Watch the RN to BSN program video series that includes a program introduction and overview, program components, transferring, applying, admission, and more.
Program accreditation
The baccalaureate degree in nursing at Metropolitan State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
This program is for registered nurses with an associate degree or a diploma in nursing who wish to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
The sequence of nursing courses is part-time, five semesters (including summers) and follows a cohort model. One clinical course (NURS 456P, Community Health Practicum), usually in the fourth semester, may meet more than once per week and may be held on a day other than the normally assigned cohort day.
The RN to BSN program admits registered nurses only and students are expected to maintain an active, unencumbered license to practice professional nursing in the state of Minnesota throughout the program.
There are two cohort progression models: Online and Hybrid.
RN to BSN Online Cohorts
In online cohorts, all of the nursing courses are completely online, with the exception of the NURS 456P, Community Health Nursing Practicum, which includes some clinical experiences in the community along with the online content. That class occurs in the fourth semester of the cohort progression. Classes run for five consecutive semesters, including summers.
32 credits of nursing coursework
Up to 24 non-nursing credits, if needed, to meet other graduation requirements such as general education
Part-time progression (typically two courses per semester)
Online cohorts begin in fall and spring semesters
Prerequisites no longer required (Stat 201 is still a course prerequisite to NURS 335, which is held in the second semester of the progression)
RN to BSN Hybrid Cohorts
In hybrid cohorts, nursing classes combine online with face-to-face delivery. Classes with face to face content typically meet twice per month. Some classes are completely online. NURS 456P, Community Health Nursing Practicum, includes some clinical experiences in the community along with the online content. That class occurs in the fourth semester of the cohort progression. Classes run for five consecutive semesters, including summers.
32 credits of nursing coursework
Up to 24 non-nursing credits, if needed, to meet other graduation requirements such as general education
Part-time progression (typically two courses per semester)
Hybrid cohorts begin once per year in fall semesters
Prerequisites no longer required (Stat 201 is still a course prerequisite to NURS 335, which is held in the second semester of the progression)
Program Highlights
Program designed to provide flexibility for working adult students
The BSN program is endorsed by the American Holistic Nursing Credentialing Corporation. Graduates waive the post-graduate practice and continuing education hours necessary to be eligible to take the holistic nursing certification exam.
Graduates qualify for Public Health Nursing Registration in the State of Minnesota.
Student outcomes
Utilize theories from the arts, sciences and nursing as a basis for professional nursing practice.
Utilize critical reasoning in health care decision making with individuals, families, populations, and systems.
Practice holistic nursing care directed toward healing in the human health experience for diverse and vulnerable populations.
Utilize principles of basic organizational and systems leadership to promote safety and quality in health care.
Demonstrate collaborative strategies and inter- and intra-professional communication skills to optimize health outcomes.
Practice professional nursing that is grounded in current evidence from multiple professional sources.
Engage in holistic self-care practices.
Articulate a plan for continuing professional development.
How to enroll
Current students: Declare this program
Once you’re admitted as an undergraduate student and have met any further admission requirements your chosen program may have, you may
declare a major
or
declare an optional minor.
Prior to beginning the practicum experience, information must be submitted to the Department of Nursing which may include, but is not limited to the items listed on the pre-practicum requirements page. Requirements must be valid for the duration of practicum experiences.
The Nursing and Dental Hygiene Programs endeavor to provide students with appropriate clinical training placements, but cannot guarantee placements in all circumstances. Students with personal circumstances that may limit their eligibility to participate in clinical experiences are encouraged to contact the Nursing/Dental Hygiene Program Chair as soon as possible. The Nursing/Dental Hygiene Programs do not guarantee alternative facility placements in cases where students are not allowed at planned clinical sites. Students with these circumstances may be unable to continue in the Nursing or Dental Hygiene Programs.
Student licensure
Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in nursing program are eligible for registration as a Public Health Nurse in the state of Minnesota after becoming licensed as a registered nurse in the state.
This course examines the theoretical foundation for the practice of professional nursing with emphasis on the values and theoretical perspectives that support practice. A holistic framework is introduced with emphasis on the application of Modeling and Role-Modeling theory. The concepts of nurturing, facilitating, healing, and transformational self-care are emphasized.
This course builds on the registered nurse's previous knowledge and experiences and provides an overview of concepts basic to the development as a baccalaureate prepared nurse. Course content includes exploring many of the roles of the baccalaureate-prepared nurse and one's own professional development.
This course expands on foundational knowledge of nursing informatics with emphasis on how technology can be used as a tool to improve client care in a variety of settings. The role of the baccalaureate prepared nurse in evaluating information systems in a variety of practice settings is examined. The issues of ethics, ergonomics, and nursing workflow as they relate to nursing informatics are explored.
This course covers the basic principles and methods of statistics. It emphasizes techniques and applications in real-world problem solving and decision making. Topics include frequency distributions, measures of location and variation, probability, sampling, design of experiments, sampling distributions, interval estimation, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression.
This course focuses on research as a basis for developing nursing as a discipline and for improving the practice of professional nursing. The historical development of nursing research and theory is reviewed. The usefulness of theory as a guide for practice and research is emphasized. Ethical issues surrounding the use of human subjects in research are explored. Emphasis is placed on assisting students to become effective consumers of research and developing evidence-based practice skills.
Competency Statement: Understands evidence-based nursing practice well enough to apply research to nursing care.
This course focuses on holistic nursing care of diverse and contemporary families across the lifespan. Major theoretical foundations relevant to families are presented and applied. Use of current evidence-based resources will direct the clinical decision-making skills of assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation are applied to families experiencing a transition or a chronic health problem. A culturally sensitive approach will be utilized to understand the interactions and relationships to enhance family well-being.
This course focuses on holistic nursing care of clients experiencing transitions related to aging and alterations in health across the lifespan. Cultural and social conceptualizations of health and illness, and their impact on the planning and delivery of nursing care, will be explored. Emphasis will be placed on the role that poverty, racism, and trauma play in health and chronic illness. Ethical issues related to advocacy and the utilization of culturally responsive ethical approaches are addressed.
This course focuses on foundational aspects of integrative nursing care to promote holistic health and wellness. A theoretical basis for integrative care is explored. The inter-relationships of important concepts are utilized to identify methods for creating optimal healing environments for clients. Students evaluate evidence related to integrative therapies and explore strategies for implementing appropriate integrative approaches to clinical practice and self-care.
This course focuses on the origins and trends in community and public health nursing, conceptual models for practice, and contemporary public health problems and issues. Students synthesize knowledge from nursing, public health and the social sciences to provide holistic care with community as client. Emphasis is on prevalent population-based health issues.
The clinical experience in this course focuses on application of concepts of community health nursing in diverse community settings, emphasizing primary prevention, health promotion and cultural competence within the holistic framework. Students must register concurrently for NURS 456 Community Health Nursing.
This course examines global health issues that influence population health outcomes, including the interaction between domestic and global health. Students study frameworks such as vital statistics, Millennium Development Goals, and human rights principles and apply these frameworks to the definition, prevention, or mitigation of identified global health issues or concerns with particular attention given to the health of infants, children, and women in low and middle income countries. The course concludes with a study of cooperative efforts designed to mitigate or prevent global health problems.
This course focuses on individual development necessary to prepare nurses to act as leaders and advocates in a variety of health care environments. Students will analyze and apply the roles of the baccalaureate prepared generalist nurse within systems utilizing a holistic, theoretical, and evidence based perspective.
Is it ever right to try to hasten a patient's death? Should people ever be given medical treatment against their will? How should we decide who will get access to scarce medical resources (like organ transplants)? Do people have a right to get the care they need, even if they can't pay for it? This course will use ethical theories and theories of justice to explore these questions and others like them. It is intended to be helpful not only to (present or future) health care practitioners, but also to anyone who wants to think about these issues, which confront us in our roles as patients and as citizens whose voices can contribute to the shaping of health care policies.
