Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

Olympic College has been granted informal candidacy at the baccalaureate level for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Olympic College is accredited at the associate degree level by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Questions about OC’s accreditation can be directed to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, phone 425.558.4224, website www.nwccu.org.

The Olympic College Associate degree program is accredited by the National League for Nursing; the Olympic College BSN Completion Program plans to seek professional accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Overview

The program is designed for nurses who have multiple roles with work, family, and school. Courses can be taken one day per week until the last two quarters when classes meet two days per week. Program plans are individualized for each student's unique needs.

RN to BSN Degree Benefits

Earning a BSN degree will provide multiple benefits to the associate degree registered nurse.

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will:

• Facilitate a broad scope of practice as a result of enhanced clinical reasoning and analytical skills.
• Enhance leadership skills.
• Educate nurses in issues surrounding community health, health care delivery systems and health care policy.
• Develop understanding and participation in research methods leading to evidence based practice.
• Enhance health care delivery and health promotion for clients and communities BSN nurses serve.

RN to BSN Curriculum

The BSN curriculum has been designed to foster professional development of the student and to meet the following program goals:

• Communicate effectively in writing and speech.
• Promote communication between clients from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrate accountability and responsibility for professional development and practice within the legal and ethical framework of nursing, including awareness of limitations in knowledge and seeking opportunities to enhance competent practice.
• Demonstrate critical thinking, competent clinical reasoning and analytical skills necessary for safe quality nursing practice.
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity in delivery of care.
• Empower individuals, families, and the community to develop positive health behaviors through health promotion and health education.
• Integrate methods of research process and findings in planning, implementing and evaluating care, and in support of evidence based practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to positively adapt to the dynamic of change present in health care settings.
• Provide holistic health care that enhances a client’s dignity and reflects a commitment to caring.
• Demonstrate leadership abilities and political skills to attain quality care for families, groups, and community clients.

To support and document progress toward accomplishing these goals, each graduating student is required to submit a portfolio of work completed during the student's enrollment at OC.

Outcomes

Opportunities are provided to allow students to develop professionally and meet the RN-BSN student/program outcome.

• Leadership
• Analytical Reasoning
• Community, Health and Wellness
• Professional Values/Role Development
• Scholarly Inquiry
• Communication

*See course description for prerequisite.

Some of the above BNURS courses may be used for social science, humanities, and symbolic reasoning/quantitative skills distribution requirements. Please see advisor for more information.

Program progression is contingent upon successful completion (minimum grade of 2.0 or above) in each course. Please see advisor for details.

RN to BSN General Education Requirements

Foreign Language: Two years in high school of the same foreign language or 10 credits of one language at the college level. (Students who were educated in another language through the 8th grade may be exempt from this requirement.)

Mathematics: Requirement fulfilled by advanced math or statistics (with petition).

Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning (5 credits)

Writing (15 credits): Must include 5 credits of English composition and 10 additional credits of writing-intensive coursework. (10 additional credits of writing-intensive coursework may be met through coursework in the OC RN-BSN program.

Humanities (15 credits): College-level foreign language credits can be applied toward this requirement, and may be completed while in OC ADN and BSN programs.

Social Sciences (15 credits): May be completed in OC ADN and BSN programs.

Natural Sciences (28 credits): Must include 5 credits of college level chemistry, 10 credits of anatomy and physiology (can be met via examination), 3 credits of microbiology (can be met via examination), 5 credits of advanced math (can be petitioned) and 5 credits of statistics.

Admissions

Pre-major admission is offered in all quarters. Students who want to complete general education requirements or electives prior to beginning BSN nursing coursework are eligible for pre-major admission. Please contact the OC BSN advisor for more information. 

Priority consideration for admission will be given to students who apply before February 1 for the Fall quarter.

Admission Requirements

• Current unrestricted licensure as a registered nurse in the State of Washington (provisional admission is offered to students in the last year of an associate degree program in nursing). Advanced placement credit is awarded based on verification of successful completion of NCLEX (RN) exam.
• One year of clinical practice (nursing school clinicals apply as experience).
• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in all college coursework.
• A minimum of 35 quarter credits completed of general education requirements.
• 35 credits awarded for RN Licensure.
• 35 nursing credits from an Associate Degree Nursing program.
• A minimum grade of 2.0 in each of the required courses.
• Admission will be offered to applicants starting with the highest GPA in nursing course work and continue until admissions are complete.
• If a tiebreaker is needed, the number of years of active clinical practice will be the deciding criterion.

Admission Application Process

For information regarding financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid at 360.475.7160 or www.olympic.edu/FinancialAid. When completing the federal FAFSA form, use the OC Title IV code—003784.

Submit Olympic College application and materials to BSN Admissions. (Applications are accepted throughout the year.)

Application packet must include the following:

• Two official transcripts from all previous academic and nursing course work. High school transcripts should be submitted if foreign language was completed in high school.
• Resume outlining nursing and/or academic clinical experience.
• Essay describing your personal and professional experiences. Include leadership, special achievements, accomplishments, special skills, previous work in diverse communities or disadvantaged populations, and professional and educational goals.
• Three professional recommendations. (Forms available in application packet)

Access the application packet online at: www.olympic.edu/bsn.

Admission is based on the following:

• Providing all required application packet materials.
• Meeting the admission requirements.
• Academic background.
• Personal essay.

After acceptance into the program, students are required to provide documentation of:

• Current immunizations
• CPR for Health Care Providers
• Completion of the Conviction/Criminal History Form
• Washington State Patrol Criminal Background Check

Contacts

Source: 2009-2010 Olympic College Catalog