You don’t need a bachelor’s degree to become a registered nurse, but nurses often want it. And for half a century, Boise State has been helping them get it.
Bachelor’s education evolves
In 1975, the nursing department admitted its first cohort of registered nurse students studying to complete their bachelor’s. The program was on-campus, and continued this way until 2008. Then, the school launched the RN to BS completion program completely online.
Online education wasn’t as ubiquitous as it is now, and the program was originally received with skepticism by many faculty. But community partners Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke’s were excited about it. They helped kickstart its inaugural class, committing to help recruit interested students; 49 registered nurses took part in that very first class.
These days, about 100 new students apply to the program each semester. Innovative for its time, the online program has graduated more than 3,200 students nationwide since it started over 15 years ago. It is a favorite among registered nurses looking for more flexible education.
“I couldn’t really quit work and then go to school,” said Casey Seckel, ’09 alum of the program and now the chief clinical officer of Life Flight Network.
“The online degree completion program really gave me the best of both worlds,” Seckel said. “It was perfect because I didn’t have to be here on campus, but I still had that interaction with classmates and support of the faculty.”
Seckel
As Boise State’s One Front Door initiative dissolved and the College of Western Idaho took over the associates degree program in 2009, students in the associates degree track transitioned to the RN-BS online completion. The restructure turned out to be better fit for both students and institutions, dedicating Boise State resources to baccalaureate and graduate education.
Dual enrollment helps nurses achieve dreams faster
The online RN-BS program began offering students the option to dual enroll in 2017. This allows students to still be finishing their associates degree program while simultaneously taking bachelor’s-level courses.
For many students, like ’24 alum Alissa Godinez, this option allows them to streamline their education and get to where they want to be – whether the workplace or advanced practice – faster.
With a dream of becoming a nurse practitioner, Godinez dual-enrolled in Boise State while earning her ADN from the College of Eastern Idaho. Godinez appreciated the flexibility of dual-enrollment and chose to take as many classes as she could over the summer – even though that’s typically a season of relaxation. “I wanted to get it done because I wanted to apply for graduate school,” Godinez said.
Looking back, she now considers the ability to complete her bachelor’s in only a year-and-a-half the most rewarding part of the program.
Experts in online education
While some initially doubted the online program would be successful, these days, Boise State nursing faculty are experts in delivering online education.
RN-BS program faculty are committed to the highest quality instruction. They all hold multiple teaching certificates from Boise State’s Center for Teaching and Learning, as well as eCampus microcredentials in areas like student mental health, online discussions, writing-intensive courses, and academic integrity.
“Faculty go through a rigorous and engaging learning process to earn these teaching credentials,” said professor Lynn Nichols, director of the Online RN-BS Completion program. “Overall, they are armed with a valuable skill set that enables them to design and offer high-quality, engaging online courses.”
One of these instructors, clinical associate professor Ava Farahany, also received a Quality Matters™ Plus (QM+) designation for her course Professional Transitions to Baccalaureate Nursing. The course teaches career enhancement skills including communication, self-reflection and resiliency, and the designation (only earned after a rigorous peer review process) sets the course apart for high standards of design, accessibility and engagement.
The QM+ process usually includes significant course revision to address the peer review feedback, so receiving the designation is quite an accomplishment. Nichols is proud of all the faculty she oversees and their dedication to students through teaching.
“Students can see the impact of these credentials through focused assignments, grading rubrics that clearly describe assignment criteria, frequent and strategic feedback, and increased engagement that immerses them in career-relevant course content,” Nichols said.
Why bachelor’s education for nursing?
Like many professions, nursing education has changed over time as knowledge grows and standards evolve. Nurses used to be primarily trained on-the-job in hospitals, then instruction moved into colleges offering associates degrees and, eventually, bachelor’s degrees.
All registered nurses earn their license to practice by successfully passing the NCLEX, or National Council Licensure Examination. To sit for the exam, you aren’t required to hold a bachelor’s degree.
So why should you get your bachelor’s of science in nursing?
Baccalaureate coursework covers professional nursing concepts more in-depth than associates programs.
Nurses in Boise State’s RN-BS Completion program aren’t studying to ace a test, but become well-rounded, critical-thinking nurses. They take courses that emphasize leadership through topics like evidence-based practice, policy and advocacy, and vulnerable populations.
Some states mandate registered nurses hold bachelor’s degrees. It’s also common for facilities to require their new nurses to earn their BSN within a certain period of time of being hired, too.
This is because research indicates that bachelor’s-level preparation is tied to better patient outcomes. Hospitals employing more bachelor’s-prepared nurses also have reduced lengths of stay and lower mortality rates for their patients. Additionally, Magnet hospitals can only earn that prestigious designation if their nurses have bachelor’s degrees.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing describes bachelor’s-prepared nurses as “prized for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion, and for their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings.”
Is a bachelor’s degree right for you?