Whats best Online RN to BSN

vetnrse · Sep 4, 2016

Good to know,have pre enrollment interview next week and have transcripts in hand ready to challenge them about courses I took. I mean cmon, with 2 A.A.S degrees in the medical field, it's it doesn't make sense that they will only take 59 credits. If I can't get them to accept at least 20 more transfer credits, I will seriously be thinking about searching other programs that will. If anyone knows of any let me know.

vetnrse · Sep 4, 2016

I operate similarly to what your saying . just give me the material to study and a test on it. Always did well with that. If it's going to be a wrestling match to find info, well , that's something I don't deal with very well.

smartnurse1982 · Sep 4, 2016

You can't work backwards in a class where the information is new, and it's very bad advice to try. The program most certainly is competancy based. If you have a biochem background you can knock out the projects quickly. If you do not have a biochem background you watch the recorded lectures and then do the projects. Competancy based most definitely does not exclude paper writing and projects. If you didn't know the information well enough to do the projects, why is it wrong to be required to learn the information to pass the class?
Courses like care care of the older adult and health assessment could be knocked out quickly by hospital nurses because that's our bread and butter, it's what we are competent at. Courses like evidence based practice and applied nursing research and community health, well not so much. Any nurse without a background in those specific fields who thinks they will be able to write the papers without doing the assigned coursework is delusional. The content, theory, and practices are all new information that needs to be
learned.
You our seem to think that you already have all the knowledge to have a bsn and it should just be a matter of testing out of the classes (which seems to be a common feeling amount experienced nurses, I'm not trying to pick at you personally) but it's just not the case. Getting a
BSN is challenging, even if you have years, decades even, of experience.

I do better with reading material and then either writing the papers or taking a test.

Maybe WGU should have published their own books for their own tests,like Excelsior does.

I hate the videos too. Some of them are actually annoying.

Carabella · Sep 4, 2016

The Thinkwell videos are really annoying and rambling. Some of the mentor videos are okay (nutrition)... But some are confusing with too much extraneous talk and not enough info. There needs to be a good online book for each course where the information is presented in congruent fashion. My student mentor validated that much of the course material is all over the place. And a lot of other people have this complaint... My mentor further stated, "You do realize that these courses are designed by outside people?" And went on to further say that there have been quite a few similar complaints about several courses. They do try to update and change courses, but that doesn't help when you are in the middle of the course. The school may work great for some people. It didn't for me. I am like you with reading and then taking a test, or writing a paper (of reasonable length, which includes subject matter covered). I have heard some people like TESU, Grand Canyon, Chamberlain (though it is a bit pricey)...

Carabella · Sep 4, 2016

Good to know,have pre enrollment interview next week and have transcripts in hand ready to challenge them about courses I took. I mean cmon, with 2 A.A.S degrees in the medical field, it's it doesn't make sense that they will only take 59 credits. If I can't get them to accept at least 20 more transfer credits, I will seriously be thinking about searching other programs that will. If anyone knows of any let me know.

With two associates degrees, and one being in nursing, you should have 80 credits (or at least close to 80). 61 credits will take significant time to complete at WGU... I believe most nurses going back for their BSN want the quickest path possible. I have heard good things about Chamberlain (although it is a bit expensive - I got accepted the with similar credits, about 80, or maybe a bit more), TESU, Grand Canyon.... There are a ton of programs out there. Wishing you all the best!

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Sep 4, 2016

I enjoyed Grand Canyon..around $17000 for the program.....each class is 5 weeks long.....pretty much the same format for each class....

2 discussion questions each week....1 due by Wed, other by Friday......You have to reply to fellow classmates a minimum of 6 times. All very basic to do.

And each week usually 1 paper is due (By Sunday at 2359)....sometimes 2 papers (but thats not very often...and when that happens they tend to be short papers)

Most classes do have a group project....usually a PowerPoint....due week 4 or 5.

No written exams.....just papers! if ur a decent writer, can breeze through it...I started my papers usually Sunday at noon,lol Not saying its an easy program..all depends on ur writing strength.....which goes for most of the RN to BSN programs as they all centre on writing papers! I liked the online classroom, very easy to use and the online library was excellent..so were the librarians, they really assisted in finding articles. best of luck

Carabella · Sep 4, 2016

I enjoyed Grand Canyon..around $17000 for the program.....each class is 5 weeks long.....pretty much the same format for each class....
2 discussion questions each week....1 due by Wed, other by Friday......You have to reply to fellow classmates a minimum of 6 times. All very basic to do.
And each week usually 1 paper is due (By Sunday at 2359)....sometimes 2 papers (but thats not very often...and when that happens they tend to be short papers)
Most classes do have a group project....usually a PowerPoint....due week 4 or 5.
No written exams.....just papers! if ur a decent writer, can breeze through it...I started my papers usually Sunday at noon,lol Not saying its an easy program..all depends on ur writing strength.....which goes for most of the RN to BSN programs as they all centre on writing papers! I liked the online classroom, very easy to use and the online library was excellent..so were the librarians, they really assisted in finding articles. best of luck

Thank you... This is great info! How long did it take you to finish the program and how many credits did you need?

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Sep 4, 2016

Thank you... This is great info! How long did it take you to finish the program and how many credits did you need?

I was a slacker..no real hurry to finish the program. They do allow one to double up on classes after class 3 or 4. Some said they were allowed to double up earlier. I think everyone needs 12 classes....I was able to not do 2 of the core nursing classes, but still had to take 2 "anything" classes in their place (they were very easy classes) I paid out of pocket, so could take a break anytime I pretty much wanted and for how long. if one is using student loans, different set of rules (less breaks,lol)