LPN to RN Nursing Programs

If you've considered furthering your nursing education through the pursuit of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you've likely wondered about the potential benefits of holding a BSN. While there are many routes that lead to a solid nursing education, the most direct and beneficial route involves becoming a bachelor's-prepared nurse. In fact, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Initiative on the Future of Nursing feels so strongly about the pursuit of a BSN that it hopes to increase the number of nurses with bachelor's degrees to 80 percent by 2020.

The College Network offers an online LPN to BS in Nursing program as well as several online RN to BS in Nursing programs. Below is a list of three major advantages of completing these programs and earning a bachelor's degree in nursing.

1. More Experience — Nurses who complete a bachelor's degree program have more experience in real-world hospital situations than those with a lesser degree. Most BSN programs require a significant number of clinical hours, which helps students feel more comfortable in the nurse role.
    
2. Broader Knowledge — Nursing bachelor's degree programs dive further into each nursing course and require completion of more courses than associate's degree and diploma programs. This gives students a broader knowledge base and enhances their problem solving and critical thinking skills.
    
3. Expanded Opportunities — With the changing nature of healthcare, hospitals are increasingly looking to staff their nursing units with nurses who have earned at least a BSN. Bachelor's-prepared nurses have a leg up on those who have only an associate's degree, and that helps them stand out when seeking initial employment as well as promotions. Additionally, some positions in the nursing industry (e.g., educator, researcher, and administrator) can only be filled by those with a bachelor's or higher degree.

If you're ready to advance your career with a BSN, contact The College Network today at 1-877-TCN-DEGREE (877-826-3347)!

How will you impact the future of nursing?

We hope you've enjoyed our tribute to influential nurses throughout history in honor of Nurses' Week 2013. These extraordinary women accomplished great things to change the face of healthcare as we know it today. How will you make an impact on the future of nursing?

• LPN/LVN to RN
• LPN/LVN to BS in Nursing
• RN to BS in Nursing
• RN to MS in Nursing
• MS in Nursing

Are you ready to take the next step in your nursing education?

Call us at 1-800-395-1014 or

click here for more information.

May is upon us, which—here in the great city of Indianapolis, where The College Network is headquartered—means it's time for the 500 Festival! The 500 Festival is a month-long celebration that culminates with the Indy 500 auto race. One of the most popular festival events is the Mini-Marathon, which is the largest half marathon (i.e., 13.1-mile foot race) in the country. Each year, the Mini-Marathon draws people from around the nation and the world who are looking to accomplish a goal. Some people simply want to complete the race, while others want to run a personal best time.

On May 4, I will join thousands of other runners as I participate in the Mini-Marathon for the second time. I have been training for the past several months, and I'm hoping to run a personal best time on the course. I enjoy training for half marathons because I can set a goal and work toward it. Training for a half marathon is a lot like studying to advance your education. It takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance, and you often have to push outside your comfort zone. Additionally, much like successfully completing a degree program, finishing the race and accomplishing the goal is extremely rewarding.

Are you an LPN ready to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an RN ready to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)? Let The College Network help you race toward a new degree or a new career goal! The theme of this year's 500 Festival is "TurboCharging Indy," and we can help you turbocharge your education this May!

To learn more about the nursing degrees you can earn with assistance from The College Network, click here. It's never too late to start working toward a new goal! On your mark. Get set. Go!

Did you read today’s article in the Times-Herald on the increasing nursing shortage in the state of Georgia?

In this article, Dr. Grams, the Dean of the University of West Georgia, is predicting that there will be a shortage of nurses in Georgia that equals 20 percent by 2015, and that number could be as high as 260,000 nurses by the year 2025.

The shortages in nursing are due in part to our aging population, not enough quality nursing instructors and the limited amount of space to accommodate nursing applicant. Dr. Grams explained that her campus offers “a very competitive admissions program” and out of 350 RN applicants, most of them have to be turned away because her facility can only sit about 120.

Since 1992 The College Network has been offering great alternatives for working adults to earn their advanced nursing degrees online. We allow nurses to get started immediately with general education and elective courses. Nursing programs offered vary by state but include: LPN to RN (associate degree), LPN to BS in Nursing, RN to BS in Nursing, RN to MS in Nursing, and BSN to MS in Nursing.

If you or someone you know could benefit from an advanced nursing degree and have been considering alternatives, I would strongly encourage you to visit www.collegenetwork.com or contact Reggie Theodore, Atlanta area Program Advisor for The College Network, by calling  646-271-9617.

To read the article in its entirety, click on the link below:

http://www.times-herald.com/Local/20-percent-nursing-shortage-expected-by-2015-35675

As an LPN, you don't have to choose between your career and furthering your education. We make it possible to work and earn your degree at the same time. You can begin today and move at your own pace, setting your study schedule around the things that are important to you.

You may have even encountered the long waiting lists that many people find themselves on before they can enter nursing school. The College Network has designed an online learning environment exclusively for LPN’s, and you can begin working toward your advanced nursing degree as soon as you're ready - there is no wait list.

Hospitals in Georgia have also started requiring that their registered nurses hold a BSN--especially those hospitals who are attempting to earn Magnet status. Holding your RN license used to be the accepted standard, but in keeping with the call for a more educated workforce, hospitals now are giving more consideration to those nurses with their bachelor's degree.

Hospitals in Georgia struggle to find bachelor's-prepared nurses and because of this, have developed policies to address the issue.  These hospitals will hire nurses with an Associate of Science in Nursing degree, but will require those nurses to obtain their bachelor's degree within a certain number of years.

At The College Network, we have options for you if you are either an LPN or an RN who would like obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

We partner with Indiana State University to offer the only online LPN to BSN program in the country.  This three-phase program allows you to work through your general education and prerequisite courses with The College Network and then enroll with Indiana State University for your nursing transition courses and final nursing courses with concurrent clinical hours. Courses are delivered online, and you can get started today.

The College Network has helped over 200,000 nurses begin working toward an advanced education! We can help you too! Getting started is simple. Just call me, Jerry Kelly at 404-217-6638 or go to www.collegenetwork.com/kelly to learn more about how you can reach your dream of earning your advanced nursing degree in the state of Georgia.

In a recent blog, we highlighted the changing healthcare landscape and the call from the Institute of Medicine for 80% of nurses to hold at least a  bachelor's degree by the year 2020. As well, there is a push for nurses everywhere to go back to school with more and more hospitals reaching to achieve Magnet status which requires a high percentage of nurses to hold an advanced degree. If you're wondering how you can reach the next level in your education, here are some options for you with The College Network® and our partner universities.

If you are an LPN who would like to earn a bachelor's degree, The College Network partners with Indiana State University to offer the only online LPN/LVN to BS in Nursing program in the country. Work through your general education requirements using the The College Network's program and then transfer those credits to Indiana State University, where you'll complete the rest of your program and obtain your BS in Nursing degree. Learn more about Indiana State University's program. 

Are you a registered nurse who wants to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree? Regis University offers an online RN to BSN degree designed for busy nurses which allows you to complete your upper-level nursing courses in just 12-20 months. Regis University has full time faculty dedicated to their online students and offers a very student focused experience. You can learn more about Regis by watching the video below. 

The best part about our bachelor degree options is that there are no waiting lists. You can get started today in your degree program. So if you're ready to find out more, call us at 800-395-1014 or simply click here. 

For us who nurse, our nursing is a thing which, unless we are making progress every year, every month, every week, take my word for it, we are going back.
~ Florence Nightingale

Well known as the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale advocated for continued advances in healthcare and nursing throughout her life. And although she died over a century ago, her famous words about forward movement in the nursing field still ring true. In order to keep up with the ever-changing healthcare industry, nurses must continue to grow in their profession through the pursuit of advanced education. 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Initiative on the Future of Nursing highlights eight recommendations for nurses, and three of those recommendations push nurses to attain higher levels of education. The following educational recommendations aim to prepare nurses for improved patient care and continued advancements in the nursing field:

• Increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80 percent by 2020.
• Double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020.
• Ensure that nurses engage in lifelong learning.

If you're ready to improve the future of nursing by moving forward in your career, The College Network can help you take the next step. We offer the following online associate's, bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs:

• LPN/LVN to RN (associate's degree)
• Paramedic to RN (associate's degree)
• LPN to BS in Nursing
• RN to BS in Nursing
• RN to MS in Nursing
• MS in Nursing

Make Florence Nightingale proud, and decide to advance your nursing education this week, month and year! For more information about the online nursing degree programs available through The College Network, visit our nursing degrees page.

If you are an LPN/LVN, you’ve probably considered going back to school to earn your degree and RN license. With the demand for qualified RNs on the rise, it’s a great time to start working toward a higher nursing credential.

Earning your associate’s degree in nursing isn’t the only way to get your RN license—in fact, there are lots of benefits to earning your bachelor’s degree instead.

The 80 by ‘20 Push

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 recommendation—it states that 80% of all RNs should hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) by the year 2020. But why is the industry pushing for higher nurse education? The simple fact is, due to the demanding nature of the patient landscape, the role of the RN is changing. RNs are required to take on more responsibilities than before, working directly with physicians to diagnose patients and manage teams of LPNs.

To be successful in these new working conditions, it is beneficial to have a bachelor’s-level nursing education. In fact, many healthcare facilities are raising their minimum education requirements for RNs as a result of this industry-wide push.

Aside from mastering the necessary clinical skills, BSN students gain an in-depth understanding of leadership skills and managerial strategies, preparing them to lead and manage teams of nurses and move up within their organization over time. Most nurse managers are required to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

As RNs retire at a rapid rate, the number of open positions for BSN-RNs is on the rise. Over 55 percent of today’s RNs and nurse leaders plan to retire by 2020, creating more leadership opportunities for BSN-prepared RNs.

Go From LPN to BSN with One Online Program

As an LPN, your bachelor’s degree in nursing is well within your reach.  Although there are many degree programs that can bridge the gap between LPN and BSN, there is only one LPN to BS in Nursing program that can be completed entirely through distance learning. The LPN to BS in Nursing program from Indiana State University allows to complete your course work online, meaning you can continue to work in your current job while completing your degree. Upon graduation, you’ll receive your bachelor’s degree in nursing and will be ready to make an impact as a BSN-prepared RN.

To learn more about the LPN to BS in Nursing program from Indiana State University, watch the video below.

If you’d like more information on the LPN to BS in Nursing program, feel free to call us at 800-395-1014 to speak with a Program Advisor. You can also request more information by clicking here. 

You’ve graduated from nursing school and now you are ready to hit the ground running in your new career. Congrats! It is a great time to be a nurse. Despite ongoing changes in the job market, over 32,000 new health care jobs were created in the month of February.

So, what supplies do you use during a day on the job? The items you carry may vary depending on your area of specialization. If you have specific questions on which supplies you need, be sure to check with your supervisor. In the meantime, here are some helpful tips for staying prepared. 

On Your Person:

While each nurse has their own personal preference for what to carry during the workday, there are some essentials that you need to have. Here are some common supplies that you’ll likely use on the job: 

1. Stethoscope


2. Penlight


3. 2 pens


4. Hemostats


5. Tape


6. Scissors


7. Alcohol prep pads

In Your Locker:

1. Lotion: Washing up repeatedly can be taxing on your skin. Keep lotion in your locker to help sooth your hard-working hands.  


2. Hand sanitizer: Though there are probably plenty of opportunities to sanitize on the floor, it never hurts to be prepared.


3. Ibuprofen: Let’s face it—a long shift can sometimes be a headache.  


4. Energy bars: For a quick energy boost during your shift, keep a box of granola bars or energy bars in your locker. These snacks are a good source of protein. Though there are countless brands to choose from, some of the healthier options include Clif Bars and Nature Valley.


5. Vitamin Packets: No matter how hard you try, you’ll still be exposed to some nasty germs on the job. Since you are probably already drinking water during your shift, try mixing a vitamin packet like Emergen-C® into your drink. Crammed with nutrients, these flavored packs will make your water a little less boring.

If you are interested in becoming a registered nurse, there’s never been a better time than now. If you are an LPN or RN seeking to further your nursing education, The College Network can help. To learn more, call us at 800-395-1014 to speak with a program advisor. Or, view a full list of our degree programs for nurses or request more information here. Good luck!

Most of us have considered going back to school at one point or another. I want go back to school to get my master's degree. I, like you, research programs to see what will work best for my lifestyle. I will need to continue to work my full time job and run my household, while I obtain my degree. The reasons that we decide to go back to school as an adult are much the same--no matter what degree that we pursue. 

So, let's talk about my top 5 reasons.

1. Career Advancement--Earning your associate's or bachelor's degree will open up more career opportunities for you. If you earn your Associate Degree in Nursing online, you can move forward in your career to become an RN. If you earn your Bachelor's degree in Fire Science, you can advance into higher ranks and move into a leadership role. But whatever degree you pursue, earning it will lead to more options for your career. 

2. Earning Potential--By advancing your education and earning your degree, you increase your earning potential. The easiest example of this is the difference in pay between an LPN and an RN. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary for an LPN at $40,380 and the average salary for an RN at $64,690. That is a remarkable difference!

3.Expanding Your Horizons--Learning opens us up to all kinds of experiences. I think we can rediscover our love of learning and how much we enjoy the challenge of finding answers. It can spark a lifelong love of new adventures.

4. Achieving Your Dream--By earning your degree, you will accomplish a milestone in your life. It is one that will take hard work and dedication. There might be times along the way when you feel like giving up--but you can push through to keep going. Thinking about how your life will change can help to motivate you to stay on track.

5. Inspiring Others--Most people don't realize that by reaching their goal, they inspire others to take a chance and follow their dream too. You will impact those around you with your success and will be a role model for those that are contemplating taking the next step in their career.  

I'm sure after reading these reasons, you might even have more reasons to add to your list. If you're ready to discover more about earning your degree online through The College Network and one of our partner universities, call us today at 800-395-1014. Or you can request more information here. 

Another year is drawing to a close.  It's usually the time when we look back at what we have accomplished while we also look forward to our hopes and dreams for the year ahead. If you're at all like me, you wish you would have accomplished a few more goals that you had on your list this time last year. It's hard because day-to-day life can easily get in the way of our goals.

Is advancing your career and education one of  your goals that you carry forward from year to year? Are you an LPN that hopes to obtain a bachelor of science in nursing degree? Or are you an RN who wants to become a nurse educator by getting a master of science in nursing? The great news is that by this time next year, you can be well on your way to earning your degree. 

Don't let another year pass by while you are waiting to start your degree program.  The time is right--right now. The College Network can help determine what general education courses you will need, which courses will transfer to one of our partner universities, and how you can get started. We will be with you every step of the way.  

Call us at 800-395-1014 to speak with one of our Program Advisors, who can answer any questions you may have about our programs work.  You can also click here to request more information. Make this next year one that you will look back upon and be excited about how far you have moved forward towards your goal. 

Although the unemployment rate increased slightly in October-going from 7.8% to 7.9%-the United States still added 171,000 new jobs. Amongst the top industries contributing to these new jobs was health care with 31,000 new positions added.

If you are unemployed or just looking for a more stable career, health care is an excellent choice, and The College Network can help get you started down this new path. We have several different programs for you to choose from to earn an online degree in the health care field:

Associate's Degree Programs

• LPN/LVN to RN
• Paramedic to RN

Bachelor's Degree Programs

• LPN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• RN to BS in Nursing
• Health Care Administration
• Health Information Management
• Healthcare Management

Master's Degree Programs

• RN to MS in Nursing
• MS in Nursing

The College Network offers academic support for our portion of these degree programs from leading universities, so when you enroll with us, you are never alone. Your success is just as important to us as it is to you, and we will work with you as much as you need our help to ensure that you master the knowledge you are learning. There has never been a better time to begin a career in the healthcare industry, so if you would like more information on our online degree programs call 1-800-395-1014.

Who influences you?  I was recently at a conference in a session that spoke to influencers as they pertained to social media, and  it made me think about personal and professional influences and how they can impact our lives.

Professionally, it is great when you work with someone that has more experience than you.  I often find that by working with them, I am challenged and motivated to produce higher quality work.  It's also a great feeling when that person recognizes your efforts and talents.  

If you are an LPN/LVN, I'm sure you have RNs that you look up to that you work with.  You hope one day to follow in their footsteps and become an RN yourself.  I'm also sure that once you let them know of your aspiration, they will support you and help mentor you.  And at The College Network,  we can also help you as you work through your LPN to RN degree program to obtain your Associate Degree in Nursing.  

And, we can't forget to mention those that personally influence us.  From my father, I developed a love of reading that has helped me in my career and enriched my life.  One's family has the biggest influence, I think.  They are there to help support us when we need it and also push us when we need that too.  I'm sure your family will help you in any way they can as you reach your goal of a degree.  

Are you ready to help influence someone else?  By moving forward in your career and gaining your degree--you will become the type of influential person that you look up to now.  That's a pretty cool thing.  Call us today at 800-395-1014 and we can help you get there.  

Many people I have the pleasure of talking to on a day-to-day basis ask me to help differentiate The College Network from Excelsior College® in obtaining their Associate of Science in Nursing Degree.  For your information, I'd like to go over a brief synopsis of what roles we each have in this process.

I came across this article on yahoo recently that outlined the most popular online degree programs:

Click here: Popular Online Degrees

Much to my surprise, there were several degree options that we at The College Network can help you obtain.  We offer online Nursing Independent Study programs, that can help Paramedics or LPN/LVNs transition to their degree and RN license, as well as Business, Criminal Justice, and other options for folks through our partnership with Bellevue University.

So if online learning is something you are interested in, The College Network is the one-stop-shop to help you learn what you need to know and get started on your degree!

Kevin Burton, Program Advisor, kburton@collegenetwork.com, 1-800-307-1006 Ext. 4734

If you are a nurse, you most likely have heard of the call by The Institute of Medicine that by the year 2020, 80% of nurses hold Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.  It is a call to action for the nursing industry to respond to the changing needs of the healthcare system.

Hospitals have also started requiring their registered nurses hold a BSN--especially those hospitals who are attempting to be awarded Magnet status.  This change has happened in the last several years.  Holding your RN license used to be the accepted standard, but in keeping with the call for a more educated workforce, hospitals now are giving more consideration to those nurses with their bachelor's degree.  

Hospitals struggle to find BSN nurses to hire and because of this have developed policies to address this.  These hospitals will hire nurses with an Associate of Science in Nursing degree, but will require those nurses to obtain their bachelor's degree within a certain number of years.

At The College Network, we have options for you if you are either an LPN or are an RN who would like obtain a Bachelor's degree in nursing.  

We partner with Indiana State University to offer the only LPN-BSN online program.  This 3 phase program allows you to work through your general education and prerequisite courses with The College Network and then enroll with Indiana State for your nursing transition courses and final nursing courses with concurrent clinical hours.  Everything is online and there is no waiting list.  You can get started today.

For those registered nurses who are seeking their Bachelor's degree, you can obtain your degree through our partner, Regis University.  You can complete your upper-level core nursing courses in 12-20 months.  You can decide to work through a fast-track progression or a standard progression--depending on what works best with your busy lifestyle. 

Call us today at 800-395-1014 to learn more about these programs and find out which one is the best fit for you. Your Bachelor's degree is waiting for you.  

Did you know that moving to a new city can mean a big raise in pay? If you're an LPN/LVN or RN, keep in mind that certain locations offer higher salaries than others. Of course, it's always wise to do your research before a move -- your final pay depends largely on the cost of living in your new city and the type of healthcare institution you are looking for. Salaries tend to decrease as you move away from major cities. 

With the help of Scrubs Magazine and PayScale.com, we've dug up some stats on the highest-paying destinations for nurses. The country's major cities hit the top of the list -- but a few of these high-paying places might surprise you:

  LPN/LVNs (Annual Salary): 

The National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses (NFLPN) has partnered with The College Network to offer LPNs and LVNs opportunities to earn an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing which will provide the education needed to sit for RN licensure.

As an LPN, you don't have to choose between your career and furthering your education. We make it possible to work and earn your degree at the same time. You can begin today and move at your own pace, setting your study schedule around the things that are important to you.

You may have even encountered the long waiting lists that many people find themselves on before they can enter nursing school. The College Network has designed an online learning environment exclusively for NFLPN members, and you can begin working toward your advanced nursing degree as soon as you're ready - there is no wait list.

Register for our free informational webinar on Wednesday May 23, 2012 at 6pm ET. 

We'll be speaking with NFLPN president, and current customer of The College Network, Ottamissiah (Missy) Moore about the role education will play in the future of nursing and her experiences with The College Network's programs.

While you can listen in on the webinar for more information, you must be an NFLPN member to take advantage of the NFLPN University learning environment. To learn more about the NFLPN and the benefits of membership, visit www.nflpn.org. 

Our partner universities nursing degree programs are accredited. When you enroll in an online nursing degree program, with help from The College Network, you will earn a fully accredited degree from one of the respected universities we work with. Every nursing degree is either NLNAC or CCNE accredited.

There is never a waiting list to get started in one of our programs. When you sign up to work with The College Network, you can begin working towards your degree immediately. Because our programs are online, you won't ever have to worry about waiting for space to open up in a classroom.

We offer the only distance LPN/LVN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, through Indiana State University, in the country. You can go straight from being an LPN/LVN to a Bachelor prepared RN entirely online and again, with no waiting list.

We offer unique financing options. The College Network has several different affordable payment plans available for our portion of your degree program. 

Academic support is available. The College Network offers complete academic support for our portion of the program. You can call, chat online or email our Academic Support department, and you can view discussion boards for assistance. 

The College Network has helped over 150,000 nurses begin an advanced education! And, we can help you too! Getting started is simple. Just call us at 1-800-395-1014 to learn more about how you can reach your dream of earning your advanced nursing degree.

There seems to be a strong stereotype that follows the Nursing profession around. People tend to think of nurses as women and men are not prevalent in the field.

While in the past it may have been common to see very few men in the field, it seems as if that is all about to change. In an article that I recently read, it explains how with increased lay offs more men are now finding themselves gravitating towards the steady, secure field of healthcare.

While many may find the transition to a new career/new field of study to be very daunting, it certainly is not impossible. There are many accelerated LPN programs that will allow you receive your license as a practical nurse within a year. While any nursing program is not going to be easy, these courses at least allow you make the change as quickly as possible.

For most men transitioning from a labor intensive job, not only does the nursing field provide a secure career but in most cases a significant pay increase follows as well. In the article, a former warehouse employee receives a $20,000 pay raise!

Not only is the switch beneficial for the men, it also appears to help the whole department. An administrator, LaKeshia Bell is quoted as saying "At 5 feet 9 inches tall and 220 pounds, Mr. Edwards lifts patients as easily as he stacked boxes."

So while males are still not abundant in the nursing field, it is definitely a growing trend that seems to benefit everyone involved.

So whether your a male or female interested in finding out information about RN nursing programs that provide you with self-paced education and training, give us a call today!

Ein Peck

(800) 307-1006 ext 4786