Nursing Student Organization

If you're thinking about pursuing an online nursing degree, there are many steps you can take to journey toward success. An article recently published on nursetogether.com offers some helpful advice for surviving nursing school. Here are four tips to help you succeed in your pursuit of online education:

1. Stay organized. Use a calendar to keep track of reading assignments for yourself and to schedule your exams. When you log in to The College Network Resource Center, you will see a calendar for just this purpose on the left-hand side of your screen.
    
2. Discover your learning style and use it. People learn in many different ways, but there are typically three major learning styles: tactile, auditory and visual. You can take a learning styles survey in our Center for Learning Empowerment to find out which learning style works best for you. Once you know your optimal learning style, organize your studying around that style to maximize your chance of success.
    
3. Seek assistance if you need it. If you are having trouble with a particular concept, don't hesitate to ask for help! Our Academic Support team is available seven days a week to lend a helping hand.
    
4. Take care of yourself. In order to succeed as a nursing student, it's important to pay attention to your health. Make sure to get enough sleep and to eat a balanced diet so that you feel your best when studying and taking your exams. It's also a good idea to get regular exercise to keep your stress level low.

To learn more about the opportunities for advanced nursing education available through The College Network, visit our nursing degrees page or fill out our information request form.

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. 

The College Network is pleased to announce its alliance with the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) — a non-profit nursing organization formed in 1971, which represents 150,000 nurses, nursing students and retired nurses from the United States, Eastern Caribbean and Africa with 83 chapters in 34 states. The formation of this alliance will allow The College Network to further provide working nurses with opportunities to achieve advanced education.

Earlier this year, the NBNA created its Future of Nursing committee to make recommendations regarding the NBNA’s direction and priorities. The relationship with The College Network was formed after the committee stressed the importance of “promoting seamless academic progression for an increase in the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree from 50 to 80 percent by 2020,” following studies released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Medicine.

When asked about the recent alliance, NBNA president Deidra Walton, JD, MSN, RN said, “NBNA recognizes the invaluable source of knowledge gained from advanced education in nursing and is excited about our alliance with The College Network. Advanced education in nursing will help prepare professional nurses to take on leadership roles at the hospital, the board room and in advanced practice, research and education.”

The College Network is committed to partnering with the nation’s leading healthcare organizations in an effort to help alleviate the nursing shortage by providing a way for nurses to earn the education they need to keep up with changes in healthcare while they continue to work in their field. Education opportunities including associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing will be offered in conjunction with recognized institutions of higher learning to NBNA members.

“The College Network has become a leader in eLearning by offering advanced education opportunities for working adults,” said Gary Eyler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The College Network. “The ability to work and earn a degree is especially important to nurses who often have irregular hours. We look forward to partnering with the NBNA to advance the future of nursing by making  higher education available to their members through flexible, self-paced programs and guaranteed financing options.”

If you are a member of NBNA (or are interested in becoming a member) who would like more information on advance education opportunities available trough The College Network, please contact us by calling 1-877-725-9376 of visit us at www.collegenetwork.com/NBNA today.

THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES AND THE COLLEGE NETWORK PARTNER TO PROMOTE ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION

Most of my customers, before joining their program of choice, will make sure and research The College Network. I, for one, think that is fantastic, because it shows their passion for completing the right program to suit their needs. But, don't believe everything you see out there.

For me it would depend on when that question was asked. Prior to college, I would have responded yes. It wasn't until I entered college that I realized I never learned how to study. For some reason, I was able to coast through my secondary education without having to truly study. I enjoyed writing papers, and participating in debates, but few classes really required “study time.”

Like any college freshman, I struggled initially with my studies. I figured that college would be a mere more aggressive high school experience, and I would fly through it as long as I showed for class and did what was expected. I was completely wrong. Trying to balance an 18-hour course load with multiple literature courses, plus a science, math, and philosophy course proved too much and I fell quickly behind. I was failing my science and math courses almost immediately because I couldn’t retain the information properly. It was then that I realized that I didn’t know how to study effectively and many students do not know how to effectively study. I was a good student in the transition scope that I had excellent attendance and test scores, but I really wasn’t absorbing or retaining the information. Luckily I had a great roommate who was able to teach me some great strategies and help me organize my information so that I could overcome my studying obstacles.

I was reminded of this scenario while speaking with a current Associate in Nursing customer who is also realizing that what had worked previously in high school, LPN school, and other college courses, wasn’t working for her now. I had to ensure her that she can be successful, but she has to be flexible and open to new learning experiences. After discussing her schedule and her learning style, we worked out a game plan that will not only incorporate study strategies she was used to doing, but new strategies that should help her overcome her current obstacle with memorization.

Learning is an independent process in itself regardless of the path one takes to achieving a certification or degree. Each of us is responsible for our own learning. However, one of the great aspects of starting a program with The College Network is our Academic Support team. We’ve all complete a college program and know how hard it can be to overcome obstacles. Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to who’s been there to point you in the right direction. 

Johnson & Johnson is nearing the tenth year of its Campaign for Nursing's Future, and the campaign continued with its 30th regional gala, which was held in Charleston, South Carolina on Thursday, November 3rd. Andrea Higham, director of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, says "The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future is committed to supporting the recruitment and retention of our nursing workforce at both regional and national levels. Partnering with local nursing organizations to host the Promise of Nursing galas help extend our reach, and our collaboration will ensure that nurses and student nurses across the country continue to receive the resources and funding they need."

The Campaign for Nursing’s Future campaign has raised over $18 million so far. All of the money raised at the Charleston event will remain in South Carolina to provide funding for nursing school scholarships and fellowships, and grants to nursing schools. For additional information on the Promise of Nursing for South Carolina gala, e-mail nursingevents@its.jnj.com.

We at The College Network strive to honor innovation and dedication within the field on our nursing blog. Information obtained from a PR Newswire press release found on The Sacramento Bee’s website.