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Increasing Rn to Bsn Enrollment

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Increasing RN-BSN Enrollment
Fall B 2011

Increasing RN-BSN Enrollments: Facilitating Articulation through Curriculum Reform
Introduction
Expanding opportunities, raising potentials, and providing an “edge” have been the prevailing theme in several studies in this article that investigates the motivations of RNs to receive their BSN (Spencer, 2008). Increasing RN-BSN enrollments: facilitating articulation through curriculum reform is an article published in the Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing in the July, 2008 issue, written by Janine Spencer. The writer presents an overview of the associate degree and the diploma nurse to obtain a baccalaureate in nursing. The article presents studies that support this view and the advantages of obtaining a BSN degree in nursing. SUMMARY In the profession of nursing there are currently three pathways in which a nurse can obtain licensure: the diploma, the associate degree, and the baccalaureate degree (Spencer, 2008). The article further explains professional nursing organizations views, and discusses key points, in which a baccalaureate of science in nursing (BSN) degree should be the minimum educational requirement for professional nursing practice. These organizations also support flexible admission criteria for the diploma nurse and the associate degree nurses hoping to encourage these nurses to complete a BSN degree in nursing (Spencer, 2008).
The advantage of the nurse to obtain a baccalaureate education provides a broader knowledge base. The BSN program consists of an additional year of training which includes: research, theory, community health, and leadership content. The program includes a foundation in nursing that provides a wider range of general education courses and exposes the nurse to formal research classes. This type of classes can assist with evidence-based practice and lead

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