Rogers State University has a long history of equipping students in its nursing program to become some of the most elite, highly trained nursing professionals in northeast Oklahoma.
For those interested in furthering their education and increasing their employment viability in the health field, the RN2BSN online nursing program offers them the chance to earn their BSN in a fully online format. Registered nurses who currently have an associate degree in nursing can complete their BSN in only three semesters.
The program provides nursing students with the means to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), but being an online course of study gives students the flexibility to accommodate their busy schedule.
Just ask Assistant Professor of Nursing Dr. Amy Richards and Associate Professor of Nursing Dr. Marla Smith.
“The program itself was designed to help our nurses go further – further in their educational journey, further in their future careers, further in their viability and potential employability by earning their BSN,” Smith said. “Research has shown that there are better patient outcomes when they’re cared for by BSNs, so we wanted to come up with a program with the best possible education and training, but also keeping in mind the students, so many of whom are working people, generally with families and/or children, and other things that keep them busy outside the classroom.
“The end result was an RN2BSN – a program by which nursing students can earn their BSN degree online,” she said.
RSU’s nationally recognized and fully accredited RN2BSN online program offers students flexible course delivery, real-world practical experience, affordability and flexible coursework that builds upon a student’s experience as an RN, preparing to advance them at their workplace, graduate program or even to help them find a new position.
“Our quality-centered curriculum is geared toward the working nurse,” Richards said. “What it offers is practical, pertinent information that they can bring with them to the workplace, which will be very valuable – to them, their employers, and their patients – with each course taking five weeks to complete, all of which can be completed in only two to three semesters.”
Currently, 45 students are enrolled in the program, although both Richards and Smith say more are always welcome.
“We offer a very personal commitment to our students, giving them our cell phone numbers and being responsive to their questions and concerns,” she said. “It’s something that lets the students know we’re personally invested in them, in their success and we’re directly involved in helping them achieve their goals.”
Feedback from the program has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Richards and Smith say, with some of its graduates going on to become nursing instructors at RSU.
“The program isn’t just more of what the nursing students learn in training to become an RN, it’s a more intense and deep level of study, preparing them for possible leadership roles, for management roles, and to have a better understanding of the kinds of situations they might encounter as a working nurse,” Richards said.
Rogers State University’s RN2BSN online program starts in January and August. For consideration for the spring 2024 semester, students should apply by Jan. 1.
For more information about Rogers State University’s RN2BSN program, visit www.rsu.edu/rn2bsn.