Nursing RN-BSN

The post-licensure RN to BSN nursing major is designed for the practicing Registered Nurse who holds an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing and wishes to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The curriculum is developed to provide an online format with some clinical components to enhance the practical application of knowledge gained in the student's course of study throughout the nursing program.

The purpose of the Emory & Henry College RN to BSN program is to educate and prepare baccalaureate level nurses to be professional leaders in healthcare in Southwest Virginia and surrounding areas. The nursing curriculum is built with the underpinnings of liberal arts, sciences, and nursing which focuses on the nursing process to enhance pedagogical attainment of nursing knowledge, clinical skills, and a devotion to the nursing profession.

The mission of the RN to BSN Nursing Program is to provide a holistic approach to educating the future professional nurse in a collaborative, interprofessional culture in preparation for lives of promoting client-centered healing and health to culturally diverse individuals and populations in our communities. The BSN-RN will be prepared to actively engage and contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession through lifelong learning, leadership, scholarship and service.

The undergraduate RN to BSN program at Emory & Henry College has a provisional membership with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and is seeking accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the RN to BSN program, graduates will utilize critical thinking and decision-making to:

  1. Synthesize knowledge derived from liberal arts, nursing, science, and life experience to provide professional nursing care.
  2. Establish evolving independent and collaborative nursing interventions grounded on a holistic, patient­ centered assessment, goals, resources, and anticipated outcomes.
  3. Utilize therapeutic communication skills with culturally diverse patients and populations.
  4. Assimilate ethical, legal, and professional nursing standards based on a holistic perspective into own professional nursing practice.
  5. Adopt accountability and responsibility for professional personal development and continual evaluation of efficacy of own nursing clinical practice.
  6. Provide enhancement of excellence in health care and nursing practices in varied health care settings.
  7. Assess findings of research for application and significance to professional nursing practice.
  8. Convey therapeutically and effectively through varied mediums; promoting interactions with patients and populations in addition to building collaborative and interdisciplinary relationships with providers of health care.

Successful completion of the RN to BSN program enables nursing graduates to be prepared to practice in various settings, such as hospitals, private practices, and community. Students will be prepared to achieve leadership and management positions within their professional practice. The AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Practice (AACN, 2008) guides the program outcomes and consist of:

  1. Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice.
  2. Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety.
  3. Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice.
  4. Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology.
  5. Healthcare Policy, Finance and Regulatory Environments.
  6. Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration for Improving Patient Health Outcomes.
  7. Clinical Prevention and Population Health.
  8. Professionalism and Professional Values.
  9. Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice

Admission Requirements:

Students must apply and receive acceptance into E&H and the Post-Licensure RN to BSN program.

  • Completion of an ACEN accredited Associate Degree of Nursing program or Diploma program from a regionally accredited institution ..
  • Hold a current unencumbered RN license in the state which they practice.
  • Submit official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.33 or higher
  • Criminal background check. To be completed upon acceptance to the RN to BSN program.
  • AHA BLS for Healthcare Providers Certification prior to starting any clinical components of the program.

RN to BSN Graduation Requirements

Academic graduation requirements include the following:

  1. Completion of 124 semester hours and all required courses. Students must successfully complete both the general education and required nursing courses. Elective hours make up the remaining hours needed to graduate.
  2. Grade of C or better in all nursing courses.
  3. A cumulative grade point average of2.33 or higher for all courses taken at Emory & Henry College.

Progression, Retention, Dismissal

  • Students must maintain a minimum grade of "C" in all nursing and required courses. If a student receives a "D" or "F" in a nursing or required class, they must re-take that class before progressing in the program. If a student fails a nursing class, they must submit a letter requesting readmission to the Admission and Progression Committee.
  • The letter for readmission should include:
    • Reasons which resulted in being unsuccessful in the course.
    • Intended date for taking failed course
    • Intended date for readmission to the nursing program.
  • If a student fails two nursing courses, they will be dismissed from the nursing program.

Practical Standards for Admission, Progression, and Graduation

The goal of the Emory & Henry College RN to BSN Nursing program is to enable every student to prepare to critically think and be competent and compassionate nurses in a changing healthcare environment. The endeavors of the RN to BSN program are to enhance nursing knowledge, practice, and professional integrity to develop improved health outcomes for patients, families, and communities in the continuum of care.

The student must be independently able to meet the practical standards of essential attributes of ( 1) physical attributes; (2) intellectual attributes; (3) interpersonal attributes; and (4) performance attributes. If the student is unable to meet these practical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, the student will be unable to complete the program and will be advised/counseled accordingly.

Physical Attributes

The student should possess functional use of the senses of vision, hearing, smell and touch. This will allow students the ability to integrate, analyze, and synthesize patient data in a reliable and precise manner. Students need to have the ability to recognize pain, pressure, position, temperature, movement, and vibration to gather information to formulate plans of care and to evaluate patient status. A student must have motor skills to respond immediately to situations of urgency in order to provide rapid care to patients.

Intellectual Attributes

The student must be able to learn and assimilate knowledge gained through modalities of didactic lectures, clinical encounters, and life experiences. Students are required to gather subjective and objective data, analyze data, plan appropriate nursing care and interventions, and evaluate patient outcomes using thorough deliberation and sound clinical judgment.

Interpersonal Attributes

The nurse must possess empathy, compassion, enthusiasm, integrity, genuine concern for others, and effective interpersonal skills essential for the profession of nursing. The nurse must be able to develop rapport and maintain interpersonal relationships with diverse patients, families, and communities with varied cultural, emotional, intellectual, religious, and social backgrounds. To be effective, the student must demonstrate ability to adapt to change; be flexible; acknowledge and assimilate constructive criticism in the classroom and clinical settings; and communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals; and to perform duties cooperatively and proficiently in the face of ambiguities characteristic in clinical practice.

Performance Attributes

The rigors of performance of the student is to be maintained of the college, the School of Health Sciences, clinical agencies, and the nursing program to enhance the reputation of the nursing program, School of Health Sciences and college at large. The student must demonstrate the ability to acclimate and effectively function in stressful situations in the classroom and clinical environments. The student must be self-aware of multiple stressors encountered during the nursing program and initiate pro-active responses for self-care and stress management.

Total credits:
91-92

Overview

Program

Type

BSN