A National Survey of RN-to-BSN Programs: Are They Reaching Rural Students?

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Rural Health Workforce Development

Background:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-prepared nurses enhance healthcare outcomes and reduce costs.
• Rural areas face a deficit of BSN-prepared nurses compared to national averages.
• Registered Nurse (RN)-to-BSN programs offer a pathway to increase BSN-prepared nurses in rural settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the extent to which RN-to-BSN programs target rural students.
• To identify recruitment and retention strategies used by these programs for rural learners.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to directors of RN-to-BSN programs.
• Data collection utilized mail and online return methods.
• The study achieved a response rate of 31.3%.

Main Results:

• Only 38% of surveyed RN-to-BSN programs actively recruit rural Registered Nurses (RNs).
• Support mechanisms for rural student recruitment and retention, such as community college partnerships, rural clinical placements, and online options, were found to be limited in scope and availability.
• Existing supports were not widely implemented or comprehensive.

Conclusions:

• RN-to-BSN programs capable of recruiting and retaining rural students are essential for increasing the number of BSN-prepared rural nurses.
• Enhanced collaboration among educational institutions, healthcare providers, and policymakers is necessary to support rural nurses in pursuing higher education.
• Targeted strategies and robust support systems are needed to effectively address the rural nursing workforce gap.