A look at nursing job sites quickly shows that more companies are requiring baccalaureate training. The future of nursing rests in the ability of the profession to participate in the changing market dynamics, which requires additional education as the role of nursing practice evolves. Often, an online RN to BS in Nursing program is the first place to start looking because of the flexibility online programs offer for working nurses.
Robust goals set to increase bachelor’s-prepared nurses
A 2010 Institute of Medicine report, called "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change and Advancing Health," outlines that nurses should achieve higher levels of education, act as full partners with physicians and actively work to incorporate better data to aid workforce planning.
The same report set a goal for the number of nurses with baccalaureate decrees to rise 30 percent, to 80 percent, by 2020. This target was set to improve the future of nursing as it relates to the leadership and skills baccalaureate degrees bring.
The data shows progress toward meeting these goals. In New England, about 52 percent of nurses have bachelor’s degrees. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing published a survey in the fall of 2014 that showed RN to BS in Nursing program enrollment increased 10.4 percent, marking 12 years of growth in the programs.
Online RN to BS in Nursing programs can help achieve goals
Online RN to BS in Nursing programs enable working nurses to continue in their careers while advancing their education, making the online path an attractive option for many. Many corporations are working with area nursing schools to help lower barriers to completing online RN to BS in Nursing programs.
When considering the future of nursing, flexibility and support of online RN to BS in Nursing programs are crucial as the education standards for the profession continue to rise. The future of nursing will offer many opportunities for nurses with baccalaureate degrees to impact changing conditions in healthcare.
Learn more about the University of Rhode Island’s online RN to BS in Nursing program.
Sources:
http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing-Leading-Change-Advancing-Health.aspx
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/news/articles/2015/enrollment
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