Benedictine University - Online RN to BSN Program

The Department of Nursing and Health at Benedictine University offers an online RN to BSN degree program designed for current RNs with an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree. Topics covered may include professional identity and accountability, research and analysis, data collection, disease prevention and health of older adults, families, and communities, physical assessment, and healthcare policy. In addition, the 10 Hallmarks of Benedictine University provide students with a unique education providing exposure to subjects such as stability, discipline, stewardship, humility, and hospitality.

The online RN to BSN degree is 100% online with no campus visits required. Students are required to complete 70 hours of practicum experience. Applicants must have earned an ASN from an accredited institution and currently be a licensed RN. In addition, students must have completed prerequisite coursework and can transfer up to 83 credits to the RN to BSN program. There are 34 credits included in the RN to BSN program, and the completed degree requires a total of 120 credits. The program is cohort-based meaning students will move through with the same students throughout the program and may begin in January, March, May, June, August, and October. The program can be completed in as little as 12 months full-time, or longer for part-time.

Courses for the RN to BSN are delivered through the Engage Learning Management System (LMS) throughout the cohort-based program. Hands-on assignments and practicums provide opportunities for learning application in the workplace. Benedictine University focuses on making the online learning environment collaborative and interactive through virtual webinars, live coffee and other chats, online student groups, and discussion boards. Program faculty keeps weekly office hours, gives student feedback, and participates in the online chats and discussion boards.

Required courses for the Benedictine RN to BSN may include Perspectives of Professional Nursing Practice; Role of Research in Evidence-Based Practice; Comprehensive Health and Physical Assessment; Applications of Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics to Clinical Reasoning; Concepts in Collaborative Health Promotion and Disease Prevention for the Older Adult; Health Promotion for Families, Communities, and Populations; Healthcare Policy, Regulation and Advocacy; and Nurse Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration. Students also complete the following courses which include 35 hours of clinical practice: Professional Practice in Health Promotion and Professional Practice in Leadership and Interprofessional Collaboration. In addition, students complete an interdisciplinary seminar course titled Catholic and Benedictine Intellectual Traditions.

Benedictine University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The RN to BSN degree program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).