Supporting the Study of Nursing to a ‘Hire’ Degree
Erin Hennessey, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, Associate Program Chair of the RN to BSN Online Completion Program at Mercy College of Ohio, understands the emotional and physical demands of going to nursing school as well as anyone. She joined Mercy College after earning her bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. It was this intense academic experience that ‘put her in the shoes’ of the students she works with every day. “I did a completion program myself, and I did it with two kids, a husband and a fulltime job,” said Hennessey. “So I do completely understand the challenges that come along with having multiple responsibilities, but also, wanting to take that ‘next step’ professionally to open up new doors.”
That next step for many current registered nurses is to enroll in a bachelor’s degree completion program. Erin says that while there are plenty of options to choose from, Mercy College should be at the very top of anyone’s list for a variety of important reasons. “Mercy College is extremely committed to its students. In particular, there are a lot of dedicated, passionate educators on this campus who have a ton of energy for what they do,” Hennessey said. “Even better, we recently conducted a restructuring of the completion program. The changes make it easier for students who are currently working in the field of nursing to supplement their experience with an additional professional component.” Erin believes that having a bachelor’s degree is becoming a key element for employment at hospitals and healthcare organizations – something most will need to move on in their careers.
Erin is also proud that she and her fellow faculty members do all they can to reach out to students who want to go back to school, but are reluctant for one reason or another. “There are strategies for success, and there is no time like the present to begin,” Hennessey said. “Better yet, students who pursue their completion degree online are
still connected to the deep resources of Mercy College.”
Students interested in learning about Mercy College’s RN to BSN program can attend an online information session Virtual Open House. There are multiple upcoming connection opportunities, with the next session on Feb. 3 at 9:00 pm (EST). Click here to sign up for the Virtual Open House or learn more about the online RN to BSN program.