Careers & Training


By Brooke Baker Online nursing degree options


As more Indiana hospitals push for magnet status, many registered nurses are going back to school for a bachelor’s degree.


But thanks to the growing number of


online programs, nures don’t necessarily have to go back to the classroom. Several universities in the state offer


RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN online degree programs, and even a PhD in nursing. “[An online program] is really a viable option for the working professional,” said Dr. Barbara Ihrke, PhD, RN, dean of the Indiana Wesleyan Univeristy School of Nursing. IWU offers RN to


Ihrke


BSN and MSN classes online, and


according to Ihrke, these degrees are every bit as rigorous as their traditional counterparts. “Whether it’s a


residential baccalaureate or an online baccalaureate, [students] have to meet the same baccalaureate outcomes and the same accreditation standards,” Ihrke said. “[Online] is a different curriculum in that its content meets the needs of working adults. In other words,


there are assumptions made that working adults understand the nursing programs, so they start at a higher level.” The online RN-to-BSN program at


WGU Indiana is competency-based. Students are tested on core competency skills throughout the term and move on only when they’ve passed that assessment. Peggy Keen, MSN, RN, WGU state nursing director, said students who bring skills from their work experience can move ahead faster because they can quickly pass their competency assessments. “Let’s say someone in


a nursing leadership administration masters program has 20 years of experience as


A different approach to clinicals


WGU Indiana, which offers both pre- and post-licensure online nursing degrees, is taking a new approach to clinicals. It pairs each student with one nurse (a clinical coach) for 12-hour shifts throughout the clinical rotation. “[Clinical coaches] work one-on-one


with students and develop a mentoring relationship,” said Peggy Keen, MSN, RN, state nursing director for WGU Indiana.


This arrangement has advantages for


both parties. Students get to choose clinical coaches whose schedules mesh with theirs (maybe nights or weekends) and experience what it’s like to work full shifts. Mentors have time to observe students’ abilities as well as areas that need extra instruction. Hancock Regional Health is one of WGU


Indiana’s partner facilities. Marsha Meckel, MA, BSN, RN, team leader of clinical


16 Indiana Nursing Quarterly • indystar.com/nursing • Fall 2011


excellence, said clinical coaches complete a mentoring course with WGU that provides some valuable mentoring tools. “The majority of our staff precept new


employees or student nurses anyway,” she said. “It’s really nice to have a formal program we can offer to make sure everyone has the same expectations about what needs to occur when they have a student with them.”


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