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Faculty Perspectives on Factors Promoting Effective RN to BSN Completion Programs

Received: 8 December 2020     Accepted: 16 December 2020     Published: 31 December 2020
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Abstract

The need for a more highly educated nursing workforce has been well established. The need for BSN-prepared nurses continues to escalate and more registered nurse to bachelor of science in nursing (RN to BSN) programs are approved in Washington State every year. RN to BSN completion programs provide an efficient bridge for diploma and associate degree (ADN) nurses to progress academically and advance their careers. This multi-method, descriptive study was designed to identify common elements and promising practices for curricular and program design across seven of the nine RN to BSN programs in the state of Washington. Program directors compiled institutional data and a confidential online survey was sent to faculty who were teaching in each program. The University of Washington School of Social Work Survey Research Division (SRD) was contracted to administer the online surveys. SPSS was utilized for quantitative data analysis, while the investigative team used standard content analysis techniques for the qualitative items. Sixty-two of the 82 faculty surveys were returned (75.6%) and all seven programs provided extensive institutional data. This report explains mainly the faculty responses, while noting areas for immediate improvement including the statewide failure to gather important student demographic data like race and ethnicity. Given the wide diversity of this student population, and the profession’s drive to diversify the workforce, failure to carefully monitor these data needs action. Characteristics of the wide range in student readiness for BSN-level coursework and rigors of work/life balance, along with the dynamic nature of RN to BSN education, were consistently brought forward by faculty, independent of years of teaching experience.

Published in Education Journal (Volume 9, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16
Page(s) 195-202
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Academic Progression, RN to BSN Completion, Nursing Faculty

References
[1] Institute of Medicine (2011). The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies.
[2] AACN. Fact Sheet: Degree Completion Programs for Registered Nurses: RN to Master’s Degree and RN to Baccalaureate Programs. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Factsheets/Degree-Completion-Factsheet.pdf. (2019).
[3] Spetz, J (2018). Projections of progress toward the 80% Bachelor of Science in Nursing recommendation and strategies to accelerate change. Nursing Outlook (66), 394-400.
[4] McEwen, M., Pullis, B., White MJ., and Krawtz, S. (2013). Eighty percent by 2020: The present and future of RN-to-BSN education. Journal of Nursing Education, 52(10), 549-557.
[5] Aiken, L.H., Clarke, S., Cheung, R., Sloane, D. and Silber, J. (2003) Educational levels of hospital nurses and surgical patient mortality. Journal of the American Medical Association, 290(12), 1617-1623.
[6] Aiken LH, Cimmiotti JP, Sloane DM, Smith HL, Flynn L, Neff DF. (2012) The effects of nurse staffing and nurse education on patient deaths in hospitals with different nurse work environments. Med Care 49(2): 1047-1053.
[7] Blegen, MA, Goode, CJ, Park, SH, Vaughn, T & Spetz, J. (2013). Baccalaureate education in nursing and patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Administration 43(2), 89-94.
[8] Friese, C. R, Lake, E.T., Aiken, L.H., Silber, J.H. & Sochalski, J. (2008, August). Hospital nurse practice environments and outcomes for surgical oncology patients. Health Services Research, 43 (4), 1145-1163.
[9] Kutney-Lee, A., Sloane, D., and Aiken, L. (2013). An increase in the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees is linked to lower rates of post-surgery mortality. Health Affairs, 32 (3), 579-586.
[10] Yakushiva, O, Lindrooth, R, & Weiss, D (2014a). Economic evaluation of the 80% Baccalaureate nurse workforce recommendation: A patient-level analysis. Medical Care 52 (10), 864-869.
[11] Yakushiva, O, Lindrooth, R, & Weiss, D (2014b). Nurse value-added and patient outcomes in acute care. Health Services Research 49 (6), 1767-1786.
[12] Fardelione, C., Musil, C., Smith, E., and Click, E. (2014). Leadership behaviors of frontline staff nurses. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 45 (11), 506-513.
[13] Phillips, T., and Evans, J. (2017). RN to BSN transition: A concept analysis. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 33(2), 79-85.
[14] Matthias, A., and Kim-Goodwin, Y. (2016). RN-BSN students’ perceptions of the differences in practice of the ADN- and BSN-Prepared RN. Nurse Educator, 41(4), 208-211.
[15] Washington Center for Nursing (2012-2016). Academic Progression in Nursing Grant ($600,000) from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Retrieved from https://rwjf.org and https://www.academicprogression.org/learning_process/apingrantprojects/washington on (2016).
[16] Washington Center for Nursing (2008). A Master Plan for Nursing Education in Washington State. Retrieved from https://www.wsac.wa.gov/sites/default/files/MasterPlan-Nurses-WCN08.pdf on (2008).
[17] Babbo, G., Fought, S., Holk, M., Mulligan, A.M., & Perrone, C. (2013). RN-to-BSN programs in the community college setting: Challenges and successes. Journal of Nursing Education, 52 (2), 85-90.
[18] Schaffner, M. (2013). Nursing program approval. Washington Nursing Commission News, 7 (4), 12. Retrieved from https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/669256-Fall2013.pdf (2013).
[19] Washington State Department of Health (2018). Nursing Education Programs 2016-2017 Annual School Report: Statistical Summary and Trends Analysis (DOH 669-269). Olympia, WA: Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.
[20] Hsieh, HF & Shannon, SE (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research 15(9), 1277-88.
[21] Elo, S & Kyngas, H (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62(1), 107-15.
[22] Washington State Department of Health (2019). RN to BSN Approved Programs. Retrieved from https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Mtgs/2019/AG-NCQAC.pdf
[23] Girard, S., Hoeksel, R., Vandermause, R. and Eddy, L. (2017). Experiences of registered nurses who voluntarily withdraw from their BSN program. The Journal of Nursing Education, 56(5), 260-265.
[24] Duffy, M., Friesen, M., Speroni, K., Swengros, D., Shanks, L., Waiter, P., and Sheridan, M. (2014). BSN completion barriers, challenges, incentives, and strategies. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 44(4), 232-236.
[25] AACN. Special Survey on Vacant Faculty Positions. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/News/Surveys-Data/Vacancy18.pdf. (2018).
[26] Schwarz, L., and Leibold, N. (2014). Perceived facilitators and barriers to baccalaureate degree completion among registered nurses with an associate’s degree. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 45(4), 171-180.
[27] Olson, C., and Benham-Hutchins, M. (2019). Exploring online RN-to-BSN student perceptions of learner presence. Nursing Education Perspectives, pre-pub online.
[28] Stalter, A., Phillips, J., and Dolansky, M. (2017). QSEN Institute RN-BSN task force: White paper on recommendations for systems-based practice competency. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 32, (4), 354-358.
[29] Stalter, A., and Jauch, A. (2019). Systems thinking education in RN-BSN programs. Nurse Educator, 44(2), 112-115.
[30] Docherty, A., Warkentin, P., Borgen, J., Garthe, K., Fischer, K., and Najjar, R. (2018). Enhancing student engagement: Innovative strategies for intentional learning. Journal of Professional Nursing, 34(6), 470-474.
[31] Washington State Department of Health (2014). RN to BSN Program Clinical Hours Requirement. Retrieved from https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-840-531.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Renee Hoeksel, Suzanne Sikma, Mary Baroni. (2020). Faculty Perspectives on Factors Promoting Effective RN to BSN Completion Programs. Education Journal, 9(6), 195-202. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16

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    ACS Style

    Renee Hoeksel; Suzanne Sikma; Mary Baroni. Faculty Perspectives on Factors Promoting Effective RN to BSN Completion Programs. Educ. J. 2020, 9(6), 195-202. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16

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    AMA Style

    Renee Hoeksel, Suzanne Sikma, Mary Baroni. Faculty Perspectives on Factors Promoting Effective RN to BSN Completion Programs. Educ J. 2020;9(6):195-202. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16,
      author = {Renee Hoeksel and Suzanne Sikma and Mary Baroni},
      title = {Faculty Perspectives on Factors Promoting Effective RN to BSN Completion Programs},
      journal = {Education Journal},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {195-202},
      doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20200906.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20200906.16},
      abstract = {The need for a more highly educated nursing workforce has been well established. The need for BSN-prepared nurses continues to escalate and more registered nurse to bachelor of science in nursing (RN to BSN) programs are approved in Washington State every year. RN to BSN completion programs provide an efficient bridge for diploma and associate degree (ADN) nurses to progress academically and advance their careers. This multi-method, descriptive study was designed to identify common elements and promising practices for curricular and program design across seven of the nine RN to BSN programs in the state of Washington. Program directors compiled institutional data and a confidential online survey was sent to faculty who were teaching in each program. The University of Washington School of Social Work Survey Research Division (SRD) was contracted to administer the online surveys. SPSS was utilized for quantitative data analysis, while the investigative team used standard content analysis techniques for the qualitative items. Sixty-two of the 82 faculty surveys were returned (75.6%) and all seven programs provided extensive institutional data. This report explains mainly the faculty responses, while noting areas for immediate improvement including the statewide failure to gather important student demographic data like race and ethnicity. Given the wide diversity of this student population, and the profession’s drive to diversify the workforce, failure to carefully monitor these data needs action. Characteristics of the wide range in student readiness for BSN-level coursework and rigors of work/life balance, along with the dynamic nature of RN to BSN education, were consistently brought forward by faculty, independent of years of teaching experience.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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    AB  - The need for a more highly educated nursing workforce has been well established. The need for BSN-prepared nurses continues to escalate and more registered nurse to bachelor of science in nursing (RN to BSN) programs are approved in Washington State every year. RN to BSN completion programs provide an efficient bridge for diploma and associate degree (ADN) nurses to progress academically and advance their careers. This multi-method, descriptive study was designed to identify common elements and promising practices for curricular and program design across seven of the nine RN to BSN programs in the state of Washington. Program directors compiled institutional data and a confidential online survey was sent to faculty who were teaching in each program. The University of Washington School of Social Work Survey Research Division (SRD) was contracted to administer the online surveys. SPSS was utilized for quantitative data analysis, while the investigative team used standard content analysis techniques for the qualitative items. Sixty-two of the 82 faculty surveys were returned (75.6%) and all seven programs provided extensive institutional data. This report explains mainly the faculty responses, while noting areas for immediate improvement including the statewide failure to gather important student demographic data like race and ethnicity. Given the wide diversity of this student population, and the profession’s drive to diversify the workforce, failure to carefully monitor these data needs action. Characteristics of the wide range in student readiness for BSN-level coursework and rigors of work/life balance, along with the dynamic nature of RN to BSN education, were consistently brought forward by faculty, independent of years of teaching experience.
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Author Information
  • College of Nursing, Washington State University, Vancouver, USA

  • Retired from School of Nursing & Health Studies, University of Washington, Bothell, USA

  • Retired from School of Nursing & Health Studies, University of Washington, Bothell, USA

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