Capella University offers online degree programs for Registered Nurses

Capella University, a regionally accredited online university* that offers online degree programs designed to help working adults advance in their careers, has announced two new educational options for Registered Nurses (RNs) who want to expand their health care career options. They include a Master of Business Administration (MBA) Accelerated option http://bit.ly/1avWWP8 for RNs with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Preparatory Program http://bit.ly/KaBAjV for RNs with non-nursing master's degrees.

As of Sept. 30, 2013, approximately 35,000 students were pursuing an online degree at Capella. The learning and career outcomes of Capella's students and alumni can be found at www.capellaresults.org.

MBA Accelerated option adds business skills to nursing expertise
"As the economics of health care grows in complexity, effective nurse leaders need both advanced nursing expertise and sophisticated business skills," said Christy Davidson, DNP, RNC-OB, Capella's director of nursing. "Capella's new MBA Accelerated option provides MSN-educated nurses the opportunity to complement their nursing knowledge with such managerial skills as accounting, marketing, operations, and leadership, and to take a more direct pathway to achieving that goal."

Applicants holding a previous MSN degree are recognized for their previous graduate work, as Capella applies the maximum four courses—12 quarter credits—toward the MBA program, saving nurses up to six months and more than $8,600 on the cost of the degree. The MBA Accelerated option is also available to RNs who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and want to earn both an MSN http://bit.ly/1deKfbm and an MBA http://bit.ly/1dvfH8L. After earning an MSN at Capella, this graduate work is recognized by granting a block of 12 quarter credits toward the MBA program, again saving nurses up to six months and more than $8,600 on the cost of the MBA.

DNP Preparatory Program provides new pathway for RNs with a non-nursing master's
RNs with non-nursing master's degrees now have a new pathway to earning a DNP http://bit.ly/1hyz2Yw, which the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has recommended as the new standard credential for all advanced practice nurses by 2015. Capella's DNP Preparatory Program offers three prerequisite MSN courses that cover the essential knowledge and skills of a nursing-focused master's degree. This allows RNs with non-nursing master's degrees—including MHAs, MPHs, MBAs, and more—the opportunity to transition into Capella's DNP program after successful completion of these courses.

"Fewer than 1 percent of nurses currently have a doctoral degree," said Dr. Davidson. "With Capella's new DNP Preparatory Program, more master's-prepared nurses will qualify for our online DNP and can join the exclusive group of nurses who hold a doctorate. This will increase their own career options, and also help them address the nation's shortage of nursing faculty and the industry call to double the number of doctoral-educated nurses by 2020."

Because a DNP focuses on advanced, practical contributions to the nursing field, it can be completed more quickly than a research-focused PhD. Unlike many DNP programs, Capella's CCNE-accredited** DNP focuses on administrative, organizational, and systems leadership competencies to prepare RNs for a variety of nursing leadership positions. Capella's curriculum also incorporates the AACN's Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice.

Source: Capella University