RN to BSN Nursing Post Licensure

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Admission for RN-TO-BSN Option
Admission for RN-TO-MSN Bridge Option
Progression and Retention RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN Bridge Options (Online)
Dismissal
Readmission

Admission for RN-TO-BSN Option

The RN-to-BSN option is offered to registered nurses (RN) with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a diploma in nursing. This option is fully online didactic coursework, paired with required hands-on clinical hours completed in the student's local community.

Initial admission to the RN-to-BSN option is based on requirements for admission to the University; however, admission to the University does not assure admission to the nursing program. Upon successful completion of one semester of nursing coursework, the student will be awarded credit based on prior nursing knowledge and academic work in previous nursing programs.

Requirements for unconditional admission to the RN-BSN program are:

Submit official proof of a current unencumbered registered nursing license and be in good standing with the Board of Nursing
Graduate from an accredited associate degree in nursing program or a diploma program in nursing
Possess a minimum of "C" or higher in all required math, science, and Area V courses
Completion of a criminal background check and negative drug screen must be submitted prior to beginning clinical rotations
Students must be eligible to participate in rotations in all clinical facilities to be eligible for admission to the program

Admission for RN-TO-MSN Bridge Option

The RN-to-MSN Bridge option is offered to registered nurses (RN) with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a diploma in nursing who plan to pursue a master's degree in nursing. The didactic portion is fully online, while hands-on clinical hours are completed in the student's local community. The RN-to-MSN option allows the substitution of nine semester hours of graduate nursing courses for nine hours of undergraduate nursing courses.

Advanced Health Assessment (NU 508) in lieu of Health and Physical Assessment Online (NU 305R)
Diversity, Ethics, Health Promotion and Informatics in Person-Centered Care (NU 509) and Health Policy, Social Issues, and Theory (NU 502) in lieu of Nursing Concepts, Issues and Theories (NU 418RW)

Initial admission to the RN-to-MSN option is based on requirements for admission to the University; however, admission to the University does not assure admission to the nursing program. Upon successful completion of one semester of nursing coursework, the student will be awarded credit based on prior nursing knowledge and academic work in previous nursing programs.

Unconditional admission into the RN to MSN Bridge Track at North Alabama includes the following requirements:

Submit official proof of a current unencumbered registered nursing license and be in good standing with the Board of Nursing
Graduate from an accredited associate degree in nursing program or a diploma program in nursing
Possess a minimum of "C" or higher in all required math, science, and Area V courses
Completion of a criminal background check and negative drug screen must be submitted prior to beginning clinical rotations
Students must be eligible to participate in rotations in all clinical facilities to be eligible for admission to the program

After completing at least 12 credit hours of nursing courses (while maintaining a 3.0 minimum GPA), students will confer with their academic advisor to receive permissions to register for graduate-level coursework. If approved, students complete 9 credit hours of graduate nursing coursework.

Upon completion of all BSN requirements, including graduation application, students with a minimum of 3.0 or above in all nursing courses at UNA, an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, and continuous enrollment are given preferential consideration for admission into the MSN program. All applicants must meet MSN admission (including a complete graduate application) and program requirements as described in the Graduate Catalog. Once admitted to the MSN program, students will receive graduate credit for successful completion of Advanced Health Assessment (NU 508), Diversity, Ethics, Health Promotion and Informatics in Person-Centered Care (NU 509) and Health Policy, Social Issues, and Theory (NU 502)

Progression and Retention RN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN Bridge Options (Online)

Retention and progression in the online RN-BSN option or RN-to-MSN Bridge option is based on continued satisfaction of health requirements, CPR certification, liability requirements, negative drug screen, criminal background check, and appropriate academic progress with a grade of C or higher in each nursing course. All students must have and maintain an active, unrestricted, and unencumbered nursing license while enrolled in the ACONHP. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their nursing license is valid for the state in which they plan to participate in clinical.

Appropriate academic progress with a grade of C (73) or higher in each professional nursing course is required.
Clinical is graded as “Pass” or “Fail”. Satisfactory clinical consists of participating for the required number of hours, meeting clinical requirements specific to each course, behaving in a professional manner. Note: Students must complete all required clinical hours and all required clinical assignments in order to receive a passing course grade.
A student who has failed a nursing course for any reason may repeat the failed course only once. In the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions, no student will be permitted to use the Repeat/Recompute Policy or the Second Chance Provision for any nursing course (NU designation). A student in the nursing program can receive no more than one course failure throughout the nursing program. After two course failures, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Students must be eligible to participate in rotations at all clinical facilities to be eligible for retention in the program.
In accordance with University policy, students who withdraw from a course by the designated deadline in the UNA catalog will receive a “W” for the course. After the designated deadline, courses dropped with averages of less than a 73 will be a “WF”. In nursing courses, a “WF” for any reason is considered a course failure.
All general education requirements must be met or be in progress prior to completion of the last required nursing course.
A 2.0 GPA is required for graduation
Students in the RN-MSN Bridge option must achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA after completion of 12 credit hours of undergraduate nursing courses at UNA and meet the requirements for successful completion of, Health Policy, Social Issues, and Theory (NU 502), Advanced Nursing Theory (NU 503), and Advanced Health Assessment (NU 508) (as described in the Graduate Catalog) to continue in the RN-MSN option.

Dismissal

After two course failures, the student is dismissed from the program. A situation in which the student places the client’s life in danger or shows severe behavioral misconduct toward the client and family, clinical facility staff, faculty or other students will result in immediate Administrative Dismissal of the student from the program. In such cases, the student’s transcript will reflect the University’s grade system as outlined in the university catalog. Behaviors for which the ACONHP have zero tolerance and result in dismissal from the program are listed in the appropriate nursing student handbooks.

Readmission

The student who has failed two nursing courses may petition the appropriate Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions Admissions, Readmissions, and Progressions Committee Chairperson for readmission after being dismissed from the program. Students may seek readmission to the ACONHP only one time, after the second course failure. Any readmitted student who earns a grade below C in a nursing course will be permanently dismissed from the program. Guidelines for readmission may be found in the Nursing Student Handbook that is specific to the student.