This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Bridge Entry Option at Frontier Nursing University (FNU). Frontier’s Bridge Entry Option allows registered nurses with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) as their highest degree who have been in practice at least one year to bypass a bachelor’s degree. By completing a series of courses over 12 months, nurses become prepared for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a career as a nurse-midwife, family nurse practitioner or psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner.

Beginning with only 16 students in 2007 (Class 53), FNU has now enrolled more than 1,100 students in the Bridge program. Of those students, 273 have gone on to complete a MSN as a family nurse practitioner, 204 as a nurse-midwife, and 19 in women’s health*. Eleven students have even gone on to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, as of February 2017.

Over the past decade, a favorite part of the Bridge journey for students has been attending both Bridge Bound and Crossing the Bridge - events that bookmark the year-long program, both traditionally held in Hyden, Ky., and at Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn.

Bridge Bound is the initial welcome orientation into the FNU community prior to classes beginning. After the year of Bridge courses, students attend Crossing the Bridge, the final intensive, on-campus session before moving on to clinical speciality coursework in the MSN graduate program.

We have been celebrating all year by running a photo booth contest at both Bridge Bounds and Crossing the Bridge sessions this year. Students in attendance are encouraged to use the photo booth on campus and post photos to social media with the #FNUAnswertheCall. Take a look at some of the photos here.

The FNU community is grateful for all that the last decade has held for our Bridge program, and we can’t wait to see what the next decade brings!

If you are a registered nurse with an ADN as your highest degree, learn more or apply to our Bridge Entry Option here.  

Related Content: FNU Traditions Blog Series

*FNU stopped admitting women’s health students to the ADN Bridge Entry Option in 2011