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Pacific College

Nursing: RN-to-BSN Completion
Bachelor of Science

Program Description

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed for a person who is currently a Registered Nurse and is seeking to complete the requirements for an earned Bachelor of Science degree. The curriculum provides registered nurses with a better understanding of the ethical, cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence healthcare delivery. Critical thinking, leadership, management, research, physical assessment, and health promotion across a variety of community-based healthcare settings is emphasized in the program. This program is offered online.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, the graduate will be able to:

  1. Integrate the knowledge and values learned from a liberal education with the practical skills of nursing and apply them to safe patient care.

  2. Demonstrate written, verbal, non-verbal and emerging technology methods to communicate effectively across lifespan, culture, and members of the healthcare team

  3. Identify the roles, traits and contributions of the nurse in leadership, management, accountability and ethics in health care organizations across the continuum of care.

  4. Demonstrate critical thinking skills used to analyze current nursing research and apply it to evidence-based nursing practice to make collaborative decisions about safe patient care.

  5. Develop nursing professionals practicing nursing within a legal/ethical framework that is responsive to the needs of the profession, community and self.

CAREER OUTLOOK
REGISTERD NURSE (BSN) (SOC CODE: 29-1141.00)

The primary focus for a Registered Nurse is to provide and coordinate patient care and educate patients and the public about various health conditions. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed for a person who is currently a Registered Nurse and is seeking to complete the requirements for an earned Bachelor of Science degree. The curriculum provides registered nurses with a better understanding of the ethical, cultural, political, economic, and social issues that affect patients and influence healthcare delivery. Critical thinking, leadership, management, research, physical assessment, and health promotion across a variety of community-based healthcare settings is emphasized in the program.

A BSN is also a prerequisite for admissions to graduate nursing programs in research, consulting, teaching, or clinical specialization. A bachelor’s degree or higher is often necessary for administrative positions, research, consulting, and teaching. The American Nurses Association (ANA), The American Association of College of Nursing (AACN), and many others agree that the: The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is the answer to our nation’s need for a strong, and well-educated registered nursing workforce.

WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO REGISTERED NURSES WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE DO?

A Registered Nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) will have better job prospects than those without one. Candidates with a BSN degree may be eligible for supervisory and management positions at hospitals and managed care facilities.

CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FOR REGISTERED NURSES WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE

RNs in California who hold BSN degrees earn an average $21,640 more than nurses with ADN degrees.* This is because the BSN degree provides more education and takes longer to complete, thus signifying a higher level of skills. Employers in California prefer nurses with more education.

Source: NursingProcess.org

MEDIAN PAY FOR REGISTERED NURSE*

RegionMedian HourlyMedian Annually
California$63.78$132,660
Los Angeles and Orange Counties$62.00$128,960
Riverside and San Bernardino Counties$58.74$122,190
San Diego County$56.86$118,270
San Francisco and Oakland Area$83.42$173,510

Source: O*NET California Local Wages for Registered Nurses

*According to NursingProcess.org, Registered Nurses who hold a BSN degree can earn an average of $21,640 more per year than nurses with ADN degrees.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
RN-TO-BSN COMPLETION

The admission requirements listed below have been established for students entering the RN to BSN Completion Program at Pacific College:

Have completed the Pacific College admissions process including:

  • Hold a current, active license to practice as a registered nurse in the state where clinical experiences will be completed

  • Have achieved a grade point average of 2.50 or the equivalent in the basic nursing program

  • Be a graduate of an associate degree in nursing or meet equivalency requirements for Pacific College

  • Complete Online Program Orientation

  • The complete interview with Program Director

program coursework
rn-to-bsn completion

GE 301

Technological Impact on Society

This course provides a framework for understanding the ways in which human societies transform themselves through technological innovation. Ethical questions concerning the social effects of technological change are presented and discussed.

3 Credits

GE 302

Working Around the World

This course is an examination of the effects that religion, language and culture, political structure, economics, and physical environment have on the development of the workplace and people’s perceptions of work, occupations, and working conditions.

3 Credits

GE 330

Communication for the Workplace

Development of an understanding of what is needed and meant by workplace literacy and what can be done to improve the basic skills and literacy for working employees. Course content includes principles of effective writing and oral communication for education and the workplace, extensive practice in various forms of writing for the workplace, the methodology of teaching communication skills to employees, and case studies of workplace reports, negotiations, and oral presentations.

3 Credits

NUR 330

Principles of Nursing

This course applies major concepts from the liberal arts and sciences to nursing interventions (physiologic, communicative, behavioral, and environmental). RN students will be introduced to the supervisorial nurse role and its influence on health and illness within the context of social, cultural, ethical and legal issues. The course is designed to focus on the development of the practicing RN to systematically analyze information and recognize patterns of patient needs. This course is writing intensive.

3 Credits

NUR 340

Health Assessment, Education and Promotion

This course provides the framework for the systematic collection, organization, interpretation, integration, and communication of data reflecting the health status of individuals across the life cycle. This includes assessment of mental status, basic psychosocial status, functional health patterns, and physical assessment skills. National health objectives provide the organizing framework for promotion of health and reduction of risks that impact individuals, families, aggregates, and communities. Students identify, explore, plan, and implement wellness teaching through development of service learning projects that educate populations and promote healthy behaviors.

4 Credits

NUR 410

Disease Process/Role of Nursing

The human response to physiological disease processes and the role that nursing plays in supporting patients to achieve an optimal level of wellness. Pathophysiological conditions that occur most commonly across the lifespan will be examined from an occurrence perspective to include genetic, acute, chronic and rehabilitative conditions.

4 Credits

NUR 425

Community Health Nursing
Experiential learning: 30 clock hours

This course explores the continuum of health and illness across the lifespan. The connection between physical illnesses, public health, and community health is discussed. An emphasis is placed on the concept of nursing roles and models of care utilized in the community health and public health this setting. Students will draw on their personal experiences in clinical situations for interpersonal skill development with individuals, families, vulnerable populations, and communities as an integral part of the course.  This course requires 30 clock hours of leadership shadowing experience in a public or community health nursing environment.

3 Credits

NUR 427

Evidence-Based Practice

This course examines a systematic process that uses current evidence in making decisions about patient care, evaluation of quality and applicability of existing research, preferences of patients, costs, and clinical expertise in clinical settings.  Nursing students will learn how to search for literature, use Evidence-Based Nursing (EBN) as a practicing nurse, and understand how EBN fits into a nursing organization

3 Credits

NUR 430

Transformational Leadership

This course will focus on the professional nurse’s roles in applying the principles of leadership, management and ethics in health care organizations across the continuum of care. The course will provide opportunities in problem solving, critical thinking, constructive communication, as well as, teaching learning strategies that emphasize the leadership/management roles of the nurse.

4 Credits

NUR 440

Organizational Behavior

This course examines organizational change including what effective managers can do to understand and anticipate such change and to respond accordingly. Topics include concepts in organizational behavior; learning, motivation and performance; groups and organizational design; and organizational processes. This course requires experiential learning, and is writing intensive.

4 Credits

NUR 445

Nursing Seminar

The course provides a forum for in-depth exploration of contemporary issues in nursing or health care which can influence the quality of services provided to patients. Students have the opportunity to develop greater knowledge and skill in an area of personal interest. Critical thinking, decision-making and self-directed learning undergirds these seminars. Specific issues covered in the course will change from term to term.

3 Credits

NUR 450

Pharmacology

This course focuses on current nursing practice inclusive of the pharmacologic, classifications of drugs, their physiologic impact, monitoring for therapeutic responses, side effects, adverse reactions, drug interactions, toxicity, patient-teaching responsibilities and nursing implications.  Nursing process and the role of the nurse when caring for patients receiving drugs, is emphasized in addition to understanding the significance of reducing medication errors.

4 Credits

NUR 455

Nursing in the Geriatric Population

This course will focus on the nursing management of older adults. Theories of aging, Physiological/psychological functioning, impact of developmental changes, illness, and dysfunction will be emphasized. The geriatric patient will be examined at various levels- healthy older adult, older adult at risk, and the older adult experience acute and chronic illness.

3 Credits

NUR 495

Nursing Management (Capstone)

This course is the capstone course for the BSN student. The course provides an examination of the roles, traits, and contribution of the nurse in leadership and managerial positions. Conceptual aspects of power, problem solving/decision making, effective communication, conflict resolution, horizontal violence, delegation and team building are applied to a variety of situational contexts. The course focuses on identification and development of leadership skills and includes opportunities for scholarly inquiry, professional writing and presentation. The course is designed to facilitate student self-assessment of their leadership and management abilities as they develop the necessary skills. This course is writing intensive.

3 Credits

Upper-Division Elective Courses (Choose 1)

NUR 415

Ethical Decision Making

This course examines the foundations of ethical behavior within business and medical organization structures. The course is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to assess ethical issues within a business or medical setting. The study of social responsibility of business and individuals in the decision making process and a focus on value systems and their development and operations is also covered.

2 Credits

NUR 420

Nursing Research

The significance of research in nursing is considered with emphasis on the scientific approach and its application in evidenced based nursing practice, including e-health issues. The major components of the research process are addressed with a focus on the professional nurse as a consumer of research. Critical thinking skills are emphasized in the analysis of current nursing research.

2 Credits

NUR 426

Community Health Nursing Clinical
Experiential learning: 90 clock hours

Clinical application of population-focused public health nursing practice.  Examination of health and/or quality of life relating to individuals/families, communities and systems. Course covers pertinent health issues within respective clinical settings.

For California RN’s pursuing Public Health Nurse (PHN) certification.

2 Credits

NUR 435

Nursing Education and Promotion

Health education and promotion throughout the life cycle is presented using concepts and theories from nursing, adult teaching and learning principles, the humanities and sciences. Teaching/learning health promotion within the changing health care delivery system and in various client contexts will be explored. This course will develop skills in interviewing and therapeutic communication, curriculum development, and teaching in formal education settings.

2 Credits