Vermont RN to BSN Bridge Programs
The nursing workforce in Vermont is expected to grow at a faster than average pace between now and 2022, according to 2012 BLS statistics, providing many new job opportunities for those who are qualified. There are currently 6,710 RNs working in Indiana, earning a mean annual wage of $63,260 (BLS, 2013). Attending one of the many nursing schools in Vermont that offer an RN to BSN program is a great way to ensure you are in line to earn a salary equivalent to your education.
Nationally, the Institute of Medicine, in the landmark report “The Future of Nursing”, has called for increasing the percentage of working nurses with bachelor’s degrees to 80 percent, and Vermont nurses are well on their way to meeting that goal.
If you, like your peers nationwide, are ready to begin working toward your Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, you can start by learning more about the RN to BSN nursing programs in Vermont. Below, you will find a complete listing of RN to BSN programs, including online nursing programs, like those offered by our featured schools. These programs often incorporate online BSN classes to enable you to earn your degree with a good deal of flexibility.
Curriculum of RN-to-BSN Programs in Vermont
An advanced degree can be the key to job success in a competitive employment market. Several nursing schools in Vermont make it easier for nurses to study for a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) by offering RN-to-BSN programs that build on your previous health care experience.
RN-to-BSN programs are often designed with working nurses in mind. Nurses typically are able to
apply academic credits from their previous nursing studies toward their bachelor’s degree. The part-time study and online course options offered at some schools give nurses the flexibility to continue working while pursuing a degree.
At Vermont nursing schools, BSN students must meet certain core degree requirements in subjects like English, psychology, sociology, statistics, or history. Prerequisite science courses may include microbiology, anatomy or physiology. In addition, students will have to complete required nursing courses such as nursing research, health assessment, nursing theory and public health. In most cases, clinical site experience also is a degree requirement.
Careers for RN-to-BSNs in Vermont
About 43 percent of Vermont’s nurses currently work in hospitals, but those numbers have been declining, according to a University of Vermont Health Education Centers (AHEC) report. Other less common job settings for Vermont nurses included school health, home services, nursing homes, ambulatory care and academics, the study showed. All of these settings are available to you, after you earn your BSN, opening career doors that may have been previously inaccessible.
Many Vermont nursing jobs require a bachelor’s degree. An AHEC job review indicated that nurses would need a BSN in order to become a critical care nurse, emergency or trauma center nurse, operating room nurse, public health nurse, school nurse or travel nurse. Nurses with advanced degrees also are hired to work in labor and delivery services, neonatal departments, orthopedics and cardiac care. Deciding to continue your education now, can take you into exciting and challenging practice settings in the future.
Hospitals remain a top choice for job-seekers because they hire large numbers of workers across the state. Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington is Vermont’s second biggest employer, with 4,835 full-time employees on its payroll in 2017, according to Next Up Vermont. The hospital also is highly ranked by U.S. News and World Report, making it an employer worth investigating.
Several other Vermont health care facilities employ more than 1000 employees, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. These include Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Rutland Regional Medical Center, and Central Vermont Medical Center. Keep in mind that as you become more educated, you should be able to provide higher quality care, regardless of whether you plan to change career settings, or maintain the nursing job you currently enjoy.
We are here to help, either way, and appreciate the fact that a more highly educated nurse workforce can lead to a healthier state of Vermont, and nation overall. We encourage you to investigate as many nursing schools as you need, until you find the RN to BSN programs in Vermont that can best suit you and your individual situation.
Nursing Schools in Vermont to Consider
- Norwich University (Northfield): The nursing programs can be finished in two years. Most of the sessions are classroom-based and include topics such as nursing in today’s world and nursing research. Classes such as the nurse’s role in health promotion and protection require clinical time at one of the university’s many clinical partners (hospitals, rehab, and home care).
- University of Vermont (Burlington): Students move through the program in cohorts. One nursing course is offered each semester. Most students complete the program in three years with a five-year option available. All but one of the nursing courses are offered through distance learning. Health assessment is provided on campus as a one-week intensive summer course.
