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Online Nursing Classes: Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

RN-BSN Nursing Online

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Go from an RN to BSN with online nursing courses

A strong foundation for a cutting-edge career as a nurse includes a blend of critical thinking and caring. This online RN to BSN degree program is offered to those who already have an RN license and hold either an ADN or ASN in nursing. By obtaining their BSN, graduates are prepared as nurse generalists to function as providers, designers, and managers, of patient care across the healthcare continuum. They are responsible for delegation to and supervision of supportive healthcare works and for collaboration with other members of the healthcare team.

The RN to BSN program offers all core nursing courses online and is designed for the working nurse. Start at any time, with program launches in the fall (August), spring (January), and summer (May) semesters.

Program Overview

A bachelor's degree in nursing prepares graduates with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to practice nursing with competence, compassion, and integrity. A BSN-level program provides a well-rounded education that incorporates general education, liberal arts, biological sciences, social sciences, and the interrelationship among theory, practice, and research. Graduates are able to quickly turn their associate degree or diploma into a bachelor's degree, with fully online nursing classes.

MSN Fast Track

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree now also have the option to take one or more (maximum of six credit-hours) 500 level graduate courses at the undergraduate tuition rate. The course options are part of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program. More information about the MSN fast-track option is below.

MSN Fast Track Information

RN to BSN Program

Program Handbook

  1. Verification documentation of an active and unencumbered RN license.
  2. Submit all official transcripts of previous coursework with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a conferred Associate degree in nursing, or diploma in nursing, from a program accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) (formerly NLNAC), or the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA).
    1. See conditional admission criteria if a graduate of a non-accredited nursing program.

Conditional Admission

Graduates of non-accredited nursing programs seeking admission to the RN to BSN completion program must complete the following to ensure standards set forth by ACEN and/or CNEA have been met:

  1. Requests, which will be considered on an individual basis, should be sent directly via email to the RN to BSN Completion Program Director at RN-BSN-Director@mercycollege.edu.
  2. NUR 304 and NUR 324 with a grade of “C” or better.

Conditional admission will be granted to qualified candidates based on seat availability. After students successfully complete NUR 304 and NUR 324 with a grade of “C” or better, they are removed from conditional status.

Block Credit

Applicants may receive blocked credit for a previously earned college degree or diploma from an accredited program. The Program Director and academic advisor for the RN to BSN Completion Program will evaluate the curriculum based on the accreditation essentials for the discipline and recommend the number of credit hours to be granted by the Office of Student Records. Blocked credit may range from 32-39 credit hours for previous nursing coursework in an Associate degree or diploma program. Applicants who have received degrees or diplomas from non-accredited nursing programs will receive the 32-39 blocked credit hours after successfully completing NUR 304 and NUR 324 with a grade of “C” or better.

To earn the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Post-licensure Degree students must complete all college requirements for a Bachelor of Science Degree including:

General Education Requirements

 

Complete All of The Following Courses:

Oral and Written Communication (GCOM) - 6 minimum

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
ENG 101 English Composition I 3
ENG 102 English Composition II 3

Math, Statistics and Logic (GMSL) - 3 minimum

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
MTH 140 Introduction to Statistics 3

Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSBS) - 6 minimum

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology 3
PSY 201 Lifespan Psychology 3

Arts, Humanities, Culture and Diversity (includes Religious Studies) (GAHD/GAHR) - 9 minimum

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
REL 290 Medical Ethics 3

Natural Sciences, Technology and Innovation (GNSI) - 6 minimum

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
BIO 220 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
BIO 221 Anatomy and Physiology II 4

Additional hours from one or more of the above categories - 6 minimum

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
BIO 210 Microbiology 4

Required Nursing Post-Licensure Program Course Requirements

Complete All of The Following Courses:

Course Number Course Name Credit Hours
NUR 304 Transitions in Professional Nursing 3
NUR 324 Nursing Informatics 3
NUR 374 Population Health Assessment 3
NUR 384 Evidence-Based Practice 3
NUR 414 Current Issues in Nursing 3
NUR 434 Community Health Nursing 3
NUR 444 Global Focused Nursing Care 3
NUR 494 Nursing Leadership 3

Sample program of study for the RN to BSN Online program:

Notes:

  • All nursing core courses are offered every semester.
  • Students in this program will receive 32-39 credit hours for their associate degree (ASN) or diploma degree (ADN) in nursing.
  • Full-time students can complete nursing core courses in twelve months.
  • All nursing core courses are 100% online.
  • Pre-requisite courses and general education courses are offered in limited capacity in the online environment and must be completed prior to graduation.
  • Rolling admissions are accepted throughout the year.

Students who do not have transfer credit for ENG 101 may earn credit through testing. Humanities = Art, Communication, English, Foreign Language, History, Music & Religious Studies Social Sciences = Psychology & Sociology

21 elective credit hours also required, 12 of which must be from 300/400 level courses.

Students who began prior to 2015

Students will be able to:

  1. Incorporate core values of compassion, excellence, human dignity, justice, sacredness of life and service in the practice of nursing.
  2. Integrate knowledge from physical, behavioral, and nursing sciences; humanities; and liberal arts as a basis for professional nursing practice.
  3. Use Self-Care-Deficit Theory of Nursing and nursing research to provide therapeutic nursing interventions that assist individuals, families, groups and communities to attain optimal health.
  4. Practice critical thinking through intellectual curiosity, rational inquiry, problem-solving skills and creativity in the management and coordination of care.
  5. Integrate professional behavior in the multidimensional role of the nurse in a variety of settings.
  6. Provide holistic nursing care to diverse individuals, families, groups and communities.
  7. Coordinate community resources to promote, maintain and restore health in the individual, family, group and community
  8. Practice effective communication through the sharing of accurate information to positively affect care outcomes.

Students who began in or after 2015.

The baccalaureate program of study is further based on sound principles of adult education progressing from simple to complex, familiar to unfamiliar, and general to specific. The Program provides students with the opportunity to achieve program objectives through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, and competencies necessary to function as professional nurses who meet the healthcare needs of individuals across the lifespan. The following student learning outcomes emphasize Christian values, critical thinking, clinical competence, and professional development:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of liberal education (Arts and sciences) in making clinical judgments for diverse populations with complex health problems.
  2. Demonstrate leadership skills, quality improvement, and patient safety in caring for populations with complex health problems.
  3. Demonstrate ability to participate in basic nursing research by sharing evidence-based nursing practices with the inter-professional healthcare team.
  4. Employ knowledge and skills of information management in patient care technology.
  5. Apply principles of legal, ethical and economic policy related to influencing healthcare delivery and practice.
  6. Effectively communicate and collaborate with interdisciplinary professionals to deliver evidence based, patient-centered care.
  7. Provide therapeutic nursing interventions that assist populations, communities, groups, and individuals across the life span whose lives are affected by, illness, distress, disease, disability or death.
  8. Incorporate professional behavior, the commitment to lifelong learning, and professional values, including legal and ethical aspects into the practice of nursing.
  9. Integrate holistic care to a diverse population in a variety of healthcare settings.

Program Outcomes

  • Document .pdfRN-BSN Online Completion


    Program outcomes data for RN–BSN online completion

    Download

Attend an RN-BSN Program Online Information Session

part of Healthcare Worker Wednesday at Mercy College

Learn more or sign up for the next online session

Career Outlook

Employment Growth

Overall job opportunities for Registered Nurses are expected to be excellent, but may vary by employment and geographic setting. Employment of RNs is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2020. In fact, registered nurses are projected to generate approximately 711,900 new jobs, among the largest number of new jobs for any occupation.

Admission Requirements

An applicant must present documentation of a current, active and unencumbered RN license.

All official transcripts of previous coursework must show a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Official transcripts must show a conferred associate degree in nursing, or diploma in nursing, from a program accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) (formerly NLNAC), or the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA). See conditional admission criteria if you are a graduate of a non-accredited nursing
program.

Conditional Admission
Graduates of non-accredited nursing programs seeking admission to this program must meet the following criteria to ensure that standards set forth by ACEN and/or CNEA have been met:

  1. Petitions for conditional admission will be considered on an individual basis by the Dean of Nursing and the RN to BSN Completion Program Director.
  2. Completion of NUR 304 and NUR 324 with a grade of “C” or better.
  3. Admission will be granted to qualified candidates on a “space available” basis.

Block Credit
A prospective student applying for the RN to BSN Completion Program at Mercy College of Ohio may receive blocked credit for a previously earned college degree or diploma. The Program Director and Nursing Advisor will evaluate the curriculum based on the accreditation essentials for the discipline, and recommend to the Office of Student Records the amount of credit to be granted in the block. Blocked credit may range from 32 – 39 credits hours for previous nursing knowledge acquired in a student’s associate degree or diploma program.

Graduates of non-accredited nursing programs will receive the 32 – 39 blocked credit hours after successfully passing NUR 304 and NUR 324 with a grade of “C” or better.