RN to BSN Completion Program (online)

The RN to BSN completion program is designed for individuals who are licensed as a registered nurse and are interested in pursuing a part-time bachelor’s degree in nursing using a distance education format. The curriculum builds on the individual’s prior educational preparation and incorporates the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education.

The School of Nursing is not accepting applications to the RN to BSN program at this time.

Nursing Major Requirements

Students take 31 required credits for the nursing major: nursing courses (28 credits), and an open elective (3 credits) or NUR 540 . All nursing courses are offered online. Fieldwork is a required component of several courses to successfully complete this program of study. Students finish with up to 10 credits toward their MSN. If they don’t take NUR 540, they have 7 credits toward their MSN.

Graduation Requirement: 120 credits

Fall Start

The nursing curriculum is subject to modification as deemed necessary by the nursing faculty to provide students with the most meaningful educational experience and to remain current with professional standards and guidelines.

Note: If less than 90 credits are awarded, then Advanced Core courses and/or electives are required.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, the BSN graduate will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Integrate the university's core liberal education into generalist nursing practice.
2. Apply principles of basic organizational and system leadership to deliver high-quality and safe patient care.
3. Employ evidence to deliver best practices in healthcare.
4. Utilize information management and patient care technologies to deliver safe and effective health care.
5. Recognize the impact of healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments on the delivery of patient care.
6. Demonstrate interprofessional communication and collaboration for improving health outcomes.
7. Incorporate the concepts of prevention and population health in the delivery of health care.
8. Exhibit professional standards and values.

Admission Requirements: RN to BSN Completion Program

Admission requirements include graduation from a regionally accredited college or university with an associate’s degree or a diploma in nursing with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.70; a current registered nurse license in good standing; two letters of recommendation (one from a current supervisor); a personal statement; transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended; and a resume or curriculum vitae. A criminal background check and drug screening is required prior to entering the program. Incoming and current students will be advised that final acceptance and continuation is dependent on a successful background investigation and clearance.

Qualified students enrolled in the RN to BSN completion program may pursue a seamless transition into the MSN in Operational Leadership program. A total of 7-10 credits from the undergraduate RN to BSN program may be utilized in the MSN program.

Advanced Placement Credits

Students with an associate’s degree in nursing may transfer up to 90 credits for this program. Those students who do not have 90 transfer credits can make up the deficit with Advanced Core credits and electives taken at Quinnipiac.

Advanced Core Credits

BSN completion students can take up to 20-credit advanced core. The advanced core reflects the aims and goals of the traditional University Curriculum and the Essential Learning Outcomes while acknowledging the prior general education work completed at the associate degree level.

Professional Progression Policy (RN to BSN Program only)

1. To progress and remain in good standing, RN to BSN students must attain a semester GPA of 2.00 (C) and receive a grade of C or higher in each classroom and laboratory experience (73 or higher) and a Pass (P) in all fieldwork.
2. A student who receives less than a C (73) in one nursing course (C-, D, F) is unable to progress to courses that require that course as a prerequisite. This student will be given the opportunity to repeat the failed nursing course at the time of the next course offering and at the student’s expense.
3. A student who receives less than a C (73) in more than one nursing course (C-, D, F) will not be permitted to progress in the program and will be required to change their major out of nursing.
4. A student who earns grades of C or better in all nursing courses yet has less than a 2.00 semester GPA will be placed on academic probation and will receive an academic plan to progress in the RN to BSN program. This student must achieve a 2.00 semester GPA by the end of the next semester. The student who does not meet these academic criteria will be dismissed from the program.
5. At the end of each semester, course grades, semester and cumulative GPAs for each nursing student are reviewed by the program director.

Appeal Process

A student who wishes to appeal a progression decision must write a letter via email to the chair of the undergraduate nursing program within one week of receiving notice of their inability to progress.

1. Appeals will be considered by the Progression Appeal Committee, chaired by the associate dean.
2. Decision and procedural actions will be communicated in writing to the student.

The full policy for progression appeal is available in the Undergraduate Student Resource Manual located in the Student Community on Blackboard.

A student wishing to appeal a course grade should follow the grade appeal process detailed in the University Catalog.

Fieldwork Requirements

Students must arrange their own transportation to and from clinical agencies. CPR certification for the healthcare provider or professional rescuer must be obtained prior to enrolling in the fieldwork course, and maintained annually until all fieldwork is completed. The School of Nursing has health requirements and technical standards, criminal background check and drug screening requirements. Incoming and current students are advised that final program acceptance and continuation is dependent on a successful background investigation and clearance.

NUR 382. Nursing Science and Information Literacy. 3 Credits.

This online course examines nursing science and its use in nursing practice. Students are introduced to clinical reasoning and disciplinary and interdisciplinary concepts. This course also focuses on information literacy and information management in the delivery of quality patient care.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall Online

NUR 410. Integrative Health and Healing. 3 Credits.

This course explores the core holistic concepts of nutrition, fresh air, light, quiet, and cleanliness as they relate to contemporary integrative health practices and interventions ranging from nutrition to meditation and their application to whole person health.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Spring and Summer Online

NUR 412. Health Assessment. 3 Credits.

This online health assessment course prepares the Registered Nurse to complete a comprehensive, holistic assessment. The focus is on history taking, interviewing skills and assessment techniques for patients throughout the lifespan. Students demonstrate their assessment skills with video clips as well as concisely presenting their findings to course faculty.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall Online

NUR 478. Evidence-Based Nursing Practice. 3 Credits.

This course focuses on the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for evidence-based decision making in clinical practice. Students learn the basic elements of evidence-based practice and use evidence to improve practice. The course includes one credit of application in a fieldwork setting.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Summer Online

NUR 480. Interprofessional Practice and Quality Improvement. 3 Credits.

This course describes and applies quality improvement methods to address problems identified in practice and actions needed to effect a positive change for care. The process and significance of interprofessional practice and collaboration in the delivery of patient care and in engagement with performance improvement are described. Open to RN-BSN students only.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Spring Online

NUR 484. Community and Population Health Nursing. 3 Credits.

This course investigates concepts of community and public health nursing. Emphasis is on health promotion with a focus on the role of the community and public health nurse for individuals, groups, and populations. The delivery of safe, evidence-based, holistic centered care is demonstrated during fieldwork conducted in a community setting.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall Online

NUR 486. Contemporary Issues and Roles in Nursing Practice. 3 Credits.

This course analyzes trends and issues in contemporary health care and their effect on the consumer, the nursing profession, and society. It incorporates social intelligence, diversity awareness, creativity and sensitivity required for leadership roles and management functions in dynamic health care environments. This course includes 1 credit of clinical practice.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Spring Online

NUR 500. Biostatistics. 1 Credit.

This biostatistics course is an introduction to probability concepts and statistical tests currently used in the biological and health sciences. The course covers the application of statistics to data analysis. An emphasis is placed on inferential statistics, which includes estimation, confidence intervals, means, variances and proportions.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Summer Online

NUR 514. Epidemiology and Population Health. 2 Credits.

This course introduces epidemiologic principles, methods and data used in advanced nursing practice. Data and evidence from research are used to: assess acute and chronic population health problems/topics, provide effective possible interventions; and address and examine outcomes.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, All Online

NUR 516. Health Policy and Organizational Systems. 2 Credits.

This course provides an introduction to various social and political policy environments impacting advanced nursing practice and health care systems. Students examine issues that inform health care policy, organization and financing. Nursing's advocacy role in shaping policy in organizational, social and political venues is emphasized.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Summer Online

NUR 540. Educational Principles for the Health Care Professional. 3 Credits.

This course examines the theoretical perspectives of education as it relates to educational leadership and professional development for adult learners. Teaching/learning theories, models and principles are examined as preparation for the design, development, evaluation and revision of professional development-related curricula. Instructional strategies and teaching techniques adapted for diverse populations are explored.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall Online

NUR 542. Introduction to Health Care Finance. 2 Credits.

This 2-credit online graduate course provides an overview of basic budgeting concepts and processes integral to project planning and project management. Students also are introduced to foundational principles of marketing.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Summer Online

Advanced Core course descriptions are listed in the corresponding College or School catalog sections.

Seamless Transfer Agreement with Gateway Community College (GCC), Housatonic Community College (HCC) and Norwalk Community College (NCC)

Under this Transfer Agreement, GCC, HCC and NCC graduates will be guaranteed admission into a bachelor’s degree program with third year (junior) status at Quinnipiac University on the condition that they:

• Graduate with an associate in arts, an associate in science in business, College of Technology engineering science, nursing or an allied health degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (this may be higher in specific programs). The student with the associate degree in nursing is eligible for transfer into the RN to BSN completion program. An admission requirement for the RN to BSN completion program is a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.70.
• Satisfy all other Quinnipiac University transfer admission requirements and requirements for intended major.

Quinnipiac University agrees to accept the general education embedded in these associate degree programs in accordance with Quinnipiac preferred choices for general education as meeting all the requirements of its undergraduate general education except for the Integrative Capstone Experience and where courses are encumbered by the major (e.g., General Chemistry for the Disciplinary Inquiry Natural Science requirement for a Biochemistry major).