According to the Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN), nearly 44,500 RNs were licensed in the state of Washington in 2010, an increase of about 8,500 nurses over the past 10 years. Even so, projections show Oregon will not have an adequate supply of RNs in coming years. The major reason is the escalating number of nurses planning to retire or move to part-time status. Oregon RNs rate relationships with patients and with each other as major contributors to job satisfaction.
Another report by the OCN found that employers are increasingly looking for RNs with BSN degrees for future hires. The Oregon Consortium of Nursing Education is working to better prepare Oregon nurses to assume leadership roles in the increasingly complex healthcare environment. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nurses with BSN degrees are linked to better patient outcomes, including lower mortality rates. With today's online options, it has never been easier to get your degree.
Schools to consider
Oregon Health and Science University (Portland). Most classes are offered online with occasional voice-to-voice webinars and a few days of onsite conferences. The program may be completed part-time or full-time (three to five terms). Practicum courses can be arranged in the student's community. Courses include epidemiology, population-based care, and leadership.
Linfield College (Portland). This online program may be completed full-time in 12 months; part-time study takes 18 months. The required clinical practicum may be arranged in the student's community or even internationally (with prior approval). Admission is twice yearly. An example of a course you might take is population-based nursing in a multicultural and global society.
Western Governors University. Online students are accepted from every state. The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Most students graduate in 18 to 24 months. The program requires 90 contact hours of mentor-guided clinical experience in a community or public health setting. The program is nationally and regionally accredited.
