The University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) has chosen University of Wisconsin (UW) Nursing’s BSN@Home program as the recipient of its 2016 Celebration of Excellence Award for Mature Program. BSN@Home is an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree-completion program providing a flexible distance learning option to registered nurses (RNs) with a two-year associate degree in nursing.
The BSN@Home program was first launched 20 years ago and widely considered innovative at that time. 20 years ago, many people didn’t think a quality nursing program could be taught from a distance, but it’s now an enduring and essential part of the UW System. At its launch, the primary goal of the BSN@Home program was to address the shortage of BSN-prepared nurses in Wisconsin. Today, its initial goal has become even more relevant with the release of a 2011 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendation that 80 percent of the nursing workforce be at the bachelor’s level by 2020.
With collaboration of UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Extension, UW-Green Bay reports that 1,804 graduates have earned their BSN degrees through the BSN@Home program over the last two decades.
A 2014 RN Workforce Survey from the Wisconsin Center for Nursing suggests that a significant number of RNs still need to earn their BSN degrees in order for the state to achieve national goals. Research from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) shows that baccalaureate prepared nurses are linked to lower mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive patient outcomes nationwide. Through partnerships with agencies and technical colleges around the state, the BSN@Home program will continue to remove barriers to earning a BSN degree in Wisconsin.
UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education serving more than 400 institutions in North America. The Mature Program award recognizes established credit or noncredit programs that have demonstrated sustained innovation in continuing education and UW’s BSN@Home program received its 2016 award on October 17.
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