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 program courses are hosted fully online; however, the last course of the program, Capstone, requires 45 in-person clinical hours. These hours can be completed at a variety of locations around the region.

College of Coastal Georgia’s RN-BSN Program is part of the University System of Georgia RN-BSN Collaborative. The collaborative hosts five (5) RN-BSN courses each session during fall and spring semester, and once during the summer semester.

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 view program and admission information through the nursing website. For additional questions, please contact the Department of Nursing office at (912) 279-5860. Thirty (30) credits of upper-level courses must be completed at CCGA.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate and associate nursing programs at College of Coastal Georgia located in Brunswick, Georgia 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 baccalaureate and associate nursing programs is 2019. [Note: The programs are currently in the reaccreditation process with a final decision pending September 2024.]

 View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding the programs at www.acenursing.org

General Information
There are two ways to earn your RN-BSN degree: the ASN Pathway and Licensed Pathway. The ASN Pathway is for students who are currently enrolled in College of Coastal Georgia’s ASN program, who wish to take the BSN general education courses with their ASN courses and start the RN-BSN courses post-licensure. These students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.5 or higher and pass the general education courses with a C or higher. If students are unsuccessful with their ASN nursing courses, they will be removed from the RN-BSN ASN Pathway and will have to apply to the Licensed Pathway after graduation from the ASN program.

ASN Students who have completed all general education courses and meet the above criteria can take 1 RN-BSN course during the summer semester(s) of their ASN program.

ASN students interested in the ASN Pathway of the RN-BSN program must contact the ASN and RN-BSN Program Coordinator during their second semester of the ASN program for conditional acceptance. Full acceptance to the RN-BSN program will occur after graduation from the ASN program and licensure.

The Licensed Pathway is for ASN program graduates who have successfully passed the NCLEX-RN exam, hold an unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) license, and have all BSN general education courses near completion. Students may have 4 credits of outstanding general education courses and be fully accepted to the RN-BSN program. Students must complete the outstanding general education credits within the first semester of the RN-BSN program.

Students applying to the RN-BSN Program: Licensed Pathway must have an active, unencumbered Georgia RN license or an active, unencumbered RN license from their primary state of residence. Students from outside states must inquire with the RN-BSN Program coordinator before applying to determine eligibility.

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. The RN-BSN Program application is located in the student portal, under Student Forms.

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 send initial notification of a student’s acceptance or denial to the program electronically, through the Self-Service Center.  For those who are accepted, an official admission letter will follow in the mail.  Meeting minimal admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the RN-BSN program.  

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 may not have more than 4 outstanding general education credits outstanding.  All required general education core courses must be complete prior to starting semester 2 in the RN-BSN program.

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

3.      Be a graduate of an institution accredited by one of the US Department of Education accrediting agencies and a national nursing accreditation agency- ACEN or CNEA. Students must submit proof of nursing accreditation during the application process.

• ACEN Verification Process can be completed via this link and submitted during the application process. https://www.acenursing.org/students-public/verification-accreditation-request-status.

• CNEA Verification can be found using this link and submitted during the application process. https://cnea.nln.org/accredited-programs.

4.      Have a current Georgia or primary state of residence unencumbered Registered Nurse license.

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

6.      Undergo a background check and 10-point drug screen through PSI Background Screening services, as required by individual clinical 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 must complete all required testing successfully as directed by clinical agencies.

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 three or six semester option. Additional semester options are available on an individual basis.

   2.      Submit proof of the following before the stated deadline (form provided upon acceptance):

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

   • A current physical health examination by a healthcare provider.

   • Any additional immunizations required by the program or clinical agencies.

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

   • Professional liability insurance (included in tuition and fees).

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

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

   4.      Maintain an active, unencumbered Georgia or primary state of residence RN license throughout 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.      After successful completion of the first 6 credit hours of RN-BSN courses, advance standing course credit of 30 hours will be awarded.

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

A = 89.5-100    B 79.5-89.4    C = 75-79.4    D = 65-74.9   F = 65% and below

4.      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.

5.      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.

6.      Students must complete all collegewide Graduation Requirements.

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.