RN to BSN

The Nursing Department values the skills and knowledge of Registered Nurses who return to college for advanced study in nursing. Registered Nurse students who wish to earn the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing should click on the options below for more information on this program of study. The Nursing Department also offers a "fast-track" RN to MSN option for those RN students who wish to engage in advanced practice clinical specialization.
RN to BSN Program (for students with a diploma or an associate's degree and an RN license)

• Program Description
• Admissions Information
• Program Sequence
• Expressway RN Program

Program Description: The RN to BSN program is based upon the tenants of the Pennsylvania Statewide Articulation Plan (1993).
These tenants specify that:

1. Each educational institution has the prerogative of establishing its unique mission, goals, and standards for admission, progression, and graduation.
2. Articulation is the process through which nursing programs cooperate to facilitate educational progress of students without repetition.
3. State approval and NLN accreditation validate curriculum content.
4. There is a common core of knowledge, attitudes, cognitive and psychomotor skills that graduates of all three types of nursing programs (diploma, associate degree, and bachelor's degree) acquire.
5. The participant programs address graduate competencies as stated by the accrediting and approving bodies.
6. Nurses interested in upward mobility are adult learners motivated and capable of independent study.
7. Completion of one educational program does not mean that a graduate will have the ability or desire to progress to the next.

A total of 120 credits are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing for RN students. These credits are earned through matriculation credits (i.e. course work at Misericordia University), transfer credits from approved 2 and 4-year colleges, and advanced placement credits.

Advanced placement credits include 32 credits for course work completed in a state approved and NLN accredited associate's degree or diploma program in nursing. These credits are held in escrow and posted to the student's transcript after completion of designated courses in the RN curriculum. All RN to BSN students also earn 3 graduate credits during their degree program.
After a transcript evaluation has been completed, the RN student completes the necessary individually-determined core and cognate credits along with 19 credits of course work in the Professional Nursing Major. This course work includes one clinical practice course in community health, which uses a flexible adult learning model for scheduling. As adult learners, RN students also have the opportunity to earn credit by CLEP subject exams and Prior Learning Assessment. Under ordinary circumstances, graduates of associate degree programs are not required to complete more than 66 total credits in core, cognate, and major requirements at Misericordia University. RN students who hold a bachelor's degree in another field are exempt from core requirements.

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Admissions Information: Registered Nurse students must meet the general admission requirements for the College. To be eligible for direct articulation into the RN to BSN program, registered nurse applicants who have graduated from a state approved and NLN accredited diploma or associate degree nursing program within three (3) years are eligible for direct articulation providing that they:

• hold a Pennsylvania RN license to practice nursing
• demonstrate a 2.5 GPA for all previous college-level course work

Registered nurse applicants who graduated from state approved and NLN accredited diploma or associate degree programs within a time frame of 4-10 years prior to application, must additionally provide evidence of:

• at least 1000 hours of nursing practice within the last three years in order to be considered for direct articulation

RN to BSN students who have questions regarding these or other admission requirements, should contact:

Larree Brown Assistant Director of Admissions, Part Time and Graduate Programs (570) 674-6451 lbrown@misericordia.edu

Annette Weiss, RN, MSN ExpresswayRN Program Coordinator (570) 674-6358 aweiss@misericordia.edu

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Program Sequence: After transcript evaluation, an individual program plan is prepared to determine the number of credits needed to complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. The RN to BSN program is generally completed in part-time study. Adult students complete core requirements and cognate courses in flexible scheduling and accelerated options.

The following course can be completed by transfer, by challenge examination, or by completing classes at Misericordia University:

* Food and Nutrition (3 credits)

The Professional Nursing Major Courses (19 credits) include the courses specified as follows:

1. NSG 397 (2 credits)
2. NSG 398 (3 credits)
3. NSG 410 (3 credits)
4. NSG 460 (4 credits)
5. NSG 465 (4 credits)
6. NSG 555 (3 credits)