A statewide instructional television program via satellite for RN-to-BSN students

Instructional television (ITV) is providing the bridge between nursing educational needs and health care resources, allowing nurses in rural areas to attend a university without leaving their jobs or relocating. This article describes the experiences of developing a baccalaureate degree completion program for nursing via satellite. To create a successful distance education program, it was necessary to re-examine curricular structure, objectives, course descriptions, the basis of course sequences, teaching strategies, library resources, and learner needs. It was vital to modify the student and faculty support services on campus for use with distance learners.