04-17-2022 Education - Flipbook - Page 6
6 The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, April 17, 2022
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
UMGC’s online RN to BSN program was recently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as being in the top third of nursing programs in the country.
RN to BSN program prepares nurses for leadership roles
University of Maryland Global Campus
“R
esearch shows that the higher level of education a nurse
has, the better the patient outcomes,” says Mary Schroeder,
D.N.P., R.N., FNP-BC, program director of the RN to Bachelor of Science
in Nursing program at University of Maryland
Global Campus. In response to the National
Academy of Science Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that 80% of nurses in the United
States attain a bachelor’s degree by the year
2020, UMGC launched an online RN to BSN
program in 2013.
Schroeder says that UMGC’s online program aims to broaden students’ perspective
within the nursing profession. “We want them
to better understand the ‘why’ to what they are
doing by exploring the theories behind what
they do each day as a nurse,” she says. Schroeder
adds that UMGC’s nursing faculty are scholar
practitioners, those who are focused on practical applications of scholarly knowledge.
Schroeder says that UMGC’s student body
in the RN to BSN program is diverse – some
students are recent graduates of an associate
nursing program, while others are nurses who
have been working in the field for as long as
40 years. “Health care changes constantly …
patients are more complex with a wide range
of health issues,” Schroeder says. Hence, it’s
important for nurses to keep up to date with
the changing health care environment ,which
are addressed in UMGC’s program.
“Working with patients from diverse backgrounds and addressing health disparities in
our community are an important part of the
program. Nurses are the largest segment of
the health care workforce, so organizations
such as the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine are looking to nurses to take the lead in addressing health disparities,” Schroeder says.
Students in UMGC’s online RN to BSN program – which was recently ranked by U.S. News
& World Report as being in the top third of
nursing programs in the country – take a variety of classes to better equip them for leadership
positions in their field. Skills obtained include
the ability to evaluate and apply research to
promote evidence-based nursing practices;
apply management and leadership concepts in
various settings to promote health; analyze data
and processes; and critical problem-solving.
Students also gain hands-on experience by
developing and implementing a community
health promotion plan.
“In their clinical training in community
health, we aim to not repeat any skills the nurs-
es may already have but for them to gain new
knowledge. By collaborating with public health
care providers, students learn how to address
health care needs for a certain population and
ensure we are meeting the needs of the community. For many of them, it’s their first experience
in community health,” Schroeder says.
Nurses in UMGC’s program also gain valuable knowledge in leadership and management in the health care setting. “This is very
important for today’s nurses, for instance cost
containment is extremely important in any
health care setting, so being aware of budgeting,
and management of resources is an important
skill,” adds Schroeder, who adds that hospital
budgets have been especially hit hard over the
past two years due to the influx of patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We also focus on
the importance of research and how nurses can
implement evidence-based practice into their
nursing profession,” Schroeder says. UMGC’s
curriculum was designed with input from
employers, industry experts and scholars to
ensure that graduates are prepared to meet
today’s workforce needs in nursing. Graduates
are well equipped for roles in leadership, public
health and clinical research, while others may
opt to continue their studies and obtain their
master’s degree in nursing or a doctorate in
nursing practice degree.
“I see our program as a gateway degree for
our students who may want to move forward in
their career in leadership roles, clinical research
or more advanced practice roles in nursing,”
says Schroeder, who credits much of the success of UMGC’s program to the faculty. “Our
students are working nurses, who are working
an incredible number of hours, while also pursuing their bachelor’s degree, so we have a very
empathetic faculty who are very understanding
of what our students are going through during
this very trying time,” she says.
Schroeder adds that UMGC has a nursing
club, along with several other opportunities
for students to have their voices heard. “Our
students have many different backgrounds and
experiences, so bringing those experiences to
the table is very helpful for all of our students,”
she says.
For more information on health care related programs at University of Maryland Global
Campus, visit umgc.edu/healthcare-science
ACCELERATE YOUR
HEALTHCARE CAREER
with an Online Degree or
Certificate from UMGC
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC),
can help you take your career further. Get ahead
with an online RN-to-BSN*, Health Informatics
Administration degree, Healthcare Administration
degree, or a graduate certificate in Global Health
Management. We offer:
Up to 90 transfer credits, which includes your
active unencumbered RN license and prior
coursework, toward your BSN
Online courses
No-cost digital resources replacing
most textbooks
Personalized advising & support tools
Scholarships & other financial resources
for eligible students
The baccalaureate degree in nursing at UMGC
is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate
Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).
* This degree is only open to students with an associate’s degree in nursing or a diploma from a registered nursing education program that is recognized by the appropriate State Board
of Nursing. Students must reside and have an active unencumbered nursing license in an approved state at the time of admission and throughout completion of the program.
For a list of approved states, visit umgc.edu/nursing.
Classes enrolling now.
UMGC.EDU
© 2022 University of Maryland Global Campus