Online Accelerated BSN Programs: Second Degree BSN for Career Change

RN Requirement for Accelerated BSN Online

Online nursing programs impose strict admission requirements. Most accredited online BSN programs require a valid RN license in the state where the applicant lives before admission. And, in most cases, online programs are open only to applicants who have completed at least an associate’s degree in science in nursing (ASN) and hold a valid state RN license.

What you would like to know is if there are any accelerated online BSN degree programs that admit students who do not yet hold RN designations.

That question is complicated. Below are some of the career factors you will need to consider:

• Why is the RN required?
• Nursing education includes two components: theory (textbook) learning and hands-on work in a hospital setting. The latter is referred to as clinical training.
• If you already hold an RN license, colleges assume you have completed both the required foundation lab courses, such as chemistry, and the required clinical hours.
• A local supervised clinical setting is required for all online degrees in nursing. Most RNs are already employed in a local healthcare facility. This means they can complete advanced courses online while continuing to work. Their work setting becomes the “supervised clinical” setting for the online BSN degree.
• You can use online education to make a nursing career change. But first you will need to spend a few months to a year completing clinical experience and foundational science (lab) courses in a residential or campus setting.

Online Accelerated BSN Programs

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, for example, offers an accelerated online BSN for individuals who hold at least 86 transfer credits. This program is designed to allow online students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in just 12 months.

To enter the program, you must hold and maintain an unencumbered RN license. This is to ensure you have completed hands-on clinicals and labs in a supervised setting. Completing the RN provides exposure to the healthcare field and ensures an understanding of basic nursing concepts.