Earn a Degree Designed for Nurses by Nurses in the RN to BSN Online Program
The online Bachelor of Science in Nursing RN to BSN program at Southern New Hampshire University is designed to accommodate your busy life as a working nurse. Your role in today's complex healthcare environment requires critical competencies, including evidence-based care, health promotion, disease prevention and the use of technology to enhance your clinical and professional development. The RN to BSN online program at SNHU delivers on those objectives and more, preparing you for your next step in nursing.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and the master’s degree program in nursing at Southern New Hampshire University are accredited by the
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202.887.6791.
See Yourself Succeed in Nursing
SNHU offers affordable, transfer-friendly online nursing programs, allowing you to maximize your prior course work and reduce the cost of completing your degree. Our online bachelor's in nursing program provides the time and flexibility to master your coursework, while balancing your professional and personal life.
The RN to BSN online program follows a 10-course curriculum that delivers against the competencies recommended by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). This framework was developed to ensure nurses receive the training and education they need to not only advance the professions but their careers as well.
For professional nurses with defined education goals, our online Accelerated RN to MSN track offers a seamless academic pathway for advancing from an ASN to a BSN to an MSN. This affordable degree option allows eligible BSN students to complete two graduate-level courses within their BSN program. Successful completion of these courses will then waive two courses within the MSN program, which can save you both tuition and time. RN to BSN students who apply to and are accepted into the online Accelerated RN to MSN option can choose to pursue the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader, MSN Nurse Educator programs, or choose the MSN general track.
As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission - to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your online bachelor's in nursing degree at SNHU include:
- Accredited. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and the master’s degree program in nursing at Southern New Hampshire University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202.887.6791.
- Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
- Convenience. Attend class when it's convenient for you - online education means 24/7 access
- Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your undergraduate degree at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
- Expert instruction. Learn from nursing professionals with relevant, real-world experience
- Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we'll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there's no application fee
- Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
- Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 90 credits toward the BSN, with a minimum of 30 credits completed at SNHU
Admission Requirements
- An active unencumbered RN license equivalent to NCLEX-RN. If a student holds active licenses in more than one state/jurisdiction all licenses must be unencumbered.
- An earned diploma or associate degree in nursing from a state-approved or nationally accredited nursing program and a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA
- Students who have graduated from a nursing program within three months of application may be admitted if all other admission requirements are met. Evidence of licensure must be provided within three months from date of admission.
If you are an RN to BSN student interested in the Accelerated RN to MSN, contact a SNHU admission counselor or your academic advisor for more information.
Graduates of an ASN program from a New Hampshire community college should contact an admission counselor at Southern New Hampshire University to learn more about our tuition benefit and admission requirements.
SNHU nursing programs are not authorized in the state of Washington and we are not accepting students residing in Washington state at this time. Currently enrolled students who move into the state of Washington will not be able to continue in nursing courses until they move out of the state of Washington. Prospective students are encouraged to contact Admission and current students should contact their Advisor for more information.
Career Outlook
The demand for nurses with bachelor's-level education continues to increase at hospitals and other healthcare organizations. The Institute of Medicine is urging that the number of BSN-prepared nurses increase to 80% by 2020, an initiative meant to enhance patient care and safety.*
After completion of SNHU's RN to BSN online program, you'll be able to:
- Apply skills in using patient-care technologies, information systems and clinical decision support tools to promote safe nursing practice and quality patient outcomes
- Utilize evidence-based practice in planning, implementing and evaluating outcomes of care
- Formulate strategies to promote health and prevent disease in individuals and populations across the lifespan
- Implement patient safety and quality initiatives within the complex clinical microsystem using leadership and communication skills
- Analyze trends in healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments and their implications for healthcare access, equity and affordability
- Evaluate lifelong learning and nursing engagement to promote personal and professional transformation
Curriculum
Our bachelor's in nursing curriculum is built upon the Institute of Medicine's "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health" report competencies. The course work initially stresses enhancing nursing professionals' abilities to manage themselves, then focuses on managing in a complex environment.
Our nursing students also work on developing the awareness, knowledge and proficiency reflected in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's 11 nursing competencies. Additional BA/BS core courses also are required for a BSN. Registered nurses with a prior bachelor's degree may find the transfer-friendly design of the SNHU RN to BSN online program especially appealing.
The BSN program is 120 credit hours. In addition to completing the 10 nursing courses outlined above, students must complete the following coursework:
Courses To Prepare You For Your Career
SNHU's bachelor's in nursing program includes:
- General education
- Degree-specific courses
General Education Program
Our programs are designed to equip you with the skills and insights you need to move forward. In recent years, employers have stressed the need for graduates with higher order skills - the skills that go beyond technical knowledge - such as:
- Writing
- Communication
- Analysis
- Problem solving
All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes. Through foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.
Courses May Include
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IHP
420
Ethical and Legal Considerations of Healthcare
Students in this course examine the role of health care policy and legal, regulatory, and quality control in ethical decision making in healthcare. Students explore concepts and principles of health care policy, legal control, ethical conduct, and regulatory environments and their application to the health care environment. The impact of health care policy and multicultural, socioeconomic, political, legal, and regulatory factors on health care systems is explored.
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IHP
450
Healthcare Management and Finance
This course focuses on the concepts, principles, tools, finances and strategies used in managing operations within a performance improvement model. Students will explore problem solving and decision making models as well as tools and techniques for planning, organizing, directing, controlling, reporting, and improving the productivity and performance of resources within a healthcare department. Additionally, topics will include healthcare finance reimbursement, bookkeeping, accounting principles, budgeting processes (capital and operating), and cost/benefits analysis.
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NUR
300
Scholarly Inquiry
This course is designed to introduce the licensed registered nurse to the role of the bachelor's prepared nurse in complex health care setting. The Transformational model of learning will be the foundation to develop scholarly inquiry in order to improve practice. Skill development in critical reflection, assessing evidence, professional writing, study habits, and work-life balance will be essential for success. The goal is to provide a knowledge base in nursing theory to improve nursing practice. The role of the Bachelor's prepared nurse as a patient advocate, clinical expert and a leader in evidence-based practice and transformation of health care will be emphasized. The course will discuss the capstone course and development of a project.
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NUR
305
Information Management and Patient Care Technologies
This course explores patient care technologies, information systems, telecommunication technologies, and communication devices that support safe nursing practice. Topics covered include standardized terminology; electronic health record, patient portal, meaningful use, and pay for performance; data integrity, abstraction and mining; use of clinical decision support tools to promote patient safety, and ethical and legal issues related to information technology.
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NUR
350
Community and Population Health
In this course, the student will develop the ability to assess, analyze, and recommend change for health issues for groups and in communities. Topics will include local and regional conditions that affect vulnerable populations through the lifespan. Case management and care coordination will be discussed. Application of community health principles will be the foundation for recommending interventions. The prevention will include diverse, environmental disease treatments and healthcare policy strategies. This three credit hour course will include 45 hours of practical application of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired in the course.
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NUR
400
Systems Leadership for Continuous Quality
This course will explore organizational and systems leadership within the complex clinical microsystems to promote high quality patient care utilizing the knowledge, skills and attitudes to promote care coordination, negotiation, change management, team building and collaboration within the interdisciplinary team. Topics will include quality improvement and safety concepts using structure, process and outcome measures, and performance improvement methodologies to promote quality outcomes for diverse populations. This three credit hour course will include 45 hours of practical application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
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NUR
440
Research & Evidence-Based Practice
Undergraduate students will be introduced to theory-guided and evidence-based nursing practice. Students will acquire the skills to become proficient consumers of nursing research. Focus is placed on understanding established research methodologies, ways of knowing in nursing, and developing the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors to retrieve and critique published studies for application to evidence-based nursing practice. This three credit course will include 45 hours of practical application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of the baccalaureate-prepared nurse.
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NUR
490
Transformational Capstone
The Transformational Capstone course will utilize a seminar process, portfolio development, and final project to illustrate achievement of all program outcomes. In keeping with the Transformational Learning Theory, the summative activities will provide evidence of the student's progression to a baccalaureate-professional nurse. This three credit hour course will include 90 hours of practicum experience to demonstrate synthesis of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired in the program.
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Total Credits: 120
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Register By: June 29
Classes Start: July 1
Program Outcomes
- Apply skills in using patient care technologies, information systems and clinical decision support tools to promote safe nursing practice and quality patient outcomes
- Utilize evidence-based practice in planning, implementing and evaluating outcomes of care
- Formulate strategies to promote health and prevent disease in individuals and populations across the lifespan
- Implement patient safety and quality initiatives within the complex clinical microsystem using leadership and communication skills
- Analyze trends in healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments and their implications for healthcare access, equity, and affordability
- Evaluate life-long learning and nursing engagement to promote personal and professional transformation
It is recommended, but not required that nursing students carry their own medical malpractice insurance.
*Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, "The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health," on the internet, at http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/The-Future-of-Nursing/Future%20of%20Nursing%202010%20Recommendations.pdf (viewed online December 22, 2017)
Tuition & Fees
Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30% tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.
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Online Undergraduate Programs
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Per Course*
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Per Credit Hour*
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Degree/Certificates
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$960 |
$320 |
Degree/Certificates
(U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty)
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$675 |
$225 |
*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.
Additional Costs
No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)
University Accreditation
Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...