To many rn to bsn online schools... whats a good one?

[Sirapples]

So Ive been a nurse for about 4 years, and its time for me to get my bachelors. A lot of hospitals in my area require a bachelors and I wish I had it now.

Unfortunatly my schedule is tough. I have joint custody of my son, and I work nightshift. I am looking for a school thats online, flexable, not rediculously expensive, and not extensivly overlong. I did graduate in massachusetts about 5 years ago, in both a liberal arts associates, and a nursing associates so I have a good chunck of credits down already.

Any ideas? Thank you!

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

look at the local universities in your area. contact the counselors and ask them about their rn-bsn program. ask about pre-reqs needed and the program structure. i am attending a university program that was affiliated with my cc. the program is mostly online so i continue to work full-time as a rn and attend courses online. there is one component that will require offline work toward the end of the program but that will not be difficult since that too is not structured like the adn program i attended. i can pick the place and the dates and times of my clinicals and set up my work schedule around my clinical schedule.

as for what program is good or bad... i think talking to the nurses with whom you work may help. many might be in a program already and he/she can share personal experiences. i know that is the case where i work; i am very pleased with my program. the counselors and instructors are supportive. gl!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I agree with the previous poster that you should look in your own area and talk to people you work with. It can be an advantage to have people you can talk to about the program -- maybe some people who have taken the same courses, etc. that you will be taking.

No program is perfect and you are bound to run into a few snags along the way. When you hit those snags, it's best to have somebody close by who can help you with them -- and not be 100% reliant on people you never met located a thousand miles away.

Also, it may help if you choose a school within your region of the country or at least a school that has a good national reputation so that future employers will recognize the name of the school and respect it. There are a lot of "poor quality" programs out there and the smarter employers are catching on to that fact. So, they may be suspicious of a degree from some school they never heard of. While that's not true in all cases, it might make a difference some day. So, choose a school that is well-known and respected by your potential employers if you can.