Idaho RN to BSN Bridge Programs
As a registered nurse in Idaho, you have chosen an ideal time to advance your education and career. According to the Summer 2013 issue of RN Idaho, the official publication of the Idaho Nurses Association, the Idaho Action Coalition has received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, intended to help transform nursing education and practice in the state.
If you are ready to transform your own nursing practice, we at BestNursingDegree can help. We have compiled a complete listing of the RN to BSN programs available to you, and present them here to save you time while you search for schools. The schools in our featured box usually offer distance learning options, which are increasingly attractive to working students. Simply request information from those schools you are interested in, and you will receive program details that can help you decide on the best school for your own needs.
Curriculum of RN to BSN Programs in Idaho
Idaho has several programs, both on campuse and online, for RNs to earn a BSN, with either full or part-time enrollment options. Most universities also have Academic Advisors to assist students in designing a plan of study. To enroll in an RN to BSN program you must have a current RN license, submit all transcripts from your associate or diploma education and complete the prerequisite courses required by each program.
The requirements and time frame for online studies vary, but you can often complete a program in three to six semesters, without attending any on campus classes. The courses expand upon your current nursing knowledge, and are intended to teach you to effectively direct, manage and coordinate holistic nursing care for individuals, families and communities.
At least one university in Idaho offers a Stimulation Center suite as a clinical resource, which allows students access to a 12–bed practice lab and Learning Resource Center. Many universities are installing Stimulation Centers as this provides hands-on training, without posing undue risk to patients. The many proposed advantages of simulation training are currently being explored, with implications for nursing education and clinical skills at the forefront of outcome measurements involving this methodology.
Typical courses necessary to complete an RN to BSN program include:
- Health Assessment
- Evidence Base Nursing Practice
- Health Care Informatics for Nursing
- Leadership and Management
- Community Health Nursing and Public Health Nursing
- Nursing research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Nursing Roles in Healthy Aging
- Current Trends in Nursing
Careers for RN to BSN Graduates in Idaho
The 11,530 licensed Registered Nurses in Idaho have a compact nursing license, which allows for the privilege of practicing in other compact states. This can be an advantage if you are thinking of relocating or traveling after earning your Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts the need for nurses to grow by 26 percent nationwide from 2001 to 2020, which means you are part of a growing profession, with strong job creation expectations in the current economy. As you develop your education, you may be well poised to step into an expanded role within nursing, as new employment opportunities arise.
Idaho State University has taken steps to bolster the nursing workforce, based on findings from The Idaho Nursing Workforce Advisory Council (INWAC), according to a piece by Andy Taylor in ISU Magazine. According to the 2009 article, the INWAC findings noted that the size of Idaho’s nursing workforce is smaller than that of most surrounding states, and it falls more than 20 percent below the national average. A major concern addressed is that the nursing shortage could peak by as early as 2016, thus there is a push for nurses to advance their knowledge set and skills by obtaining a bachelor’s degree as soon as possible.
A bachelor’s degree in nursing is intended to enhance your leadership, care planning and case management skills, which can be essential as you are required to care for more patients with increasing complex health issues, especially within the context of a nurse shortage. An educated nurse is a powerful member of an effective healthcare team, and can help to affect positive health outcomes.
Obtaining your BSN can also open the door to positions in leadership, disease management, education, rehabilitation and staff development within several care settings, including hospitals and government agencies. Positions available outside of the hospital include case managers for home healthcare, nursing homes, Hospice and Palliative care, physician’s offices and rehabilitation hospitals.
As a Bachelor’s prepared registered nurse in Idaho, you can earn between $50,000-$76,600, according to O*net (2013), as you may be eligible for nursing positions not available to those without a BSN. Regardless of whether you intend to change employment after earning your degree, you will likely graduate with a stronger sense of how to best care for and manage your patients within the framework of nursing.
We commend you for looking into expanding your education, as we believe that a well trained nursing workforce can have a positive impact on the health and wellness of both individual patients, and the larger communities in which they live. We are here to help you find the best RN to BSN program to meet your needs, and suggest that you request information from all of the schools that can help you to advance your nursing knowledge base.
Idaho Schools to Consider for RN to BSNs
- Brigham Young University – Idaho (Rexburg): Students may complete the RN to BSN program at BYU in three to six semesters through online learning or campus attendance. Clinical hours may be arranged with prior notice near the student’s home. There are nine clinical affiliates in Idaho available to BYU students.
- Boise State University: This is an online learning program with flexible scheduling. A five module orientation to online learning prepares students for distance learning. Courses for RN to BSN students include nursing research; policy, power, and voice; and nurse as collaborator, advocate and resource manager.
- Idaho State University (Pocatello): Students must take at least one nursing course per semester and should complete the program within two years of admittance. Applications are accepted three times per year. Courses include evidence-based nursing practice; socialization into professional nursing; and leadership in the community, which has a nine-hour practicum.
