Becoming an RN in Oklahoma

Oklahoma expects to have a high demand for professional nurses for years to come. If the profession calls to you, know that the nursing field may be just as glad to have your talents and services as you are to offer them. You can become a registered nurse by taking an Oklahoma Board of Nursing approved degree program at either the associate’s or baccalaureate level. A BSN program generally includes a more broad liberal arts curriculum as well as advanced coursework in areas like community health. Both ADN and BSN programs qualify you to sit for the NCLEX-RN, a national certifying exam.

How do you decide between the two options? According to the Oklahoma Board f Nursing, a nurse at the BSN level may have better clinical and administrative advancement opportunities. A BSN is also necessary for teaching. It is becoming the preferred degree nationwide, as reports have linked higher education to better patient outcomes.

Of course it generally takes less time to complete an ADN and enter the field. Those who do enter with an ADN aren’t necessarily destined to stay at that level. They have the option of taking a BSN completion course later. Such courses don’t need specific board approval, and they are often taken online. The Oklahoma Institute for Nursing Education supports the BSN in Ten initiative to give RNs incentive to complete their baccalaureate degree within ten years.

Whichever program you select, you will need to take and pass the national board examination and demonstrate good character and legal standing.

Registered Nurse Education and Career Pathways

If you already have a license as a practical nurse, you may have a shortened path to licensing. The program you enroll in doesn’t necessarily have to be titled LPN to ADN or LPN to BSN. According to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, all in-state ADN programs, and some BSN programs, grant advanced placement to LPNs. There are also online RN to BSN program options.

Second career professionals also have a shortened path. Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma Health Center both have accelerated BSN programs. There are also out-of-state programs that accept Oklahoma students. The actual length of your program will depend on what prerequisites you took when completing your first bachelor’s. Those with a strong science background may be at an advantage.

Registered Nursing Career Outlook in Oklahoma

Job prospects for nurses are influenced by the national economy. Still, nursing graduates are faring better than those in most fields. Although vacancy rates have declined in the past few years, Oklahoma predicts continued high demand into the foreseeable future. This trend will be propelled by changing demographics.

According to the Health Care Workforce Center, the state expects a shortage of more than 3,000 nurses by 2012. The AACN reports that even during the recent economic downturn, nurses have had better career prospects than the average worker. A 2010 survey of university deans found that 88% of Oklahoma’s baccalaureate and direct-entry master’s nursing students had job offers at graduation. Four to six months down the line, 97% did. The results were based on two years of placement data.

The Application Process

Oklahoma has been working hard to increase nursing school capacity to meet demands. A 2009 report by the Oklahoma Health Care Workforce Center noted that nursing schools in the state had admitted a higher percentage of qualified candidates than in past years. The percentage was better at the BSN level (85%) than at the associate’s level (71%). Unfortunately, the state is still turning away some candidates that are both qualified and needed. How can a person increase their chances of getting in?

A strong academic background is important for gaining admission to nursing schools in the state. As can be expected, universities often set standards higher than associates programs do. Merely meeting the stated standards may not be enough as there is often a point system to determine who actually gets a seat. If your academics are very high, though, you may be guaranteed admission. At the University of Oklahoma Health Center, honors students are guaranteed admission (without a wait list) if they complete prerequisite courses and required honors courses while maintaining general standards.

ADN Programs Approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing

BSN Programs Approved by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing

Oklahoma City University

The BSN program is accredited by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing and accredited by the CCNE.

Programs Offered: BSN, Second Degree BSN, RN to BSN, Part-Time BSN, MSN – (Tracks: Nursing Education, Nursing Administration), MSN/MBA, PhD, DNP