Registered Nurse, BSN

Additional information available on the Nursing Department website.

The RN-BSN program is designed for Registered Nurses who wish to earn the baccalaureate nursing degree or for current nursing students (dual enrollment) who are enrolled and in good standing in the Nursing AAS program who wish to earn the baccalaureate nursing degree. Students will examine the role of baccalaureate nursing that embraces excellence, caring, legal and ethical practice, civility, and lifelong learning. The curriculum prepares students to advance in their nursing career by gaining knowledge of current trends in the profession, nursing research, leadership, and healthcare informatics. Students will critique nursing research and learn to disseminate best practice guidelines in the clinical setting. The student’s scope of practice will expand beyond individual patient care to the professional nurse’s role in health promotion, prevention, and optimal wellness of communities. Students will be challenged to develop clinical reasoning and leadership skills beyond the scope of the ADN level and are prepared for career advancement within the nursing profession.

Students must apply to the RN-BSN program with a completed Associates Degree or Diploma in Nursing and have a current RN license in good standing. Students who are dual enrolled can start BSN classes through an online format once they have completed the first semester of the ADN program. The program has two courses (NUR 4009 & NUR 4010) that require the student to hold an RN license for a practicum experience. Each general education course and all 3000 and 4000 level nursing courses must be completed with a grade of C or better or the course must be repeated to progress in the program and graduate.

The RN-BSN program will recognize and transfer in a total of 71.5 block credit hours for the ADN Degree/Diploma and RN license.

Program Learning Outcomesa

Upon completion of the RN-BSN degree program, students should be able to:

Quality care

• Interpret research to promote best practice and use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes. Propose an evaluation process to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems and deliver quality care to individuals and diverse populations.

Professionalism

• Formulate a plan that demonstrates an enhanced commitment to professionalism embracing excellence, caring, legal and ethical practice, civility, accountability, and professional development.

Communication

• Evaluate effective communication and collaboration with colleagues, inter-professional groups, and members of the community to promote health, safety, and well-being across the lifespan and across the continuum of the healthcare environment.

Leadership

• Evaluate the contribution of leadership, quality improvement principles, and impact of organizational systems in transforming, managing, and coordinating safe, quality, and cost-effective person-centered care.

Critical thinking/clinical reasoning

• Integrate a systematic process of critical inquiry with nursing, natural and behavioral sciences, arts, and humanities to make evidence-based practice decisions to improve the nursing care of individuals, families, populations, and communities.