to know....

NLN approved RN to BSN programs must have a "clinical" component. This does not involve going to a hospital and taking a group of patients. It might involve shadowing a nurse manager/administrator, doing community health work and things like that. I got my clinical hours in my RN to BSN program through teaching projects, interviewing two administrators, shadowing a NP and doing a head-to-toe assessment (very thorough such as testing reflexes, cranial nerves, looking into the ear canal with an otoscope, etc).

Different programs require different things.

elkpark · Jan 9, 2008

Although requirements of individual programs vary, "RN-to-BSN" programs are designed to provide RNs who originally completed diploma or associates' degree programs with the additional education to complete a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Typically, this involves a community health component and (additional) content in areas including leadership/management, research, legal & ethical issues. Because all the students are already licensed RNs, there is no additional basic RN (med/surg) content -- it's only the stuff that differentiates a BSN degree from the other types of RN preparation.

The program I completed included a "traditional" community health clinical, 8 hours a week, scheduled by the school, and a management/leadership clinical which we each arranged individually with a preceptor of our choice (had to be approved by the school, of course) -- we had to complete a certain number of hours over the semester, but the scheduling of the hours was entirely up to the individual student and her/his preceptor. Those were the only clinical requirements.

These programs are typically arranged/scheduled with the idea that most of the students are working full-time -- e.g., my program was two evenings a week (except for the one semester of community health clinical, which was one 8-4 day a week). And, of course, there are more and more on-line programs that you can complete entirely on your own schedule.