Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN)

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

We are pleased to provide a rigorous, supportive, and engaging professional education to facilitate successful degree completion. The UDC RN to BSN Online curriculum is designed for students to continue their education in a transformative environment that supports evidence-based best practices, leadership within the interdisciplinary health team, environmental competencies to promote sustainable healthcare, and self-directed lifelong learning in a virtual environment.

• ACEN-Accredited
• Approved by the District of Columbia Board of Nursing
• Affordable and accessible — lower tuition fees compared to other schools
• On-line classes with hands-on practicum experiences
• Virtual reality is embedded into the curriculum to enhance the learning experience
• Diverse student body — Nearly 85% of students are non-White; 16% of students are male
• Small classes — average is less than 10 students
• Convenient to DC area residents
• Part of a consortium of 17 schools
• Professional development — ability to be involved in research opportunities, publication preparation; and attend national conferences
• Student scholarships and internships available

Admissions Process

The admission process will be facilitated through NursingCAS. The basic requirements for program applicants are:

1. Active, unencumbered Registered Nurse licensure.
2. Completion of general education and nursing prerequisite courses listed below.
   1. IGED 110 and 111 Foundation Writing, I and II (English Composition I-II)
   2. IGED 120 and 220 Foundation Quantitative Reasoning I-II (College Math I-II)
   3. IGED 130 Foundation Oral Communication (Public Speaking)
   4. BIOL 111-114 Anatomy & Physiology I and II Lecture and Lab
   5. IGED 260 Microbiology Lecture and Lab
   6. PSYC 201 Principles of Psychology I
   7. SOCY 111 Introduction to Sociology
   8. NURS 100-200 Nursing Courses (39 maximum transfer credits)
3. Cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.8 or greater on a 4.0 scale.

Students in UDC’s Associate of Applied Sciences Nursing (AASN) program may be admitted into the BSN program.  The basic requirements for UDC AASN program applicants are:

• Admission and enrollment in the AASN program,
• Completion of general education prerequisite courses, and
• Cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.8 or greater on a 4.0 scale.

UDC AASN applicants should contact course faculty for BSN program entry requirements.

Application Deadlines:

Spring Term – October 1^st

Summer Term – March 1^st

Fall Term – June 1^st

Application Instructions:

Registered Nurse applicants must submit the following items to apply to the University of the District of Columbia RN to BSN program:

• Request official transcripts from all institutions attended.
• Upload the official transcripts into NursingCAS.
• Upload a résumé in the documents section of NursingCAS.
• Request that 2 letters of recommendation be sent through the NursingCAS recommender portal.
• Submit your application (https://nursingcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/).
• An Advisement Specialist will confirm the submission of your application and will forward it to the Admissions, Program, and Graduate Committee for review and decision.

International Applicant Instructions

International applicants who are F-1 visa holders are ineligible to enroll in this program.

Permanent U.S. residents must submit official transcripts and a credential evaluation for degrees earned outside of the United States. Secondary or university-level academic work must be evaluated by a member organization of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Evidence of English language proficiency is required by submission of TOEFL or ILETS scores.

If admitted into the RN to BSN Program, students have 10 days after the start of their first class to visit:

www.discover.castlebranch.com to complete the following additional requirements.

Use package code: IW51.

• Submit active CPR Certification
• Submit proof of health insurance coverage
• Submit evidence of physical examination (completed within the past 12 months)
• Submit evidence of Professional Liability Insurance
• Submit evidence of the following vaccinations: influenza, tetanus, varicella, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, COVID-19, plus tuberculosis screening status.

OVERVIEW

Vision

Nursing students will maximize their potential, increase the diversity of the nursing workforce, and improve the health of the residents of the District of Columbia and beyond.

Mission

The mission of the RN to BSN program is to produce well-educated, autonomous, competent, and resourceful graduates to practice nursing in today’s multiethnic, global, and technology-driven society.

End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the BSN program, the graduate will:

1. Integrate current evidence and other disciplinary knowledge in the provision of safe, quality care to promote the health of patients, family, and community.
2. Collaborate with healthcare teams using effective and therapeutic communication skills to improve health outcomes of patients, families, and communities.
3. Create plans of care based on the values and preferences of individuals, families, communities, and best research evidence that is available.
4. Facilitate use of effective information and health technology in decision-making to mitigate errors, support decision-making, communicate with the interdisciplinary team, and improve patient care outcomes.
5. Provide leadership decision making that results in optimal wellness for individuals, families, groups, and communities.
6. Facilitate the delivery of holistic, compassionate, safe, effective, and coordinated care based on respect for individual patient and community preferences, values, age, culture and needs.
7. Evaluate standards of care for adherence to legal and ethical principles in the delivery of quality care.
8. Evaluate the effectiveness of healthcare systems that continuously improve the quality and safety of health care delivery.
9. Design strategies that minimize risks in the environment for clients, self, and others through system effectiveness and individual performance.
10. Formulate evidence-based clinical judgments in collaboration with other members of the health care team while prioritizing resources.
11. Formulate effective therapeutic communication strategies with interdisciplinary teams for achievement of positive patient outcomes.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The RN to BSN program requires the completion of 10 nursing courses that encompass a theory-based curriculum with clinical application. Each course is delivered online over an eight-week period in Fall and Spring semesters and over a six-week period in Summer. The following curriculum fulfills the knowledge requirements of the baccalaureate nursing degree, approved by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), with 120 semester credit hours required to complete the BSN.

CURRICULUM- EFFECTIVE FALL 2023

COST & FINANCIAL AID

Tuition rates for the University of the District of Columbia can be found here. Financial aid information for the University of the District of Columbia can be found here.

PROGRAM CONTACT

Sharon F. Beasley, PhD, RN, CNE, NEA-BC
Director of Nursing Education/Associate Professor
College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences
University of the District of Columbia
4250 Connecticut Avenue, NW | Suite 5345
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: (202) 274-5516
E-mail: sharon.beasley@udc.edu

ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS

The RN to BSN nursing program at the University of the District of Columbia is located in Washington, DC and is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
404.975.5000.

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the RN to BSN nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at

http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm

RN to BSN Program Achievement

The faculty did not admit students into the RN to BSN program in 2019 and 2020

Licensure Pass Rates do not apply to a post-licensure program

Program Completion

ELA: 40% of the nursing students will complete the nursing program on-time

Employment
ELA: 95% of graduates will be employed as registered nurses within six months of graduation