| Due to increasing demands at home, busy work | | | | classes can be taken at the convenience of the |
| schedules and diversity of roles it is hard for | | | | student allowing them to be flexible with work or |
| nurses to further their career or obtain a degree. | | | | their family. |
| But with the advancement in technology, today | | | | In studies that explored distance education in |
| we have the opportunity for a higher education | | | | nursing programs several studies confirmed that |
| through distance learning, a nontraditional way to | | | | the students who took online courses showed |
| earn a degree, which was not as readily available | | | | equal if not better achievement of program |
| in the past. Today, most colleges or universities | | | | outcomes when compared with students in |
| offer both traditional and nontraditional nursing | | | | traditional nursing programs. The studies indicate |
| programs often called "Bridge Programs" allowing | | | | that the education delivered via online is at least |
| nurses to obtain an LPN to RN, Paramedic to RN, | | | | equal and, in many cases is superior to traditional |
| RN to BSN, or BSN to a Masters Degree. | | | | education (Legg, Adelmen, & Levitt, 2007, p. |
| Traditional and nontraditional LPN to RN Bridge | | | | 65). A study performed by Shachar & |
| programs are quite different in many ways. With | | | | Neumann (2003) demonstrated that in two thirds |
| a traditional nursing program the student has a | | | | of the cases, the students who took courses |
| structured atmosphere, face to face interaction | | | | using distance education "outperformed their |
| with the instructors and other students, and | | | | student counterparts enrolled in traditionally |
| onsite resources are available. The disadvantage | | | | instructed courses" (Shachar & Neumann, |
| of a traditional program is that most nursing | | | | 2003, p. 1). Thiele (2003) reported that nursing |
| programs only start once or twice a year with a | | | | students who took online courses became more |
| limited number of students that are accepted into | | | | independent and self-disciplined learner (Thiele, |
| the program as well as most schools choose their | | | | 2003), (Legg et al.) |
| applicants based on a point system which limits | | | | The goal of the nontraditional LPN to RN Bridge |
| those who are accepted into a program. With | | | | Program is to make it easier to obtain a nursing |
| today's nursing shortage, traditional nursing schools | | | | degree for students who work full time, have |
| lack nursing instructors to teach the programs. | | | | unusual work schedules, are single parents or are |
| A nontraditional LPN to RN Bridge program is an | | | | unable to enroll in a traditional nursing program. |
| appealing alternative to those who wish to further | | | | Studies show that program outcomes with the |
| their education but due to family, work or other | | | | nontraditional nursing programs are at least equal, |
| obligations are unable to attend a traditional | | | | to if not superior to the traditional nursing |
| program. The benefits of a nontraditional LPN to | | | | program. Many nurses find that learning through |
| RN Bridge program are that one can usually start | | | | distance education provides a practical and |
| at any time and the school usually does not have | | | | acceptable alternative for degree completion. |
| a limit on the number of students to attend. The | | | | |