The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded a $750,000 grant to the University of Nevada and Nevada State College in 2008 to help facilitate access to RN to BSN programs for the state’s ADN-educated RNs. As of 2008, only 37 percent of Nevada’s RNs held a BSN, and the percentage fell to 22 percent in Nevada’s rural areas.
The grant cited information from research studies indicating that patients under the care of RNs with BSNs experienced fewer problems and deaths than patients of ADN-educated RNs. After changes were made to RN to BSN programs in Nevada to make them more “nurse friendly” (such as changes to the curriculum and lowering tuition), enrollment in Nevada’s RN to BSN programs has increased 20 percent.
The Nevada Organization of Nurse Leaders is also promoting RN to BSN education for the state’s nurses. It offers yearly scholarships to deserving RN to BSN, MSN, and PhD or DNP students statewide. Likewise, the Nevada Nurses Association offers scholarships to RN to BSN students in the state, and encourages schools and employers to work with RNs who are pursuing BSNs by accommodating their scheduling needs.
Enrolling in RN to BSN Degree Programs in Nevada
Post-licensure programs, such as RN to BSN degree programs, are not regulated by the Nevada Board of Nursing the same way pre-licensure programs are. Schools that offer RN to BSN degree programs in Nevada are found online, and on-campus in these cities:
- Reno
- Las Vegas
- Elko
- Henderson
Prerequisites and Entrance Requirements
Each RN to BSN program carries its own requirements that must be fulfilled before an RN can be admitted. While schools vary in their policies and procedures, generally an RN must meet the following criteria prior to admission to an RN to BSN program in Nevada:
- Possess an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a nursing diploma
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and a nursing-specific GPA of 3.0 in the ADN program
- Possess a current, valid Nevada RN license
- Have completed the following prerequisite coursework (may amount from 40 to 50 credits depending upon the institution):
- English composition
- College math
- Chemistry
- Life science
- Social science (psychology or sociology)
- Fine arts
- Humanities
- American history
- Cultural diversity in healthcare
- Development across the lifespan
Components of Nevada RN to BSN Programs
RN to BSN programs in Nevada are offered online and in-person. Courses are not uniform among all programs, but generally include:
- Statistics
- Anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- Fundamentals of nutrition
- Concepts of nursing
- Nursing research
- Nursing leadership
- Community nursing
- Pharmacology
- Nursing informatics
- Physical assessment
- Pathophysiology processes
- Clinical experience
The practicum, or clinical experience, places the RN to BSN student into university affiliate hospitals and other facilities with clinical agreements in place:
- Valley Hospital- Las Vegas
- Carson-Tahoe Hospital- Carson City
- University Medical Center- Las Vegas
- Rose Dominican Hospital- Henderson
- Northern Nevada Medical Center- Sparks
- Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center- Las Vegas
- Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital- Elko
- Centennial Hills Hospital- Las Vegas
Nevada Hospitals That Help Support RNs Entering RN to BSN Programs
According to US News and World Report, Nevada is home to about 60 hospitals statewide. Medical facilities in Nevada realize the importance of advanced nursing education, and some are showing this by assisting their RNs as they enter RN to BSN programs.
Notable medical institutions in Nevada that assist their RNs in pursuing educational opportunities include:
Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare – Carson City
Carson Tahoe serves Northern Nevada with three hospitals, two urgent care facilities and other medical support centers. It is notable for offering new LungGPS technology for minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. Carson Tahoe supports its nurses in five stages of nursing expertise—novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient and expert. In addition to offering free continuing education and training courses for employees, the medical center offers RNs the chance to work in specialized areas including cardiovascular, rehabilitation, cardiac and vascular catheterization laboratory, intensive care, women and children, medical oncology, telemetry, emergency, and surgery.
Summerlin Hospital- Las Vegas
Located in Las Vegas’ planned Summerlin community, Summerlin Hospital is a 148-bed general medical/surgical hospital. Although it is smaller in size than some Nevada hospitals, Summerlin treats its registered nurses well, offering tuition reimbursement for those who enroll in RN to BSN programs, as well as a Nurse Residency Program for new graduates. Dedicated education units at Summerlin work in partnership with the University of Nevada Las Vegas to offer continuing nursing education at all levels.
Renown Health (formerly Washoe Health System)– Reno
The leading healthcare network in Northern Nevada, Renown Health offers all employees, including RNs in RN to BSN degree programs, tuition reimbursement, as well as flexible scheduling to ensure that they can make it to class. Furthermore, Renown Health has relationships with leading Nevada colleges and universities, including the University of Nevada Reno. Listed among SDI Innovations’ Top 100 Integrated Health Network Organizations, Renown offers increased pay to RNs who expand their clinical skills through national certifications, membership in professional organizations, teaching, mentoring and more.
Obtaining a BSN degree in a Nevada RN to BSN program greatly increases the number and type of jobs an RN may pursue. Examples of titles of jobs in Nevada for RNs holding BSNs include:
- Chief Quality Management Service RN – Las Vegas
- RN Staff Development Coordinator- Reno
- Cath Lab Nurse Manager- Las Vegas
- Senior Case Manager RN – Reno
- Wound Care Manager RN – Mesquite