UAO Program: RN to BSN, RN to BSN/MSN
Role: Program Coordinator
Education: BS in Nursing from Auburn, MS in Nursing from UAB and EdD in Instructional Leadership (Nurse Education) from The University of Alabama
Fun Fact: Michelle has been married to her college sweetheart for 29 years.
The RN to BSN and RN to BSN/MSN online programs through UA Online and the Capstone College of Nursing offer registered nurses the opportunity to earn their BSN and MSN while they continue to work. Any registered nurse who earned an associate degree in nursing from a community college or a diploma degree from a hospital is eligible to apply. We recently sat down with the program’s coordinator, Michelle Cheshire, to learn more about the program she is so passionate about.
UAO: How long has this program been online at UA?
MC: The program has been online since 2004. I’ve been with the program since 2008 when I came on as a faculty member, and then I became the coordinator in 2012 due to the previous coordinator’s retirement.
UAO: How long have you practiced as an RN?
MC: I’ve been a registered nurse since 1988 when I graduated and worked in a cardiac intensive care unit at St. Vincent’s in Birmingham. Two years after that, we moved to Tuscaloosa where I worked in home health nursing. Then in 1996, I became a part-time instructor here at the Capstone College of Nursing, and I’ve been full-time faculty for the past 12 years.
UAO: And what drew you to the education side of nursing?
MC: When I was practicing in the home health setting, I served as a preceptor for nursing students, and I really enjoyed that. A faculty member with the college mentioned to me that they needed somebody to teach community health, and I thought that sounded like a fun idea, so I started doing it. And it’s been over 22 years now I’ve been enjoying that fun, involved in some capacity on the education side of nursing.
UAO: And you earned your EdD through the UA Online program, right? How has that helped you?
MC: You know, many times nurses are teaching with no formal training in teaching. The EdD provided me with real insight, teaching strategies, why we do what we do and why we should teach in certain ways to more effectively reach our students. For me, the fact that it was a joint program between the Capstone College of Nursing and the College of Education was a major benefit because it provided me insight into the discipline of education, which I had not had.
UAO: Perfect! Back to the RN to BSN and RN to BSN/MSN – what sets this program apart from similar programs at other institutions?
MC: The faculty who teach in this program have a real passion for adult learners, and we’ve been nurses ourselves, so we understand the demands of full-time nursing careers and taking care of a family. The program is designed for nurses who are working full time.
UAO: How will it help them progress in their careers?
MC: Nurses need a bachelor’s degree to continue to graduate education, so for many of them, it’s the bridge to further education. And for many of them, it’s a bucket list item to earn that BSN or MSN. And both degrees will give them increased knowledge to enhance patient care. You know, there are two ways to earn a BSN from The University of Alabama. There’s the traditional way where you come and spend nine semesters on campus. And then there’s this program that they can complete after they receive their RN degree, while working full time and raising families, but still continuing their education. And both of those degrees look just the same hanging on the wall, you know? They’re identical. One just comes with a little more flexibility.
UAO: Oh, I really love that point. What challenges do you face as a faculty member of an online program, and how do you overcome those challenges?
MC: Well, my favorite thing about the program is the students, and I’m extremely relational, so my fear was that in teaching online courses, I would have less interaction with them and less opportunity to connect. But that is not the case! I’ve actually found that I’m more able to build those relationships in the online format because there’s more one-on-one contact with students, and I’m able to individually help each student through the process. So that was maybe a fear of mine that turned out not to be a challenge. But our biggest challenge is just to make sure our students feel connected to campus and to their peers in the program who are all over the country. We have worked really hard to build activities into the program to help foster that community.
UAO: Do you have any advice for nurses who may be considering the program?
MC: Furthering your education is always a good choice. And we run a grace and mercy program that is very flexible for our students coming back. It’s never too late, and it’s never too soon to come back. We have nurses that enter the program straight out of their RN program, and then we have nurses who have been nurses for over 30 years who come and continue their education through this program! And we are here to help them.
The University of Alabama has a prestigious reputation in nursing and that can be somewhat intimidating for some of our students, but we don’t want that to be a barrier. We are real people who just want to help them reach their goals, and it’s attainable for any nurse who is willing to put in the work to earn their BSN or MSN. We are very student-centered. The faculty and staff who work here consider ourselves a family, and we just want the students to feel like part of that family.
For more information about the RN to BSN or RN to BSN/MSN program, visit the program website.
Published: August 30th, 2020