College Catalog

This unique completion major is specifically designed for the registered nurse who wishes to earn a degree, on a full- or part-time basis, for professional development, advancement, or job mobility. The baccalaureate curriculum builds on the knowledge and skills possessed by RNs who have graduated from diploma- and associate-degree nursing programs. The curriculum plan is designed for the working RN. Offered in an online accelerated format, this major allows the RN to satisfy the bachelor-degree requirements within 12-18 months, depending on seat availability and transfer credits.

The bachelor-degree major prepares licensed registered nurses to contribute to the quality provision of nursing care in a rapidly changing health care environment. This major enables nurses to build upon their knowledge base and assume positions with increased responsibility in a variety of health care settings, from promoting health and facilitating adaptation to increasingly complex health care problems/needs. The curriculum offers a required core of nursing and general education courses with elective course options based on student educational and career goals.

Career Opportunities

The BSN completion degree can lead to advanced clinical and administrative positions in the traditional field of nursing, but also offers opportunities which include, but are not limited to, home health nursing, public health nursing, nursing education, the armed services, and health care case management. In most cases, nursing within the federal government requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited nursing program.

Special Admissions Requirements

• Current valid RN license in any state with eligibility for licensure in Pennsylvania.
• Graduate of an ACEN-accredited program within the last 10 years and meeting one of the three following criteria:
• graduate of an ACEN-accredited program within the last three years;
• practiced a minimum of 1,000 hours in nursing in the last three years; or,
• successfully completed a State Board of Nursing-approved refresher course within the last three years.

Other applicants will be reviewed on an individual basis. Junior-level status may be achieved by meeting the College's requirements of completing a minimum of 60 college credits. In addition, a 2.0 GPA in nursing is required. Taking upper-level NUR courses requires acceptance into the BSN major or permission of the Director of Nursing. Registered nurses who are not enrolled in the BSN completion major may be permitted to take selected NUR electives with permission of the Director. For more, see the detailed special admissions information.

Special Equipment Needs

This is a strictly on-line major, thus students must have access to a computer and software compatible with PLATO.

Remediation Strategies

All transfer students entering the BSN completion major without prior college-level English and mathematical classes will be tested for deficiencies, and will be required to remediate the deficiencies prior to acceptance. Any reading deficiency also must be remediated prior to acceptance.

Transfer Procedures

All students entering the BSN completion major will be treated as transfer students, including students who graduated from Penn College's associate-degree Nursing major. All student transcripts will be evaluated by Admissions. All general education/liberal arts courses that meet core College requirements for baccalaureate degrees will be eligible for transfer according to College policy. The transfer of nursing credits is evaluated on an individual basis according to the program's policy. Students must have a minimum grade of 'C' (2.00) in courses transferred into the BSN completion major. All Penn College associate-degree requirements will apply toward bachelor-degree requirements. A block of 38 nursing credits will be transferred from an ACEN-accredited associate-degree and diploma nursing curricula.

International health credentials/licensure, sciences courses, and most math courses will not be accepted to satisfy requirements of this major. Please see additional information for international students applying to Health Sciences majors.

Program Goals

A graduate of this major should be able to:

• engage as a generalist, synthesizing knowledge from nursing, liberal arts, and sciences to provide consumer-centered care that is evidence-based, theory-guided, holistic and culturally competent (Consumer-centered Care & Evidenced-based Practice).
• facilitate the teaching-learning process to promote health and prevent disease in populations across the lifespan (Teaching and Learning).
• use therapeutic communication to partner with and advocate for the health care needs of clients of all ages, families, and communities in a variety of health care settings (Communication).
• utilize informatics to analyze research findings and identify research problems related to the nursing care of diverse consumers (Informatics).
• apply leadership and management skills in developing collaborative, professional relationships with multidisciplinary health care providers to improve the delivery of health care (Professional Behaviors).
• establish ethical, political, and legal accountability and take responsibility for one's own practice, professional growth, life-long learning, and the development of the profession in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding (Professional Behaviors).
• direct and facilitate the use of the nursing process to optimize patient outcomes throughout the lifespan and across the continuum of health care environments (Nursing Process).

Performance Standards

Requirements are consistent with the College's Academic Probation Policy.

Curriculum

Notice of Conviction

Child abuse clearance and criminal background checks are required by some agencies involved in fieldwork and/or capstones. Agencies can bar students from their sites if a criminal record exists or a positive drug test is noted. By virtue of contract for Penn College students to be at clinical sites, agencies have the right to ask for random drug testing. Inability to gain clinical or fieldwork or intern education experiences results in inability to meet program objectives and outcomes. For additional clarification, students can speak with their program director.

Accreditation

The bachelor's degree in Nursing is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. For further information, contact the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) at 3343 Peachtree Rd. NE, Suite 850, Atlanta GA 30326; 404-975-5000.