Turning Your Nursing Experience into Nursing Credits
Healthcare employers are rewarding nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with higher-level positions and pay. Non-BSN nurses can take advantage of these opportunities more quickly and affordably by converting their nursing experience into BSN-program credits. By leveraging their existing expertise, they can complete their BSN degrees faster, save money, and unlock these high-reward career opportunities.
Industry Trends Are Favoring Bachelor-Prepared Nurses
The healthcare industry is placing greater value on BSN nurses because of their positive impact on patient care and outcomes. Hospitals, state policies, and insurance companies are all contributing to this shift.
- Hospitals. Hospitals are striving for Magnet® status, a designation documenting excellence in nursing care. To receive this designation, hospitals, among other criteria, need to work toward having 80% of their nurses earn a BSN.
- States. Some states now require nurses to get a BSN within a certain number of years after they become licensed as Registered Nurses (RNs). For example, in New York, the “BSN in 10” law says nurses must earn a BSN within 10 years of getting their initial RN license.
- Insurance companies. Health insurance companies are increasingly paying hospitals based on how well they take care of patients. This is giving hospitals a reason to hire BSN nurses because their extra training helps improve patient care.
Industry Trends Are Sending Nurses Back to School
The healthcare industry push toward requiring nurses to hold at least a BSN provides opportunities for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), nurses with Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADNs), and RNs who have not yet completed their BSNs.
The industry desire for BSN nurses means now is an excellent time for non-BSN nurses, LPN/LVNs, and other entry level positions, to turn their real-world nursing and healthcare experiences into college credits that can accelerate their path to a BSN degree.
How to Pursue a BSN Degree
What are the best options to pursue a BSN degree? The answer largely depends on your current level of education. If you’re a nurse that has not yet completed a BSN, you’ve likely taken one of two education paths: an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) from a community or technical college, or a diploma/certificate from a state-approved program or institution. Each path can reward you in the form of transferred nursing credits and faster degree-completion time.
- ADN nurses. Nurses with ADNs have a strong starting point for credit transfer. Many RN-to-BSN programs are designed for nurses with an ADN, so the programs often accept a significant portion of credits from the ADN coursework, especially if the school you attended is accredited. If you’re an RN with an ADN, you may want to consider an RN-to-BSN program.
- Diploma/Certificate nurses. Nurses with diplomas or certificates may face some credit-transfer challenges: it depends on the program and institution. If the program you attended is accredited, your credits are more likely to transfer. A Prelicensure BSN program could be a great fit for you as you'll earn a BSN and be eligible for RN licensure too.
In either the RN-to-BSN or Prelicensure BSN programs, you can accelerate your path to a BSN degree by transferring eligible existing credits. Additionally, some online nursing programs—like those at WGU—reward prior nursing experience with competency-based testing that lets you progress through coursework quickly as you demonstrate mastery of the material.
What College Experience Is Transferable to Nursing School?
Whether you earned an associate degree in nursing or a nursing diploma/certificate, the courses you took provided you with a foundational nursing education. Be sure to consult with a relevant enrollment counselor and ask about their school’s credit transfer policy to determine the amount of transferable credits.
College courses that could yield transferable nursing credits typically include the following:
- English Composition 1
- Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan
- Applied Healthcare Statistics
Keep in mind that some schools require a transcript review or course-by-course evaluation as part of the transfer process.
How Can Prospective Students Capitalize on Their Experience at WGU?
WGU’s competency-based learning model allows all nursing-program students to accelerate their pace according to their prior healthcare knowledge. Since the curriculum is built around competency mastery, students can apply that knowledge to advance more quickly through courses and assessments.
Prelicensure BSN and RN-to-BSN students enrolled at WGU can take advantage of its career-forward learning model to potentially graduate faster while saving money doing so.
What Skills Will Help New Students Succeed?
If you're a current nurse you likely already have important skills, like time management, problem-solving, and multitasking. These skills are invaluable when beginning a new degree program. But those aren't the only skills that may boost your chances of success.
Nursing school usually requires students to exercise computer and technology skills, especially if the program is fully online. Good study habits and consistent critical thinking also enhance the student experience and help to keep students accountable for their coursework.
Other soft skills like communication, collaboration, and organization are highly beneficial. Nursing students should stay in regular contact with their enrollment counselors, course instructors, and other key individuals.
What Else Should Prospective Students Know?
If you're looking to transfer your prior experience into nursing credits at WGU, it's easy to get started. Be sure to keep the following in mind:
You must submit your official transcripts by the first day of the month prior to your start date. It takes time to review your information, and you'll need to plan accordingly if you have a specific start date in mind. Your transcripts must come directly from the institution you earned them from, and they must be sent to WGU officially by mail or electronic delivery.
If applicable, include any relevant AP test scores or college-level exam program scores you have, and note any military credits you might have.
Your Nursing Experience Gives You A Head Start
The decision to go back to school could be just what you need, and it may even propel your nursing career to the next level. Remember—you might be further along than you think.
Whether you’re hoping to become a primary or acute care nurse, home health nurse, nurse anesthetist, or one of any number of other roles, talking with a WGU Enrollment Counselor can help you better understand which credits you can transfer to achieve your goals faster.
Finally, nurses have a bright future. Registered nurses in particular are in demand. Driven by aging baby boomers and an expanded emphasis on preventive treatment, employment for registered nurses is projected to grow by 6% from 2023 to 2033, outpacing the average growth for all occupations.
