About the RN to BSN Program

Samuel Merritt University’s RN to BSN program is designed to help working RNs gain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to change the way we deliver health care. As an RN to BSN scholar, you will start the program with a meditation course to help enrich your self-care practices. You will deepen your knowledge of the evidence and science that supports expert nursing care.  You will hone your communication and teamwork skills. Because great swaths of our health care system are designed for the industry rather than patients, we will build your confidence and leadership skills to transform “delivery systems” into healing environments.  It is a tall order, but the system won’t change without the leadership of registered nurses like you! You are the future of of our profession.

Program Purposes—to help working RNs

• Discover a vision
• Find your voice (and join the conversations on health care in this country)
• Tell your stories
• Own your professional practice

Cohorts of colleagues

• Small groups of RNs from 3-4 agencies in the same geographical area
• Extend professional networks and develop teams that lead change

Program length and class structure

• 20 months, a little less than half-time study with 6 credits each semester; 15-week semesters
• Face-to-face classes are four hours each week plus one Saturday each semester
• Labs are about 3 hours per week in semesters 2 & 3

Why earn your BSN?

• IOM (2010) goal of 80% BSNs by 2020 because more BSNs associated with:
  • Decreased odds of patient mortality (Aiken, 2003; Yakusheva, 2014)
  • Lower readmission rates & shorter lengths of stay (Yakusheva, 2014)
  • Higher job satisfaction
• Career mobility—preparation for health care system of the future

Why earn your BSN at SMU?

• Focus on deepening compassion for colleagues, patients, and others in your life
• Focus on strengthening self-care through meditation, centering, and therapeutic presence
• Face-to-face class days and times are the same throughout the program
• Conveniently located—cohorts accepted based on interest in geographical area

Curriculum

RN-BSN Degree Plan

120 semester units are required for a BSN from Samuel Merritt University. The RN to BSN coursework provides 30 of those units. Up to 90 units of undergraduate coursework may be transferred to reach the 120 required for graduation. Registered nurses with fewer than 90 transfer units will be awarded up to 20 additional units of university credit toward the BSN degree. For example, if you have 75 units of transfer coursework, Samuel Merritt will award an additional 15 units of coursework towards your BSN for holding an RN license.

Transfer credits, RN license credits, and required program credits