The Kansas City Nursing News reported that, with a growing elderly population in rural areas, and more residents gaining access to healthcare due to the Affordable Care Act, more healthcare providers are needed and will continue to be needed across the state.
The Missouri Center for Nursing and the Missouri Action Coalition agree with the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) recommendation that the percentage of RNs with bachelor’s degrees and higher should increase to 80 percent by 2020. In order to help facilitate this goal, the Missouri Action Coalition is working on analyzing data from ADN to BSN programs to establish best practices and to prepare to meet the needs of RNs returning to school.
The demand for BSN-educated registered nurses is highest within critical care hospitals. As of 2014, the Missouri Center for Nursing found that there were 97,833 licensed RNs in the state. In a survey conducted by the Missouri Center for Nursing, it was found that 44 percent of RN respondents already hold BSNs, though there is a long way to go to meet the stated goal of 80 percent.
Missouri’s RN to BSN Degree Programs
Some of Missouri’s RN to BSN programs feature the convenience of an online, distance learning format, which makes it easier for working RNs to enroll. In addition to online programs, the Missouri Board of Nursing approves RN to BSN programs located within the following cities and towns:
- Hannibal
- University Park
- La Crosse
- Saint Louis
- Stephenville
- New York
- Santa Clarita
- Kansas City
- Conway
Fulfilling the Entry Requirements of RN to BSN Degree Programs in Missouri
Entry requirements for RN to BSN degree programs typically include:
- Hold a current Missouri RN license in good standing (or in another state in which the student practices as an RN)
- Have a minimum 2.75 GPA in ADN program
- Have current health insurance
- Have current malpractice liability insurance
- Have current American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification
- Be up to date on immunizations:
- MMR
- Varicella
- Tetanus
- Hepatitis B
- PPD
- Have completed prerequisite coursework such as:
- Ethics
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Microbiology
- Statistics
- Professional Nursing
- Psychology
- Life Span Development
- Human Nutrition
- Pharmacotherapeutics
RN to BSN Degree Program Course Outline and Structure
Nursing courses that are usually found in Missouri’s RN to BSN degree programs include titles such as:
- Nursing fundamentals
- Assessment
- Child and family nursing
- Maternal and neonatal nursing
- Adult health nursing
- Critical care nursing
- Nursing research
- Professional nursing leadership
- Rural public health
- Community mental health
- Clinical practicum
During the last semester of study in a Missouri RN to BSN degree program, even in an online program, students will be placed in one of the state’s participating hospitals for clinicals. Some participating institutions include:
- Freeman Neosho Hospital – Neosho
- SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Mexico
- Mercy Hospital – Springfield
- Missouri Rehabilitation Center- Mount Vernon
- Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital- Sullivan
- University Hospital – Columbia
- Mercy St. John’s Hospital – Aurora
- Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center – St. Louis
- Carondelet Health – Kansas City and Blue Springs
- Children’s Mercy Hospital – Kansas City
Life After Earning a BSN in Missouri
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2013 Missouri’s RNs averaged a yearly salary of $58,040. Most BSNs in Missouri earn salaries that are between $10,000 and $20,000 more per year than the average RN salary.
Having a BSN makes it much easier to get into a graduate-level nursing program in Missouri, which is necessary in order to become a certified nurse-midwife, certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner in Missouri. Graduate nursing degrees that are often pursued by BSNs in Missouri include:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- PhD in Nursing
- Post-MSN Certificate
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Internal hiring for jobs that involve more clinical responsibilities is typically extended to staff RNs that have gone on to complete BSN programs. Internal job opportunities have been extended to BSN-educated RNs in the following healthcare facilities as of February 2015:
- Case Management Specialist RN – St. Louis
- Cardiac Cath Lab RN – Chesterfield
- Wound Care Ostomy RN – St. Louis
- Critical Care Nurse – Kansas City
- Orthopedic Nurse Navigator- Liberty
- Emergency Room RN – Harrisonville
- RN – Joplin
- Intensive Care Unit RN – Osage Beach
- Dialysis Charge Nurse – Kansas City
- RN – Crystal City