BSNC-ASN2BSN - Bachelor of Science in Nursing - RN to BSN

The RN-BSN program is designed for nurses who have earned an Associate of Science in Nursing degree and wish to return to school for their BSN. Given the advances in healthcare, increasingly complex patients, expansion of community health, and intricate technologies, many nurses feel the need for additional education. The program is designed to further nurses’ knowledge regarding disease processes, evidence-based practice, professionalism, ethics, informatics, community health, and leadership. The program prepares nurses to further their career or continue their education in graduate studies.

The Georgia RN to BSN Articulation Plan applies to this program. The articulation plan supports and facilitates career mobility for registered nurses in Georgia. Students who are interested in the RN to BSN program must meet the college admissions requirements listed in the Admissions section of this catalog. Interested applicants may call the Department of Nursing office (912) 279-5860. Thirty (30) credits of upper level courses must be completed at CCGA.

Accreditation

The bachelor of science in nursing program at the College of Coastal Georgia located in Brunswick, GA is accredited by the:  Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326

(404) 975-5000

 The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the bachelor of science in nursing program is continuing accreditation.

 View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program on the ACEN website (here is the link https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs/)

General Information
Students pursuing the ASN degree and interested in continuing with the RN-BSN degree can be conditionally admitted to the program if they meet the RN-BSN program requirements. The requirements are that the student must have completed all ASN general education core courses with a C or higher and have an overall GPA of at least 2.5. Students meeting these criteria can take 1-2 select RN-BSN courses during the summers of the ASN program and complete the general education courses for the RN-BSN degree. Once the student has completed the ASN program, passed the NCLEX exam to become an RN, obtained RN licensure, and has completed all general education core courses for the RN-BSN degree, they can apply for full admission to the RN-BSN program. Conditionally admitted students who fail an RN-BSN course will return to their ASN major, and will be eligible for regular admission to the RN-BSN program after ASN graduation.  Any RN-BSN course a student fails while being conditionally admitted to the RN-BSN program will not count towards the one course failure limit, where two course failures result in program dismissal in the ASN or RN-BSN.  Students must inform their program coordinator if they are interested in conditional admittance to the RN-BSN program.

Students who are admitted to the program must meet with a nursing advisor each semester to review their plan of study and/or prior to any changes in their schedule. Students will apply to the RN-BSN program in the spring for admission to the following fall start. Students must have completed at least all but 4 credit hours of core academic courses prior to starting the program in the fall. The nursing program sequence begins every fall semester.

Students applying to the RN-BSN program must have an active Georgia RN License or Compact RN License with no restrictions.  

Program Admission Information and Requirements
Applicants must meet specific requirements to be considered for admission to the RN to BSN program. Complete the College of Coastal Georgia admission process. Application for admission is available at www.ccga.edu. The College of Coastal Georgia must officially accept a student before the student can apply to the RN-BSN program. Complete the RN-BSN application available at www.ccga.edu. Submit all required documents online as instructed. Students should verify that all transcripts have been submitted to the Registrar’s office prior to submitting an application to the RN to BSN program. Likewise, students may need to communicate with the Registrar’s office to ensure all transfer courses are appropriately articulated. The Progression and Admission Committee will continue to look at applications until the spaces are filled with qualified applicants. Applications will be considered based on qualifications and space availability.  The Department of Nursing office will notify students who are accepted or denied acceptance into the program electronically through the Self-Service Center.

Applicants must:

1. Complete the College of Coastal Georgia admission process. Application for Admission is available at ccga.edu. The College of Coastal Georgia must officially accept a student before the student can apply to the RN to BSN program. Students must have completed at least all but 4 credit hours of core academic courses prior to starting the program in the fall. All core courses must be complete prior to starting semester 2 in the RN-BSN program.

2. Complete the RN to BSN application, available at ccga.edu. Submit all required documents online as instructed.

3. Be a graduate of a regionally and nationally accredited Associate of Science in Nursing program.

4. Fulfill the Georgia RN-BSN articulation requirements.

5. Have a current Georgia or Compact RN license.

6. Have a minimum grade of C in all required core courses.

7. Undergo a background check and 10-point drug screen through PSI Background Screening services, as required by individual agencies. The cost will be the responsibility of the student. Background checks could result in denial to the clinical site and inability to pass a course or the program. Students are required to successfully complete all required testing prior to the start of each fall semester.

Once accepted into the RN to BSN Program, students are required to:

1. Develop a plan (with a nursing advisor) for progression through the nursing courses, choosing a one or two-year option.

2. Yearly TB skin (PPD) test or TB screening. The student must keep this current throughout the program.

3. A current physical health examination completed by a healthcare provider.

4. Any additional immunizations required by the program or affiliated clinical agencies.

5. American Heart Association Healthcare Professional Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR Certification (the student must keep this certification current throughout the program).

6. Professional liability insurance (included in tuition and fees). The student must keep this current throughout the program.

7. Health insurance is required. Students must provide proof of personal health insurance prior to the program orientation and periodically throughout the program. The USG has a health insurance program which is available for students to purchase if needed.

8. Adhere to the student guidelines specific to the RN to BSN program as outlined in the RN-BSN Student Handbook.

9. Maintain current Georgia RN or Compact RN license throughout the program. ASN graduates from College of Coastal Georgia must obtain a Georgia RN or Compact RN license by the start of the spring semester after starting the program.

Continuation and Progression in the RN to BSN Program

1. Continuation in the RN to BSN Program requires a minimum grade of C in all nursing courses. A student earning a grade of less than C, W or WF in a nursing course must repeat the course.

2. The RN to BSN program uses the following grading scale in all nursing courses (NURS):         

   A = 90-100    B 80-89    C = 75-79    D = 66-74   F = 65 and below

3. Management of failures is as follows:

   1. Withdrawal or Failure of one class requires a student to meet with their advisor to establish an academic plan.

   2. Permission to re-enroll in any nursing course is contingent on space availability and recommendation from the faculty, and therefore is not guaranteed.

4. It is highly encouraged that all nursing courses be completed within four years of the date of entry into the first RN-BSN nursing course.

Georgia RN-BSN Articulation Plan
The RN-BSN Program adheres to the Georgia RN to BSN Articulation Plan for the admission and acceptance of students into the nursing program. Students who do not meet eligibility requirements for acceptance into the nursing courses will need to complete the following requirements prior to acceptance in to the RN to BSN Program:

Completion of validation testing will be required of all associate degree or diploma graduates who graduated from non- ACEN accredited schools outside the state of Georgia, who graduated more than four years ago, and/or who have less than 1,000 clinical practice hours. Successful completion of the four subsets of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN-ACE II) validation tests are required to validate current knowledge in the areas of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Adult Health, and Psychiatric Nursing.

Clinical competencies will be validated through psychomotor skills evaluation by RN to BSN Faculty. A list of selected skills and evaluation criteria will be provided to students prior to examination. Evaluation of psychomotor skills will occur prior to acceptance into the RN to BSN Program. Upon successful completion of examination and skills requirements, admission to the RN to BSN Program, and successful completion of the first 6 credit hours of RN-BSN courses, advance standing course credit of 30 hours will be awarded. 

Students have one opportunity to demonstrate clinical competencies on the psychomotor skills exams. If a student is not successful in completing one or more components of the required ACEN-ACE II validation tests, an individual remediation plan will be developed. After completion of the remediation plan, the student will have a total of two opportunities to successfully complete the required testing in each area in which they were unsuccessful.

NOTE: Students who require validation testing for acceptance into the RN to BSN Program will be charged a testing fee for the ACEN-ACE II validation tests.

In addition to the above, students must also complete all collegewide Graduation Requirements.