RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ONLINE ), B.S.

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Chairperson	Program Manager	Coordinator
Nancy Duphily	Linda McKay	Sarah Blood

The baccalaureate degree in nursing program at Fitchburg State is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation

Program Description

The Online RN/BS in Nursing Program is designed to prepare professional nurses capable of meeting societal healthcare needs in a variety of settings. Legal, ethical and professional standards guide the students in the art and science of nursing. The graduate is prepared to respect diversity and social responsibility as well as to possess a commitment to excellence in the practice of holistic nursing.

Program Outcomes

Through course work and clinical experience, graduates are prepared to:

Synthesize knowledge from the liberal arts, sciences, and nursing as a foundation for safe, client-centered care.
Incorporate basic organizational and systems leadership to provide quality care and patient safety.
Integrate evidence-based practice including current research and critical thinking in the management of client care.
Analyze information using information technology to improve patient outcomes.
Examine the impact of health care policy, finance, and regulatory environments on nursing practice.
Integrate principles of communication in professional practice.
Synthesize knowledge of health promotion and disease/injury prevention in designing population focused care.
Integrate professional standards of moral, ethical and legal conduct into nursing practice.

Admissions Requirements

Graduate from a NLN accredited associate degree, or diploma program with a 2.5 cumulative average
Current registered nurse license in good standing
Math Readiness Requirement: If you have not transferred a statistics course or have not completed university-level mathematics courses, you are required to successfully pass the Accuplacer Mathematics Placement Examination. The Accuplacer Mathematics Placement Examination or the required pre-university level mathematics readiness courses must be successfully completed before students register for MATH 1700 . The successful completion of the statistics course is necessary before students register for NURS 3710
Note: Only students previously enrolled in the RN to BS in Nursing program can apply for readmission to that program.

Program of Study

Liberal Arts and Science Credits

Art

Five courses; a minimum of 15 credits. One of these courses must have a global diversity non-western designation.

ENGL 1100 - Writing I 3 cr.
ENGL 1200 - Writing II 3 cr.
Art or Music 3 cr.
Literature 3 cr.
Elective 3 cr.

Citizenship

Three courses; a minimum of 9 credits. Introduction to Sociology fulfills the global diversity designation.

PSY 1100 - Introduction to Psychological Science 3 cr.
SOC 1100 - Introduction to Sociology 3 cr.
History 3 cr.

Science, Math, Technology

Four courses; a minimum of 12 credits

MATH 1700 - Applied Statistics 3 cr.
BIOL 1200 - Anatomy and Physiology I 4 cr.
BIOL 1300 - Anatomy and Physiology II 4 cr.
BIOL 2700 - Medical Microbiology 4 cr.

Option C

Four courses; a minimum of 12 credits with a minimum of 6 credits at or above the 2000 level.

PSY 1200 - Lifespan Development 3 cr.
PHIL 2001 - Medical Ethics 3 cr. or
PHIL 2500 - Contemporary Ethical Problems 3 cr. or
PHIL 2600 - Philosophy of Human Nature 3 cr. or
PHIL 3610 - World Religions 3 cr.
Electives - 6 cr.

Free Electives

Two or three courses; a minimum of 7 credits

Electives 7 cr.

Nursing Credits

A total of 62 nursing credits must be fulfilled as part of the RN to BS in Nursing program. Associate degree registered nurses may transfer a maximum of 30 credits from their associate degree institution: diploma registered nurses may be awarded 30 nursing credits through the successful completion of the National League for Nursing (NLN) Acceleration Challenge Exam (ACE) II. The examinations are given in the areas of Care of the Adult Client, Care of the Client during Childbearing/Care of the Child, and Care of the Client with a Mental Disorder. A minimum score of 90 is required on each examination. If a score of 90 is not achieved in a specific area the exam may be taken again.

Further information about scheduling the NLN ACE II examinations for diploma registered nurses can be obtained by contacting Sarah Blood at 978-665-3028 or by email at sblood1@fitchburgstate.edu

All RN to BS in Nursing students are required to earn the remaining 32 nursing credits through Fitchburg State University.

These courses are:

NURS 3500 - Concepts of Nursing I 3 cr. **
NURS 3600 - Concepts of Nursing II 3 cr.
NURS 3650 - Portfolio Preparation 1 cr.
NURS 3710 - Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing 3 cr.
NURS 4400 - Community Health Nursing 5 cr.
NURS 4500 - Nursing in a Global Community 2 cr.
NURS 4510 - End of Life Care 3 cr.
OR
NURS 4520 - Caring for Forensic Populations 3 cr.
NURS 4600 - RN to BS Capstone 9 cr.
NURS 4850 - Leadership and Management Concepts for Nursing Practice 3 cr.

Note:

* The online program meets the requirement for Computer Literacy and Listening and Speaking

** Fulfills the Requirement for Jr/Sr Writing