Contents
Catalog Links

Nursing, Bachelor of Science – LPN to BSN

The objectives of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing are to utilize theory and evidence-based practice to provide safe, quality, patient-centered care; to teach care of patients by using clinical judgment, critical thinking, and knowledge of best practices; and to be eligible for licensure. The program creates an environment where competency-based learning can flourish. It prepares graduates for nursing practice and leadership roles.

Nursing practice is both a caring art and a human science developed using nursing knowledge, theory, and research within a holistic, caring framework. Nursing education introduces the science and theory of nursing and assists students with developing an understanding of the distinct perspective of the nursing discipline.

BSN Completion Students: Applicants who hold an active, U.S. LPN license and wish to receive a bachelor’s degree may apply for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program as a BSN completion student. 

Functional Expectations

Due to the nature of the work performed in nursing, successful completion of the nursing program requires the ability to perform each of the following functions:

  • Employ conventional means of written and spoken English communication
  • Apply basic mathematics and statistics used in nursing for nursing practice (ratios, calculations of drug dosages, etc.)
  • Read and comprehend graphs and charts
  • Use telephones, PDAs, and other common electronic devices
  • Distinguish tonal differences in sound, colors of light and shading, tactile sensations (relative temperature, texture, pulses, etc.), and odors
  • Move about in populated areas, position patients, and reach and bend with ease
  • Safely handle and manipulate standard nursing and medical equipment (syringes, IV stands, electronic monitoring equipment, etc.)
  • Conduct CPR on adults and infants and using one and two-person CPR techniques
  • Demonstrate sensitivity to social context and circumstance (professional interactions, familial consultations, etc.), as well as consideration of reasonable patient cultural expectations
  • Follow chain of command

State Board Examinations

Paperwork related to licensure should be completed six weeks in advance of graduation. Students receive detailed instruction related to licensure application procedures in the Nursing Capstone Project. Students are encouraged to schedule the licensing exam within thirty days of graduation. Transcripts are not sent to the Virginia Board of Nursing prior to graduation.

At the end of the program, students are able to:

  • Conduct comprehensive and focused holistic assessments of illness and wellness parameters of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations using developmentally and culturally appropriate methods.
  • Implement evidence-based nursing interventions for delivering and managing acute and chronic care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across continuum of healthcare environments.
  • Monitor client outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
  • Demonstrate clinical reasoning in delivering patient-centered care that reflects adherence to regulatory, legal, and ethical frameworks and standards of the profession.
  • Demonstrate effective application of psychomotor skills in delivering safe and compassionate patient care.

This program requires students to purchase a nursing kit from the University. All nursing students are charged an ATI fee upon beginning nursing courses.

This program typically takes 60 months to complete for part-time enrollment and 30 months to complete for students enrolled full-time. The clock hours remain constant for both pre and post-licensure students, but the nature of those hours may be modified for the student holding an active RN license, therefore completion time for LPN license holders will vary. 

Required courses for BS Nursing – LPN to BSN (19 core, 2 medical, 5 elective, 12 arts and sciences) = 37 courses or 166.5 credit hours plus 13 hours of LPN Experiential Learning = 180 credit hours

Core requirements (19 courses or 85.5 credits)

NSG 130Foundations of Nursing Practice

4.5
NSG 210Case Studies in Pathophysiology

4.5
NSG 220Pharmacology & Therapeutic Modalities I

4.5
NSG 225Pharmacology & Therapeutic Modalities II

4.5
NSG 240Adult Health Nursing I

4.5
NSG 315Adult Health Nursing II

4.5
NSG 320Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family

4.5
NSG 325Nursing Care of Children

4.5
NSG 330Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning

4.5
NSG 350Mental Health Nursing

4.5
NSG 360Nursing Care of Older Adults

4.5
NSG 410Research & Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

4.5
NSG 420Nursing in the Community

4.5
NSG 430Complex Care Nursing

4.5
NSG 460Nutrition and Dietetics

4.5
NSG 470Leader., Manag., & Contemp. Iss. in Nurs

4.5
NSG 480Nursing Capstone

4.5
NSG 492NCLEX Preparation

4.5
NSG 495NCLEX Preparation II

4.5

Medical requirements (2 courses or 9 credits)

MED 110Anatomy and Physiology I

4.5
MED 210Anatomy and Physiology II

4.5

Elective requirements (choose 4 courses or 18 credits from either elective pool 1 or elective pool 2)

Elective Pool One – must choose four courses

NSG 290Current Topics in Nursing I

4.5
NSG 291Current Topics in Nursing II

4.5
NSG 292Current Topics in Nursing III

4.5
NSG 293Current Topics in Nursing IV - Conflict Management

4.5
NSG 294Current Topics in Nursing V - Stress Management

4.5
NSG 296Current Topics in Nursing VI - Cultural Diversity

4.5
NSG 490Special Topics in Nursing I - Violence in Health Care

4.5
NSG 491Special Topics in Nursing II - Vulnerable Populations

4.5
NSG 493Special Topics in Nursing III - Substance Disorders in Health Care

4.5
NSG 494Special Topics in Nursing IV - Palliative Care

4.5
NSG 496Special Topics in Nursing V

4.5

Elective Pool Two – must choose four courses

Any courses from BUS, CIS, HCA, HIM, HSC, or MED

Arts and Sciences requirements (12 courses or 54 credits)

ENG 111College Composition

4.5
HUM 110Principles of Ethics

4.5
HUM 250Cross-Cultural Competency

4.5
MAT 211Statistics

4.5
PSY 110Social Psychology

4.5
PSY 220Human Growth and Development

4.5
SCI 250Microbiology

4.5
SCI 260Introduction to Biochemistry

4.5

Choose 1:

ENG 211Oral Communications

4.5
ENG 220Advanced Composition and Research

4.5

Choose 1:

MAT 111Modern Math with Algebra

4.5
MAT 210College Algebra

4.5
MAT 220Discrete Mathematics

4.5
MAT 212Probability & Statistics

4.5
MAT 275Introduction to Calculus

4.5

Choose 2:

Arts and Sciences courses (any from ENG, HUM, MAT (200 or above), PSY, SCI)