RN to BSN Education Tuition Support Increase FAQ Updated September 15, 2014

Transcription

1 RN to BSN Education Tuition Support Increase FAQ Updated September 15, What is being offered and why? Is there a time frame? Dr. Jean Robillard, Ken Kates and the VPMA Cabinet have endorsed a significant increase in tuition support for RN-to-BSN education. This strong support is in keeping with the IOM Future of Nursing report recommendations for an 80% BSN workforce by We are on our way to achieving this goal at UI Health Care (currently >70%) and we want to assure attainment as soon as possible. To help move us along and to support our current staff with associate degrees or diplomas, tuition reimbursement for RN-to-BSN education will increase from $1,000 per semester to $3,000 per semester effective Summer semester 2013 through Spring semester You will be able to apply for funding up to a cap of $9000 over three semesters or an equivalent timeframe followed by your school. If you attend a school that does not operate on a semester basis (i.e. number of weeks, quarters or trimesters, etc.), we will split the $9000 over that time frame. After reaching that cap, you will be returned to the existing program tuition assistance/reimbursement program of $1000 per semester. 2. What are the eligibility criteria? To be eligible, you must have worked at UI Health Care for at least one continuous year as a RN with a 50% or greater appointment by the application deadline for that semester/academic timeframe. If you have not been here for one continuous year as a RN, you will still be eligible for the standard tuition assistance/reimbursement program of $1000 per semester. 3. How can I connect with a school to get enrolled? You can check out some of the programs available on our nursing intranet homepage under the Academic Nursing Programs or Tuition Reimbursement thumbnail. The programs listed are all appropriately credentialed but the list should not be considered the only eligible programs. Contact Dr. Lou Ann Montgomery for assistance in determining this. The tuition support program is not limited to degrees offered by the UI College of Nursing. If you wish to meet with a representative from the UI College of Nursing to have your transcript reviewed, please contact Cheri Doggett at cheri-doggett@uiowa.edu. If you need your transcripts received by other schools, please contact that program directly. Dr. Montgomery s office is not involved in transcript review. Our next annual departmental Nursing Education, Professional Organization, and Certification Fair has been scheduled for February 24, Is there any other financial support available? Contracts have been signed with:

2 Mt. Mercy University: RN to BSN- Reduced tuition rate of $350 per credit hour if participating in the cohort at UIHC, evening classes in the Nursing Clinical Education Center. There are presently three UIHC cohorts enrolled in their program. MSN- Fourth course in the MSN program is free (~$1635 reduction in total cost of program). This course coincides most often with MMU s winter semester which the UI tuition assistance program does not recognize. Upper Iowa University: 10% discount with 0-50 staff members enrolled. Incremental discounts when > 50 and 100 staff are enrolled. Western Governors University: 5% tuition discount over 4 terms; eligible to apply for a WGU Healthcare Partners Fund Scholarship ($2500 value). These two may be additive so an applicant could receive both. Walden University: 10 % tuition discount or may be eligible for a one time partnership grant at a similar discount. For the original announcement regarding signed contracts, please access sing%20programs.aspx Schools also offer a variety of financial aid, scholarship and awards. Sometimes schools offer additional discounts to nurses who are members of select professional nursing organizations. It is strongly advised to remind the programs that you are a UIHC employee and ask about other possible financial incentives available to you. Other perks may be offered by the above programs on a prn basis so be sure to watch for Department broadcasts and postings in the Nursing at Iowa blog. 5. Is the tuition support considered taxable income? The UI Tax Manager for Finance and Operations has notified us that employees participating in the RN to BSN tuition reimbursement program should not have any tax consequences for their participation. Please check with your personal tax advisor if you have concerns. 6. What happens if I do not complete the degree requirements by June 2016? Staff remaining in their program beyond the deadline will not receive the additional $3000/semester monetary support but will be eligible for the current $1000/semester monetary support. The last semester that the increased support will be available is spring Is there a cap on the number of nurses who can receive this report (first-come, first-served)? There will be no limit. Staff meeting eligibility requirements will receive the funding.

3 8. Do I need to pay back this support by working for UIHC for a period of time after graduating with a BSN? It is a professional expectation that, if you accept this support, you will stay at UI Hospitals and Clinics for one year of service for every year of support. 9. What if I am in a RN to MSN or RN to PhD/DNP program- will I be eligible? Yes, we will apply this tuition increase to credits toward these degrees that relate to the early part of the programs that would include baccalaureate content. Dr. Montgomery will work with individual staff and schools to determine how the funding will apply. 10. Will the program pay for prerequisites, electives or general education requirements, books or fees? No, at this time per policy, the support does not apply to prerequisites, electives and general education courses, books or fees of any kind. It is for tuition support only. You may want to consider taking these courses at a community college with lower tuition costs. Your school will advise you if you can take general education, electives or any prerequisite courses concurrent with nursing courses. Please contact Dr. Montgomery if you have questions about course eligibility. 11. My school does not follow semesters. How will this work if my program runs by block of weeks, quarters or trimesters? Support can be allocated to be spread across different timeframes so long as $9,000 per fiscal year is not exceeded. Dr. Montgomery will work with staff with this situation on an individual basis to determine a best process. 12. Can I take more than one course at a time? You can take as many courses as you like but will only be reimbursed up to $3,000 cap per time frame. WGU student staff will be reimbursed $3250/semester/ twice a year instead of three times a year since WGU follows 6 month sessions. 13. I also plan to seek a nursing professional certification/recertification while in school for my BSN. Will there still be support available? Yes. We will continue to support up to $300 per fiscal year for certifications/re-certifications that are not conditions of employment. Whether or not you have asked for tuition reimbursement in the same time frame will not matter. We are presently in contractual agreements with the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board for their No Pass/No Pay program, the American Nurses Credentialing Center for their Success Pays (No Pass/ No Pay) program, and the Medical Surgical Nursing Certification Board for their Fail Safe program. We are working with the Orthopedic Nursing Certification Board on a similar arrangement. There is also a voucher program that we are using for certifications with the American Association of Critical Care Nurses to pay up front for the CCRN (adult, pediatric or neonatal) and PCCN

4 exams. We have a similar voucher-type arrangement with the National Certification Corporation for obstetric, neonatal and newborn core and specialty certifications. We continue to work wit the AORN on a similar arrangement. For specific information, refer to the Certification FAQ within the Certification thumbnail on the Nursing home page on the Point. 14. I have looked into a RN to BSN program in the past but it was difficult to be eligible for and transfer in to a program. Much progress is being made by the Iowa Regional Action Coalition on the Future of Nursing, supported by the Iowa Board of Nursing, to improve articulation agreements between associate degree and BSN programs in the state. It will become increasingly easier to move seamlessly from ADN to BSN education within the state of Iowa. The UI College of Nursing will now be enrolling RN to BSN applicants twice a year and have relaxed some requirements. 15. How and when do I apply? Broadcasts are sent out approximately days prior to the start of each semester through the Department of Nursing and HealthCare Human Resources. Please watch for these. We will also have information each week in the Nursing at Iowa Blog during each application time frame. The next application period will be announced ~ the second Friday in October The RN to BSN application for this program will need to use a paper process for the 3 year period of enhanced monetary support so please follow directions given in the broadcast. 16. What is the quickest way to get my reimbursement classes after submitting my request for reimbursement, grades and copy of the tuition bill? The fastest way to get reimbursed once you have submitted necessary paperwork is to set up direct deposit online on ISIS. This is different from direct deposit for your paycheck. To set this up: Log into ISIS using your HawkID and password Select Student Records located at the top of the page Under Finances & Billing, select Bank Information-Refund Account Follow the instructions to set up direct deposit. 17. What are my options if I have less than $1000 in my $9000 account when a semester tuition reimbursement call comes out prior to a semester, and I am still taking nursing classes. If you have less that $1000 left in your account at the start of any semester, you can apply for the remainder of that account and then apply for the difference up to $1000 out of the online application account. Please contact Dr. Montgomery to work through the process prior to applying that semester.

5 18. Is there direct pay to the school for tuition? We had been pursuing this with Mt Mercy University. However, as of the end of May 2014, we have decided not to pursue this with them or any other outside institution except as already exists with the University of Iowa this will continue with UI. The issue with direct pay to the school is due to process issues that would have to be resolved that are presently beyond our ability to resolve. 18. Whom do I contact if I have more questions? It is highly recommended that you contact Lou Ann Montgomery at lou-montgomery@uiowa.edu. The schools are asked to refer all questions to her for consistency on process interpretation. Information is also available on our nursing intranet homepage under the Academic Nursing Programs or Tuition Reimbursement thumbnails, Nursing Broadcast updates, and Nursing at Iowa blog- Back to Nursing School section.