Students save big in new nursing curriculum with zero textbook costs

The Iowa State University nursing program has launched the nation’s first RN-to-BSN program with no cost for course materials. 100% of the nursing curriculum uses Open Educational Resources (OER)—free, peer-reviewed, and adaptable learning materials.  By eliminating textbook costs, the program supports enhanced access, affordability, and equity for students pursuing their nursing certification.  

Supported by the University Library open education program and developed under the collaborative leadership of Dawn M. Bowker, Ph.D., and Karla Kerkove, MSN, the program reflects Iowa State University’s commitment to affordability, equity, and academic excellence. Under this initiative, each student in the RN-to-BSN program will save approximately $675  in textbook costs for their nursing courses alone. 

“Our students are balancing careers, families, and academic goals. By removing barriers and creating flexible, high-quality learning opportunities, we are ensuring their education is accessible, affordable, and future-focused,” said Karla Kerkove, clinical assistant professor of nursing, explaining the change. "While many pre-licensure and associate degree programs are implementing OER to save students money, we believe Iowa State to be the first to offer an RN-to-BSN program fully using OER."

Additional programs across Iowa State University, such as agronomy, are moving their core curriculum to OER, but no other programs have fully implemented free course materials across their entire curriculum as of fall 2025.  

About the RN-to-BSN program  

Housed in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, the RN-to-BSN program at Iowa State University provides registered nurses with a flexible pathway to complete their bachelor’s degree. The program emphasizes leadership, evidence-based practice, and population health—equipping graduates to meet the growing demands of today’s health care system.  

This fall, the nursing program welcomed their largest cohort since the program began, with 32 new students, over double the enrollment seen last fall. As the instructors for the program noted, a major draw for students has been the elimination of textbook costs and the ease of having all materials in one place. Many students have expressed how thankful  they are not to deal with multiple platforms or access issues. The cost savings are vital for many working students as they explore ways to pay for their education.

OER benefits extend beyond cost 

Bowker, who holds a Ph.D. in nursing science, and Kerkove’s efforts have not only made education more affordable for Iowa State students. Moving entirely to open textbooks has strengthened the program’s relevance, bringing in content that is kept current and aligned with the rapidly changing landscape of nursing leadership, research, and population/global health.  

“This initiative is about more than cost savings—it’s about creating inclusive, adaptable tools that meet the evolving needs of health care and higher education,” said Professor Bowker, director of nursing education and clinical associate professor of nursing. 

Thanks to these changes, students are seeing the benefits of their ISU education in real time. In October, a student shared how information covered in their Nursing Leadership  class about recent changes to hospital insurance policies helped them better understand the implications for patient care and allowed them to advocate for patients more effectively. The student described how timely and relevant the course’s content was to their work in the nursing profession.

“This is a powerful, real-world example of how our OER curriculum fosters applied learning, relevance, and immediate impact in nursing practice,” Kerkove noted. 

For more information about OER and the support available through the University library, contact Abbey K. Elder at aelder@iastate.edu