RN to BSN, B.S.N.

Faculty: 

• Diane Kondas, DNP, RN, CRNP 
• Tara Phillips, MSN, RN
• Carrie Slagle, MSN/Ed, RN

The RN to BSN degree will provide the additional education a licensed RN and graduate of an AON or Diploma Nursing Program requires to be prepared for an expanding professional role in the evolving complex health care environment. The BSN degree will allow for career advancement into leadership positions and case management. 

The curriculum has been established incorporating the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (the Essentials), the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Practice, and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Competencies. 

The coursework will include practice experiences in the clinical setting. Clinical experiences are designed to support student achievement of the Essentials by developing proficient psychomotor skills and communication strategies required of the professional nurse to care for a variety of patients across the lifespan and continuum of health care. Clinical experiences will advance from basic, fundamental skills to increasingly complex clinical learning opportunities. Students will experience a preceptorship-type clinical experience in their senior year that will allow them the opportunity to develop increasing autonomy and assume an assignment that is more realistic of the workload of a novice nurse. 

Learning Objectives: Nursing

1. Synthesize theories and concepts from the liberal arts, science, and nursing as a foundation for professional nursing practice within the context of a diverse global population. 
2. Demonstrate clinical judgment and psychomotor skills necessary to assume a leadership role in providing safe, high quality health care. 
3. Engage in the delivery of quality care that promotes health and human flourishing and addresses health disparities in vulnerable populations, locally and globally. 
4. Incorporate information technology into the delivery of nursing care.
5. Describe how economic trends, policies, and practices impact healthcare delivery. 
6. Communicate and collaborate as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team to effectively implement evidence-based and holistic family centered care.
7. Practice patient-centered nursing care reflecting standards of autonomy, human dignity, ethical decision making, integrity, social justice, and respect.
8. Evaluate research findings and adapt nursing care based on best evidence, sound clinical judgment, and interprofessional perspectives.
9. Participate in the quality improvement process to improve the safety and quality of nursing care. 

RN to BSN Practicum Experiences

The RN to BSN. major includes practicum and service learning experiences including a capstone experience designed by the Registered Nurse (RN) student to meet their individual professional goals. The RN, under the guidance of the course instructor, selects either a health-related project or to be in an agency or clinical site. A local preceptor specific to the requirements of the practicum course is needed. 

The following courses include credits for clinical experiences: 

• SNU 442 Global Nursing - Requires 30 practicum hours
• SNU 480 Nursing Leadership and Management - 30 practicum hours.

The clinical components of SNU442 and SNU480 are arranged by the student in collaboration with the course instructor  and nursing program director.  In SNU442, the course instructor may pre-arrange local service learning activities to fulfill practicum requirements. 

RN to BSN Credit Transfer Policy 

Once admitted into Seton Hill University, RN to BSN students will receive an official credit evaluation from the registrar’s office. Courses taken at another educational institution may transfer after evaluation by the Registrar and Nursing Program Director as acceptable for transfer. Students must earn a grade of C- or better for courses to transfer to Seton Hill University. Courses taken as pass/fail or for other alternate grades will not be considered for transfer.

Transfer students are required to earn a minimum of 30 Seton Hill University credits to be considered for a degree candidate. At least 50% of the credits required for a student’s major, minor, certificate, or teaching certification must be earned in residency at Seton Hill University and with the traditional grading system. 

For retention in the major, students must pass all nursing courses with a minimum grade of B- (80%) or above. All candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing must complete the Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements, the capstone assessment requirement, and the required courses for the major. 

A minimum of 120 credits is required.