According to the Connecticut League for Nursing, Connecticut ranks 49th of 50 states for the number of Registered Nurses working. The state needs more nurses - and more nurses with advanced degrees. As of 2008, over 60 percent of Connecticut's nurses had an associate degree in nursing (ADN) as their terminal degree. The Future of Nursing, a report by the Institute of Medicine, recommends that 80 percent of RNs have a Bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) by 2020.
BSN preparation can prepare Connecticut's RNs for leadership roles within nursing. A BSN is also an essential first step to a career as a nurse educator.
Many Connecticut hospitals, including the renowned Danbury Hospital, provide at least partial tuition reimbursement for nurses who continue their nursing education at the BSN level.
RN to BSN programs for Connecticut nurses include:
- Southern Connecticut State University. Southern Connecticut offers an online RN to BSN program. Nurses may receive credit for nursing courses (and general education courses) taken at community colleges and other universities. Some on-campus attendance may be required.
- Fairfield University. Fairfield has partnerships with a number of local community colleges. Nurses who complete their basic nursing education at one of the partner colleges may receive credits toward their BSN degree.
- University of Hartford. The RN to BSN program at the University of Hartford was the first degree completion program for nurses in Connecticut. Nurses may complete the program through part-time attendance. Classes are generally held one afternoon or evening a week.
