Walden University, a leading provider of online degrees, has a new Bachelor of Science in nursing completion program. It’s designed for working registered nurses who hold a diploma, an associate degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in another field.

“Nurses need to know more every day. It takes more knowledge and skills to succeed in today’s workplace,” said Doris Milton, Ph.D., RN, coordinator of the RN-to-BSN program for Walden University’s School of Nursing.

While BSN degrees are not required for entry-level nursing jobs, they are preferred by many employers. Both the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Nursing Association have issued position statements recommending the BSN as the minimal preparation to practice.

The earnings gap between nurses who have a BSN degree and those who don’t is growing.

“Walden’s new BSN completion program is designed to prepare students for the increased complexity of patient-care delivery and leadership roles in hospitals and other health care organizations,” said Sara Torres, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, associate dean of Walden’s School of Nursing.

The program’s curriculum is based on the 2008 “Essentials of Baccalaureate Education,” published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Online learning for nurses is advantageous for many reasons.

“Most nurses are working 12-hour shifts and are never sure about overtime or shift changes in their schedule,” Milton said. “That makes it difficult to enroll in a traditional classroom program.”

Walden’s accredited program offers nurses the flexibility and convenience of fitting studies around their jobs, families and other responsibilities. The asynchronous format allows nurses to complete the six-week courses on their own schedules. Most nurses take one course at a time so they can focus better.

“Our courses are accelerated, but not abbreviated. Students will get everything they would get in a traditional 15-week semester in those six weeks,” Milton said.

Walden University officials have worked hard to design courses that won’t repeat information that working nurses already know. There’s no clinical instruction, but two of the courses — health assessment and leadership and management — require 45 hours of practical experience.

“We’ll help students find places where they can get this experience close to home so that they don’t have to travel,” Milton said. “We believe this experience will give nurses an advantage when it comes to future employment.”

The program includes 180 quarter-hour credits in general education, lower-division, electives and upper-division courses. Students are required to complete 45 credits at Walden, but the required number of credits will depend on their previous nursing education.

“This program will focus on family health, community health and global health, since disease and health issues cuts across all borders,” Milton said.

Students take courses on trends in nursing, information management in nursing care, pathopharmacology, research and scholarship for evidence-based practice, and leadership competencies in nursing and health care. In addition to instructors, students have access to other nursing experts through DVD lectures.

Another advantage of online learning are the relationships formed with students in other parts of the country.

“Our students are working nurses, so it’s not uncommon for them to pose a nursing practice question to their fellow students in the lounge area [chat room],” Milton said. “This is a friendly environment, where students make strong connections, and the network they form will be a benefit to them in their future.”

Milton said that the university launched the RN-to-BSN program at the request of students who wanted to enroll in Walden’s master’s of nursing program.

“For someone who graduated from a diploma or associate degree program a long time ago, the thought of entering an online master’s program seemed like a huge leap,” she said. “Now, nurses can earn their BSN first, and improve their reading, writing, researching and communicating skills before going on with their education.”

Students may enroll at any time. Walden estimates BSN students to incur average tuition costs and fees of $24,000 to $29,000. For information, go to www.waldenu.edu/bsn or call 1-866-492-5336.