FACILITATING THE ENROLLMENT OF REGISTERED NURSES IN A BACCALAUREATE COMPLETION PROGRAM.
Contributors: Illinois State University.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 129
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Higher.
Description: The belief that baccalaureate education should be the minimum preparation for a "professional" nurse has stimulated many registered nurses who were graduates of diploma programs and associate degree programs to consider returning to school to obtain their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that would influence the RN to return for educational advancement at the baccalaureate degree level.

The population included graduates of one diploma school of nursing located in a large hospital in Central Illinois. A random sample of 50% of the graduates of the last 20 years was selected. The respondents were asked to rate, on a four-point Likert scale, factors that would affect their returning to school to obtain a BSN degree. Of the sample of graduates (N = 505), 331 of the questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 65.5%. Of the 331 graduates, 30 had received a BSN or higher degree. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and one-way analysis of variance were the statistical methods used in the analysis.

From the analysis of results, the following were concluded: (1) Marketing strategies that focus on the graduates who are working are more likely to be successful in recruiting graduates without a BSN to return to school. (2) Strategies which give credit for previous knowledge in nursing, schedule classes with minimal conflict of work, and provide course that are relevant to nursing practice are more likely to encourage graduates with a BSN to return to school. (3) Strategies which minimize the repetition of information, minimize the time for completion, and provide flexibility and convenient scheduling are more likely to be successful in recruiting the graduates without a BSN. (4) Strategies which recognize personal achievement as a most important perceived benefit are more likely to attract graduates without a BSN into a bachelor's degree program.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-01, Section: B, page: 0145.

Thesis (PH.D.)--ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY, 1989.

School code: 0092.