RN to BSN—advice on returning to school - registered nurses pursing baccalaureate degree

AORN Journal,  March, 2003  by Teresa Leonard

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An RN's decision to return to school to pursue a baccalaureate degree is multifaceted. Most RNs receive no monetary incentive for earning a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree; (1) they return to pursue the degree for other reasons, including personal growth, to improve critical thinking skills, or as a requirement for specialty certification or graduate school entrance. (2) Other key benefits of a baccalaureate education include increased self-direction, improved ethical conduct, enhanced performance, increased responsibility, and professional enhancement. (3)

More than 50% of RNs in the United States have an associate's degree (AD) or diploma as their highest level of educational preparation. According to US Department of Health and Human Services Division of Nursing statistics, nurses with ADs and diplomas make up 34.3% and 22.3% of the RN population, respectively, and 32.7% have BSN degrees. (4) Registered nurses with ADs and diplomas, however, have become one of the fastest growing groups of students enrolled in baccalaureate schools of nursing. (5) In the year 2000, 16% of nurses who initially earned ADs and 24% of nurses who initially earned diplomas were reported to have obtained additional academic nursing education or nursing-related degrees. (6)

LITERATURE REVIEW

According to the literature, RNs often are hesitant to reenter the academic environment, and when they do, they commonly are presented with a plethora of challenges. One group of authors identified several disincentives to RNs considering returning to school, including services, credit transfer, finances, geographic accessibility, and nonavailability of courses in areas of interest. (7) Another author cited difficulty in getting credit for diplomas as a disincentive for RNs returning to school. (8) Registered nurses fear returning to school because they do not feel they can manage both work and school in addition to their personal life. (9) The majority of RNs returning to school are confronted simultaneously with the roles of parent, employee, student, and homemaker. (10) A 1987 comparison of RN students to general studies students found that RNs tended to be older, employed full time, married with children, and commuters to campus. (11) Some RN students are single parents with small children. (12) In spite of these challenges, RNs are returning to school in increasing numbers for a variety of reasons.

After an RN is enrolled in school, he or she may suffer role conflict and strain from the challenge of juggling schedules. (13) One author reported that RNs face time and energy constraints in addition to the problem of scheduling various activities and obligations around their school schedules. (14) Other authors found that money was an important issue and often a deterrent for RNs who want to return to school. (15)

THE SURVEY

To provide helpful advice for RNs wishing to continue their education, an informal survey was conducted among students enrolled in two courses in the Flex-Track RN to BSN Online Program at the University of North Alabama (UNA), Florence. The Flex-Track program is entirely Internet-based, so RNs can complete the professional components of the bachelor's degree online without ever coming to campus. Thirty-six students participated in the survey in December 2001. The average age of participants was 38.8, and they averaged nine years practicing as RNs. The majority of the students were female (86.1%), married (66.7%), parents (69.4%), and working full-time in nursing (88.9%). Most of the students worked in hospitals (83.3%), and the mean annual salary was $43,186.

The students surveyed gave three main reasons for returning to school--personal satisfaction (33.3%), the desire to attend graduate school (30.6%), and the desire for career advancement and to receive promotions (30.6%). They also cited three major obstacles to enrolling in school--difficulty juggling a school schedule with other obligations (66.7%), family concerns (22.2%), and financial concerns (16.7%). These incentives and concerns correspond with those identified in the literature.

This article shares the students' written responses to the survey. Responses are classified under the headings "contemplating," "planning," and "experiencing." These classifications identify the stages the students traversed to reach the current point in their educational process. Most of these students graduated in 2001 and 2002.

CONTEMPLATING

In the first stage, an RN considers returning to school. During this time, he or she will evaluate the pros and cons of this decision. The RN students surveyed discussed six issues that are typical for RNs who contemplate returning to school. These include age, income changes, professional and practice enhancements, time management, nonmonetary benefits, and financing a BSN education.

Age. Students frequently commented that many of their colleagues think they are too old to return to school; however, the UNA students viewed the issue of age as merely an excuse for many. Survey participants ranged in age from 22 to 56, with 33% older than age 40 and 16% older than age 45. The average age was nearly 39.