In 1991, the State of New York conducted a study, published by the Milbank Memorial Fund in 2001, clearly showing that BSN-educated RNs commit far fewer errors than ADN-educated RNs.
The Healthcare Association of New York State’s Workforce Advocacy Survey Results reveal that the top rated barriers keeping RNs from enrolling in RN to BSN programs are scheduling conflicts and a need for financial assistance. Because of this, the Future of Nursing New York State Action Coalition is working to create pathways for working RNs to achieve higher levels of education, through seamless, fast, and flexible RN to BSN programs.
Along with this, the New York State Nursing Workforce Center published the New York State Nursing Schools and Faculty Report: 2010-2011, which called for adequate funding for New York RNs who want to return to school, namely, tuition reimbursement programs, federal and state aid, and private scholarships.
Despite the effort to promote baccalaureate-level education for RNs, only 29% of New York RNs are BSN-educated, according to the Healthcare Association of New York State’s Workforce Advocacy Survey Results.
To help facilitate BSN-level education among New York’s RNs, area hospitals, such as New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, have begun offering tuition assistance and tuition reimbursement as a part of total employee benefits packages, allowing RNs to return to school without missing a beat in their career.
Further, RNs benefit from BSN-education on a personal level since baccalaureate-level degree programs prepare RNs to be eligible for nursing education and nursing management jobs. For example, below are listings from February 2015 showing just a few of the job opportunities open to BSN-educated RNs in New York State:
- RN Staff Educator – Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, Inc., Hampton Bays
- Clinical Practice Nurse – Weill Cornell Medical College, New York
- Risk Manager – The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn
- Nurse Manager – Nyack Hospital, Nyack
Enrolling in RN to BSN Programs in New York
RN to BSN programs are created to be finished quickly and easily, through online courses that RNs can complete at their own pace. To be admitted into a New York RN to BSN program, current RNs must meet the following admissions criteria:
- Hold and Associate’s Degree in Nursing
- Have an Active New York State RN License
Although GPA requirements for different schools differ, some selective New York RN to BSN programs require up to a 3.25 GPA during the RN’s ADN education.
In addition to online programs, New York State is also home to many New York Board of Nursing-Approved Baccalaureate Programs, including, but not limited to, those found in the following cities:
- Oneonta
- Delhi
- Syracuse
- Morrisville
- Utica
- Rochester
- Old Westbury
- Bethpage
- Bronx
- Brooklyn
- New York
- Staten Island
- Jamaica
Components and Structure of RN to BSN Programs in New York
Offered almost entirely on line, RN to BSN programs are created to flexibly mold around RN’s already busy work and life schedule, allowing RNs to advance their career painlessly. Created to complement the RN’s previous ADN education, RN to BSN programs in New York accept the transfer credits from an RN’s previous education, then consist of two parts: liberal arts and general education requirements, and professional nursing education requirements:
Liberal Arts and General Education:
- English Composition
- Quantitative Reasoning: Introduction to Statistics
- Social Science: General Psychology
- Natural Science: Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Significant Research Writing
Professional Nursing Education Requirements:
- Nursing and Societal Forces
- Nursing Culturally Diverse Families
- Nursing Research and Theory
- Promotion of Wellness in the Community
- Advancement of Roles and Relationships in Professional Nursing
- Health Assessment
RN to BSN programs will have shortened clinical hours, with RNs able to complete them at their current work location or at hospitals close to home. Just a few New York hospitals that offer clinical hours include, but are not limited to, the following:
- New York – Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell – New York
- NYU Langone Medical Center – New York
- Mount Sinai Hospital – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island
Once RNs have obtained a BSN, they can move on to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing. MSNs are the foundation to advanced nursing career and education opportunities.
New York Hospitals that Facilitate RN to BSN Progression for Employees
To help significantly improve patient care, RN job satisfaction, and RN career advancement opportunities, New York hospitals, including, but not limited to, the following, are offering employed RNs tuition assistance benefits.
NYU Langone Medical Center – New York
Ranked #2 in New York by U.S. News and World Report, the Langone Medical Center is a 791-bed facility with over 38,000 admissions per year. Connected to one of the nation’s preeminent medical schools, and dedicated to patient care, research, and education, this medical center offers employed RNs tuition benefits and educational assistance.
Mount Sinai Hospital – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island
This internationally acclaimed hospital is home to over 1000 beds and is noted in the top 20 hospitals in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report. Believing in a commitment to quality and education, Mount Sinai supports RNs to help them practice nursing at the highest professional level possible. To do this, RN benefits include training opportunities, residency programs for new graduates, and liberal tuition-reimbursement programs.
St. Francis Hospital – Roslyn
U.S. News and World Report ranks this hospital as the #4 best hospital in the state of New York. St. Francis’s philosophy on nursing care is team and patient centered. To support RNs in providing excellent patient care, St. Francis offers part- and full-time employees tuition assistance, helping them return to school and advance their career.
For just a few more of the many New York hospitals that offer tuition assistance, consider the following:
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – New York
- UR Medicine Strong Memorial Hospital – Rochester
- Hospital for Special Surgery – New York