RN-to-BSN Program

The Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) program prepares the graduate to:

1. Synthesize theory and concepts from the arts and humanities, natural and social sciences, and nursing in the holistic practice of professional nursing.
2. Integrate knowledge of historical and contemporary nursing with leadership skills and principles to facilitate optimal patient and systems outcomes.
3. Translate research findings to support evidence-based, competent, safe, and effective nursing care to individuals, families, and communities in diverse settings across the lifespan.
4. Utilize current technology effectively and efficiently to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, support decision making and accomplish goals related to the delivery of safe, quality care for diverse individuals, families, and the community.
5. Examine how healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory, influence healthcare systems, nursing practices and population health.
6. Incorporate principles of effective communication and collaboration when working with members of the health team, recipients of care and interested groups to improve health outcomes for individuals, groups and communities.
7. Integrate concepts of health promotion and disease management, health literacy and patient-centered care to improve population health.
8. Engage in professional, culturally competent, and ethically congruent care that reflects dignity and uniqueness of individuals and groups in diverse populations and locations.
9. Demonstrate a commitment to professionalism and model the values of advocacy, compassion, integrity, human dignity, cultural competence and social justice while embracing the concept of continuous learning.

Applications for the RN-to-BSN program are individually reviewed, and the following minimum requirements must be met to be eligible to enter the nursing major:

Requirements:

• Meet ISU admission criteria for transfer students
  • Transcripts must be on file for all previous college work
• Congruent with the Iowa Action Coalition, RN-to-BSN Task Force Recommendations
  • Achievement of minimum "C" (not C-) for all prerequisite courses
  • Prerequisite courses must be completed before beginning the RN-to-BSN program (Note: most, and in some cases, all of these are required in the ADN curriculum)
    • Prerequisite Courses:
      • Introduction to Chemistry (ISU CHEM 163 or CHEM 1T equivalent)
      • English Composition I & II (ISU ENGL 150 and ENGL 250 equivalent)
      • Statistics (ISU STAT 101 or STAT 104 equivalent)
      • Introduction to Human Nutrition (ISU FS HN 167 equivalent)
      • Introduction to Sociology (ISU SOC 134 equivalent)
  • Minimum of 2.5 college GPA for all college coursework
  • Licensure as a Registered Nurse in Iowa or a compact state if applicable
  • License must remain current and unrestricted while enrolled in the ISU RN-to-BSN program

The practicum experience is an opportunity for nursing students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. It provides students with a chance to participate in a local or domestic immersion experience, guided and designed by nursing faculty in the RN-to-BSN program. Students are required to complete at least 45 practicum hours to gain practical experience and enhance their skills.

RN-to-BSN Curriculum

To access individual course descriptions, please refer to Iowa State University's course catalog. 

You may access the course catalog here: https://catalog.iastate.edu/azcourses/nursing/

Prospective Student Resources