Melissa Harvey, EdD, RN, CNE, Assistant Dean, Nursing Services
Phone: (419) 995-8347
Email: harvey.m@rhodesstate.edu
Office: TL 102J

The RN to BSN Completion Program is intended for registered nurses who are seeking to further their education to achieve a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Curriculum focuses on leadership, evidence-based practice, informatics, and community-based health promotion. This program is designed to be delivered in an online format, with the exception of two specialized lab experiences at the Borra Center for Health Sciences. Additionally, the Capstone course culminates in a practicum experience which allows students to specialize in either critical care, leadership, or case management. During their practicum, students will be assigned to work with a nurse mentor in their specialty area and gain real world experience as they collaborate with members of the healthcare team. 

The RN to BSN Completion Program prepares the registered nurse to be a professional health care practitioner who provides compassionate care, which is based on scientific evidence and who serves as the link between the patient (individual, family, community, or population) and the health care environment across the lifespan. The program addresses the needs of the community as identified through ongoing assessment. This program is designed to promote life-long learning and produce qualified individuals for advanced employment in health care facilities as baccalaureate prepared nurses. Graduates are prepared to adapt to the emerging and expanding roles of the registered nurse in society. 

Mission Statement

The RN to BSN Completion Program provides registered nurses the opportunity to obtain an affordable, quality professional nursing education through community involvement, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration to meet the community’s need for highly trained nursing professionals.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, the student will be able to:

1. Exemplify professional leadership characteristics.
2. Integrate evidence-based practice into the care of patients.
3. Design strategies to promote quality and safety in the care of patients.
4. Promote communication, teamwork and collaboration with the healthcare team.
5. Coordinate individualized patient-centered care.
6. Utilize informatics and technology in the care of patients.

RN to BSN Degree Completion

The RN to BSN Completion program is designed to be completed in one year of full-time study. If a student chooses to take classes part-time, all coursework must be completed and the degree conferred within five years of the program start date.

Transfer Credit

Up to 35 technical nursing credit hours will be awarded from an accredited RN program. Upon receipt of the RN license, these credit hours will be applied toward the total number of credits required for the bachelor’s degree in nursing.

General education courses must be completed to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. These courses can be transferred from an accredited institution. Additional courses may need to be taken along with the courses listed in the RN to BSN Program. Academic advisors can help determine if additional coursework needs to be completed before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

The following general education/basic related courses or transferred in equivalencies are required for degree completion:

BHS 2110: Growth & Development: Lifespan (2 cr.)

BHS 1711: Pathophysiology for Healthcare (2 cr.)                                              

BIO 1110: Anatomy & Physiology I (4 cr.)                                                              

BIO 1120: Anatomy & Physiology II (4 cr.)                                                             

BIO 1400: Microbiology (4 cr.)                                                                                   

COM 1110: English Composition (3 cr.)

DTN 1220: Principles of Nutrition (2 cr.)

MTH 1260: Statistics or MTH 1150: Quantitative Reasoning (3 cr.)

NSG 1721: Pharmacology for Nursing (2 cr.)                                                                        

SOC 1010: Sociology or PSY 1010: General Psychology (3 cr.)

A total of 64-65 general education/technical credit hours must be completed in addition to the 57 RN to BSN Program credit hours (total of 121-122) to earn the BSN degree.

Dual Degree Enrollment

Current Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students may choose to take additional coursework toward their BSN degree before graduation. Students choosing this pathway will declare a dual degree of Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and Associate of Science through Rhodes State College. The dual degree declaration will allow the additional courses to transfer to the RN to BSN Completion Program degree.

“C” grade policy

A minimum “C” grade is required for all courses with a NSG prefix. 

Technical Standards
See here for details.

RN to BSN Completion Program

Bachelors of Science in Nursing Degree

Structured Course Sequence (3 semester plan)

Fall		Hours
NSG 3010	Evolving Roles in Professional Nursing *1st 8 weeks	3
NSG 3020	Healthcare Research in Evidence-Based Practice *1st 8 weeks	3
NSG 3030	Nursing Informatics in Technological Healthcare Community *2nd 8 weeks	3
NSG 3040	Nursing Leadership and Management *2nd 8 weeks	4
CHM 1110	Introductory General Chemistry *Half- or Full-term selection	4
PSY 1010    or SOC 1010	General Psychology *Half- or Full-Term selection (SOC 1010 & PSY 1010 are both required for BS Degree; register for the course that you did not complete in your Associates Degree)    or Sociology	3
	Term Hours	20
Spring
NSG 4010	Advanced Health Assessment for Individuals and Families *1st 8 weeks	3
NSG 4020	Birth to Middle Age Nursing Care in a Global Community *1st 8 weeks	3
NSG 4011	Advanced Health Assessment for Complex Health Disorders *2nd 8 weeks	3
NSG 4021	Gerontological Nursing Care in a Global Community *2nd 8 weeks	3
CHM 1120	Introductory Organic and Biochemistry *Half- or full-term selection	4
PROGRAM ELECTIVE *Half- or full-term selection (Arts & Humanities)		3
	Term Hours	19
Summer
NSG 4030   	Capstone in Professional Nursing *8 week term	6
COM 2110    or COM 2213	Public Speaking *8 week term    or Verbal Judo	3
PSY 1730	Abnormal Psychology *8 week term	3
PROGRAM ELECTIVE *8 week term (Arts & Humanities)		3
PROGRAM ELECTIVE *8 week term (Social & Behavioral Science)		3
	Term Hours	18
	Total Hours	57

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Arts and Humanities Elective (Minimum of 6 credit hours from 2 different subject codes)
HST 2300	Technology and Civilization	3
HST 2521	Women in World History	3
LIT 2210	Introduction to Literature	3
LIT 2227	Literature of Graphic Novels	3
LIT 2228	African-American Literature	3
LIT 2250	The American Short Story	3
LIT 2260	Fantasy Literature	3
LIT 2301	British Literature I	3
PHL 1011	Introduction to Philosophy	3

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Social and Behavioral Science Elective (Minimum of 3 credit hours)
HST 2510	History of Latin America	3
POL 1010	Introduction to Political Science	3
PSY 2200	Social Psychology	3
SOC 1200	Death and Dying	3
SOC 1320	American Cultural Diversity	3
SOC 2211	World Religions: History, Belief, and Practice	3
SOC 2300	Social Problems	3

Acceptance Requirements

All Acceptance Requirement Criteria including Nursing Technical Standards must be met for entrance into the RN to BSN Completion Program.

Criteria

1. General College requirements (see General Admissions Procedures.)
2. Declaration of RN to BSN Completion as the major course of study.
3. All applicants must be a graduate of an associate degree or diploma in nursing program that is recognized by an accrediting agency, or the equivalent if a graduate from a program outside of the U.S. 
4. All applicants must hold a current unencumbered RN license in the U.S. or in a jurisdiction that is an associate member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Applicants holding the equivalent of RN licensure or certification outside of the U.S. must submit a Credential Evaluation Services (CES) Academic Report from the Council on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). All students must maintain licensure throughout the program of study.
5. Complete RN to BSN Completion Program Application. Please refer to the RN to BSN webpage for the next cohort application date. 

Effective December 19, 2023, this nursing program is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires on December 19, 2025.

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000

https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs?status=Candidate

Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation.