RN to BSN Programs in Arizona

The specific focus of RN to BSN programs in Arizona is to allow currently employed Registered Nurses further their education while continuing to work. They are often available as night classes and/or online, and even afford the opportunity for advanced placement through NLN Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exams. These standardized exams test current knowledge in various areas of nursing and allow students to receive advancement placement based on where they currently stand with regards to nursing processes and skills, medical and surgical processes and knowledge, pediatrics, mental health and maternal newborn care, and more. This allows currently employed Registered Nurses to tailor individual coursework to their needs and to reach career goals, and do so in a timely fashion.

RN to BSN programs are not offered by all schools in Arizona. However, there are online options available through such schools as The University of Phoenix, meaning they can be completed from almost anywhere in the state. Requirements for entry are similar to other nursing school requirements, such as a minimum of a 2.5 GPA. And like an ADN or BSN, admission to general studies is required before applying to a nursing school. After acceptance into an RN to BSN program, students take courses in nursing research, leadership, family and community health, community assessment and upper level electives that allow for further specialization of knowledge during an RN to BSN—topics such as health care law, community health education, pharmaceutical research and more. It is also possible to take any number of electives from a school’s science department; with the right prerequisites RN to BSN students in Arizona may take anything from upper level physiology to abnormal psychology and philosophy of health.

An Arizona RN to BSN program has minimum requirements for graduation—usually around a C average—but does not include a final test like the NCLEX. The skills gained in research, critical thinking, and assorted specialized topics helps open doors in both public and private sector workplaces. Leadership and management skills offer the opportunity for advancement in current occupational settings as well. And while an average Registered Nurse’s salary sits around $65,000 in Arizona, graduates of an RSN to BSN program have the opportunity to earn higher wages than those who lack a BSN.