Explore RN to BSN Online Programs in Kansas: Best for 2024
Online RN to BSN programs in Kansas provide flexible, low-cost routes to higher education and better opportunities. Explore top schools and what they have to offer below.
The medical industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and techniques for patient care arising every day. To stay competitive and improve your skills, it’s important that you evolve alongside it – and continuing your education is one of the best ways to do so. Turning your RN into a BSN will help you hone your clinical skills, improve your job outlook, and facilitate better outcomes for your patients.
It may feel overwhelming to think about going back to school while juggling mounting work responsibilities and your personal life, but online RN to BSN programs in Kansas have your back. Designed for working professionals, they provide a flexible study schedule and low-cost degree options. Most Kansas BSN programs are based entirely online and can be completed in as little as a year. We’ve written this guide to help you take the leap and decide on a program that can help you grow into your nursing potential. Get started by checking out some of the most popular RN to BSN options in Kansas below.
Spotlight Schools: Popular Online RN to BSN Programs in Kansas
Now more than ever, Kansas needs qualified nurses who are ready to provide high levels of care to patients and go the extra mile in the face of the ongoing nursing shortage. Online RN to BSN programs in Kansas can help you rise to the challenge by furthering your knowledge and skills. Let’s take a look at some of the programs available in Kansas today.
The University of Kansas
The University of Kansas offers a flexible RN to BSN program that students can access 24 hours a day. Full-time students can complete the program in as little as one year while part-time students can take up to five years. The online format of the program allows students to enter the program at the start of the summer, fall or spring semester.
KU’s online RN to BSN curriculum consists of 30-35 credits and covers topics in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and advanced nursing practice. Students also take theory and management-heavy classes on Navigating Influences of Healthcare Micro and Macro Environment and Clinical Leadership for the Practicing Nurse. The cost you’ll pay per credit depends on whether or not you are a Kansas resident. In-state students pay $359 per credit and out-of-state students pay $936 per credit.
In addition to accomplished faculty and resources KU provides a student-centered environment, a strong emphasis on research, and a long list of student resources.
Washburn University
Washburn University’s RN to BSN Online program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and can be completed from anywhere in convenient eight-week sessions. Students can complete the entire program in just 18 months without ever having to set foot on campus.
Washburn’s recent program-wide tuition reduction makes this one of the most affordable programs available in the state. Additionally, out-of-state residents pay the same $261 per credit in tuition as in-state residents. Washburn’s School of Nursing also offers multiple scholarships according to students’ academic records and demonstrated financial need determine.
Washburn also allows RNs or nurses with ADNs to transfer past credits, which never expire—a feature unique to Washburn. It doesn’t matter if you earned your degree years ago or within the last few months, as long as you maintained a 2.5 GPA while in school and have an active Kansas RN license, you can take your next step at Washburn.
Wichita State University
Like other RN to BSN programs offered online in Kansas, Wichita State University’s Registered Nurse (RN) to BSN program offers flexible coursework designed to fit around working students’ schedules and personal obligations. Students can complete the course at their own pace, whether that means taking a one-year accelerated course of study or taking classes on a part-time basis over the course of two or more years.
Wichita’s RN to BSN program is offered in an asynchronous format that permits students to log in to courses when it works best for them, as long as they meet assignment deadlines. Some courses in the program are offered in eight-week blocks while others are offered in 16-week blocks.
Admitted students can transfer credits from degrees earned at regionally accredited colleges to meet certain prerequisite requirements. All applicants must have an active RN license to be eligible for admission; there are two application deadlines throughout the year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Students enrolled in this online program pay in-state tuition regardless of residency, but tuition and fees vary according to the number of semesters and credit hours it takes them to graduate. Students who need help covering the cost of Wichita’s RN to BSN online program can take advantage of the school’s numerous scholarship options.
FAQs About RN to BSN Online Programs in Kansas
Many Kansas-based online RN to BSN programs provide the same features, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to gather all the information you need to choose the right one for you. Here are some answers to the mostly commonly asked questions students like you have about RN to BSN online programs in Kansas.
How will an RN-to-BSN program in Kansas prepare me for more opportunities?
First and foremost, BSN-prepared nurses are eligible for a greater number of positions, including advanced positions like nursing professor or researcher. With a BSN you will also be eligible to work at hospitals with a Magnet Recognition designation, which require nurse leaders to have a BSN at minimum.
How long is an RN to BSN program in Kansas?
Kansas RN to BSN programs are designed to be completed on flexible timelines, many of which are dictated entirely by the students taking them. Working nurses enrolled in the RN to BSN program at Kansas University can graduate in as little as one year of full-time study, or as many as five years of part-time study. You can expect to complete most programs within two years.
How much do RN to BSN programs in Kansas cost?
Online RN to BSN programs in Kansas are among the most affordable allied healthcare degrees. Washburn University has one of the lowest tuition costs in the country at just $261 per credit for both in and out-of-state students. Other schools like Fort Hays State University still offer affordable tuition rates but charge online students tuition rates associated with their state of residence. In-state students pay $187.80 while out-of-state students pay roughly three times as much.
Is there financial aid available to Kansas RN to BSN students?
Most universities offer financial aid via the FAFSA. Many also offer need and merit-based scholarships. Wichita State University, for example, offers four different scholarships specifically geared towards nursing students including the Shirley E Hazen RN-BSN Endowed Nursing Scholarship..
What requirements do I need to meet to apply for admission to RN to BSN programs in Kansas?
The most important admission requirement to most RN to BSN programs online in Kansas is an active and unencumbered Kansas RN license. Other common requirements across programs in Kansas include a minimum GPA and an ADN. Additionally, many programs have prerequisites, but these are easily met by transferring credits over from your associate degree program.
What should I look for in an RN to BSN degree program in Kansas?
What you should look for in an RN to BSN program will inevitably be different than what someone else should, even if you want the same degree. Consider what your priorities are, whether that be a flexible schedule, a low-cost or fast-track option, or an asynchronous course deliver format. In addition to your unique priorities, you should guarantee that the schools you are applying to are accredited, so that you can be confident in the quality of education you receive. RN to BSN programs online across Kansas offer all these options.
From RN to BSN: Benefits for Kansas Nurses
Deciding to further your skills through a BSN program is a worthwhile step in any nurse’s career. These programs are rigorous, yet flexible and provide you with the experience and understanding of the current healthcare system you need to take your career to the next level. If you’re considering an RN to BSN, you’ll find that these programs come with the following benefits:
Better Patient Outcomes
BSN programs exist in part to help you better understand new and advanced medical care and technology. Understanding these advanced skills allows you to work with patients more efficiently, learn techniques for preventing infectious diseases, and become more adept at interacting with diverse populations, all of which can lead to improved patient outcomes.
Career Advancement
An RN degree can only take you so far. For higher positions in leadership or educational roles at hospitals and medical practices, many hiring teams strongly prefer or require a BSN. In fact, the Veterans Administration (VA)—the largest employer of nurses nationally—now requires BSN degrees for promotion from entry-level positions; they also provide scholarships to their employees to earn this certification.
Enhanced Clinical Skills
Above all, an RN to BSN online program in Kansas will teach you how to practice medicine in a more competent and effective way. BSNs expand your skill set, allowing you to have a more positive experience with your patients and within the medical system you work in. BSN programs also offer specialty courses that allow you to concentrate in a specific sector of nursing.
Higher Earning Potential
Nurses with BSNs typically earn a higher salaries than those with only ADNs. The difference often more than makes up for the cost of getting a BSN. On average, RNs in Kansas take home an annual salary of roughly $85,000 while BSNs earn an average salary of $92,000. Of course, your exact salary depends on your specific location, level of experience, and place of work, among other factors.
Personal Growth and Satisfaction
If you’re feeling stagnant in your nursing career, a BSN offers you the opportunity to grow and feel more empowered in your skills, which can help you feel more satisfied with your work environment. RNs with BSNs also have greater opportunities to move between units and facilities, which can help you maintain a sense of novelty and excitement about work.
Advantages of Online RN to BSN Programs in Kansas
Earning your BSN in any format gives you access to better-paying jobs and a wider breadth of medical knowledge and advancement opportunities. Earning your BSN online, however, gives you access to these benefits and so many more, particularly compared to other degree paths. Take a look at just some of the key advantages of pursuing your RN to BSN online in Kansas.
Affordability
Online RN to BSN programs in Kansas are often affordable for a number of reasons. First, they can typically be completed in one year of full-time study, at a lower tuition rate than traditional in-person programs. Secondly, these online bridge programs often allow students to transfer credits over from their ADN programs, meaning students take—and pay for—fewer classes.
Flexibility and Convenience
Online RN to BSN programs in Kansas are accessible at any time from anywhere with an internet connection—from your couch, to the hospital break room—making it easy to work classwork around your busy schedule. Additionally, many of these programs either do not require additional in-person clinical components, or allow students to complete them at their place of work.
Self-Paced and Asynchronous Learning
RN to BSN programs offered online in Kansas tend to allow students to design their own schedules, and block out time to take courses when they can. While you’ll still need to keep up with deadlines, these asynchronous, self-paced programs allow you to continue working while earning your degree.
Access to a Wide Range of Programs
While most online RN to BSN programs in Kansas share a set of core classes and requirements, the specific structure, specialization opportunities, and curricula vary from one university to another. The fact that so many of these Kansas RN to BSN programs are accessible online means you don’t need to be anywhere near campus—or even in the state for that matter—to take advantage of a wide array of concentrations, curricula, and connections you may never have had access to in a traditional program.
