Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Completion Program)

Program Description:

Aspen University offers an online RN-to-BSN completion program for registered nurses who wish to pursue a baccalaureate degree. With a liberal arts foundation, our RN-to-BSN completion program builds on initial nursing preparation with course work to enhance professional development, prepare for a broader scope of practice, and provide a better understanding of the cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence care delivery. All courses in the RN-to-BSN completion program are completed online. Full-time students can complete the RN-to- BSN completion program in as little as one year, enabling them to quickly achieve their educational goals and increase their options for career mobility.

Degree Requirements: 30 Credits, including 110 field experience hours

Program Learning Goals:

It is intended that Graduates of the Aspen University Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will learn or be able to do the following:

1. Generalist Nursing Practice: Apply the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors needed to provide high quality patient-centered health care across the lifespan and function as a leader in health care environments. (Baccalaureate Essential I, II, IX; UMBO 3)
2. Evidence-based Practice: Demonstrate that one’s professional nursing practice is grounded in current research. (Baccalaureate Essential III; UMBO 4)
3. Patient Care Technology: Utilize patient care technology while managing resources efficiently and effectively when planning, implementing and evaluating interventions to achieve optimal health outcomes for diverse populations (Baccalaureate Essential IV, UMBO 5)
4. Healthcare Policy: Exhibit an understanding of healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory, that impact the role of the nurse and the healthcare system. (Essential V; UMBO 3).
5. Population Health: Recognize the leadership role of the nurse in health promotion and disease prevention for individuals, families and communities. (Baccalaureate Essential II, VII; UMBO 2)
6. Value Systems and Ethical Behavior: Develop a personal and professional value system that is ethical and demonstrates cultural competence and sensitivity. (Baccalaureate Essential VII, VIII; UMBO 1, 2)
7. Inter-professionalism: Demonstrate communication and collaboration among and between healthcare professionals who are critical to delivering high quality and safe patient care. (Baccalaureate Essential VIII; UMBO 2)

Academic Schedule:

Courses:

HUM410	Academic Success: Strengthening Scholarly Writing	3
N490	Issues and Trends in Professional Nursing	3
N491	Concepts and Theories in Nursing	3
CIS450	Informatics in Healthcare	3
N492	Community Health Nursing I	3
HCA320	Healthcare Policy and Economics	3
N493	Community Health Nursing II	3
N494	Essentials of Nursing Research	3
N495	Health Assessment	3
N496	Nursing Leadership and Management	3

Additional Information:

Professional Standards:

The RN-to-BSN completion program is aligned to the AACN Baccalaureate Essentials:

• Liberal education for baccalaureate generalist nursing practice
• Basic organizational and systems leadership for quality care and patient safety
• Scholarship for evidence-based practice
• Information management and application of patient care technology
• Healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments
• Interprofessional communication and collaboration for improving patient health outcomes
• Clinical prevention and population health
• Professionalism and professional values
• Baccalaureate generalist nursing practice

Degree Requirements:

The RN-BSN completion program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which requires a total of 120 credits. These credits are accumulated as follows:

30 credits in liberal arts/general education:

These credits provide students with a broad background in liberal education as a foundation for the practice and education of nurses. Any remaining liberal arts/general education requirements after transfer credit evaluation must be completed prior to beginning the first course in the RN-BSN completion program’s course sequence.

60 block credits for RN license:

This requirement is satisfied by block transfer credit from an associate degree nursing program (e.g. ADN or ASN) or by the award of credit for diploma nursing coursework that resulted in passing the NCLEX and/or receiving a RN license. It is understood these degree programs include lower-division nursing credits and general education credits. However, these 60 block credits reflect work in nursing courses only and the experience related to having the RN license.

30 credits earned at Aspen University

• 21 credits from upper-division nursing courses: The 21-credit upper-division nursing credit requirement must be completed with 7 courses offered by Aspen University. These courses are N490-N496.
• 9 credits from health professions courses: This requirement consists of 9 credits of additional general education coursework that is directly relevant to and compliments the upper-division nursing curriculum within the completion program. These three courses are HUM410, HCA320, and CIS450. They allow students to explore diverse topics of importance to the delivery of health care while simultaneously gaining exposure to perspectives from related health care fields.