RN to BSN Program

The RN to BSN program provides registered nurses who have an Associate degree in Nursing or Diploma in Nursing from an approved program the opportunity to advance in their educational and career goals. Upper-level coursework will place emphasis on nursing leadership and professional development to strengthen skills to professionally and safely deliver evidenced-based care.

Accreditation: The Polk State BSN application has been accepted for Candidacy by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC). We are preparing for a site visit in Fall semester 2012. Assuming a successful site review, the Polk BSN program will be accredited by the time our first group of students complete the program in December 2012.

Admission: Admission to the program requires an active, unrestricted Florida license as a Registered Nurse, an associate's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution or a diploma in nursing from an institution accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, and at least a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 point scale in all post-secondary coursework. If the student's associate degree is from a non-regionally accredited institution, but one that is accredited by a body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, a course-by-course evaluation will be done according to Polk State College's transfer practices and policies.

The RN to BSN Program coursework requires access to a reliable computer and Internet connection. Students are expected to have basic computer competence upon admission.

All students are expected to maintain an active, unrestricte Florida license as a Registered Nurse while enrolled in the RN to BSN program. Upon admission to the program, each student will be asked to sign an affidavit attesting to good moral character and pledging to adhere to professional standards of conduct as set forward in Florida Statute 464, the Nurse Practice Act. Registered nurse students must maintain current certification in CPR, obtain annual screening for TB exposure (PPD), maintain appropriate vaccinations to protect against occupational exposures (Tdap, MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella), adhere to safe and accepted use of prescribed drugs, and avoid use of illicit substances.

Transfer: Students who have started a RN to BSN program at another instituion may be able to transfer to the Polk State College program. The student must apply to PSC and request official transcripts to be sent to PSC. Transcripts will be reviewed on a course-by-bourse basis to determine equivalency to Polk State College courses. Students must complete at least 25% (30 credits) of the RN to BSN program at Polk State College and at least 25% (11 credits) of the upper-division courses required for the program at Polk State College, including the capstone course, NUR 4940 Professional Nursing Excellence.

Registration: Go to www.polk.edu and look on the left side of the home page for the link "Apply Online".

If you are new to PSC, complete the information under New User and you will be directed to the application as a new student. Choose BSN as your major, Program code V6100. You will need to have official transcripts of all college work sent to PSC from each previously attended institution. You will need to attend the College's new student orientation before you can register for classes.
If you are a returning PSC graduate, complete the information under Readmission and you will be directed to the necessary forms for updating your records. Choose BSN as your major, Program code V6100. If you have completed any additional college work since leaving PSC, you will need to have official transcripts of that work sent to PSC.

Requirements:

General Education Requirements (36 credits): Students who have completed an AA degree at a public Florida college will have met the General Education requirements. Students who have completed an AA degree at an institution outside of Florida, or those who have earned an AS degree or diploma in nursing, but have General Education courses that may vary from the requirements below, should consult with an advisor to determine if acceptable substitutions may satisfy some or all of Polk State College's General Education requrements. Students with a diploma in nursing may need to take additional General Education courses. These courses do not have to be completed prior to enrollment in the RN to BSN classes.

Communications (three courses, 9 credit hours)

ENC 1101: College Composition I
ENC 1102: College Composition II
LIT 1000: Introduction to Literature

Mathematics (two courses, 6 credit hours)

MGF 1106: Topics in Mathematics or MAC 1105 College Algebra (or higher MAC course)
STA 2023: Introduction to Probability and Statistics (required)

Humanities (two courses, 6 credit hours)

HUM 2020: Introduction to Humanities
Other humanities such as Philosophy, Ethics, Religion (see Catalog for complete listing of acceptable courses)

Social Sciences (two courses, one from each part, 6 credit hours)

Part 1

PSY 2012: General Psychology

Part 2

AMH 1010: History of the United States 1607-1877
AMH 1020: History of the United States 1877 to present
ECO 2013: Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 2023: Principles of Microeconomics
POS 1112: State and Local Government
POS 2041: American National Government
WHO 1012: World Civilization to 1500
WHO 1022: World Civilization from 1500 to present

Natural Sciences (9 credits)

BSC 2085C: Human Anatomy and Physiology I with lab
BSC 2086C: Human Anatomy and Physiology II with lab

Foreign Language: Per state regulations, to earn a baccalaureate degree individuals must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. This requirement can be met by any of the following means:

Completion of two years of high school instruction in the same foreign language
Completion of a minimum of 8 college-level credits in one foreign language
Achievement of minimum scores on a foreign language proficiency exam approved by the Registrar’s Office
Completion of a high school diploma from a foreign country where the student studied in a language other than English

Technical Courses from AS Nursing Degree (42 credits): Students will also need the following additional courses.

Lower division nursing and nutrition credits (35 credits). Note: Students who attended institutions where nutrition is integrated across the AS nursing curriculum (such as Polk State College) will have met the nutrition requirement. If nutrition is not integrated in the nursing courses, a 3 credit nutrition course is required, such as HUN 1201 or NUR 1192.
DEP 2004: Human Development
MCB 2010B: Microbiology
Additional 3 credit science course which may be Biological Science (BSC), Chemistry (CHM), or Physics (PHY). This course is not required to have a lab component.

Nursing Courses: The program consists of 42 credits of upper division courses. Upper division course work must be completed with a C or better. All students must take NUR 3825: Professional Role Transformation during the first term of enrollment in the program. There is no specified sequence for other courses with the exception of the capstone course NUR 4940: Professional Nursing Excellence, which is taken during the final term of enrollment in the nursing courses. The plan is for NUR 3825 to be offered each term with other courses offered on a rotating schedule. Classes will be available at various times on both the Lakeland campus and the Winter Haven campus, and there may also be classes available some terms off-site at local clinical agencies. Initially the courses will be hybrid classes, requiring some face-to-face time and some online time. There will be some classes offered 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. followed by 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the same day so students can do two courses in one day. There will also be some weekend options. Courses will be offered on a FASTRACK schedule, which means taught for 8 weeks, followed by a second 8 week term, thus offering opportunity for the equivalent of two terms a semester.
Upper-Division Courses (39 credits)

MAN 3303: Leadership and Management Practices
NUR 3065: Health Assessment
NUR 3125: Nursing Science
NUR 3687: Promoting Health and Wellness
NUR 3825: Professional Role Transformation
NUR 3846: Nursing Theory
NUR 3874: Informatics and Clinical Reasoning
NUR 4108: Professional Nursing Advocacy
NUR 4169: Evidence Based Practice
NUR 4636: Family and Community Health Nursing
NUR 4827: Nursing Leadership
NUR 4940: Professional Nursing Excellence

Upper-Division Elective Courses (3 credits--Choose one)

GEB 3213: Communications in Business
HSA 4553: Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare
MAN 3240: Organizational Behavior

For questions regarding general education courses, please contact an advisor in Student Services. Please click here for information on how to contact an academic advisor.

For nursing-specific questions, please contact Dr. Mavra Kear at mkear@polk.edu or Dr. Annette Hutcherson at ahutcherson@polk.edu.