A 2012 joint statement from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the National League for Nursing, states an expectation for schools and hospitals to promote nursing education, by supporting RNs efforts to pursue BSNs.
Due to many publicized statements of these types, New Hampshire hospitals, such as Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital in Lebanon, offer tuition reimbursement for employed RNs wanting to enroll in an RN to BSN program.
Just a few examples of the career advancement opportunities that are open to New Hampshire RNs with BSN degrees:
- Administrator III, Quality Assurance & Improvement Nurse – Office of Medicaid, Concord
- Clinical Nurse Manager – Elliot Hospital, Manchester
- Nurse Informaticist – Manchester
- Nurse Educator – ED – Exeter Hospital, Exeter
In 2013, the Charting Nursing’s Future newsletter, published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, stated that BSN degrees were directly related to better patient outcomes. The level of education RNs have directly affects the well-being of patients, along with bringing higher nursing salaries, nursing job satisfaction, and access to advancement opportunities.
Enrolling in RN to BSN Programs in New Hampshire
RN to BSN programs in New Hampshire are designed to complement an RN’s previous ADN education, providing them complementary courses in as little as 16 months. New Hampshire RNs who would like to enroll in RN to BSN programs should meet the following admissions criteria:
- Hold an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from an Accredited Program
- Hold an Active, Unencumbered RN License in New Hampshire
Different schools will require different GPA standards, anywhere from 2.0 to 3.0 throughout the RN’s ADN program.
New Hampshire is home to many RN-BSN programs, including those located in the following cities:
- New London
- Nashua
- Portsmouth
- Manchester
- Concord
- Keene
- Plymouth
A number of programs are also offered online as a way to encourage registered nurses to continue their education, According to the Department of Health.
Obtaining a BSN is the foundation to moving onto higher-level nursing education, such as the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Although GPA requirements differ among schools, many New Hampshire MSN programs require the following, basic admissions criteria:
- Hold a BSN from an Accredited Program
- Hold a 2.8 GPA or Higher in BSN Program
- Have Successfully Completed Statistics Course (in BSN program)
- Hold Current, Unencumbered RN License in New Hampshire
Components of RN to BSN Programs in New Hampshire
Although each school is different, RNs will generally be able to transfer up to 90 credits into New Hampshire RN to BSN programs. After that, they will finalize the liberal arts and nursing courses needed to fulfill a BSN, generally through an easy and flexible online format.
The following are a list of liberal arts and nursing courses that may be included in New Hampshire RN to BNS programs:
RN to BSN Nursing Courses
- Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Community and Public Health Nursing
- Context for High Quality Care
- Nursing Leadership and Management in Health Care Systems
- Biomedical Ethics
- Pathophysiology
- Research Project in Nursing
Clinical Hours
The clinical experiences that RN to BSN programs require are normally shortened, and RNs may complete them at many different local hospitals, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital
- Concord Hospital
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
- New London Hospital
- Elliot Hospital
- Joseph’s Hospital
- New Hampshire Area Schools
New Hampshire Hospitals that Facilitate RN to BSN Programs for Employees
To help lower patient mortality rates, promote nursing job satisfaction, and help RNs advance to higher-level nursing careers, many New Hampshire hospitals offer educational assistance programs as part of employee benefits packages.
Included below are just a few of the hospitals in New Hampshire offering this type of assistance.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center – Lebanon
Ranked as the number one hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News and World Report, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is a 388-bed facility that admitted almost 20,000 patients in the last year data was available. Believing that education is the foundation of success, Dartmouth-Hitchcock offers tuition assistance to all eligible RN employees.
St. Joseph Hospital – Nashua
This Magnet-designated hospital claims to have nurses that are “the best of the best,” delivering excellent, unique, and personal nursing care. To offer the best of the best, St. Joseph offers all levels of nursing employees tuition assistance to advance their career.
Androscoggin Valley Hospital – Berlin
The U.S. News and World Report ranks this Critical Access Hospital among the top five hospitals in New Hampshire. RNs employed in this fast-paced environment must conduct themselves with top-notch excellence, and to do so, Androscoggin Valley Hospital offers education assistance and tuition assistance to employed RNs.
For just a few other hospitals in New Hampshire that assist RNs in their education, consider the following:
- Cheshire Medical Center – Keene
- Concord Hospital – Concord
- Cottage Hospital – Woodsville