Nursing B.S.N.

Justin DiLibero, Interim Dean, Onanian School of Nursing

 

Bethany Petronio-Defanti, Associate Dean, Onanian School of Nursing

 

Undergraduate Department Chair: Sharon Galloway

B.S.N. Undergraduate Program Director: Lisa Connelly 

R.N. to B.S.N. Program Director: Linda Mendonça

B.S.N. Program Faculty: Professor Blanchette, Byrd, Galloway; Associate Professors Boucher, Fearon-Lynch, Kutenplon, Mendonça, Petronio-Defanti, Sadlon, N. Smith; Assistant Professors Bargteil, Cunha, de Gouvenain, DiBlasi, Gutierrez, Griffin, Hersperger, Lanzieri, Lerch, Nickerson, Patenaude, Scollins, Wholey; Instructor Sarasin

Endowed Professor of Simulation and Innovation: Penni Sadlon

Admission Requirements

• Students apply to the college using the Common Application. Students accepted to the college will begin as an Intended Nursing major.
• Upon completion of require pre-requisite courses, students submit a second application to the Nursing major.
• During review of the application to the school of nursing, the applicant’s academic performance, indicating potential for success as a nurse, is reviewed and considered carefully in the admission process. The criteria listed below are minimum admission requirements and do not guarantee admission to the nursing program. Students admitted to the college as freshmen are given preference. Transfer and second-degree candidates are welcome to apply for a limited number of spaces.

1. Students must be admitted to Rhode Island College and be an Intended Nursing Major.
2. Students must complete the College Mathematics and Writing Requirements.**
3. Students must have a minimum cumatlive grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in courses taken at all colleges/universities.
4. Students must have completed or be enrolled in BIOL 203 and BIOL 204, CHEM 105, and PSYCH 230, and must obtain a minimum grade of C and a minimum overall grade point average of 2.67 (B-) in the three courses.
5. Students must also have a RIC cumulative GPA of 3.0 and cumulative cognate GPA of 2.67 (PSYC 230, BIOL 201 and BIOL 202, BIOL 203 and BIOL 204, and CHEM 105) at the time of application, and upon completion of the semester.

 * Students may apply to the Nursing program no more than three times.

** Refer to the Rhode Island College Catalog for descriptions of the Mathematics Milestone and Writing Requirements.

Students who are applying to begin nursing courses need to submit a Nursing Program Application Form during the previous semester by the deadline that is on the application.

Application Requirements for All General Declared Nursing Majors

1. Completion of Enrollment Form signed by the faculty advisor and submitted to the School of Nursing by November 15 or April 15 of the preceding semester. Students may apply to the nursing program no more than three times if they were not accommodated. Students who receive a denial may apply twice.
2. Completion of the college mathematics milestone and writing requirements.
3. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
4. Completion of BIOL 231, CHEM 106, and PSYC 230, with a minimum grade of C; and a minimum overall grade point average of 2.67 (B-) in these courses.

Application Requirements for R.N. Students (with an associate's degree in nursing or hospital diploma)

1. Admission to Rhode Island College through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at https://www.commonapp.org/ and declaration of nursing (RN to BSN) as the major.
2. Graduation from an accredited degree/diploma program.
3. A mminimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
4. A current unrestricted Rhode Island Nursing license.
5. Upon admission to the School of Nursing, criminal background investigation verification through CastleBranch.com is required.

Admission Requirements for R.N. students applying to the R.N. to B.S.N. Program as second degree candidates are noted below under “Admission Requirements for Second Degree Candidates." 

Application Requirements for Lateral Transfer Students

Students within the Rhode Island College community who desire a change of major to nursing must go to the B.S.N. Program director to request the change. The Undergraduate Department Chair will process the change of major through campus solutions.

Application Requirements for Transfer Students

Transfer students accepted into the college will need to file an Enrollment Form and will need to meet the same requirements as all general declared nursing majors. Nursing students transferring from other nursing programs are required to forward a letter of recommendation from the head of the previous program.

Application Requirements for Second Degree Candidates

Second degree candidates must first apply to the college through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at https://www.commonapp.org/. Once all application materials are received and processed, a plan of study will be formulated with the B.S.N. program director.Acceptance as a second-degree student does not guarantee admission to the School of Nursing. The student should contact their nursing advisor regarding eligibility to make formal application to the school.

Admission Requirements for Registered Nurse Second Degree students applying to the R.N. to B.S.N. Program include submission of the admission application to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by June 1 for fall semester enrollment or by November 1 for spring semester enrollment. Once the application and all credentials have been received, the admissions office notifies the R.N. to B.S.N. candidate to schedule an appointment with the B.S.N. program director to determine the courses needed to meet the requirements for the second bachelor’s degree. Upon admission to the college, the R.N. to B.S.N. second-degree candidate will meet with an advisor to submit the second Enrollment Form to apply to the R.N. to B.S.N. Program. 

Retention Requirements for BSN Students

1. Completion of required prerequisite courses (cognate and nursing courses).
2. Completion of cognates before the junior year (intermediate level).
3. A minimum grade of C in each nursing course. Only one nursing course may be repeated. Students who sustain another failure (a grade below a C) in any nursing course will be dismissed from the program.
4. A minimum grade of C in each cognate course. Students with a grade of C- or below in a cognate course will have the option to progress in nursing (probationary status) for one semester while repeating the course in question.
5. Due to the rigors of the program and retention policies, enrollment in required nursing courses is limited to 12 credits per semester.
6. The School of Nursing will notify students who have not met the retention criteria. The faculty of the School of Nursing reserves the right to require withdrawal or dismissal of a student who shows evidence, academically or personally, of an inability to carry out professional responsibilities in nursing. Students are expected to adhere to the School of Nursing code of academic honesty. Students have the right to appeal through the Student Outcomes Committee and the dean of the School of Nursing.

Retention Requirements for RN to BSN Students

1. A minimum grade of C in each nursing course. Only one nursing course may be repeated. Students who sustain another failure (a grade below a C) in any nursing course will be dismissed from the program.
2. The School of Nursing will notify students who have not met the retention criteria. The faculty of the School of Nursing reserves the right to require withdrawal or dismissal of a student who shows evidence, academically or personally, of an inability to carry out professional responsibilities in nursing. Students are expected to adhere to the School of Nursing code of academic honesty. Students have the right to appeal through the Student Outcomes Committee and the dean of the School of Nursing.

Health Requirements

Every year students must provide the Health and Wellness Office with evidence of a negative PPD test or compliance with treatment. Before beginning some clinical nursing courses, students may be expected to meet additional health requirements. All nursing students must provide the following documentation:

1. A physical examination.
2. Two measles immunizations.
3. One rubella (German measles) immunization.
4. One mumps immunization.
5. One dose of tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap) if it has been two or more years since last dose of tetanus/diphtheria (Td).
6. Hepatitis B vaccine (a series of three immunizations over a six-month period).
7. Annual QuantiFERON Gold negative blood test or an initial 2-step PP tuberculin skin test and yearly PPD updates.
8. Proof of chicken pox disease or immunization.
9. Influenza vaccine or declination form
10. COVID-19 Vaccination

Students will not be admitted to the first class meeting of a nursing practicum course without having complied with the health requirements. Proof of immunization may be obtained from your physician, high school, previous college or university, military record, and/or from blood titers.

Nursing majors should follow the guidelines on the college immunization form or call Health and Wellness at [phone] for further information. Once all required information has been entered into a student's Patient Portal (instructions are on the Health Services website), and verified by Health and Wellness, the student is able to print a document of their immunization status.

Clinical Placements

Clinical learning provides students with the opportunity to carry out nursing care for persons of all ages and in all stages of the health-illness spectrum. The School of Nursing retains the right to place and schedule students in appropriate clinical settings. Although every effort will be made to place all students, it is possible that in any given semester sufficient placements may not be available. Students in clinical courses are responsible for their own transportation to the clinical area. Affiliating agencies require students to consent to criminal background checks; therefore, students must have periodic Background Criminal Investigation (BCI) checks.

Licensure

Graduates of the nursing program are eligible to take NCLEX-RN for licensure as a registered nurse in any state. An applicant who has been convicted of a felony may not be awarded a license by the Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education. For more information, contact the dean of the School of Nursing.

Nursing Fee

The School of Nursing contracts with educational resource companies to provide students with comprehensive testing and review materials, which enhance the program. Nursing students are billed by the college each semester for these services.

Handbook

The School of Nursing Handbook for Undergraduate Students in Nursing provides detailed and essential information about the undergraduate nursing program. It is available online at www.ric.edu/nursing.

Students must consult with their advisor each semester before registering for courses. ALL students must be certified for CPR BLS Provider Level every two years through the American Heart Association.

Course Requirements - All General Declared Nursing Majors

Courses

Course	Title	Credits	Offered
NURS 100	Healthcare Careers: Foundation for Success	2	Fall, Spring, Summer.
NURS 230	Health Promotion and Disease Prevention	3	Fall, Spring.
NURS 231	Pathopharmacology	4	Fall, Spring.
NURS 232	Health Assessment of Diverse Populations	3	Fall, Spring.
NURS 233	Essentials of Nursing Knowledge and Practice	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 234W	Scholarly Inquiry and Informatics	3	Fall, Spring.
NURS 351	Adult Nursing Care of Common Conditions	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 352	Person-Centered Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 353	Adult Nursing Care of Complex Conditions	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 354	Innovative Leadership	3	Fall, Spring.
NURS 381	Family-Centered Care in Pediatric Nursing	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 382	Maternal- Newborn Nursing	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 383	Global, Community, and Public Policy	6	Fall, Spring.
NURS 384	Nursing Practice Synthesis	6	Fall, Spring.

Cognates

Course	Title	Credits	Offered
BIOL 201	Anatomy and Physiology I Lecture	3	Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOL 202	Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory	1	Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOL 203	Anatomy and Physiology II Lecture	3	Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOL 204	Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory	1	Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOL 348	Microbiology	4	Fall, Spring, Summer.
CHEM	Chemistry Fundamentals for Healthcare	4	Fall, Spring, Summer.
PSYC 110	Introduction to Psychology	4	Fall, Spring, Summer.
PSYC 230	Human Development	4	Fall, Spring, Summer.

Total Credit Hours: 90

Note: 12 credits from the cognates will double count as General education courses:
AQSR, NS and SB.

Course Requirements - Registered Nurse Students

(Licensed graduates of accredited associate degree or hospital schools of nursing)

Course

Course	Title	Credits	Offered
NURS 208W	Scholarly Inquiry and Practice in Nursing	4	Fall, Spring.
NURS 317	Quality, Economics, Equity, and Health Financing	4	Fall, Spring.
NURS 318	Person-Centered Physical and Health Assessment	4	Fall, Spring.
NURS 371	Global, Community, and Health Policy	4	Fall, Spring.
NURS 377	Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Innovation and Transformation	4	Fall, Spring, Summer.
NURS 378	Capstone	2	Fall, Spring, Summer.
	Nursing Transfer Electives	37

Up to 90 transfer credits will be accepted.

Total Credit Hours: 59

Note: R.N. to B.S.N. students must meet the minimum residency requirement of 30 credits and 120 credits for graduation, as well as the General Education requirements with the exception of the Second Language and Connections Requirement.