Nursing Education at Western Governors University: A Modern, Disruptive Approach

Over 1 million working registered nurses (RNs) currently do not have a bachelor's degree in nursing and comprise the critical group needing to return to school in order to achieve the Institute of Medicine's goal of 80% bachelors of science in nursing (BSNs) by 2020. Western Governors University (WGU) has developed a transformative educational model, incorporating 4 operational pillars (competency-based learning, technology, disaggregated faculty roles, and a student-centric management system), to revolutionize RN–BSN education. This article describes a successful contemporary model, disrupting most all of the traditional aspects of university education for professional nursing practice. The program design is of particular value to working adults and addresses the flexibility they need to accommodate academic advancement. The WGU nursing program currently serves over 5,000 students seeking BSN and Master of Science in Nursing degrees in all 50 states.