Abstract

In 2000, one Canadian university began offering a 12-month baccalaureate program to provide registered nurses (RNs) with a condensed program to expedite baccalaureate preparation. The paucity of current literature regarding returning RNs’ experiences emphasized the need to explore these students’ perceptions regarding their educational experiences. Twelve participants were interviewed for this descriptive/exploratory study. A major theme of "surviving" emerged from the qualitative analysis. Surviving embraced the themes of "the quest", "the struggle", and "the aftermath". Implications for nursing curriculum and program development and recommendations for research are discussed.

Submitted: October 16, 2004 · Accepted: November 16, 2004 · Published: June 29, 2005

Recommended Citation

Ritchie, Linda A.; Evans, Marilyn; MacNeil, Melanie; and Micsinszki, Sandra (2005) "“Surviving”: Registered Nurses' Experiences in a Baccalaureate Nursing Program," International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship: Vol. 2 : Iss. 1, Article 15.
DOI: 10.2202/1548-923X.1091
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/ijnes/vol2/iss1/art15