BSN online course

[NurseDocNY]

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Does anyone have any experience with on line accrediated courses for the BSN program? What are your thoughts about taking the classes on line. I am a nursing student currently in my last semester (AAS. Degree). and I am curious to find out if anyone has taken the upper division courses on line. I personally have heard of University of Wisconsion and Phoenix to offer courses for the BSN degree. It saves time from physically travelling to the schools.

 

[lizzied2003]

If I was in Nursing Management I would NEVER , EVER, hire a new graduate even if she had a PhD in Nursing who had only gotten her BSN online immediatley after getting her ADN.
If you are planning on working as an RN for a bit and then complete some of your nonsense courses for BSN online I wouldn't care as much.
That being said I would also say that some of the best nurses I ever did hire were those with ADN's rather than the BSN just out of school.
But I also believe that having a 'relationship'with a university/college while getting your degree, that is being part of the student community is important.

 

[KarineRN]

If you were set on attending an online BSN course I would strongly suggest against U of Phoenix. I have friends who have taken their online BSN courses and aside from costing waaaaayyyyy too much money, they didn't learn alot. I don't know if it was the content of the course being inadequate or if it was the concept of an online class that was the problem, but either way, they didn't receive a good education. I know many ADN nurses in our ER who graduated around the same time as my U of Phoenix friends did, who can run CIRCLES around the BSNs. In my experience, I never did any online nursing courses, so I can't vouch for how good they are. But I agree with the previous post when I say that the social interaction/clinical interaction is an important part of the experience. You learn alot about how to work with people in groups and how to work as part of a team, which is really what you're going to be doing once you're in the hospital setting anyways. I don't think the online courses are going to help you build upon those skills, and it may be a disservice to you. But that's just my two cents.

 

[albaniandoc]

double post

 

[albaniandoc]

While I agree that new nurses should have some exposure to the real world I don't see any problems with nurses that go straight into the BSN program. I only worked 9 months before going back. Now as far as online programs go.

Here in FL FSU, USF, ST. Pete college, Jacksonville University and others that I haven't checked have both online and on campus programs. USF now has most of its program online. Classes like Multicultural Nursing or Nursing and the Aging Patient, or Nursing and the Healthcare system could be very easily online with no problem. With most "real" nurses working full time and more the distance programs are extremily convenient. They allow you to work at any time, nights, days weekends etc. The tests are not just multiple choices but application questions where you have to think so you cannot just cheat on the exam. Plus there are final lengthy papers due at the end of the semester that count toward your grade. Those papers are thrown into the turnitin.com and checked for plagiarism. Most papers take 2-3 weeks to complete. For those that don't know most of the clinical knowledge is gained in the ADN program and besides the Advanced Health Assessment most classes are didactical in essence and there is absolutely no need to be on campus. There is a lot of nursing managment and leadership, nursing ethics, healthcare system etc. This is stuff that was very briefly done during the ADN program.
Check with most good universities and you will find out that a majority of their nursing classes are online.

If I was in Nursing Management I would NEVER , EVER, hire a new graduate even if she had a PhD in Nursing who had only gotten her BSN online immediatley after getting her ADN.
If you are planning on working as an RN for a bit and then complete some of your nonsense courses for BSN online I wouldn't care as much.
That being said I would also say that some of the best nurses I ever did hire were those with ADN's rather than the BSN just out of school.
But I also believe that having a 'relationship'with a university/college while getting your degree, that is being part of the student community is important.

 

[linoleum]

Does anyone have any experience with on line accrediated courses for the BSN program? What are your thoughts about taking the classes on line. I am a nursing student currently in my last semester (AAS. Degree). and I am curious to find out if anyone has taken the upper division courses on line. I personally have heard of University of Wisconsion and Phoenix to offer courses for the BSN degree. It saves time from physically travelling to the schools.

We seem to be in similar boats here. I JUST graduated (in December) with my AAS. I too had planned on getting my BSN online. I have had conversations with other new grads, and oftentimes I find that, with my AAS, I have actually had as much or more clinical hours (and more hands-on while I was in them) than even BSN grads.

All we lack is the "class" portion. And my plan (and I assume yours too) is to go to school online WHILE working as a nurse. This way we are still getting the social and clinical interactions that everyone seems to think we will be missing out on.

Where I live (which is at the edge of the Earth, near the waterfall and sea serpents) I actually know quite a few nurses who achieved their advanced degrees via distance education. I was working at the local hospital, and there were four ADN's (off the top of my head) who were getting their BSN online. There was one nurse in my office getting her NP distance. I *think* the lady going for her NP went to Wisconnsin. She had to go in periodically for clinicals. She really enjoyed her class. Another got her Master's from Pheonix, and she shortly thereafter became the Director of Nursing at the hospital.

So, I've heard a lot of good about them. I have also heard the negative. And keep in mind... in the cases I've told you about, it was nearly the only feasible option considering location.

I suppose what I am taking a long way of saying is: yes, I am considering this alternative also and am on the fence about it. I hope to gain insights from your thread.

Best of luck in the future, and do well on the NCLEX!

 

[fab4fan]

A lot of the colleges in my area that offer BSN completion programs seem to be living in a fantasy world, where the students are all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed 21 year old grads from ADN programs who don't have to work, are single, and have an endless supply of money and free time.

I'm looking into BSN completion programs online. I've taken college courses to finish my BSN the traditional way, and all it did was take time away commuting that could have been spent on something more productive. Yes, the give and take in the classroom was great, but I've been a nurse for 21y; now, I just want to get it done. I'm not terribly interested in pep rallies/booster clubs or the other stuff newbies at college get involved in. For heaven's sake, I'm old enough to be a mother to most of those kids; my interests are far different at this point.

I'm afraid lizzied is going to have slim pickings if she keeps up those standards; the profession has changed a great deal. People are not going into nursing straight from high school; many are second career nurses. At this point we need NURSES...let's not get too picayune over whether or not someone actually sat in a classroom to take English Comp I.

There are some very good online BSN completion programs for nurses who already have experience.

 

[lizzied2003]

I think i should have been clearer in my original post..l.

First I said "if i worked in nursing management" (i wouldn't go back if my life depended on it)
And then, I need to clarify when I said "i wouldn't hire and ADN who immediately sets off for her BSN on line". My meaning is I wouldn't have hired someone who get her ADN and then instead of working goes on to get her BSN online. I should have been clearer. Thinking back , I guess once one gets there ADN they would start working anyway so my argument becomes moot.

My intent was to discourage those that want the degree without doing the time at the bedside to really learn the nursing that school will never provide.

I will stand by my notion that many many ADN's are far more prepared than the BSN's. Can't talk me out of that one.

 

[Merovingienne]

I will stand by my notion that many many ADN's are far more prepared than the BSN's. Can't talk me out of that one.

Everyone is saying that ADN's are 'more prepared' than BSNs. Is this just in the immediate period after graduation, or does that also translate over time (say, a year or two of work experience?) I'm a 2nd degree soon to be BSN grad who admittedly didn't get much work experience in school, but isn't everyone out of school is green? Is it such a problem to help new BSNs to get up to speed?

 

[lizzied2003]

My opinion is that is it is a combination of things that would make me choose (on first pass) that ADN over the BSN on many occassions.

When I was in nursing the ADN's were usually older (translate mature) adults. Paying their own tuition gave one more of a serious attitude and they were usually working and going to school. Therefore I could guess most weren't afraid of hard word. Also, back then the BSN's were lead to believe that their training would put them into a position of being 'in charge'. Therefore, they were great at delegating but I didn't always see performance. THey also were usually younger and just from HS. I also thought the clinical training was more immediate and overall our state produced better ADN's than it did BSN's. Now on the other hand....I would have a taken a diploma grad. many times over both. A 'school of nursing' (Deaconess, St. Elizabeth's, Newport Hosptial, etc) could really promote great nurses. Interesting enough...the students bio's were usually the same as BSN's ; that is just out of HS. However, the hospital based nursing student was exceptional.

 

[Raven Feather]

If I was in Nursing Management I would NEVER , EVER, hire a new graduate even if she had a PhD in Nursing who had only gotten her BSN online immediatley after getting her ADN. If you are planning on working as an RN for a bit and then complete some of your nonsense courses for BSN online I wouldn't care as much.
That being said I would also say that some of the best nurses I ever did hire were those with ADN's rather than the BSN just out of school.
But I also believe that having a 'relationship'with a university/college while getting your degree, that is being part of the student community is important.

I don't understand your logic.Wouldn't he or she be the same as an ADN fresh out, except with a BSN on-line. What would make that person less desireable than an ADN without a BSN on-line?

I'm an ADN who did not pursue a BSN, instead I received a BLS. I have an ADN friend who is pursuing her BSN the traditional way. I have helped her a lot and what I have seen so far from the classes she takes, taking them on-line would more than suffice. It is a bunch of paper writing and nursing theory--at least so far.

 

[lizzied2003]

I don't understand your logic.Wouldn't he or she be the same as an ADN fresh out, except with a BSN on-line. What would make that person less desireable than an ADN without a BSN on-line?

I'm an ADN who did not pursue a BSN, instead I received a BLS. I have an ADN friend who is pursuing her BSN the traditional way. I have helped her a lot and what I have seen so far from the classes she takes, taking them on-line would more than suffice. It is a bunch of paper writing and nursing theory--at least so far.

I'm not sure what you are asking but read my last post for clarification of my first statement. My logic wasn't clear on my first post.
thanks.