You are already a registered nurse (RN) with great technical skills, but once adjusting to the healthcare field you want to upgrade your license to a nursing degree. The degree of bachelor in the School of Nursing holds greater value in the professional career and job market.
There is multiple online RN to BSN programs, but the college where you decide to complete your BSN degree determines your career opportunities in the future. Therefore, we have cherry-picked the top 10 best accredited online programs for nursing RN to BSN.
You already have the knowledge and skills required to be a nurse but the BSN degree will help you land more job opportunities and also develop your skills and expertise and yield greater patient outcomes.
What Is The Goal of a Fast Track RN to BSN Course?
For all those people who are finally planning to complete their RN to BSN Course, here’s what you need to know about this fast-track course. Keep reading!
Taking the RN to BSN course helps you get an advantage because not only are you completing a course to an accessible program but all those who cannot attend college can easily take advantage of this situation.
Nurses will now be available to improvise and still be able to take care of patients, having said that the secondary goals of gaining more skill and expertise will help nurses with the following
- More evidence-based practice, which means more excellence in the job.
- Leadership qualities improve, with the conscious effort that’s put in by each nurse.
- Awareness regarding multiple healthcare policies
- Management of all the information related to health is easier
- Nurses will be able to critically think and for future references be more trained towards getting themselves out of multiple situations
- Nurses get insight on professional, moral and ethical ways and become better in dealing with anything that’s thrown on them.
Top 10 Best Accredited Online Programs For Nursing RN to BSN
Here are the top 10 online programs which will help you upgrade your RN license to BSN in no time!
1. Southern New Hampshire University
The online program provided by southern new Hampshire University is specifically designed to cater to working nurses who want to achieve a degree in their profession and enhance their skills.
Nurses are the frontline health workers and are required to be on their feet 24/7 and no one can understand this better than a nurse herself. This Bachelors of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) here is a program started by nurses.
You can attend the online classes according to your availability. Alongside enhancing your critical thinking and clinical and professional development, this program also provides you with academic and career support whenever needed.
- Coursework online can be completed according to your accessibility
- Affordable and time efficient
- Earn credit for your RN license
- Transfer friendly – earn 45 credits for RN license
- $320/credit
- No application fee or SAT scores required
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
2. Drexel University
Drexel is well known for its graduates – they can be spotted from afar with their expertise. The online RN -BSN program at Drexel university focuses on achieving improved patient outcomes by providing its students with technologically advanced coursework, in-depth clinical skills, and practical experience.
While being cost-effective, this program here will help you complete your degree while you are still employed as a Registered Nurse; this means that you can easily improve your education and work and that too according to your ease!
This program offers you an opportunity to complete your BSN degree in just 12 months if the plan works in your favor. If not, it also has an alternative option of completing the degree in three years in which you will be able to manage your pace alongside working as a nurse.
- Multiple options available to complete the online curriculum
- Transfer friendly
- Transfer 135 of the required 180 quarter credits
- Special tuition plans for ANA members
- A number of support services are provided like access to library and writing center
- Fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
3. Western Governors University
When it comes to nursing and patient care this university believes that the RN to BSN degree helps you combine the success of science with the art of care. It believes that this program will help you enhance your skills and knowledge so you can yield greater and better patient outcomes.
This online program is specially designed for those nurses who hold an RN license and now want to upgrade their qualifications with a BSN degree. This online program builds upon your RN diploma and nourishes you with community concepts, healthcare policies, therapeutic interventions.
This program contains a curriculum that was established by the healthcare industry experts.
- Online course which can be completed in 12-18 months
- Transfer friendly
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Affordable and time friendly
- Website
4. Walden University
Walden University provides online programs for nurses to help them upgrade their RN license into a degree. It believes that a BSN sharpens the skills of a nurse and prepares them to handle critical situations.
Walden University provides top-notch faculty with a doctorate degree and also facilitates digital clinical experiences to give maximum exposure to its enrolled students.
Walden university acknowledges the importance of nurses and therefore offers two different methods for completing the course; you can either go the traditional eBay with the instructor and pre-scheduled classes or work at your own pace without any deadlines
- Online course which can be completed according to your ease
- Transfer friendly with RN license and diploma
- Transfer upto 50 credits from 280 quarter credits
- Affordable and time efficient
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- website
5. Herzing University
The top feature of the program of this university is that it has rolling applications. This means that nurses can enroll whenever they find it most convenient and the degree can be completed in as little as 12 months with 8-week modules.
- 100% online degree completion
- Block transfer upto 70 semester credit hours
- 120 total credits required for graduation
- 45 hour community health project
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
- Website
6. Indiana University Northwest
Indiana University Northwest is well known for its nursing RN to BSN online program. The program is developed in such a way that working nurses can easily enroll in the course and complete the degree according to their feasibility.
The program itself is so flexible that you have an option to complete the entire course in either 12 months, 28 months, or 24 months; it all depends on your pace and comfort. The course is covered in 6-week courses so that students can balance their work and education without hindering either.
- Complete online program at your ease
- Transfer friendly
- Earn credit for your RN license
- Cost friendly
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
7. University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix stands out for its RN-BSN degree. The program at this university upgrades your learning from the diploma or license you achieved and focuses on your clinical judgment and reasoning.
It gives you exposure through practices in public settings so that there is the maximum positive patient outcome. The nurses who complete their degree from here often complete their degree in a 14 months period and are well versed in health resources and dealing with critical situations.
- Option for online or on-campus classes
- Transfer friendly
- Awarded 87 credits if you withhold a RN license
- A total of 120 credits
- $350 per credit
- Fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
8. Chamberlain University
The online coursework at Chamberlain University helps you advance your education and skills from licensure to a degree which also means greater demand in the job market. The RN to BSN online program provided by this university is affordable and efficient and you can easily complete your degree from the comfort of your home. It will give you the expertise to become a professional nurse and go ahead in your career.
- 100% online
- Transfer friendly
- 89 credit hours
- Complete coursework in three semesters
- Accredited by the Commision on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
9. Capella University
Capella University is an educational alliance partner with the American Nursing Association. This means that the program offered by this university is typically for the nurses who want to enhance and upgrade their diploma or license to a recognizable nursing degree.
This program will help you develop in areas like patient care, information management, health resources management, and other general nursing practices.
- 100% online program
- Accessibility to Flexpath
- 8 core courses
- Transfer friendly
- 135 maximum transfer credits
- 180 quarter credits
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
10. Laboure College of Healthcare
The laboure College of Healthcare offers a completely online program for nurses who want to complete their degree but don’t have enough time to manage between work and education.
The job of a nurse is very demanding and because of this reason, the laboure college of healthcare has developed this program where students can choose their course starting date from 6 different options and complete it in 16 months or less.
- 100% online
- Transfer friendly
- Transfer up to 90 credits
- $350 per credit
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Website
11. University of Texas Arlington
The BSN program there can be completed in the time of 9 months which is excellent if you are looking for a quick and escalated plan.
12. Cleveland State University
The BSN program can be completed in the duration of 12 months, the university has an excellent plan and facilitates students to the fullest.
13. University of Arkansas
With their excellent fast track program, you can finally be able to complete your BSN course in a span of 12 months, to find out more click on the link!
14. Georgia Southern University
Located in Statesboro, GA the Georgia Southern University allows you to complete your RN to BSN fast track course in just 12 months. So why wait? Just take it up and reap the benefits of this amazing course.
15. American Sentinel University
An institution that offers competitive programs like RN to BSN, in Denver. So if you are someone who’s nearby and wants to get done with their course quickly then you are at the right place. American Sentinel University offers an 8-month program that will help you become a BSN degree holder in no time.
6 Advantages of Completing a Fast-Track RN to BSN Online Program
Multiple instances are involved in completing the Fast track RN to BSN course, since the program is ideal and can be done conveniently, here’s how you can acquire the advantages from it
Excellent For Self-Starters
For all the people who are self-starters and want a program that’s going to give them the career push they need then RN to BSN is an excellent option. You can stay focused and motivated and get the job done!
The Enhancement You Need:
Calling out to all those people looking to get into a new career, or want a side hustle and just want to further their career. This degree is for you! It helpful provides you with enhancement and helps you stand out amongst others too.
Better Career Opportunities:
For all those people who need a studying opportunity that goes hand in hand with their working schedules too, this one is for you! You can take shifts during the day and get done with studying at night. The distance format of this course allows you to stay above your game and still manage to elevate your degree which leads to our next point.
Increments in Salary:
A salary increment is most likely to happen when you end studying further in your course and degree. Did you know that according to the payscale, the salary of all those who have completed their BSN degree is around $85,539 and ADN is $69,901 which means on average you earn about $15,638 more if you have completed the fast track RN to BSN degree? This is the promotion you deserve for all the hard work you put in!
Procurement of Leadership Skills and Critical Thinking
The RN to BSN is structured and designed to develop leadership skills among individuals and support cultivation amongst them. The curriculum is designed and features at a high level which helps inculcate critical thinking amongst individuals taking all the courses of the program.
Admission Requirements:
For all those people planning to pursue the Fast track BSN course, here are some admission requirements that you must be aware of before applying to the universities below:
- You must be a nurse and have an associates degree in nursing
- A nursing license that’s registered and unencumbered
- You should have a college or university acceptance to the BSN program
- You should have a state licensure that will enable you to practice and attend the university for the BSN program.
- You should specify your residential requirements
- There should be two forms of personal identification
- Provide professional references from a manager or an instructor
- An essay stating your goals and expectations from the course
- Ensure all your required courseworks.
- Your GPA should at least be 2.4 when applying to the universities below.
Do keep in mind that before applying to any university or college offering the BSN program you should be aware that they have their own set of admission and prerequisite coursework requirements, do go through for a smooth application process.
How To Pay For BSN Online Programs?
It’s true that pursuing your bachelor’s degree in nursing isn’t cheap, but it’s also true that you should be inclined towards dancing your career for better opportunities and career building.
These Fast track online programs from RN to BSN are usually money-saving in multiple ways, such as no commute charges and so much more. But for all the people who have difficulty taking them up, here are a few ways you can get someone to pay for the program
Avail The Hospital Tuition Benefits!
Multiple hospitals offer the convenience of tuition benefits to their working staff such as nurses and doctors. Did you know that some health systems today can easily pay for your BSN program? Yes, that’s right! The requirement may be different and they may expect a certain GPA but it is possible.
FAFSA:
These are government aids that provide loans, multiple grants, and even financial assistance to make your life easier.
Scholarships:
It’s true that there are multiple opportunities out there that can help and facilitate you. By using the scholarship money you can successfully study nursing, various merit-based programs, take up fast track courses, and even income-dependent courses to make your life easier. So many people do not even know this is possible, don’t miss the means and just take a chance. You might be the lucky one!
Private Financial Institutions Can Assist You!
Today, you will find multiple financial institutions that are readily available to facilitate you by providing for your education. These institutions offer multiple student loans but do have strict criteria that need to be met.