Hey everyone, my very first post but a long time observer at this forum.

I graduated earlier this year in June with an ASN degree and am now looking to work on my BSN, seeing how the job hunt

is going nowhere for me. I tried to apply at San Jose State University here in Ca., but they've put a lock on the Fall 2010 semester. Now I am looking at the University of Phoenix online option. I was wondering if anyone here has taken the RN to BSN route at University of Phoenix, either online or on-campus? How are the instructors? Is their program legit?  Any sort of information will be very helpful.  Thanks!

Instead of Phoenix, look into Chamberlin (sp).  They are another online school.  I heard you can go all the way to your Masters in 2 yrs. with them.

I really appreciate the responses guys! 

I could be wrong, but dont we need to have at least a year or two of floor experience before getting into a Master's program?  Thank you for the Chamberlain recommendation.  I will definitely look into that program as well before making my decision!

RNdude,  Im going through everything that you just mentioned.  I only spoke with the enrollment counselor, who hastily got me to register with the school(free of charge, since theyre waiving application fees for the month of Dec.), and complete financial aid forms.  I find it really wierd that these enrollment counselors seem to be really pushy. I cant help but feel like im getting caught up in some pyramind scheme.lol.  Anyways, I find this prog to be alittle fishy but I wanted to come here and gather as much thoughts and opinions before making a decision.  Thank you very much for your input.

 I am currently an LPN been one for 14 years and i too want my RN but i am the ADON and cant afford to quit work and do it full time what do you all suggest as far as on line? i recently had a friend finish her RN and when she went to do the clinical weekend she almost stroked from nerves alone, so i dont want to feel when i am done i havent learned anything nor do i want a weekend of nerves. then i had an RN i worked with a few years back she had gotten her RN on line too taken boards and was and RN in Indiana but she had lived in Ohio and she was the MDS director so when she left us she was told she would have to prove a certain number of hours worked on the floor as an RN in order for her to be considered an RN in Indiana. i just want my degree. thanks

Cuttie I'd have to hear that myself from a recruiter and see the policy before I believed it. I can easily believe that they would be choosy to be sure it isn't some fly-by-night diploma mill. But a great number of landed state universities offer such programs. And I have known a lot of nurses who got their BSN from Excelsior, U of P, and so on. If the program is accredited there should be no problem unless it's a personal one with some pinhead recruiter.

U o P offers an on-campus option as well.  If recruiters are skeptical about online BSN degrees, would the on campus option tickle their fancy more?  I had no idea the Board was taken out this Spring..very crazy and extremely frustrating to hear. 

MrBrown says ...

Well Cuttie, California is a big mess in more ways than one. The canning of the Board of Nursing was all about their lack of oversight and failure to followup on serious disciplinary issues including drug use and patient abuse. Some of those cases had languished for years. Many contained multiple charges/offenses and the pers had mostly kept their licenses. Scary really.

So of course now it's time to overreact.

Well, I'm not so sure about that.  Arnie has been trying to get the regulatory boards under his control for some time.  He couldn't get them all in one sweep a few years back, so he's been taking them down one at a time.  He tried to get rid of all the regulatory boards and regulate professions directly back in 2005, but was forced to back down.

While the problems cited do exist, I'm sure Arnie was glad of the opportunity.  He's had a problematic relationship with nurses since he became governor.

Fortunately, the governor can't get away with that in North Carolina.  We elect our Board of Nursing.

Wow.  I've never met a BON yet that I thought was slack, but that's tough standards.

To get back to the OP's question:  since I don't live in California anymore I can't say for sure what their policies are as far as the hospitals go.  I know several people who went the UOP route and didn't have trouble getting work, but this was 5 years ago.

I got my MSN from UOP, and didn't have any trouble getting my teaching job.  However, I found it to be overpriced, and the course structure was not conducive to my work schedule when I was a traveler.  I will be going elsewhere for my PhD.

A lot of traditional colleges have online BSN bridge programs for RNs or LPNs who want to bridge up.  Check with local universities in California and I'm sure you'll find several.  You'll get a better education I'll bet.

theala says ...

Wow.  I've never met a BON yet that I thought was slack, but that's tough standards.

To get back to the OP's question:  since I don't live in California anymore I can't say for sure what their policies are as far as the hospitals go.  I know several people who went the UOP route and didn't have trouble getting work, but this was 5 years ago.

I got my MSN from UOP, and didn't have any trouble getting my teaching job.  However, I found it to be overpriced, and the

 

course structure was not conducive to my work schedule when I was a traveler.  I will be going elsewhere for my PhD.

 

Santa Monica College here in Calfornia, has a LVN to RN brigde Hibrid program online. I read that you have to had work on a hospital floor for a year or more to qualify. I don't qualify!!!, since I just got license this year.

A lot of traditional colleges have online BSN bridge programs for RNs or LPNs who want to bridge up.  Check with local universities in California and I'm sure you'll find several.  You'll get a better education I'll bet.

Has anyone had/have experience with Chamberlain?  I can recieve my BSN in as little as 3 semesters, with no clinical hours, and it

seems to be a cheaper option than other schools out there.  It is accredited by the NLN and the CCNE as well. 

why statistics and economics for your BSN?