RN to BSN
RN to BSN Program
At Elizabethtown College, our students receive a robust and exceptional experience through our RN to BSN Program. Students connect with other nursing students practicing around the world to provide a unique, new world perspective on the discipline of nursing. We believe learning is a constant collaboration between professionals, and that is why our professors do more than talk the talk, they walk the walk. We will be there every step of the way to help you succeed.
Want to know more?
Join us for one of our Info Sessions!
REQUEST INFOarrow_right_alt APPLY nowarrow_right_alt
Program Formats:
Credits Required: 125
Tuition & Scholarships
- $525 per credit
- 15% Alumni Scholarship
- 15% Affinity Partner Scholarship
- Jay Fellowship Referral Program
- Full-time: Accelerated degree completion
- Part-time: Flexible step-in, step-out options
Tuition and fees are reviewed and subject to change annually.
Program Highlights
Nationally, the Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) is becoming the standard entry-level degree for registered nurses. Our RN to BSN program is designed for licensed registered nurses who have an associate’s degree or nursing diploma (ADN). This type of program is often called a “bridge or completion” program. Our accelerated RN to BSN program is designed to be flexible for practicing nurses to move as quickly as they would like or at their own pace while earning their bachelor’s degree.
| Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) |
|
1. Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Translate and assimilate knowledge borrowed from other disciplines, to form a strong liberal arts curriculum cultivating advanced clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice. |
|
2. Culturally Compassionate Practice: Nurture caring and interprofessional partnerships with patients and families, and the global community that delivers holistic, compassionate, person-centered care that is safe, equitable, and respects cultural fluidity. |
|
3. Population Health: Promote optimal patient, family, and community outcomes through advocacy, by managing disease, healthy lifestyle choices, and minimizing the impact of social conditions across the healthcare delivery continuum. |
|
4. Scholarship: Collects best evidence, analyzes, interprets and disseminates data using the nursing process to promote optimal health of individuals, families, and global communities. |
|
5. Quality & Safety: Integrates best practice metrics in safety science using a systems-based approach to inform nursing practice and to solve complex healthcare challenges. |
|
6. Communication & Interprofessional Relationships: Maintain and support an open line of respectful communication among interprofessional teams to create a culture of safety that promotes optimal care and outcomes for patients, families, communities. |
|
7. Informatics & Technology: Integrates and analyzes disparate data to support clinical decision-making and planning to improve care, optimize outcomes, and to reduce healthcare costs. |
|
8. Personal & Professional Development: Pursue a sense of purpose that inspires a commitment to lifelong learning and meaningful work that inspires personal and professional growth, sound health, resilience, and well-being. |
|
9. Growth & Professionalism: Cultivate a professional identity founded upon high ethical and moral standards, and accountability, that promote the discipline of nursing and the obligations of the profession. |
|
10. Leadership: Develop as an emerging leader by using effective communication, sound leadership strategies, and employs data as a strategic asset to achieve optimal health for patients, families, and across the community and the globe. |
Salary Range
According to glassdoor.com
Our RN to BSN Program allows you to further your education within the high-demand nursing field which can lead to a higher salary and more fulfilling career:
Prepare for advanced roles in nursing such as anesthesia or practitioner.
where its focus is on continuing education, leading committees and professional development opportunities.
The VA, the largest employer of nurses in the country, offers excellent benefits including student loan contributions, lower mortgage rates and excellent health benefits.
Meet the Program Director
Nakiya Torres, DNP, MSN-ED, RN
Nursing Program Director
717-361-3700 | torresn@etown.edu
Dr. Torres is a Registered Nurse and holds a baccalaureate degree in nursing, a master’s degree in nursing education from Chamberlain University, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from Grand Canyon University. She has shown exceptional leadership and educational skills throughout her career. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she led a front-line team and managed a Covid decompression field facility, while also providing hands-on clinical training and contributing to educational efforts. She played a crucial role in enhancing nursing skills and competency during this historic time. In addition to her pandemic leadership, Dr. Torres led multidisciplinary teams in quality improvement and infection prevention. Her efforts resulted in decreased hospital-acquired infections and the implementation of risk reduction strategies. She also contributed to accreditation processes, policy development, and sepsis recognition rates in a trauma emergency department as a doctoral student, further improving clinical outcomes.
Dr. Torres has a passion for teaching and has served as a faculty member in various nursing programs. She has taught diverse health courses and settings, including mentoring on nursing mentor committees. Her commitment to student success and creating positive relationships and work environments is evident throughout her career. With her effective communication skills, respect for diversity, and dedication to shaping the future of nursing in a positive way, Dr. Torres is well-suited to navigate the future of nursing.
Courses & Transfer Credits
Transfer Evaluation
We have established a generous transfer credit evaluation process, aiming to make your transition to Etown as seamless as possible. Whether you've completed coursework at another institution or have earned an associate degree, we're here to assist you in maximizing your credits toward your academic goals. For those who have successfully earned an associate degree, our transfer credit evaluation may allow you to waive the Core Program requirements, allowing you to focus on your nursing courses and additional general elective courses required for obtaining your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. If you're interested in learning more about how your specific credits will transfer and the potential Core Program waiver, we encourage you to reach out to our admissions representative, Donald Sharples.
HACC Partnership
In addition to our general transfer credit policies, we have established a special Transfer Agreement with Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC). This agreement ensures that HACC students who have earned an associate degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher are guaranteed admission to Elizabethtown College's School of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS). This partnership simplifies the admissions process and provides a clear pathway for HACC students to continue their education with us.
Furthermore, all nursing graduates of HACC (within two years of their degree conferral date) will receive three free courses and one free Edge Bundle (2-3 credits) from SGPS. This opportunity allows you to further enhance your education and skills, all while enjoying the advantages of additional courses at no cost.
Required Nursing Credits (33 credits)
Nursing Core (30 credits)
- NUR 300 Growth and Development in Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 310 Holistic Assessment in Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 315 Population Health (3 credits)
- NUR 320 Health and Social Policy (2 credits)
- NUR 330 Nursing Informatics (1 credit)
- NUR 340 Systems Thinking (3 credits)
- NUR 350 Compassionate Care (3 credits)
- NUR 352 Nursing Scholarship (3 credits)
- NUR 380-R Clinical Immersion I (1 credit)
- NUR 385-R Clinical Immersion II (1 credit)
- NUR 450 Leadership Emergence (3 credits)
- NUR 495 & NUR 495-R (Didactic (3 credits) + Clinical (1 credit) = Total (4 credits))
Nursing Elective (Select One)
- NUR 405 Integrative Care (3 credits)
- NUR 410 Gerontology Nursing (3 credits)
- NUR 415 Organizational Dynamics (3 credits)
- NUR 420 Healthcare Communication (3 credits)
- NUR 425 Principles of Primary Care (3 credits)
- NUR 430 Transcultural Nursing (3 credits)
- SP 331 Medical Spanish I (3 credits)
- SP 332 Medical Spanish II (3 credits)
Program Flexibility
- Finish your required nursing courses in as little as 12 months, or go at your own pace by taking one course at a time. At any time, you may ‘Step Out’ of your current coursework and begin again during the next 5-week session.
- Does your employer offer tuition reimbursement? Talk with your admissions representative to understand how you can plan your class schedule to make the most of your reimbursement dollars. You may use financial aid to supplement your tuition reimbursement or opt to ‘Step Out’. Take advantage of the Tuition Deferment Program to avoid out-of-pocket tuition costs. You can defer the payment up to 30 days after each class ends.
Accreditation
- Regionally Accredited with Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Member and approved by the NC-SARA to improve the quality, value, and student experience of our distance education programs.
- The baccalaureate program in nursing at Elizabethtown College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2298© 2023 Elizabethtown College