Alabama, AL | RN to BSN Nursing School Program

• Why Do an RN to BSN in Alabama?

The targeted learners for an RN to BSN are working RNs who want to further their education while remaining in the workforce. This is made possible through flexible class schedules, including the option of distance education and online courses. Essentially, currently working RNs are able to greatly improve their knowledge and skills on a schedule that keeps them working. Another attraction is that an RN to BSN can often be completed in as little as a year, which is possible through NLN Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exams, which test knowledge in nursing processes and skills, medical and surgical processes and knowledge, pediatrics, mental health and maternal newborn care, and place currently working nurses for accelerated education. Basically, NLN exams assess the current level of a nurse’s skills and knowledge and allow them to skip certain training if their on-the-job training and experience has given them the requisite components of those courses already. This allows currently employed Registered Nurses to tailor individual coursework to their needs and to reach career goals. Indeed, an RN to BSN in Alabama is a way for currently working RNs to improve their skills and knowledge, and in turn improve their job opportunities while remaining in the work force.

• How to Do an RN to BSN in Alabama, AL

A dozen institutions offer RN to BSN programs in Alabama and about half of them are available online including that offered by the University of Alabama. Minimum acceptance requirements vary, but, like all nursing programs only the best applicants are usually accepted—it is best to check with the school of choice about whether your grades are sufficient. Usually, prerequisite courses have been completed on the way to an RN via AND, but there may be particular courses that are required based on your school of choice—another thing worth considering when choosing a program. And like an ADN, admission to general studies is required before applying to a nursing school. Once accepted to the respective college of nursing, students take courses in areas such as nursing research, community health, leadership, nurse management and upper level electives that allow for further specialization of knowledge during an RN to BSN.

There is no final test to achieve a BSN beyond those in coursework—before entry you have already passed the NCLEX-RN. There is, however, a minimum GPA required to graduate, usually a 2.5 or C average. And once a student has graduated, many newfound opportunities for career advancement open up. Newfound skills in critical thinking and research apply to a broad range of topics, and the exposure to specialized knowledge streams can lead to both public and private sector research positions and both within and beyond a traditional health care setting such as a hospital or clinic. With an average Registered Nurse’s salary sitting around $59,000* in urban areas of Alabama, this can also mean that graduates of an RSN to BSN program have the opportunity to move to the higher end of the nursing salary scale.

Find Rn to BSN Degree Programs in These popular cities: Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Hoover, Dothan, Decatur, Auburn, Madison, Florence, Gadsden, Vestavia Hills, Prattville, Phenix City, Alabaster, Bessemer, Enterprise, Opelika, Homewood, Northport

*Salary Information provided by Salary.com