Program Overview

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Nursing, B.S. (RN to B.S.N.)

The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing offers a fully online RN to B.S.N. program designed for registered nurses who wish to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. This program is a collaboration between SLU's School for Professional Studies and the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing.

Overview

• The program is completed fully online, either full-time or part-time.
• Students are supported through individualized curriculum plans, faculty mentorship, and online access to the library and writing center.
• The program requires a total of 120 credits, with 30 of the final 36 credits to be completed at Saint Louis University.

Curriculum Overview

• Students will complete 38 credits of nursing coursework awarded through credit by exam for passing the NCLEX exam.
• All remaining nursing coursework must be completed through the School of Nursing.
• The program can be completed in as little as two semesters after satisfying the University Undergraduate Core and general elective courses.

Careers

• Graduates are strong candidates for promotion, particularly for administrative and managerial jobs.
• They are also qualified to teach in licensed practical nursing programs and certified nursing assistant programs.
• Additionally, graduates may pursue advanced practice roles with additional graduate-level coursework.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants must have completed an associate degree or hospital diploma program at a regionally accredited institution and have an unencumbered RN license.
• The Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing adheres to a holistic admission process considering academic metrics, experiences, attributes, potential for success, and contributions to the school's learning environment and the profession.

State Requirements

• The program accepts applications from registered nurses residing in specific states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
• Enrolled students must live in one of the listed states throughout all coursework at Saint Louis University.

Application Process

1. Complete the School for Professional Studies application online.
2. Request official transcripts from all previously attended colleges to be mailed or emailed directly to the School for Professional Studies.
3. Meet with an admission counselor to discuss the application status and educational and career goals.

Tuition

• The tuition per credit for the RN to B.S.N. option is $540.
• Additional charges may apply.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

• Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership, and financial need.
• Financial aid is provided through grants and loans, some of which require repayment.
• For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by December 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1.

Accreditation

• The Saint Louis University Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.
• The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Licensure Disclosure

• For information about whether this program meets any state board of nursing's educational requirements for eligibility to take a state licensure exam, please see the Professional Licensure Disclosure page.

Program Notes

1. Inform School of Professional Studies or School of Nursing of any change in job status that impacts cohort coding.
2. Inform SPS or SON if changing states, as this might impact receiving the degree.
3. Health assessment taken in the RN degree program may be accepted for transfer.
4. No transfer course will be accepted with a grade below "C" or a grade of "P" (passing).
5. Transfer courses do not count towards the last 30 credits at SLU.
6. No SPS or nursing course will be accepted toward degree completion with a grade below "C".
7. CLEP courses may be accepted for course credit per SLU policy.
8. Total credits must equal 120 or higher.
9. Thirty of the final 36 credits must be completed at SLU.
10. Be aware that once transferred from SPS to SON, there is a price change.
11. Students will be eligible to transfer to the School of Nursing with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher, considering holistic admissions on an individual basis.
12. Students are subject to dismissal from the School of Nursing for academic or professional reasons.
13. Upon transfer to the SON, students will need to complete a criminal background check and HIPAA and blood-borne pathogen training.
14. Students are responsible for reviewing and adhering to the B.S.N. handbook on the School of Nursing website for all policies.

Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge for Nursing Practice: Integrates understanding of nursing's distinct and shared disciplinary perspectives and applies theoretical and empirical knowledge from the humanities and natural, social, behavioral, and nursing sciences to form the basis for clinical judgment and innovation in nursing practice.
2. Person-centered Care: Engages in nursing care through the relational lens, fostering caring relationships, mutuality, active participation, and individual empowerment in the delivery and communication of compassionate person-centered nursing care through cura personalis.
3. Population Health: Collaborates with diverse stakeholders for the advancement of effective partnerships, health policy, and improvement of equitable population health outcomes related to the social determinants of health.
4. Scholarship for Nursing Discipline: Applies, translates, and implements best evidence and client values into clinical decision-making.
5. Quality and Safety: Enhances quality of care while minimizing risk of harm to clients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance.
6. Interprofessional Partnerships: Collaborates across professions with care team members, clients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.
7. Systems-Based Practice: Effectively and proactively coordinates resources to provide safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations within complex healthcare systems to address social and structural determinants of health.
8. Informatics and Healthcare Technologies: Utilizes information processes and technologies to manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services.
9. Professionalism: Cultivates a sustainable professional nursing identity, accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition, and ethical principles that reflect nursing's characteristics and values.
10. Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development: Participates in activities and self-reflection through Ignatian pedagogy that foster personal health, resilience, and well-being while supporting the acquisition of nursing expertise, lifelong learning, and the leadership continuum.

Course List

• Undergraduate University Core: 32-35 credits
• Major Requirements: 66 credits
  • NURS 1400: Introduction to Nursing
  • NURS 2500: Clinical Concepts in Nursing Practice
  • NURS 2510: Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
  • NURS 2520: Foundations for Nursing Care
  • NURS 3435: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
  • NURS 3460: Nursing Care of the Adult
  • NURS 3470: Nursing Care of the Older Adult
  • NURS 3480: Maternal/Neonatal Nursing
  • NURS 3490: Child Health Nursing
  • NURS 4150: Integrative Seminar on Issues in Nursing Practice
  • NURS 4300: Complex Care Theory
  • NURS 4350: Complex Care Practicum
  • NURS 3107: Healthcare Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments for RNs
  • NURS 3207: Health Assessment for RNs
  • NURS 3447: Public Health Nursing for RNs
  • NURS 3457: Community Project for RNs
  • NURS 3807: Conceptual Framework for Practice
  • NURS 4107: Leadership and Management for RNs
  • NURS 4147: Research and Evidence-Based Practice
  • Nursing Elective
  • Managing Information requirement
  • Life and Physical Sciences requirement
  • General Electives: 22 credits
• Total Credits: 120

Roadmap

The roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study and assumes full-time enrollment. Courses and milestones designated as critical must be completed in the semester listed to ensure timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

Continuation Standards

The School of Nursing requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.