The article investigates the motivation and future goals of RNs who are eager to pursue the BSN degree. The author identifies that a research by the Institute of Medicine reports that there is a need for a 31% increase in the number of bachelor’s-prepared nurses in the healthcare industry. This is necessary in order to improve the quality of healthcare and services provided to the public across the US, mainly the care provided in hospitals at the bedside. Therefore, if the healthcare industry has a substantial number of RN to BSN degree nurses pursuing advanced practice roles that are beyond the acute care bedside, and there still exists unmet demand for BSN nurses practicing in the same field, then the ability to provide quality care and positive health outcomes will remain to be a major challenge within the acute care setting. Therefore, in order to gather conclusive findings, data from RN to BSN program graduates following one to two years of completion is used.
Article Summary
The author used the qualitative research method to collect and evaluate data. The study methodology involved the discourse analysis of secondary research based on the textual and contextual perceptions of the motivational factors that influence students to pursue RN to BSN completion programs. The data was collected from a group of students that had enrolled to an online RN to BSN completion program in a public university in New York. As part of the requirements to enrol into the university, the students are expected to complete an Educational Planning Essay in which they express their main reasons for pursuing a baccalaureate degree as well as their future career objectives. A sample of 254 essays which is equivalent to 30% of the total student population that enrolled in the years 2008-2013 was used in data analysis.
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The findings from this study showed that a significant number of the students who enrolled in the RN to BSN completion program intended to advance their career in nursing away from inpatient hospital bedside. Out of the 254 essays that were examined, 72% of the students expressed one of the following five reasons as their main motivational factor. Completing a BSN degree was perceived as the foundation that prepares the students to either pursue a i) a nursing practitioner program, ii) a master’s degree program, iii) advanced career opportunities in managerial posts, iv) nurse educator positions, or v) leadership positions within their practice. The demographic findings indicated that 90% of the essays were mainly written by women, and 74% of this population was predominantly white. The applicants’ age ranged between 25-60 years, with 51% of the students having enrolled in the RN to BSN completion within 5 years after graduating from their associate degree program; whereas 70% enrolled to the RN to BSN completion program within 10 years after finishing their degree.
The findings from this study are a reflection of the motivational factors that make nurses pursue the RN to BSN completion program. These results indicate that most of the nurses are not interested in returning to the acute bedside care after graduating with their bachelor’s degree. This finding challenges the stereotype that nurses who pursue a bachelor’s degree do so with the intent of retaining their position serving at the hospital bedside. The data evaluation indicate that majority of the nurses consider RN to BSN completion programs as an avenue that permits them to enroll in graduate school and be able to have the qualifications to either obtain a position in management or nurse practitioner.
The analysis of the data in this study suggests that there is a growing demand in the number of students that are expressing their interest in pursuing a RN to BSN degree completion program. This is an indication that there is an unidentified opportunity for the healthcare sector to reduce the shortage of nursing faculty and the chance to increase the population of care providers in advanced nursing and primary care settings.
Although the findings in this research study provide conclusive information it is evident that the findings are only a representation of a specific population of students. The demographic used in this study are mainly students that applied to enroll in the online RN to BSN program at a public university in New York City. Therefore, it would have been important for the researcher to focus on a larger population that reflected the motivational factors and intention of students enrolling in RN to BSN completion programs across the country. This is because the findings may be perceived as being biased and not inclusive. For instance, a large population of the demographic was predominantly Caucasian women, if data from across the state or country was used the findings might have been different.
Despite the weakness in this study, the researcher expressed the topic in a clear, concise and thorough manner. The analysis and findings from this study are supported with useful explanations that are extensive and elaborate. The opinions expressed and supported in this study are important and will contribute to the knowledge base and objectives of nursing.
Conclusion
Most of the nurses that are enrolling in the RN to BSN completion programs do this with the intention of moving away from their roles at the acute hospital bedside setting and advancing their career objectives. The RN to BSN completion program is considered as an educational pathway that will assist the students in achieving their personal and career goals. Thus, the increase in the number of students enrolling in the RN to BSN completion programs is an opportunity for the healthcare setting to improve the quality of care and services that are offered to the public as well as address the issue of nurse shortage in healthcare facilities.
Reference
Borgos, J. (2017). Rhetoric or Reality? RN to BSN Graduates Returning to the Bedside. Nurs Educ Perspect . 2017 Sep/Oct;38(5):264-266. doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000173.
