Role of Mobility Program In Nursing Education and Nursing Career
Advancing Nursing Careers
Deepening one’s knowledge base and
understanding of nursing as well as advancing one’s nursing career often occur
through mobility programs. Mobility programs (also known as educational
mobility or career ladder programs) enable individuals to enter the nursing
profession from different educational points or pursue professional career
development through additional academic preparation without losing credits from
previous degree work. This additional academic preparation often involves
articulating or making a transition from one nursing degree to another, more
advanced nursing degree.
For example, there are LPN to RN, RN to BSN, RN to
MSN, and even BSN to PhD mobility programs to name a few of the educational mobility
options that are available in nursing. The RN to BSN or RN to MSN degree
programs enable RNs who hold a diploma in nursing or an ADN (ASN) degree to
return to school to pursue either a BSN or an MSN degree and receive credit for
their previous coursework and possibly their work experience .
There are also
programs for those individuals who hold previous non nursing baccalaureate
degrees that enable them to complete a BSN in an accelerated time frame,
usually within 12–18 months. These are commonly referred to as second degree,
fast track, or accelerated nursing programs. Accelerated programs for those
individuals with previous non-nursing baccalaureate degrees who wish to receive
a generic master’s degree in nursing also exist.
The commonality in all of
these mobility options is that they enable the learner to achieve the advanced
degree in a timely manner by recognizing and giving credit for previous
academic accomplishments and frequently allowing the learner to prepare a
portfolio documenting work experiences that can also be evaluated for potential
academic credit.
Advancing one’s nursing practice can also
occur through continuing education programs that result in specialized
credentials, certifications, or continuing education credits. For example, nurses
can obtain additional education to become certified in diabetes education,
critical care, or wound and ostomy care. They can also obtain continuing
education by attending conferences or completing online courses or independent
studies on particular topics relevant to their area of practice.
Given this
chapter’s focus on academic nursing education programs, what follows is a
description of issues and trends related to formal academic mobility options.
Supporting Mobility Programs Mobility programs have a long history in nursing
education and, in recent years, many of these programs have grown due to
progress in distance education technologies, making the acquisition of advanced
education more accessible. These programs have also flourished under pressure
from various nursing organizations to promote baccalaureate and higher degrees
in nursing.
For example, in 1991 the National League for Nursing issued a
position statement urging schools of nursing to coordinate articulation from
one degree to another. They promoted the idea that schools should develop fair
and equitable policies that allow students who have received credits for prior
learning to transfer credits from one school of nursing to another. The
American Association of Colleges of Nursing issued a similar position statement
in 1998.
The feasibility of these statements has increased in part because of
governmental support, specifically Title II of the Nurse Reinvestment Act of
2002. This legislation funded mobility programs in a variety of ways to retain
qualified nurses and to combat the nursing shortage. Efforts to support
mobility programs have resulted in many different degree articulation models.
Some of these models are state mandated whereas others are voluntary.
For
example, some states have legislation in place mandating academic credit
transfer from associate degree nursing programs to baccalaureate degree
programs (AACN, 2006a). This model prevents graduates of associate degree
nursing programs from encountering barriers to degree advancement, which can
occur if baccalaureate programs do not accept academic credits from associate
degree nursing programs.
Voluntary programs, on the other hand, also exist to
streamline the process of advancing from one degree to another. Some of these
articulation programs are statewide initiatives (AACN), whereas others are
agreements that exist between schools or within healthcare institutions
(Eckhardt & Froehlich, 2004).
Advantages and
Disadvantages of Mobility Programs
Regardless of the mobility options
available, those considering a nursing career must weigh the advantages and
disadvantages of mobility programs. On one hand they offer students flexible
and dynamic options for advancing nursing careers. They are also often affordable
and accessible and can expedite particular nursing degrees. For instance,
students who wish to start their nursing career as an associate degree prepared
registered nurse can attend a community college.
Once they decide to pursue a
baccalaureate degree, they can continue working as an RN and complete an online
baccalaureate completion program or a program at a nearby college or
university. Or they may decide to pursue a master’s degree in nursing and opt
to enroll in an RN-MSN program. Possible disadvantages of mobility options can
include, but are not limited to, increased time commitments to complete
coursework, problems with transferring credits from school to school and
gaining credit for prior learning, and risks associated with returning to school
when one is faced with competing demands.
For example, students who complete an
associate degree program in 2 years and then return to school for a
baccalaureate degree may return to school and struggle through completing this
degree on a part-time basis. Career and family commitments and demands may mean
it takes longer to complete a baccalaureate degree than if pursuing the
baccalaureate degree to begin with. These students may also encounter barriers
in transferring credits and may need to show evidence of prior learning that
can count toward their baccalaureate degree.
Regardless of the mobility program
a student chooses, the likelihood of his or her success within it depends on
the school’s willingness to develop flexible and creative curricula (Boland
& Finke, 2005). In response to the need for nurses prepared with
baccalaureate and higher degrees, many schools of nursing are indeed designing
flexible curricula and delivery methods that can accommodate learners returning
to school to pursue nursing degrees.
Accreditation in Nursing Education
Accreditation is a process by which an
institution’s (eg, school of nursing’s) programs, policies, and practices are
reviewed by an external accrediting body to determine whether professional
standards are being met. Accreditation can also be considered to be a means of
fostering continuous quality improvement in programs as the faculty also
participate in the process to review and reflect upon all aspects of their
program, with the goal of maintaining and improving quality.
Schools of nursing
are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
(NLNAC) and/or the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Commission on
Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Both NLNAC and CCNE are approved by the US
Department of Education. The NLNAC accredits all nursing programs, whereas the
CCNE limits it accreditation to BSN and MSN programs, and will eventually
accredit DNP programs.
Participation in the accreditation process of either
NLNAC or CCNE is essentially a voluntary activity that schools undertake for
the professional and public acknowledgment of the quality of their programs.
Although accreditation by NLNAC or CCNE is a voluntary activity, it is an
extremely meaningful one to the school and its students, because in some cases
students can be denied access to scholarships/grants or admission to graduate
programs if they are not enrolled in or graduates of a professionally
accredited school.
In addition to nursing’s professional accrediting bodies, all
schools of nursing are required to be accredited by the appropriate state board
of nursing. Rules and regulations governing the operation and curricula of
schools of nursing can be found in state board of nursing practice acts.The quality of nursing programs is measured
through nationally established standards or criteria. Standards can include
such things as how the school is fulfilling its mission and philosophy, how its
curriculum is preparing students for nursing practice, and to what extent the
qualifications of nursing faculty facilitate preparing future nurses.
The NLNAC and CCNE accredit schools for a
period of time, usually 8–10 years, depending upon the agency and the review
findings. Throughout the accreditation period, schools continue to use professional
standards as benchmarks to evaluate their program, making necessary changes to
ensure they maintain quality.
Contemporary Practice
Highlight 2-3 addresses the essential
qualities and competencies that one of nursing’s professional organizations,
AACN, has deemed necessary for contemporary nursing practice; this document is
used as a framework by many baccalaureate schools to ensure quality curriculum.