How Education Help In Advancing Nursing Career
Advancing Nursing Careers By Educational Level
Deepening one's knowledge base and understanding of nursing as well as advancing one's nursing career often occur through mobility programs. Mobility programs (also known as educational mobility or career ladder programs) enable individuals to enter the nursing profession from different educational points or pursue professional career development through additional academic preparation without losing credits from previous degree work. This additional academic preparation often involves articulating or making a transition from one nursing degree to another, more advanced nursing degree.
Nursing Courses or Degrees Worldwide
There are LPN to RN, RN to BSN, RN to MSN, and even BSN to PhD mobility
programs to name a few of the educational mobility options that are available
in nursing. The RN to BSN or RN to MSN degree programs enable RNs who hold a
diploma in nursing or an ADN (ASN) degree to return to school to pursue either
a BSN or an MSN degree and receive credit for their previous coursework and
possibly their work experience . There are also programs for those individuals
who hold previous non-nursing baccalaureate degrees that enable them to
complete a BSN in an accelerated time frame, usually within 12–18 months.
These are
commonly referred to as second degree, fast track, or accelerated nursing
programs. Accelerated programs for those individuals with previous non-nursing
baccalaureate degrees who wish to receive a generic master's degree in nursing
also exist. The commonality in all of these mobility options is that they
enable the learner to achieve the advanced degree in a timely manner by
recognizing and giving credit for previous academic accomplishments and
frequently allowing the learner to prepare a portfolio documenting work
experiences that can also be evaluated for potential academic credit.
Continuing Education In Nursing
Advancing one's
nursing practice can also occur through continuing education programs that
result in specialized credentials, certifications, or continuing education
credits. For example, nurses can obtain additional education to become
certified in diabetes education, critical care, or wound and ostomy care. They
can also obtain continuing education by attending conferences or completing
online courses or independent studies on particular topics relevant to their
area of practice.
Supporting Mobility Programs Mobility programs have a long history in nursing
education and, in recent years, many of these programs have grown due to
progress in distance education technologies, making the acquisition of advanced
education more accessible. These programs have also flourished under pressure
from various nursing organizations to promote baccalaureate and higher degrees
in nursing.
For example, in
1991 the National League for Nursing issued a position statement urging schools
of nursing to coordinate articulation from one degree to another. They promoted
the idea that schools should develop fair and equitable policies that allow
students who have received credits for prior learning to transfer credits from
one school of nursing to another. The American Association of Colleges of
Nursing issued a similar position statement in 1998. The feasibility of these
statements has increased in part because of governmental support, specifically
Title II of the Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002.
This legislation
funded mobility programs in a variety of ways to retain qualified nurses and to
combat the nursing shortage. Efforts to support mobility programs have resulted
in many different degree articulation models. Some of these models are state
mandated whereas others are voluntary. For example, some states have
legislation in place mandating academic credit transfer from associate degree
nursing programs to baccalaureate degree programs (AACN, 2006a).
This model
prevents graduates of associate degree nursing programs from encountering
barriers to degree advancement, which can occur if baccalaureate programs do
not accept academic credits from associate degree nursing programs. Voluntary
programs, on the other hand, also exist to streamline the process of advancing
from one degree to another. Some of these articulation programs are statewide
initiatives (AACN), whereas others are agreements that exist between schools or
within healthcare institutions (Eckhardt & Froehlich, 2004).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobility Programs
Regardless of
the mobility options available, those considering a nursing career must weigh
the advantages and disadvantages of mobility programs. On one hand they offer
students flexible and dynamic options for advancing nursing careers. They are
also often affordable and accessible and can expedite particular nursing
degrees. For instance, students who wish to start their nursing career as an
associate degree–prepared registered nurse can attend a community
college.
Once they decide
to pursue a baccalaureate degree, they can continue working as an RN and complete
an online baccalaureate completion program or a program at a nearby college or
university. Or they may decide to pursue a master's degree in nursing and opt
to enroll in an RN-MSN program. Possible disadvantages of mobility options can
include, but are not limited to, increased time commitments to complete
coursework, problems with transferring credits from school to school and
gaining credit for prior learning, and risks associated with returning to
school when one is faced with competing demands .
For example,
students who complete an associate degree program in 2 years and then return to
school for a baccalaureate degree may return to school and struggle through
completing this degree on a part-time basis. Career and family commitments and
demands may mean it takes longer to complete a baccalaureate degree than if
pursuing the baccalaureate degree to begin with. These students may also
encounter barriers in transferring credits and may need to show evidence of
prior learning that can count toward their baccalaureate degree.
Regardless of
the mobility program a student chooses, the likelihood of his or her success
within it depends on the school's willingness to develop flexible and creative
curricula (Boland & Finke, 2005). In response to the need for nurses
prepared with baccalaureate and higher degrees, many schools of nursing are
indeed designing flexible curricula and delivery methods that can accommodate
learners returning to school to pursue nursing degrees.
Accreditation in Nursing Education
Accreditation is
a process by which an institution's (eg, school of nursing's) programs,
policies, and practices are reviewed by an external accrediting body to
determine whether professional standards are being met. Accreditation can also
be considered to be a means of fostering continuous quality improvement in
programs as the faculty also participate in the process to review and reflect
upon all aspects of their program, with the goal of maintaining and improving
quality. Schools of nursing are accredited by the National League for Nursing
Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and/or the American Association of Colleges of
Nursing Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Both NLNAC and
CCNE are approved by the US Department of Education. The NLNAC accredits all
nursing programs, whereas the CCNE limits it accreditation to BSN and MSN
programs, and will eventually accredit DNP programs. Participation in the
accreditation process of either NLNAC or CCNE is essentially a voluntary activity
that schools undertake for the professional and public acknowledgment of the
quality of their programs.
Although
accreditation by NLNAC or CCNE is a voluntary activity, it is an extremely
meaningful one to the school and its students, because in some cases students
can be denied access to scholarships/grants or admission to graduate programs
if they are not enrolled in or graduates of a professionally accredited school.
In addition to nursing's professional accrediting bodies, all schools of
nursing are required to be accredited by the appropriate state board of
nursing. Rules and regulations governing the operation and curricula of schools
of nursing can be found in state board of nursing practice acts.
The quality of
nursing programs is measured through nationally established standards or
criteria. Standards can include such things as how the school is fulfilling its
mission and philosophy, how its curriculum is preparing students for nursing
practice, and to what extent the qualifications of nursing faculty facilitate
preparing future nurses.
The NLNAC and CCNE accredit schools for a period of time, usually 8-10 years, depending upon the agency and the review findings. Throughout the accreditation period, schools continue to use professional standards as benchmarks to evaluate their program, making necessary changes to ensure they maintain quality.
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