Why WGU's RN-to-BSN Program is the Perfect Fit for Busy Nurses

Hello! In this blog post, I will talk about why Western Governors University's RN-to-BSN program is the perfect fit for busy nurses. As a busy nurse myself, I understand the challenges of balancing work, family, and education. However, WGU's RN-to-BSN program is designed to fit into your busy schedule and help you achieve your career goals.

Flexible Schedule

One of the biggest advantages of WGU's RN-to-BSN program is its flexibility. The program is entirely online, which means you can complete your coursework from anywhere and at any time. This is especially beneficial for busy nurses who work long hours and have family responsibilities. You can study at your own pace and complete your assignments when it's convenient for you. This flexibility allows you to balance your work, family, and education without sacrificing any of them.

Competency-Based Education

Another unique feature of WGU's RN-to-BSN program is its competency-based education model. This means that you can progress through the program at your own pace, based on your existing knowledge and skills. You don't have to sit through lectures or complete assignments on topics you already know. Instead, you can focus on the areas where you need to improve and move quickly through the material you already know. This allows you to save time and money while earning your degree.

Affordability

WGU's RN-to-BSN program is also affordable, with tuition charged at a low flat rate each term. The more courses you complete each term, the more affordable your degree becomes. This is in contrast to other schools that charge per course or per credit, which can make your degree more expensive. Additionally, WGU's tuition rates are 48% lower than the national average for bachelor's degrees, making it an affordable option for busy nurses who want to advance their careers.

Clinical Requirements

WGU's RN-to-BSN program also has clinical requirements, which allow you to gain hands-on experience in a healthcare setting. However, these clinical requirements are flexible and can be completed at a location that is convenient for you. You can work with your employer to complete your clinical requirements, which means you don't have to take time off from work to complete them. This flexibility allows you to gain the experience you need to advance your career while still maintaining your work and family responsibilities.

Supportive Community

Finally, WGU's RN-to-BSN program has a supportive community of faculty, staff, and students who are dedicated to your success. You can connect with other students through online forums and social media groups, which allows you to share your experiences and learn from others. Additionally, WGU has a team of mentors who are available to answer your questions and provide support throughout your program. This supportive community can help you stay motivated and on track to achieve your career goals. In conclusion, WGU's RN-to-BSN program is the perfect fit for busy nurses who want to advance their careers. With its flexible schedule, competency-based education, affordability, clinical requirements, and supportive community, WGU's RN-to-BSN program can help you achieve your career goals without sacrificing your work or family responsibilities. If you're a busy nurse who wants to take the next step in your career, WGU's RN-to-BSN program is the perfect choice for you.

Transitioning to a BSN: Is Western Governors University the Right Program for You? Expert Advice!

Transitioning to a BSN: Is WGU the Right Program for You?

In this blog post, I will provide an in-depth overview of Western Governors University's RN-to-BSN program and discuss key factors to help you determine if it's a good fit for your needs as a nursing student.

Many nurses start out with an ADN or a diploma and work for a while before deciding to complete their BSN. Going back to school can be daunting, especially if you have to juggle work and family responsibilities. An online RN-to-BSN program seems tempting, but how do you know if WGU is right for you?

 

First, let's go over some key details about WGU's program:

o   It's fully accredited by the CCNE and accepted by graduate schools if you want to pursue higher nursing degrees later.

o   It uses a competency-based education model. You advance by showing mastery of concepts, not by grades or time spent in class.

o   It's self-paced. You can complete your BSN in one term (six months) by accelerating, or spread the courses out over multiple terms up to 3.5 years if needed.

o   There are no required textbooks or additional access fees. All learning materials are provided online.

o   Tuition is around $5,000-$6,000 per six-month term. Scholarships are available.

This self-directed model is ideal if you're highly motivated, disciplined, and comfortable with online learning. However, WGU has some key differences from a traditional RN-to-BSN program:

 

o   You need strong technology skills for navigating the online student portal and learning platforms. Comfort with email, word processing, research databases, etc. is essential.

o   There are no letter grades, just pass/fail assessments. You can't earn a 4.0 GPA. "Pass" is akin to a B grade.

o   You must be proactive in reaching out for help from course mentors when needed. Support is there but not built-in like a classroom.

o   Writing papers and completing projects replace traditional nursing exams and clinicals. Expect to write in APA format.

As you can see, WGU offers exceptional flexibility and affordability, but requires independence, self-motivation, time management skills, and academic writing skills to thrive. Before jumping in, make sure you:

o   Have solid computer, internet research, and word processing abilities

 o   Can write longer academic papers in proper APA format

 o   Are okay without letter grades and focused on knowledge mastery over GPAs

 o   Will ask for help when needed since the courses are self-directed

 o   Are able to manage your time well and stay on pace to finish courses/terms

 

Additionally, WGU has a unique course structure:

 If this competency-based model fits your learning style, motivation, and schedule, WGU could help you achieve your BSN efficiently and affordably. You get to leverage your nursing experience while gaining new leadership, research, and community health skills.

 However, if you prefer more structure, letter grades, professor interactions, and built-in deadlines, a traditional RN-to-BSN program may suit you better. Think carefully about your needs and learning preferences as you decide if WGU is the right path for you. Reach out to current students and alumni to get insider perspectives. By considering both the benefits and challenges, you can determine if WGU's unique approach is a good fit.

If you need my assistance completing any assignments at the BSN program, do not hesitate to reach me at: meokhan2/at/gmail(dot)com. I am the expert!

Caring Across Cultures: Real-Life Story of a Nurse on Effective Care to Diverse Patients (Guest Post)

One of my very respectable and old friends, a BSN, MSN, and DNP, has written this personal story (special guest post) for you, the nursing professionals, to give you a massive boost in solving complex problems that involve intercultural communication - a deeply relevant area of competence for ALL nurses. I am VERY hopeful you will enjoy reading her story below.

5 Minute Learning: All About Affordable Car Act of 2010

The Affordable Care Act, also known as ACA 2010, has dramatically transformed the healthcare system in the United States, making healthcare more accessible and affordable for millions of Americans

In this brief post, I am sharing from years of my research knowledge the crux of ACA for you to master the entire concept in this quick read.

I'd be happy to have your feedback on this so I can develop more such posts.

The Affordable Care Act of 2010

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is a comprehensive healthcare reform law that was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. The ACA has had a major impact on the healthcare system in the United States, and has been a subject of much debate and discussion since its inception.

One of the main goals of the ACA is to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for all Americans. To achieve this goal, the ACA introduced several key provisions and reforms, including:

•         Expanding Medicaid: The ACA expanded Medicaid, a government-run healthcare program for low-income individuals and families, to cover more people. This helped to reduce the number of uninsured Americans and improve access to healthcare for those who couldn't afford it.

•         Establishing health insurance marketplaces: The ACA created online health insurance marketplaces, also known as exchanges, where individuals and small businesses can shop for and compare health insurance plans. These marketplaces offer subsidies to help people afford coverage.

•         Requiring most Americans to have health insurance: The ACA requires most Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty. This provision, known as the individual mandate, was designed to encourage more people to enroll in coverage and help spread the risk and cost of healthcare among a larger pool of people.

•         Protecting people with pre-existing conditions: The ACA prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage or charging higher premiums to people with pre-existing health conditions. This helps to ensure that people with chronic or serious medical conditions can get the care they need.

The ACA has had a significant impact on the healthcare system in the United States, and has helped to expand coverage to millions of Americans who were previously uninsured. However, the ACA has also faced controversy and legal challenges, and its future remains uncertain. Despite this, the ACA remains an important and controversial aspect of the healthcare system in the United States.

 

ACA under the Biden Administration

The Biden administration has taken a number of steps to support and strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Here are some of the key actions that the Biden administration has taken so far:

1.       Reinstating the ACA's individual mandate: One of the first actions taken by the Biden administration was to reinstate the ACA's individual mandate, which requires most Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty. The mandate had been repealed by the previous administration, but the Biden administration reinstated it as part of an effort to encourage more people to enroll in coverage.

2.       Expanding ACA enrollment: The Biden administration has taken steps to increase enrollment in ACA health insurance plans, including by increasing outreach and advertising efforts and extending the enrollment period for ACA plans.

3.       Improving ACA subsidies: The Biden administration has made changes to the ACA's financial assistance program, which helps people afford health insurance plans, in order to make coverage more affordable for more people.

4.       Protecting pre-existing conditions: The Biden administration has reiterated its commitment to protecting people with pre-existing conditions and has taken steps to strengthen the ACA's protections for these individuals.

5.       Advocating for ACA expansion: The Biden administration has also expressed support for expanding the ACA, including by exploring the possibility of creating a public option for health insurance.

Overall, the Biden administration has taken a number of steps to support and strengthen the ACA, with a focus on expanding coverage, increasing affordability, and protecting pre-existing conditions.

 

ACA and Universal Healthcare

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, is a comprehensive healthcare reform law that was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010. While the ACA has had a significant impact on the healthcare system in the United States, it is not a universal healthcare system.

A universal healthcare system is one in which all residents of a country have access to healthcare services, regardless of their ability to pay. The ACA does not provide universal healthcare coverage, as it does not cover all Americans and does not provide free healthcare to all residents.

However, the ACA does make significant strides toward increasing access to healthcare for Americans. Some of the key provisions of the ACA that help to increase access to healthcare include:

Expanding Medicaid: The ACA expanded Medicaid, a government-run healthcare program for low-income individuals and families, to cover more people. This helped to reduce the number of uninsured Americans and improve access to healthcare for those who couldn't afford it.

Establishing health insurance marketplaces: The ACA created online health insurance marketplaces, also known as exchanges, where individuals and small businesses can shop for and compare health insurance plans. These marketplaces offer subsidies to help people afford coverage.

Requiring most Americans to have health insurance: The ACA requires most Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty. This provision, known as the individual mandate, was designed to encourage more people to enroll in coverage and help spread the risk and cost of healthcare among a larger pool of people.

Overall, while the ACA does not provide universal healthcare coverage, it does represent a significant step toward increasing access to healthcare for Americans.

If you like me to assist you with your academic writing, please feel free to reach me at meokhan2/at/gmail.com.

 

 

FlexPath Master of Science in Nursing – Capella University: A Brief Overview of the Degree Program

Introduction

In this post, I would like to give you a brief on Capella University’s Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) FlexPath program. The charm about this degree is that, as highlighted on Capella’s official website, if you’re fast enough, you can complete this degree within 14 months (in less than $14k). (**Based on fastest 25% of students).

Overview of the MSN FlexPath

Capella University's MSN FlexPath program is a fully online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program that allows students to earn their degree at their own pace. The FlexPath format allows students to complete coursework and assessments on their own schedule, with no set login times or due dates. This can be a convenient option for students who have busy schedules or who need to balance their studies with other responsibilities.

 

Specialization in MSN

The MSN FlexPath program at Capella offers a variety of specializations, including Nursing Education, Nursing Leadership and Administration, Nursing Informatics, and Family Nurse Practitioner. Students in the program will complete coursework in areas such as nursing theory, research, and clinical practice, and will also have the opportunity to complete a capstone project.

 

Caution: Ensure this program is meant for you

It is worth noting that the FlexPath format may not be suitable for all students, as it requires a high level of self-motivation and self-discipline. Students should carefully consider their learning style and whether the FlexPath format will meet their needs before enrolling in the program.

 

Number of Courses?

Although I have been assisting students in this degree courses for quite some time, for me, it is difficult to offer you the exact number of courses in Capella’s FlexPath program because as the program structure and course requirements may vary depending on the individual student's educational background.

However, I can say one thing for sure: an MSN program typically consists of a number of core nursing courses and specialized courses in the chosen area of focus, and students in the MSN FlexPath Nursing program at Capella are required to complete a minimum of 36 semester credits to earn their degree. The specific course requirements for the Nursing program can be found on the Capella website: https://www.capella.edu/

 

I’d highly recommend that you review the curriculum and course requirements for the Nursing program carefully before enrolling in the program, and this means you will have to take their Trial Course, that determines your current educational qualifications and specific courses that Capella may assign you, https://www.capella.edu/capella-experience/flexpath/flexpath-trial-course/

 

If you think you can handle all the stress around you and study at least five days a week, you probably want to go for it. Let me also share that this program is worth it because an MSN program will cover advanced topics in nursing practice, including leadership, policy, research, and clinical skills. You may also have the opportunity to complete a capstone project as part of their program (I have assisted many in this as well!).

 

If you would like my help in any of the courses in this degree, please feel free do drop me an email at meokhan2/at/gmail.com or send me a WhatsApp by visiting my website: www.meokhan.com

On my website, I have some excellent (A Grade) sample papers for you to view and probably buy cheap as homework help.

In the next post, I will discuss the three assessment from the NURSING-MSN6016! Stay tuned!

Nurs 6233: Case Study (J.P.'s family pedigree).

 Session 5: Family history and pedigree (Discussion board Case Study and Questions) J.P. is a 45-year-old Caucasian female who has recently been diagnosed with right-sided colon cancer. She has asked about the possibility of a cancer predisposition in her family. J.P. had a personal history of a colon polyp at age 43, type unknown. Further medical history is unremarkable.

I developed this whole diagram myself by hand first, and then drew it on Draw.IO. Since it is an extremely complex task, I thought I should let my readers have it so it can help them. Don't forget to give a thumbs up! :) 

Solution

2. Looking at the pedigree drawing for this case, what evidence exists for an inherited susceptibility to cancer?

One of the major pieces of evidence that we can find from the case analysis of an inherited susceptibility to cancer is that J.P.s mother, sister, and brother have had different types of cancers. J.P.’s having a colon polyp is another red flag. This is one of the indications reported in literature for inherited susceptibility to cancer, and most likely it is the lynch syndrome (Medline Plus, 2021; Bethesda, 2002).

3. What resources would you use to assist in establishing a differential diagnosis regarding cancer risk in this family?

Although the carcinoma in the case study is highly likely the lynch syndrome (LS), it is almost impossible to say if it is LS 1 or LS 2. To make the differential diagnosis, thus, the family member must go to a specialized cancer care where their history, tumor tissue analysis, and DNA analysis are done. Without this detailed approach to testing it is challenging to offer a differential diagnosis (Hendriks et al., 2006).

4. What genetic tests if available would you advise?

The mutations of genes (heritable) associated with the LS are EPCAM, PMS2, MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6, and their genetic mutation for LS can be confirmed through a blood test. So, I would highly recommend J.P. and her other family members (daughters) to take this test (Hendriks et al., 2006).

5. Are there any support groups that you would recommend for the family?

There are a number of support groups online and physical that are working to offer enough support to members of a patient with cancer and the families that may have a risk of running carcinomic mutations. A very well-know, global, online platform is the Cancer.Net (2021) that has more than 100 groups for different types of cancerous conditions. Similarly, there is this Cancer.Org (2021) that helps one find local support for their condition and connect with appropriate assistance network and access to appropriate healthcare. Other than these two, there are a number of other support groups available both online and locally.

C229 - Community health and population-focused nursing field experience

This walk-through is intended to make your life easier by giving you first-hand advice on every section of this paper - my personal writing experience. I have had many requests to post it and have finally found some time now. Hope it helps!

To call my shots, I'll focus mostly on the paper. You do, however, want to review all the resources alongside.

First, the paper has two major/different parts: (A) Activity Log and (B) the actual field-experience paper.

Part A. Activity Log 

This is a straightforward activity and will consume your time filling in the fields in the table but does not require any specialized knowledge. You want to provide the details of all the persons you contacted during your fieldwork (usually, googling around town works well 😉). A total 90 hours' log is needed, and you've already completed 25 hours. So, now you need the activity for  65 hours of the fieldwork! There is a snapshot from an original paper I did for a client (specific areas blacked out - you know!) for you to see how it is done:

Example for Activity Log: C229 Part A

That's it! Pretty simple, isn't it? All the As will be done this way. You can be more creative if you like.


EDIT: Please note that in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the activity log has changed a bit. It now mostly include online field activity, i.e., time spent on learing more about your topic, virtual interviews, webinars, etc. I think it should come pretty easy to you still.

Part B: Background and fieldwork

B. This section marks the start of C229: Social Media Campaign Paper. Let's cover all the bases.

Community Health Diagnostic statement: Suppose you've selected to work on obesity (among disadvantaged females in our town) as your topic. The diagnostic statement needs to make the diagnosis. For this you can refer to existing literature/information.

Example: According to Taxes Health Assessment Report (2016), obesity in disadvantaged female population in my city is on the rise due to lack of awareness, access, and unhealthy lifestyle. Thus, over the years, the number has risen to ......

B1. Health Inequity/Disparity
The instructions, accompanying the Rubric, clearly lay out that in this section you need to provide a link between the diagnosis (above) with ground realities. Put another way, you need to simply cite literature to substantiate your diagnosis, that is, disadvantaged female population in your city is gaining weight.

Some facts about obesity you want to consider doing this section: Though it affects all races and ethnic groups, more burden is on people with low socioeconomic profile because of lack of resources, etc.

B1A. Primary Community and Prevention Resources
This section is simple. There is a need to find out what resources are already available in your community. My experience doing this for different clients informs me that although resources in a city are available, potential clients (e.g. obese individuals, older adults, those doing drugs) lack information or access to these. Some towns in US are remote which is another reason. So, you can do the research to find out the available resources and highlight why your population is unable to access these resources (usually lack of access, information, and means).

B1b. Underlying Causes
This is also quite simple. I have already covered some underlying causes above. There may be more for you to find out.

B2. Evidence-Based Practice
Now, this is a bit tricky. In this section, you must cite a few recent resources that offer some detail about how authorities, hospitals, and town administration, etc., in your community, are working to ensure EBP is offered to obese individuals in your town and state. We all know that incorporation of EBP in the mainstream healthcare is being pushed, but the process is still slow. For obesity, you can look for programs that offer nutrition/calorie-based diet training, physical activity, and behavioral change for healthful living (these are some of the major EBP areas within obesity).

B2a. Identification of Data
As the prompt in the Instructions informs, it is a pretty simple portion. 3 smaller paragraphs or one with the 3 combined. Here you talk about available literature on the local, state, and national levels in regards to your findings about obesity among females of your chosen group.

National level data is readily available so is that of the states. Now, if your town is smaller, probably, there is not much empirical research. Thus, in the light of my personal experience, you can directly refer to your findings during the fieldwork for local data:

For instance, I talked to Martha, a 23-year-old woman, about her weight, and she knew little about such and such services which surprised me a bit. It also convinced me of the disconnect between the consumers and the services, etc.

Part C: Social Media Campaign

This is a newly introduced part to c229, probably a year or so old. WGU (and others that have this same practicum) rightly sensed the need to introduce it because of increasing use of social media in our daily lives. You want to relax as I will try to explain it in a way that you'll find easy to do for yourself.

C1. Social Media Campaign Objectives

This section asks you to develop your objectives (at least two) so that your entire campaign can be based on these. Definitely, no campaign can materialize without its objectives. I have done this paper on quite a few topics, so I am thinking I should share objectives for more topics here than for obesity alone (to make your life even easier 😀). I am giving you just the crux of this point, you can add other details such as age group, time, setting, etc. ALWAYS connect your objective to existing EBP literature.

So, for the chosen obese female population:

Objective 1: To create awareness about the risks of more weight....etc. and

Ob. 2. To involve them in physical activity (based on EBP).

Elderly Fall

Ob. 1: To assess nursing homes for falls risks and educate older adults....

Ob. 2: To offer training to the residents to prevent falls (based on EBP)

Vaping among youth

Ob 1: To understand the environmental factors for vaping...

Ob 2: To offer intervention to create awareness about its harms.

Youth well-being
Ob 1: To understand the environmental factors for vaping...
Ob 2: To offer intervention to create awareness about its harms.

C2. Social Marketing Interventions
Please pay attention. Here, you need to discuss 2 interventions (or more) closely based on your objectives in C1 above; it must be "population focused" and "logically explained" to "improve the health message" (Instructions, p. 1).

Let's pick objectives from tab 2 above (Elderly Fall).

To assess falls risk in the nursing homes, the social media campaign will offer free assessment visits by my team (or partners, etc.). To educate older adults, I will work in partnership with relevant stakeholders to develop educational material, hands-on activities, etc. and to offer training to both staff and the residents....

You do want to see that each intervention is tied to the corresponding objective above. Now, you will actually use the social media to engage your population to achieve these objectives.

C3: Social Media Platforms and C3a. Benefits of Social Media Platforms
It's pretty straightforward. You want to choose 3-4 platforms: (1) an official website, (2) Facebook, (3) Twitter, and (4) Instagram (for youth). For specific populations, there are region-based platforms as well that you can find out if interested. But I think these are enough.

Say a few lines about the benefits of each. An official website is necessary for legitimizing the whole campaign with a physical address and phone number, etc. Facebook keeps people engaged for hours; Twitter offers fast news dissemination, etc.

(Remember to cite references; there are plenty out there!).

C4: Benefits to Target Population

You're spending so much time and effort, so how about saying a few things about the benefits of this campaign that your target population may bag away with them? It's also a simple prompt. You'd want to share a few benefits such as they will be able to obtain firsthand expert advice via this campaign; the target population will be able to work as a big virtual team to life each other up; they will find profound motivation in this campaign, etc.

D. Best Practices for Social Media
You must review available literature to find out population-based best practices; however, it's no biggie, etc. Common best practices you want to talk about are: simple layout and font, language; consistency, and security of data/privacy.

Part E: Partners and Practicables 

E1. Stakeholders Roles and Responsibilities
Here, you need to identify a few community-based stakeholders and the responsibilities each may have in executing your SM campaign. Doing some googling will give you names of major NGOs, hospitals, nonprofits, and state agencies for your town. You can talk a bit about the support you will get from each.

For example: The Dept. of Parks in my town has promised to develop tailored recreational programs for obese females; XYZ NGO has considering offering fitness equipment, etc.

E2. Potential Partnerships
It is similar to the one above. You need to find a few relevant stakeholders and say a bit about the kind of partnerships you're working on to develop with them: (1) To offer discounted food from the supermarket (NGO); to involve the obese females in the state-sponsored training, etc.

E3. Implementation Timeline
How much time should all of this take? From planning and executing the entire campaign, probably, a community healthy nurse would take about three to four months, right? So, say that planning would take about 4 to 8 weeks, fund raising another 4-6, then developing the website and campaign another 4-8 weeks.

E4. How to Evaluate Effectiveness 
This takes you back to your objectives above. You now have to discuss how you are going to measure if your campaign is effective (i.e., it really made a difference).

For obese females, Objective One can be assessed by checking their knowledge through a questionnaire at the end, and Objective Two can be assessed by checking their weight (or BMI).

For older adults, Obj. One can be measured by the same questionnaire technique (what or if they have learned anything new), and Obj. Two can be measured by screening: (roadblocks removed, the adults keep their gait balance, etc.).

E5. Cost of Implementation
Let's break the costs first. How many team members you'd need? A website developer (freelance like me? 😛), a graphic designer, a data entry professional, a SM manager? So, each one will charge something on a monthly/quarterly basis to ensure your campaign is up-to-date and frictionless. So list each guy in the table, put down the potential expense + plus hosting and domain, etc. It will give you an estimated cost. That's it!

F. Reflection on SM Marketing and F1. Ref. on Future Nursing Practice
These are pretty straightforward prompts though a bit technical.

How your SM marketing campaign will benefit your population? In many, many ways, e.g., we all know that before SM, it was impossible to reach far-lying groups and connect them together (without moving them from their chair!): major benefit. Similarly, like-minded people in the past just couldn't find each other on this level. Online support group is a BIG boon of SM, etc. (Cite some literature!)

If you do a SM campaign just like this one, it will certainly give you IT-related expertise, community-based experience, and most of all, leadership skills in collaboration, teamwork, and consultation. Say these things in more fancy ways, and we're done! 😎

If you found this post worth your time, I'd be happy to have a should out from you, and remember, I am always there to assist you at: meokhan2/at/gmail[dot]com