Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) Program Outcomes

Prepare for Career Advancement or Graduate Study

The online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) degree completion program at Saint Mary’s provides a quality, relevant, and rigorous nursing education based on Lasallian principles to prepare registered nursing for professional nursing practice and graduate study.

This program upholds and instills the core values of:

• Academic excellence
• Professionalism
• Personal integrity
• Responsibility
• Compassion

The practitioner faculty and student will forge a shared sense of responsibility focused on attaining the goal of becoming a baccalaureate-prepared registered nurse. Upon graduation, you will have acquired the knowledge and skills to:

• Synthesize concepts from the sciences, humanities, and social sciences into professional practice
• Advance your critical-thinking skills
• Communicate effectively
• Demonstrate professionalism
• Continue to learn throughout your nursing career

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program are expected to be able to do the following:

• Apply concepts from federal, state, and institutional healthcare policy and regulatory systems to advance safe patient care
• Apply scientific and outcome-based evidence to nursing practice
• Use information management and patient-care technology to improve patient care
• Use critical thinking to integrate quality assurance, resource allocation, and financial management policies into professional nursing practice
• Apply health-promotion and wellness principles to diverse individuals, groups, and communities as identified through community health assessment techniques
• Integrate the values of integrity, autonomy, human dignity, and social justice into all aspects of your nursing practice
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams for optimal healthcare efficiency and patient care
• Apply nursing processes, knowledge, and skills to changing population demographics, healthcare economics, and service delivery across the lifespan and healthcare continuum

Learn the Essentials of Nursing Practice

This program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). It is designed to teach you the essentials of baccalaureate nursing education. These essentials include:

Essential I: Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice
A solid base in liberal education provides the cornerstone for the practice and education of nurses.

Essential II: Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety
Knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, and patient safety are necessary to provide high quality health care.

Essential III: Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice
Professional nursing practice is grounded in the translation of current evidence into one’s practice.

Essential IV: Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology
Knowledge and skills in information management and patient care technology are critical in the delivery of quality patient care.

Essential V: Health Care Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments
Healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory, directly and indirectly influence the nature and functioning of the healthcare system and thereby are important considerations in professional nursing practice.

Essential VI: Interprofessional Communication and Collaboration for Improving Patient Health Outcomes
Communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals are critical to delivering high quality and safe patient care.

Essential VII: Clinical Prevention and Population Health
Health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population level are necessary to improve population health and are important components of baccalaureate generalist nursing practice.

Essential VIII: Professionalism and Professional Values
Professionalism and the inherent values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice are fundamental to the discipline of nursing.

Essential IX: Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice

• The baccalaureate graduate nurse is prepared to practice with patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across the continuum of healthcare environments.
• The baccalaureate graduate understands and respects the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the increased use of healthcare resources inherent in caring for patients.

Gain Experience in Your Desired Setting

While most B.S. in Nursing programs (RN to BSN) offer a practicum opportunity in only one or two practice areas, Saint Mary’s offers you the flexibility to individualize your capstone project to your personal goals. By shadowing a practicing nurse in your care setting of choice, you will earn experience that is appealing to potential employers in your desired specialty.

Learn an Integrated Approach

Unlike most B.S. in Nursing programs (RN to BSN), Saint Mary’s also offers instruction in interventional and nontraditional nursing therapies such as acupressure and therapeutic massage therapy.