Bachelor’S Degree in Nursing

There is quite a bit of data out there that shows that the healthcare field is one that is not only stable, but one that is growing.  And while you might be interested in working in this field, you don't feel that becoming a registered nurse would be a good fit for you.

Have you considered a Medical or Health Services Manager?  As a manager, you plan direct and coordinate medical and health services.  You might manage an entire facility or a specific clinical area or department.  Some also manage practices for groups of physicians.  

And while the majority of these jobs are located in a hospital setting, you can also work in long term healthcare facilities or even insurance companies.   You will be working with physicians and surgeons, registered nurses and possibly medical and clinical laboratory technicians.  

So, what is entailed in becoming a Health Services Manager?  You can work through The College Network to obtain your Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from Regis University.  Because of the convenience of an online education, you can continue to work and gain professional experience at the same time.

This program also requires an internship at an approved health care facility of your choice.  When you graduate with your Bachelor's degree, you will have practical experience and the comparative knowledge that you need to be successful.  There are many exciting options available to you with your degree.

Please reach out to us today at (800) 39-LEARN to find out more about your future in Healthcare Administration.   

I have been speaking to nurses this week to help write success stories for those that have earned their Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing degrees.  These nurses are graduating with degrees from Regis University.  

One of the nurses I spoke with had been a registered nurse for 20 years and never planned to go back to school.  She worked in a hospital and was on the floor, taking care of patients.  Her employer came to her and offered her a new position that required her to have her master's degree.   She took the new job but it was contingent upon her obtaining her degree.  

Once she enrolled, she was very surprised to learn how much she loved learning and how many doors it opened up for her personally and professionally.  In fact she enjoyed the experience so much, she is moving forward to start on her doctorate in the fall.  

Not to say it wasn't hard.  She will be the first to tell you that she worked full time while earning her degree and had to find time to study and stay motivated.  But, it is definitely achievable.  She will proudly walk across that stage in Denver, Colorado at Regis University to receive her diploma.  

Wherever you are in your career and education, we may be able to help you move to the next level.  At The College Network, we work with nurses who are just starting their careers and those that are established and want to take on new challenges.  With some hard work and dedication, you too can look forward to walking across the stage, being handed your diploma and starting the new chapter in your life.  Call us today at (800) 39-LEARN, and we'll help you get there.  

The College Network would like to extend a special Thank You to all nurses in honor of National Nurses Week! We know how hard you work every day of the year to help other people in need, and your acts of kindness and compassion are truly selfless.

At The College Network, we take pride in helping people work towards their dream career in nursing. Whether you're looking to become an RN or earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing degrees, we've got a program for you.

We work with reputable universities to offer convenient, online nursing degree programs that are fully accredited. When you sign up to earn your nursing degree with help from The College Network, you can begin right away, because with our programs there is never a waiting list.

Thank You, again, to all of the nurses out there for your hard work and dedication to improving the quality of life of so many people. And, for those who would like to join the more than 150,000 nurses who have chosen to advance their education with help from The College Network, we look forward to helping you!

There is a great debate between those who see the value of a college degree and those that feel you will never get your money's worth by having your degree.  It is an ongoing discussion, but here are some facts and opinions about having a college degree.

If you look simply at your earning potential by having a degree, the median weekly salary for someone with a college degree is $1053 versus someone with some college but no degree as $719.  If you add that up, there is a difference of almost $17,000 a year.  You also have to keep in mind that you will probably have better benefits offered to you in a salaried position.  

Unemployment has been high in the last couple of years as we all know.  If you look at the difference between someone with a degree, the more educated you are the lower the employment rate, and someone with a diploma you will also see that having an education does help.  If you look at the chart below from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you will see both points illustrated.  

At The College Network, we can help you with your online education so you can gain your degree.  Whether you are pursuing your Bachelor's, Associate's or continuing your education by obtaining a professional certificate.  We offer you so many options.  You can graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business from Bellevue University, or become a registered nurse with your Associate of Science in Nursing.  You can even become a certified Project Management Professional. 

The truth is that with a college education, you are going to have more options.  To me, it really doesn't seem like there is much a debate.  So, call us today at (800) 39-LEARN to find out more about how to earn your degree.  

 

U.S. News and World Report stated in a recent article, "As medicine has grown more complex and sophisticated, so have the skills needed to practice it. Pharmacists don't just dispense pills any longer; they develop medication regimens and counsel patients on how to follow them. And nurse practitioners are now for many people the main source of primary care, the experts who diagnose those aches and pains and then write the prescriptions that relieve them."

Let's talk about the number 6. It's my lucky number. But it's also much more than that. Here are some very interesting facts about the number 6.

Did you know?

• 6 is the smallest perfect number.
• 6 is the atomic number of carbon.
• The cells of a beehive honeycomb are 6-sided. 
• There are 6 strings on a standard guitar. 
• LeBron James wears the number 6 on his jersey.
• Every Braille cell is made up of 6 dots.
• John Quincy Adams was the 6th president of the United States.
• Insects have 6 legs.
• 6 points are scored for a touchdown.
• The standard term of office for a United States senator is 6 years.
• It is said that there are no more than 6 degrees of separation between any two people on Earth.

So, why bring up the number 6?  Did you know that with our EARN program, when you refer 6 people to The College Network who enroll into a degree program, we will pay for your remaining TCN loan balance? It doesn't matter if you are currently obtaining your Associate Degree in Nursing, Bachelors in Business, or any other degree offered through The College Network and our leading university affiliates online--you can take advantage of the EARN program.

Here's how it works. When you refer someone to The College Network and they become a customer, you receive $200 for that referral after 90 days from when they started in their program. Then you continue to receive $200 for each referral you make after that. If you add it up, 5 referrals=$1,000.  Then when you reach your 6th referral TCN will pay for your remaining contract portion of your program. Or if you have already paid for your program in full, we will pay for 75% of your contract amount. Pretty amazing, isn't it? Click here to review the full program guidelines. 

Take advantage of the EARN program and you'll see why 6 is a magic number too. (And, you can still refer someone after your program is paid for and continue to EARN $200 for each referral.) If you're ready to start adding up your referrals, feel free to contact me at 317-566-2647 or email at tfernkas@collegenetwork.com.  

You may have heard about the nursing student education dilemma that's currently happening in the U.S. There are more student's applying to nursing programs at brick and mortar schools than these institutions can accommodate. As a result, many of the students are getting turned away.

Did you know that with The College Network's distance nursing programs, you can begin working towards your degree whenever you are ready? That's right, with our nursing programs from leading universities there is never a waiting list to get started!

Once you enroll, you can complete your degree in as little or as much time as you like. Our online nursing programs are designed with you in mind, and with the understanding that life happens. You should be able to earn your degree on your own time, and with our programs that's exactly what you can do.

We offer fully accredited online Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's in Nursing degrees from top nursing schools. If you would like to learn more, visit our web site or call and speak to one of our Program Advisors at 1-800-395-1014.

If you're thinking about earning an online nursing degree, you may have heard about The College Network, but maybe you aren't exactly sure who we are and maybe you aren't exactly certain how our programs work?

Well, let's start from the beginning. We are very seasoned in our industry as we have been around for nearly two decades. The College Network first began helping people reach their educational dreams in 1992, and since then we have helped more than 150,000 nurses begin their journey toward advanced education!

As for how our programs work, we partner with reputable universities to offer associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees, which are regionally accredited. With our online Comprehensive Learning Modules you can take equivalency exams to earn college credit.

Each online nursing degree program is designed with you in mind, and the programs are self-paced. You can complete your degree in as much or as little time as you choose so that you do not have to interrupt your daily life. The most important thing to remember is that you are your own boss here, so you are in charge of how long it takes you to earn your degree.

One of the best things about enrolling in one of our online nursing degree programs is that you won't have to deal with any waiting lists. You can get signed up and begin working towards your degree right away! If you would like to learn more about our online nursing degree programs, click here and follow the link the the video demo.

 

 

 

 

According to U.S. News and World Report, "Students graduating with a bachelor's degree in nursing entered the workforce to the tune of nearly $50,000 in 2011—the average starting salary for new grads was $48,100—making it one of the top-paying professions for new graduates outside of engineering and information technology." It's difficult to ignore a statistic like this, especially when nursing is a career field struggling to reach its recruitment numbers.

If you're an LPN making 18 dollars an hour (that's $37,000 dollars a year if you're working full time), the salary jump between degrees is enormous. Think about what you could do with over $10,000 more a year. If you got your RN license and worked for 30 years with it, you could possibly make over $300,000 more than you would if you were just an LPN.

When you do your research, you'll realize that there is a plethora of distance nursing programs available to choose from. What can The College Network offer that makes it unique? Partnerships with some of the nation's top universities; personal, friendly academic support; effective Comprehensive Learning Modules; etc.

To learn more about what TCN has to offer, visit our web site.

After working as a Licensed Vocational Nurse for a long time, Elizabeth Hill decided to begin working towards her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Indiana State University with help from The College Network™.

“I thought it would be a great way to earn my BSN that would be a lot more convenient as a working, divorced mom. I need to earn more income, and becoming an RN is the way to go for me since I love the nursing field and have been an LVN for 27 years now,”  Elizabeth explains.

Not only does Elizabeth like the convenience of earning her nursing degree online, she also says this is more affordable than some of the traditional colleges she looked into.

Find out how Elizabeth stays motivated to earn her degree by reading more of her story, or call 1-800-395-1014 to find out how you can begin your online educational journey.

Many LPNs dream of moving forward and becoming a registered nurse someday.  And the majority of people decide that the best way to do this is by earning their Associate of Science in Nursing degree.  But, did you know that you also have the option to earn your BS in Nursing as an LPN?

The College Network partners with Indiana State University to offer an LPN/LVN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.  You can fulfill your dream of becoming an RN while earning your Bachelor's at the same time.  

This might sound like a daunting prospect, but it is very doable and you can be successful in this program.  Would it help to hear from other LPNs that achieved their degree?These are nurses just like you that worked hard and overcame obstacles to reach their goal. You can check out their success stories to give you inspiration.  Just click here to find their stories.  

If you would like to find out more about how you can best reach your goal--please give us a call at (800) 39-LEARN.  We will make sure that we find the right program to help you become an RN.  

For Mosi Asabi, nursing is the perfect career. “I wanted to be able to enjoy a comfortable living while doing the job I love,” she said. “Nursing is a very rewarding experience, helping others physically, but also emotionally.”

Mosi wants to expand her nursing career and she knows that earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is the ticket to doing so. Because of her busy schedule, she needed a program that would allow her to work towards her degree without interrupting her life.

“I work over 40 hours a week, and The College Network™ allows me to study and take courses at my own pace. I have continued studying as an adult learner because it keeps my mind open to the world. The bachelor of science program expands one’s knowledge appropriately,” Mosi said. 

Learn more about Mosi's experience with her online BS in Nursing program that she is earning with help from The College Network.

If you are currently enrolled in an online education program for nursing, you may still be contemplating which field of nursing to go into. Some of the first jobs that come to mind are in hospitals, doctor's offices and nursing homes. However, one field of nursing that you may overlook is the school nurse.

Did you know that in order to have the title of a "school nurse" you have to be a Registered Nurse with a minimum of a bachelor's degree and a certificate in school nursing?

The main responsibilities of a school nurse include:

• Enforce compliance with immunization requirements
• Disaster preparedness and emergency protocols
• Manage the care of students with chronic medical conditions
• Health education of students and staff

The average salary for a school nurse is $43,753 annually. One of the most desirable aspects about a career as a school nurse is the hours. Typically you will not work evenings or weekends and many school nurses even get to enjoy the summers off.

Kathy Phillips, a customer of The College Network who earned her LVN to BS in Nursing degree from Indiana State University, has had great success working in a school district in California since earning her degree.  "I have a new job that has doubled my salary from what I was making before. But more than that, I have a job that is much more challenging and rewarding," she says. You can watch Kathy tell her story here or call us at 1-800-395-1014, today, to take the first step towards earning your degree.

I was really hoping for a snow day today.  The weather forecasted inches of snow and that the roads would be impassable.  But lo and behold, I woke up and there was very little snow.  The feeling of disappointment I had was tremendous.  I thought, “wouldn’t it have been great if I could have just spent the day doing what I wanted and didn’t have to work?”

I don’t think I’m alone in this line of thought.  As adults, our time is at a premium and we are committed to doing what we have to do—over what we would like to do. Sometimes we commit to something and then when it is time to deliver, we question why we ever agreed to do it in the first place.

Being in an online degree program can feel that way at times.  Your time is always at a premium because most likely you are working full time and probably have a family as well.  You have to make time to study, even when you feel like you just want to have your own "snow day" and do whatever you would like.  

You might even be questioning why you made the commitment to obtain your Associate Degree in Nursing or your Bachelor's Degree in Nursing.  But you did--and you made the right choice. And, just like I am at work today (and as it turns out I am enjoying sitting here writing to you and glad that I am here) you just have to log on and start through your comprehensive learning modules.  You will be motivated the more work you do and the further along you get in your degree program. 

And, if you need some motivation just give us a call at 800 39-LEARN.  We are at The College Network to hear about your day and make you glad that it's not a snow day. 

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) that is. Do you have a nursing degree-perhaps an associates degree, but aren't really sure what your next move should be? If you're like many other nurses you probably love what you do, right? So, how can you stay in the nursing field, but also make a career change? It's simple, earn your bachelors degree in nursing and enjoy the opportunities that will come along with that.

By earning your bachelors degree in nursing you are putting yourself in a category of nursing that will earn a higher salary, have more responsibility and be exposed to more specialized work. Below is a chart indicating the average salary, broken down by years of experience, that nurses who have their BSN make annually.

 


Some of the job opportunities available to BSN nurses are Clinical Nurse Manager, Nursing Director, Nurse Case Manager, Emergency Room RN, Operating Room RN and Nurse Educator. Nurses who have their bachelors degree typically have more job security due to their advanced education and knowledge.

At The College Network we work with several top universities to offer convenient and affordable Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree programs. We have an LPN to BSN program and an RN to BSN program. With our self-paced programs, you can begin working towards your advanced degree with little interruption to your daily life. Most of our customers continue to work full-time, raise a family and still do all of the things the enjoy all while earning their degree.

If would like more information on our online Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs, give us a call today at 1-800-395-1014. 

By now you have probably heard about the projections for growth in the nursing job market over the next several years. R.N. jobs are expected to grow by 22% by the year 2018 meaning there should be around 582,000 new nursing jobs between now and then. If you are a recent graduate from a nursing program or are preparing to graduate soon, there are many options for RN careers. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects growth for four different industries within the nursing field and they are as follows: Offices of physicians  48%, Home health care services  33%, Nursing care facilities  25%, Hospitals, both public and private  17%.

Although hospitals are the largest industry in healthcare, the job growth is expected to slow down. The reason being is that more procedures are being done in doctor's offices and outpatient centers these days. The aging baby boomer generation will contribute to the need for more jobs in home health and nursing care facilities.

The average RN salary is around $62,000 annually, with the highest 10% earning more than $90,000 and the lowest 10% earning less than $42,000. A large factor that could affect the salary earned is the nursing school program that was completed by an individual. Those with Bachelor's and Master's degrees are likely to hold positions that have higher salaries.

Whether you've recently completed your nursing program or will be doing so in the near future, you are coming into the nursing job market at an opportune time. And, for those of you thinking of making a career change or about to enter a degree program, nursing is a great choice for a stable career.

I hesitate to bring this subject up--but we're all thinking about it.  It's time for our New Year's resolutions.  I know, groan, groan, groan.  But, it really does give us a great opportunity to take a hard look at our lives and see what is working for us and what isn't.  You can think of it as cleaning house, starting with a clean slate or a resolution.  Resolutions somehow seem more daunting to me, so I prefer to think of it as cleaning house.  

A recent article from U.S. News University Directory reports that more nursing students are choosing to earn bachelor's degrees instead of associate's degrees. The article goes on to state a couple of important facts: "According to a press release, enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased by approximately 3.9% between 2010 and 2011. Additionally, the survey found that enrollment in bachelor's degree completion programs, or RN-to-BSN programs, grew by 13.4%."

More importantly, the article says, "As more students opt to enroll in these courses of study, many schools across the country have found that they are having trouble accommodating so many degree seekers due to faculty or space restrictions. Preliminary data from the report shows that in 2011, about 51,082 qualified students were turned away from 503 entry-level bachelor's degree nursing programs." 

For aspiring bachelor's degree nurses, this is troubling news. Demand for bachelor's degree nurses is still very high, but traditional colleges don't have the means to satisfy the desires of many who wish to earn these degrees. So what can one do? Give The College Network a try. With a myriad of degree programs in nursing, whether associate's, bachelor's, or master's, TCN can possibly help you bypass the long wait lists of some universities by offering convenient higher education online. 

I will admit to you that I can be somewhat of a Grinch at this time of year.  All the hoopla about Black Friday, Cyber Monday, just seems to sink me lower into my "Grinchness." What are we really focusing on here?  Christmas should be about giving of yourself--not giving until your wallet is empty.

I started thinking about those that give of themselves selflessly and focus on bringing joy and comfort.  Of course, I thought of our great nurses out there on the job everyday.  Nurses work 365 days a year, keep that in mind when you are celebrating the day with your family.  It is nurses that answer when you call and they are the ones that are there when you are in pain or need someone to help you. 

This holiday season, I am going to think about what I can give to those that I love.  I am not going to think about where I can buy it, where to order it, where to fight the crowds to find it. I am going to give myself in service.  I will be a babysitter, drive someone to their appointment, grocery shop, house-sit during a trip.  I am going to be there when they call and need me.

Happy holidays from The College Network.  You are a nurse--someone that makes a difference every day.  Whether we have worked with you this year on your Associate degree in Nursing,   Bachelor's degree in nursing, or if you are considering one of our your online degree programs, I wish you the happiest of days.  This Grinch finds herself with a heart that has grown three sizes larger.  

With the growing desire for more nurses to obtain their Bachelor's of Science in Nursing, programs are filling up very quickly.

According to an article from the US News University Directory website, "Preliminary data from the report [completed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing] shows that in 2011, about 51,082 qualified students were turned away from 503 entry-level bachelor's degree nursing programs."