Abstract

Session presented on: Tuesday, November 19, 2013:

Purpose: A strong movement led by agencies invested in nursing and healthcare outcomes exists in the United States to increase the numbers of baccalaureate (BS) and higher degreed nurses and along with it a fervent advocacy for seamless academic progression. Outcomes are found to be more favorable with BS prepared RNs. Yet the current percent of associate degreed (AD) RNs who go on for BS and higher education is relatively low. What encourages some AD RNs to return for BS level education, while many more do not to return? This presentation aims to describe perceived facilitators and barriers AD RNs experience toward progression toward BS level nursing education and interventions that may be enacted to increase academic progression in a timely manner.

Methods: A convenience sample (n=82) of AD RNs was utilized to collect data. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected on perceived facilitators and barriers to progression toward BS level nursing education.

Results: Facilitators encompassed (1) desire for personal growth; (2) professional and career enhancement; (3) programmatic/articulation friendliness; and (4) encouragement by others. Requirement from employers, financial reward, and recommendations by higher institutions were not seen as facilitators. Barriers comprised of (1) family and job constraints; (2) financial concerns; and (3) lack of differential treatment between AD and BS degreed RNs.

Conclusions: These findings are a first step toward informed and strategic creation of interventions which will help increase the percent of AD RNs who progress to BS and higher nursing education and the expediency with which they do.

Description

42nd Biennial Convention 2013 Theme: Give Back to Move Forward. Held at the JW Marriott

Author Details

Laura Marie Schwarz, DNP, RN; Nancyruth Leibold, EdD, RN, MSN, BSN, PHN, LSN

Sigma Membership

Mu Lambda

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Barriers, RN-BS Education, Facilitators

Conference Name

42nd Biennial Convention

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Conference Year

2013

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

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RN-BS education: Facilitators and barriers

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Session presented on: Tuesday, November 19, 2013:

Purpose: A strong movement led by agencies invested in nursing and healthcare outcomes exists in the United States to increase the numbers of baccalaureate (BS) and higher degreed nurses and along with it a fervent advocacy for seamless academic progression. Outcomes are found to be more favorable with BS prepared RNs. Yet the current percent of associate degreed (AD) RNs who go on for BS and higher education is relatively low. What encourages some AD RNs to return for BS level education, while many more do not to return? This presentation aims to describe perceived facilitators and barriers AD RNs experience toward progression toward BS level nursing education and interventions that may be enacted to increase academic progression in a timely manner.

Methods: A convenience sample (n=82) of AD RNs was utilized to collect data. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected on perceived facilitators and barriers to progression toward BS level nursing education.

Results: Facilitators encompassed (1) desire for personal growth; (2) professional and career enhancement; (3) programmatic/articulation friendliness; and (4) encouragement by others. Requirement from employers, financial reward, and recommendations by higher institutions were not seen as facilitators. Barriers comprised of (1) family and job constraints; (2) financial concerns; and (3) lack of differential treatment between AD and BS degreed RNs.

Conclusions: These findings are a first step toward informed and strategic creation of interventions which will help increase the percent of AD RNs who progress to BS and higher nursing education and the expediency with which they do.