Online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Completion Degree

Raising the standard of healthcare excellence

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The field of medicine is constantly evolving, and that calls for healthcare professionals who are willing to do the same; refining both their practical and interpersonal skills to provide the highest quality care to the populations they serve.

The William Woods University online RN to BSN completion degree program will provide licensed, diploma program or associates degree practicing nurses with a bachelor’s degree, answering a call put out by The Institute of Medicine which recommends that 80 percent of all nurses receive their BSN by 2020.

Through this program, students will expand their skills to think critically and analyze research, understand and practice community and population health nursing, and further their leadership ability. These courses will prepare students to take the next step in their nursing career, focusing on coursework in the nursing specialization areas of rural health and mental health.

Our RN to BSN completion degree at work

The RN to BSN completion degree program at William Woods University prepares nurses to meet the American Nurses Association and Institute of Medicine’s call for nurses to be BSN prepared. As a BSN prepared nurse, students will have the opportunity to work in a number of positions in management, leadership, research, public health, and more. Many BSN prepared nurses also go on to pursue master’s programs for Advanced Practice or Nursing Education

Requirements/Curriculum

This program is semester based and consists of 8-week courses offered fall, spring and summer, with the exception of the NUR 490 Community/Public Health and NUR 470 Special Topics in Nursing, which are traditional 16-week courses.

Courses you may take

NUR 301 - Transition to Professional Nursing - 3.00

This course facilitates the development and implementation of strategies to enable the synthesis of professional development for the nurse. The course enables students to engage in a thoughtful process of inquiry to more intentionally and consciously develop their knowledge and nursing practice, develop their confidence and ability to act in alignment with their nursing values, and to navigate the complexities of contemporary health care settings as they care for patients and families. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses.

NUR 320 - Health Assessment - 3.00

This course provides the students with the knowledge and skill necessary to perform a comprehensive nursing health assessment utilizing the skills of history taking, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Normal assessment findings across the lifespan as well as frequently seen variations from normal expected results and cultural differences will be presented. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses.

NUR 330 - Ethical Legal Nursing - 3.00

This course includes information required for examination of ethical decision-making in professional nursing practice. The focus is on values clarification, ethical theory, ethical decision-making models, professional ethical standards and the legal implications of professional nursing practice. Emphasis is on ethical obligations of professional nurses in their roles as citizens, members of a profession, providers of care, and designers and managers of care. Prerequisite: Admission to program

NUR 350 - Nursing Informatics - 3.00

This course provides a basic understanding of nursing science, computer science, and information science to prepare students to effectively and efficiently use technology to identify, collect, process, and manage health care information. A focus on technology based health applications which support clinical, administrative, research, and educational decision-making to enhance the efficacy of nursing is provided. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses.

NUR 360 - Individual and Family Assessment - 3.00

Applying a family centered approach, this course focuses on health promotion, acute and chronic health conditions, and rehabilitative needs of individuals and family units. Emphasis is placed on developmental, physiological, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual care of the individual within the family unit. Using the nursing process, strategies are formulated for promoting and maintaining optimal functioning of the individual-family unit and for enhancing the strengths of the family unit. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses

NUR 430 - Issues in Mental Health Nursing - 3.00

Application of the nursing process with emphasis on critical thinking, therapeutic nursing interventions, and effective communication and interpersonal skills as they relate to persons with psychiatric mental health conditions. Challenges of access to care, social stigma and alternative providers of care will be explored. Prerequisite: NUR301 and NUR320

NUR 450 - Advanced Leadership and Management - 3.00

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills for a beginning leadership position (team leader, module leader and primary nurse), applicable to the care of patients in a health care environment. This course provides students with opportunities to synthesize their nursing knowledge and collaborate with their clinical mentor in preparation for their professional nursing role. Clinical experience of 48 hours is required. Prerequisite: NUR301

NUR 470 - Special Topics in Nursing - 3.00

This course will serve the Rn-to-BSN completion program by having a course that is flexible enough to serve students in the program with particular topics, like mental health, family and community nursing, or other topics that might arise at a deeper level than our existing coursework. This can only be taken for a maximum of 3 credit hours. Prerequisite:9 hours in the program.

NUR 480 - Evidence Based Practice - 3.00

Examination of how evidence-based research influences nursing practice. Critical examination and reflection of qualitative and quantitative evidence and interpretation of the results will be emphasized. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses

NUR 490 - Community/Public Health Capstone/Clinical - 4.00

This course examines the theoretical and practicum basis for community-oriented population nursing practice. Promoting and protecting the health of the public using health promotion, risk reduction, and disease management and control strategies with vulnerable persons and populations. Community assessment, epidemiologic, environmental, change, political action, and case-management frameworks are used to guide evidence-based nursing care delivery to persons, families, and populations in community settings. Clinical experience of no less than 48 hours is required. Prerequisite: Admission to the BSN or BSN completion program for registered nurses. This course is to be taken the final semester of the degree program

Curriculum

The RN to BSN completion degree at William Woods University can be completed in as little as four semesters online and allows transfer credits from prior education (64 general education and up to 40 validated nursing credits). Students will complete 25 nursing credits and 3 required nursing electives credits from William Woods.

Requirements

Students will be considered for admission to the BSN completion program based upon successfully meeting the following admission criteria:

An unencumbered, unrestricted nursing license as a Registered Nurse in the state where the applicant practices.
An accepted application to William Woods University
Completion and submission of the William Woods University nursing application packet (an accepted application to the BSN completion program is required prior to taking any nursing coursework).
Cumulative GPA of a minimum of 30 credit hours of completed college courses of 2.75 or higher will be given first consideration. GPAs below 2.75 may be considered on an individual basis.
For those with an associate’s degree/diploma program from a regionally accredited institution, up to 40 nursing credits may be applied toward the BSN and general education credits will transfer as applicable.
At this time, eligible applicants must reside in one of the following states that fall in accordance with the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming

Additional consideration given when admitting a student is based upon completed coursework, the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANA, 2010), and ethics and values consistent with the profession of nursing.

For more information on admissions and program requirements, view the Admissions Information section below.

Your digital classroom. Available anywhere.

William Woods online undergraduate programs are available to students across the country. In Missouri, our students come from Fulton, Columbia, Jefferson City, St. Louis, Kansas City, Moberly, Springfield, Ozark, Cape Girardeau, Rolla and many more locations. Beyond Missouri, our online graduates hail from California, Illinois, Kansas, Washington, Arkansas and other states.

Admissions Information

Learn more about online admissions requirements, deadlines, tuition and financial aid available to you.

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