Overview
RN to BSN Program
Program Handbook
RN-BSN graduates are equipped with a comprehensive and advanced skill set, combining their foundational nursing knowledge with enhanced clinical judgment, leadership, and evidence-based practice capabilities. Through a rigorous curriculum, they gain a deeper understanding of cultural competence, community, and global health ensuring their readiness to meet the evolving demands of contemporary nursing practice. The additional education and clinical experiences received during the RN-BSN program empower graduates to excel in complex healthcare environments, fostering their ability to provide holistic and patient-centered care to individuals across the lifespan, while actively contributing to improved patient outcomes, and healthcare delivery.
Program Learning Outcomes
The following student learning outcomes emphasize Christian values, critical thinking, clinical competence, and professional development:
- Integrate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines as the basis for clinical judgement.
- Apply quality improvement strategies to promote a culture of safety.
- Incorporate evidence-based practice to ensure effective nursing care.
- Use informatics and healthcare technologies to manage and improve the delivery of nursing and health care services.
- Demonstrate leadership strategies within the complex healthcare system to recognize and influence health policies and laws.
- Collaborate in interprofessional partnerships to optimize health.
- Provide health promotion and disease prevention interventions to improve population health outcomes.
- Incorporate professional and ethical behavior, the commitment to lifelong learning, and professional values into nursing practice.
- Provide holistic care to diverse populations across the lifespan.
Admission Requirements
General College Admission Requirements
The following are Mercy College of Ohio admissions requirements. Admission to the College does not guarantee admission to a program. Admission requirements are subject to change. Students should contact the Office of Admissions or consult mercycollege.edu for the most up-to-date information.
One of the following are required for admission to Mercy College of Ohio:
- An earned diploma from an accredited high school or a home-schooled program in a college preparatory course of study with a cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, OR
- A general equivalence diploma (GED) recipient with a score of 500 (score of 53 prior to 2002).
- Additional documentation may be required for College Credit Plus or Non-degree Seeking Students.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Post-Licensure Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting college admission requirements above, the following Bachelor of Science in Nursing Post-Licensure (RN to BSN) Program admission requirements must be met:
- Verification documentation of an active and unencumbered RN license.
- Students who do not have an RN license can be admitted to the college to take general education courses but are not allowed to take nursing courses until they have an active RN license and are admitted to the RN to BSN Completion program.
- Submit all official transcripts of previous coursework. Candidate must have 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), or the Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA).
- See Provisional Admission criteria if applicant graduated from a non-accredited nursing program, but the institution is approved/accredited by a historically regional accreditor.
Provisional Admission
Applicants to the RN to BSN Completion program from institutions that are non-accredited as indicated above will be handled in the following manner.:
- Office of Admissions will send requests to the Director, Online Nursing Education for consideration. Provisional Admission will be granted to qualified candidates based on seat availability.
- Students must meet with the Director, Online Nursing Education to develop and follow an Academic Success Plan.
- Students must successfully implement Academic Success Plan requirements, and complete NUR 304 and NUR 324 with a grade of “C” or better to progress in the program.
Block Credit
Applicants may receive blocked credit for a previously earned college degree or diploma from an accredited program. The Office of Student Records will review the transcript and determine the number of blocked credit hours that will be granted ranging from 32- 39 credit hours for previous nursing coursework in an associate degree or diploma program.
Requirements for Clinicals or Professional Practice Experience
Criminal background checks, drug screens, health records, and titers/immunizations are required prior to the start of the clinical program. Clinical program requirements and instructions are maintained on the College website at https://mercycollege.edu/background. This Policy can be found at https://mercycollege.edu/about/compliance-consumer-information.
Nursing completion programs prepare graduates as generalists for practice across the lifespan with diverse populations, in the four spheres of care (wellness, disease prevention; chronic disease management; regenerative/restorative care; and hospice/palliative care). Therefore, students will have planned clinical practice experiences where they can engage in direct care learning activities, and apply the knowledge, skills, and concepts being learned across the curriculum.
Students must hold an active, unencumbered RN license in the state where clinical practice experiences are held. Therefore, we are unable to accommodate students who only hold RN licensure from the following states: Florida, Illinois, and New York.
Degree Requirements
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
Math, Statistics, and Logic (GMSL) - 3 minimum
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSBS) - 6 minimum
Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Diversity (must include 6 credit hours in Religious Studies) (GAHD/GAHR) - 9 minimum
Natural Sciences, Technology, and Innovation (GNSI) - 6 minimum
Additional hours from one or more of the above categories - 6 minimum
| BIO 210 | Microbiology | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 36 |
Required Nursing Post-Licensure Program Course Requirements
Complete All of The Following Courses:
| 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 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 |
Credit Hour Requirements
| Total Required Bachelor of Science General Education Credit Hours |
36 |
| Total Required Nursing – Post-licensure Program Credit Hours |
24 |
| Free Elective Credit Hours |
60 |
| Total Credit Hours for Graduation |
120 |
Students may be required to take additional free elective credits to reach the 120 credit hours required for graduation. Free elective credit may be satisfied through prior coursework and transfer credit. See academic advisor for more details.
To complete college requirements students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of 300 to 400 level coursework.
Progression
To progress in the nursing program, a grade of “C” or better is required in all nursing theory, clinical, and laboratory courses, as well as required non-nursing support courses, and required elective hours. Once admitted into the nursing program, a student must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. If the GPA falls below 2.0, the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. Additional program progression requirements are available in the program handbook.