Quinnipiac University has unveiled a new online program to both meet the individual needs of employed registered nurses as well as the societal needs for a better educated nursing workforce.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN), the first online program within the School of Nursing, is designed to prepare students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide holistic care for diverse individuals, families and populations, said Cory Boyd, associate professor of nursing and track coordinator.
The initiative is designed as a degree-completion program for students with an associate degree or diploma in nursing. Students with an associate degree in nursing may receive up to 68 transfer credits toward the required 121 credits for a baccalaureate degree. Students with a diploma in nursing will also receive credit toward their degree, evaluated on an individual basis.
“Nursing research has demonstrated that patients cared for by baccalaureate-prepared nurses experience better health care outcomes,” Boyd said.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine recommended that nurses achieve higher levels of education through a system that promotes seamless academic progression in a 2010 report titled, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.”
“We are pleased to offer an RN to BSN program that supports the recommended seamless transition for those nurses with an associate degree or diploma in nursing,” Boyd said. “We are equally excited about developing partnerships with Connecticut hospitals to support their efforts in reaching an additional Institute of Medicine recommendation of 80 percent baccalaureate-prepared nurses by 2020.”
Only about 50 percent of registered nurses in Connecticut currently hold a bachelor’s degree, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
“Together with our practice partners, we have worked diligently to create a dynamic and accessible program for full-time working adults,” said Jean Lange, dean of the School of Nursing. “Our curriculum capitalizes on what RNs do well, and empowers them to more fully participate in a rapidly changing, complex health care system.”
The new program, guided by the school’s passionate and qualified faculty, will prepare graduates with the vision, passion and capacity to help shape the future of health care, Lange said.
“Quinnipiac University has made a commitment to our greater community in Connecticut, across the region and beyond to provide online academic programs that deliver necessary skills for workplace development,” said Cynthia Gallatin, associate vice president for online programs. “The launch of our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) is designed to assist working professionals with an associate degree or diploma in nursing to achieve a bachelor’s degree in a manner that is both flexible and has the same level of quality as our on-campus BSN program.”
Successful applicants will hold an associate degree or diploma in nursing from a regionally accredited program and will have a registered nurse license in good standing. The desired candidate will have obtained a GPA of 2.7 on a scale of 4.0.
Quinnipiac’s School of Nursing, widely recognized for preparing traditional and non-traditional students for their bachelor’s degree in nursing, along with the Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, is part of the Center for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences on the university’s North Haven Campus.