Program Overview & Prerequisites
The RN to Bachelor of Science Nursing program, based on the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model, is intended for registered nurses who desire career mobility and professional development.
Registered Nurses with credentials from a hospital school of nursing or with an Associate Degree from a community college are eligible to enroll in American Sentinel's RN to BSN program.
The Colorado Articulation Model is a statewide agreement which permits registered nurses who are graduates of community colleges and diploma programs to enter the BSN program option without taking tests to verify prior knowledge. Students will be awarded 30 semester hours based on their current RN license, allowing them to take just 30 more credits to complete the program.
RNs who graduated within the last 3 years are eligible to enroll with no work experience or testing required. RNs enrolling after more than 3 years from graduation need to have 1,000 hrs of nursing work experience or must complete an RN Refresher Course before enrolling.
Nurses educated outside the US and who are eligible to practice as registered nurses in the United States will need to be certified by CGFNS and pass the NCLEX-RN licensure examination before being considered for admission to the program.
The RN to BS Nursing program courses are open for enrollment twice a month.
Program Objectives
In addition to attainment of general education learning objectives, graduates from the RN to Bachelor of Science Nursing program will be able to:
- Integrate methods of research and scholarship in making and prioritizing diagnoses, and in planning, implementing, and evaluating care of individuals, groups, and communities.
- Assess health and incorporate principles and methods of health promotion and health education in nursing care of individuals, families, groups, and communities.
- Express a fundamental understanding of the problems of contemporary health and illness.
- Directly provide and manage competent care for individuals, families, and groups who have simple to complex health care needs.
- Integrate professional values and role behaviors.
- Collaborate with other groups in shaping health policies that affect both individual and community health.
Delivery Method: Structured Independent Study
Clinical Experience
American Sentinel University's clinical requirement is designed to enhance and expand the students' skills and knowledge so that they are better prepared to achieve their professional career goals.
In the RN to BSN program, students are required to complete two practica - one emphasizing Community Health and the other emphasizing Leadership and Management. American Sentinel will prepare students for the clinical experiences with theory courses in Community Health Nursing and Leadership and Management. The theory courses are then followed by one three-credit practicum course in each discipline that offers the opportunity to put learning into practice.
Community Health practicum hours are accomplished in an agency that provides population based nursing. The primary assignment for this course is the completion of a community assessment and program plan.
The practicum for Leadership and Management may be accomplished at a health care agency of the student's choice. The primary assignment for this course is the completion of a project that helps an organization keep up with the fast pace of change in health care today.
In each practicum, American Sentinel faculty assists students in identifying local agencies that provide appropriate preceptors and clinical experiences.
