Indiana University East School of Nursing will be participating with other IU campuses to provide an online option for registered nurses who are interested in earning a bachelor’s degree.  This online RN to BSN degree completion program will allow registered nurses to complete a bachelor’s degree.

IU East joined the Digital Accessible RN to BSN Program through the Indiana University School of Nursing. The RN to BSN is a consortium including all eight of IU’s campuses that allows registered nurses to complete a bachelor’s degree.

According to the IU School of Nursing, the consortium is the first of its kind for Indiana University. The distance education accessible program delivers quality, convenient, cost-effective and contemporary online RN to BSN education that meets the needs of the nursing workforce in Indiana.

Major components of the distance accessible RN to BSN Program include:
•    A rolling admissions process so that student can begin when they are ready
•    Decreased time to graduation as nursing courses can be completed in 12 months
•    And new nursing electives that enhance expertise in targeted areas.

Currently, IU East offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program and a RN to BSN Mobility Option degree completion program. The mobility option is offered to students at IU East’s Richmond campus and off-campus sites in Lawrenceburg and Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. The Lawrenceburg program enrolls 25 students while Good Samaritan has 19 and Richmond has 37 nursing students. Enrollment could increase as registration continues through the start of fall classes, which began August 30.

The mobility option will continue to be offered to IU East nursing students.

“The benefit is now registered nurse students have another option to pursue their BSN degree. All of our students in the consortium will have access to all of IU East’s resources and will work alongside students throughout the state and nation through the IU School of Nursing,”  said Dean of Nursing Karen Clark.

Indiana University nursing faculty are recognized nationwide for their leadership and expertise in teaching and scientific research. Nurses in the program can reach these award-winning faculty from their own computers and bring that knowledge directly to their patients.

“Patient care outcomes are directly linked to the education of the nursing workforce.  Offering Indiana nurses accessible and affordable educational mobility opportunities that advance their knowledge and skills ensures that patients are the recipients of the best care based on the most up-to-date practice evidence available.  As nurse employers look to increase the numbers of bachelor prepared nurses, this statewide program is well situated to address this growing demand,” said Donna Boland, PhD, RN, ANEF, president of Indiana Nursing Workforce Development Coalition (INWDC).

“We’re being responsive to the needs of people living in our community. We realize onsite courses don’t work for everyone and that’s why we’ve joined the consortium,” Clark said. “The nursing workforce needs are apparent in our communities, especially for BSN nurses as our complex health care system warrants more nurses prepared at that level.”

For more information, go online to the IU East School of Nursing website at iue.edu/nursing or contact Chad Beanblossom, advisor for the School of Nursing, at (765) 973-8353 or e-mail chadbean@iue.edu.