More and more nurses are raising the extent of education

“Learning is one of the most important activities in life.” -Annie Murphy Paul

According to a brand new study conducted by American Association of Colleges of Nursing. These findings are based on data from 664 of 856 U.S. nursing schools offering baccalaureate and/or graduate nursing programs.

The study also found a 3.5% increase within the variety of entry-level bachelor’s degree programs in nursing. The number of scholars enrolled in RN to BSN programs increased by 22.2% from 2011 to 2012, which AACN says signals growing interest in baccalaureate-preparation nurses from each nurses and employers.

“AACN is pleased to see an overall increase in nursing school enrollment this year, given our commitment to encouraging all nurses to pursue educational excellence as a catalyst for improving patient care,” AACN President Jane Kirschling said in a news release. “As the national voice of professional nursing education, AACN is committed to working with the educational and health care communities to create a highly skilled nursing workforce that can meet the expectations and challenges of contemporary nursing practice.”

Some other interesting findings from the survey:

• Admissions to master’s and doctoral programs have increased “significantly.”
• Survey data showed an 8.2% increase in enrollment in graduate nursing schools (432 institutions reported data).
• Doctor of Nursing Practice programs experienced a 19.6% increase in enrollment (reported by 166 schools).
• Graduates of a bachelor’s degree in nursing are greater than twice as more likely to discover a job upon graduation as those entering other fields.
• Master of Science (MSN) graduates were most certainly to have secured a job after graduation (73%).

“There is clearly momentum toward improving nursing education at all levels,” Kirschling said in a news release. “Given calls for more pre-baccalaureate and graduate nurses, federal and private funding for nurse education should be directed directly to schools and facilities that prepare students at these levels.”

“Additionally, achieving the Institute of Medicine’s education-related recommendations will require a strong partnership between academia and practice and a robust commitment from our practice colleagues to encourage and reward registered nurses committed to furthering their education.”