RN to MSN Bridge Programs in Rhode Island

The April, 2008 Rhode Island Health Care Industry Skills Gap Analysis conducted by the Center for Health Professions cited a significant population decrease for the 20 to 34 age group in the state of Rhode Island. What this means is that there are fewer young people entering the health care work force at a time when the elderly population is rapidly growing. Nurses and nursing faculty are approaching retirement age which will contribute to the already critical nursing shortage that Rhode Island currently faces. What all this means is that there is a need for master's educated nurses in all areas of professional nursing. The RN to MSN is a pipeline for a younger generation of nurses to prepare themselves for roles in advanced practice nursing, nursing faculty and other professional nursing leadership positions.

The RN to MSN programs offered in Rhode Island can be completed in three years depending on the student, course load, concentration and other factors. Three years to go from a diploma or associate's educated registered nurse to a master's in nursing educated nurse compared to a traditional route is a significant decrease in time. A nurse in the traditional MSN route would earn a BSN and then practice for at least two years (required by many MSN programs) and then attend an 18 to 24 month master's program. According to the afore mentioned data, younger nurses are desperately needed and the traditional route takes longer.

Master's prepared nurse educators are in high demand at the colleges and universities in Rhode Island that offer diploma, associate's and baccalaureate entry-level nursing programs. This is one of the roots of Rhode Island's nursing shortage. Clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, nurse informatics positions and nurse leader positions are also in need of a younger generation of nurses. The pay is often much better than it is for diploma and associate's educated nurses. Three years is a commitment, however, most graduates find that the rewards and career opportunities are well worth the investment professionally and personally. An RN to BSN program can be completed in as little as one year and is a nursing career advancing step as well. Learn about the RN to BSN programs in Rhode Island.

RN to MSN Online Programs Offered in Rhode Island

Walden University School of Nursing

The Walden University RN - M.S. programs are Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited.

Programs Offered: RN - M.S. (Leadership and Management, Informatics, and Education)

Capella University

Capella University offers a Master's in Nursing (MSN) Nurse Educator Bridge program for registered nurses that have a bachelor's degree in another area and a current RN license. This program is ideal for those that are interested in becoming nurse educators or clinical nurse leaders.

Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - Nurse Educator Bridge Program

Click Here to request information from Capella University's MSN Bridge Program.

American Sentinel University - School of Nursing

The RN to MSN completion program is offered online and accepts RN's with current licenses and either a community college degree or a nursing diploma. Courses are open for enrollment once a month. Get more information today.

Programs Offered: RN to MSN Online (Tracks: Nursing Management and Organizational Leadership, Case Management, Nursing Education, and Nursing Informatics), RN to BSN

Click Here to request information from the American Sentinel University's Online RN to MSN Completion Program

Frontier School of Midwifery & Family Nursing - Distance Education

The Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of College and Schools.

Programs Offered: ADN - MSN Bridge Nurse Midwifery (accredited by ACME), ADN - MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (accredited by the NLNAC), and ADN - MSN Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner (accredited by the NLNAC). FSMFN also offers an online DNP program accredited by the AACN.

Click Here for more information about the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing distance education programs.

Graceland University

All nursing programs at Graceland University are CCNE accredited. Practicums are completed in the student's community. The FNP specialization requires a four day on-campus focus session during the BSN portion and two more on-campus focus sessions to during the MSN portion.

Online Programs Offered: RN to MSN - (Specializations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator/Clinical Nurse Specialist) Applicants specify their specialization interest after contacting the schools and during the application process.

Click Here to request information from Graceland University about the RN to BSN/MSN programs.

Loyola University New Orleans - School of Nursing

The MSN - Blend and MSN program are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The Blend program is designed for registered nurses with bachelor's degree in another field who wish to pursue a master's of science in nursing degree.

Program Offered: MSN - Health Care Systems Management, MSN - BLEND Health Care Systems Management

Click Here for information about the Loyola University Online MSN Programs.

Western Governors University - Nursing

Western Governors University offers an online RN to MSN degree program for registered nurses with an associate's degree. WGU is Regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as well as Nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council.

All of the Western Governors University nursing programs are Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited. The Online RN to MSN programs are currently accepting applications. Request information today.

Programs Offered: RN to BSN, RN to MSN - (Tracks: Nursing Education or Nursing Leadership & Management)

Click Here to request information from WGU's Online RN to MSN Programs

Colleges & Universities Based in Rhode Island Offering an RN to MSN Program

None at this time.