The RN to BSN Online Option at ECPI University is designed to help Registered Nurses (RNs) with an active license advance their education by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Here's an overview of the program:

Program Overview:

In the ever-advancing field of healthcare, having a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) has become increasingly important. The American Nurses Association has set a goal for 2020 that 80% of all nurses hold a BSN to meet the demands of modern healthcare. A report by the Institute of Medicine also highlights the need for highly-educated and skilled nurses capable of critical thinking and evidence-based practice due to the changing patient population and healthcare challenges.

ECPI University's RN to BSN Online Option is designed for working nurses, providing them with the opportunity to develop essential knowledge, skills, and perspectives necessary to take on greater responsibilities in the field of nursing. The program focuses on preparing graduates for leadership and management roles.

Program Structure:

• Students can choose between a full-time or part-time option.
• Full-time students attend two online classes each term, beginning with one general education and one nursing course. Each term is five weeks long.
• Completion time for the full-time program is 45 weeks (9 terms, 2 classes per term) after completing prerequisites.
• One course in the full-time program requires practical experience (45 hours), another requires a virtual lab (30 hours), and one requires lab practice (30 hours).
• Part-time students take one course at a time. Each term is five weeks long.
• Completion time for the part-time program is 85 weeks (17 terms, 1 class per term) after completing prerequisites.
• Like the full-time program, the part-time program includes courses with practical experience, virtual labs, and lab practice.

Program Outcomes:

The program aims to produce baccalaureate-prepared, registered professional nurse graduates who can:

• Utilize critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and research to make evidence-based decisions in nursing practice.
• Apply leadership and management concepts to innovate practice environments, problem-solve, and effect change.
• Apply legal and ethical concepts, theories, and standards to professional nursing practice.
• Communicate with patients, families, and healthcare providers, coordinating care and advocating for vulnerable populations.
• Integrate concepts related to trends and issues in contemporary nursing to foster professional role development.
• Analyze how advanced technologies may be used in practice to improve patient care.