The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was ranked among the top ten Best Online RN to BSN Programs by RNtoBSN.org. UTC received the highest ranking of all Tennessee institutions in this curated list.
Nearly 400 online RN-to-BSN programs are offered in the U.S.—only 95 were ranked.
RNtoBSN.org‘s mission is to connect current and prospective nurses with the resources needed to pursue and obtain their BSN.
“The UTC School of Nursing along with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing strongly believes those nurses prepared at the Baccalaureate level are well-prepared to care for the complex patients that we encounter in both the acute and primary care setting. Nurses who graduate from the UTC SON develop critical thinking skills, and learn leadership, case management, and health promotion. While the majority of the RN-BSN students have practiced in many different areas of inpatient and outpatient settings and done well, the research now demonstrates that patients who are cared for by BSN prepared nurses have lower mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive outcomes,” said Dr. Christine Benz Smith, UC Foundation Associate Professor and Director of the UTC School of Nursing.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was chosen for providing one of the best online classroom experiences.
“Communication is key to keeping the RN students engaged and in turn becomes a major part of their success,” said Susan Davidson, EdD, APRN, NP-C, Professor and Gateway Coordinator at UTC. “All nursing faculty that teach the RNs respond to emails or phone messages within 24 hours. A weekly video conference is held in each online course that is taught to give the RNs and faculty the opportunity to communicate “face to face” to discuss course topics, receive clarification of assignments and to discuss any areas of concern. These video discussions are held at different days and times including weekends, to give these working RNs every opportunity to participate.”
RNs in the program are required to access the online course site every other day to keep up to date and informed of any announcements or changes that may have occurred.
“This program offers excellent technology support, Rodger Ling, who is available every day including weekends to respond to technology issues that may arise,” Davidson added. “We also offer a laptop loaner program whereby if the student is having computer issues, they may sign out and borrow a laptop from us to use so that they do not get behind in their assignments. By requiring this type of participation and activity, our research has shown that the more ‘connected’ a student feels in an online environment, the greater their chance is for success.”
RNtoBSN.org’s rigorous list is based on data from a wide range of sources, including IPEDs, institution websites, and state nursing boards. Factors considered were accreditation, commitment to online education, academic and career counseling services, and academic quality.
Congratulations to Nursing and Dr. Davidson!