Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
This program is for the student that has already met the prerequisite requirements for the BSN completion program and consists of seven quarters (21 months) of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on a foundation of general education courses transferred in from other accredited institutions.
Applicants to the BSN Completion Option are often professionals in other disciplines who elect to make a career change after completing a BA, BS or Associate’s Degree. Other applicants are inspired to pursue a nursing career by building on the competencies gained in post-secondary courses. For students transferring in general education courses from other accredited institutions, this option provides a focused nursing curriculum with didactic and clinical components built on the general education courses. Graduates are prepared to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN®) and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. This option consists of seven quarters of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on foundational courses and is generally completed in 21 months (1 year, 9 months) of full-time study.
Upon completion, a student should be prepared to:
- Synthesize knowledge from nursing and the arts and sciences in the holistic practice of professional nursing.
- Design, manage, and coordinate nursing care to deliver quality healthcare and safety for patients.
- Base practice on current knowledge, theory and research.
- Integrate effective inter-professional collaboration practice to enhance the health of all patients, including diverse and vulnerable populations.
- Use patient care technologies and clinical information systems to facilitate decision making necessary for delivery of safe care.
Students achieve general education outcomes as they:
- Develop creative and critical analytical skills across a wide range of clinical and human knowledge situations
- Develop skills in written, technical, and oral communications
- Function ethically and meet professional standards with integrity
- Demonstrate evidence of and caring for a diverse and multicultural society
- Develop skills for independent decision making and leadership.
Course No. | Course Name | Quarter Credits |
---|---|---|
Quarter 1 | ||
BIO 309 | Pathophysiology | 6 |
NUR 310/310L | Health Assessment (with Laboratory) | 6 |
NUR 358 | Topics of Professional Nursing Practice | 3 |
15 | ||
Quarter 2 | ||
NUR 320/320L/320C | Foundations of Nursing (with Skills Laboratory and Clinical) | 10 |
NUR 328/328L | Pharmacology with Calculations Laboratory | 6 |
16 | ||
Quarter 3 | ||
HIT 410 | Healthcare Informatics | 3 |
NUR 330/330L/330C | Medical Surgical Nursing I (with Skills Laboratory and Clinical) | 10 |
13 | ||
Quarter 4 | ||
NUR 420/420C | Mental Health Nursing (with Clinical) | 6 |
NUR 440/440C | Medical Surgical Nursing II (with Clinical) | 9 |
15 | ||
Quarter 5 | ||
NUR 340/340C | Pediatric Nursing (with Clinical) | 6 |
NUR 350/350C | Obstetrical Nursing (with Clinical) | 6 |
NUR 338C | Research and Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
15 | ||
Quarter 6 | ||
NUR 450/450C | Community/Public Health Nursing (with Clinical) | 7 |
NUR 460 | Transition to Professional Practice | 3 |
NUR 470 | Leadership and Management | 3 |
13 | ||
Quarter 7 | ||
SOC 321 | Life Transition: Death and Dying | 4 |
NUR 485/485C | Senior Integrative Seminar and Capstone Clinical | 9 |
13 | ||
Program Quarter Credits | 100 | |
Transfer Credits | 80 | |
Total Quarter Credits for the BSN Degree | 180 |
A minimum of 75% of the DCN program courses must be earned at Denver College of Nursing.
This program is for the student that has already met the prerequisite requirements for the BSN completion program and consists of seven quarters (21 months) of nursing courses with both didactic and clinical components built on a foundation of general education courses transferred in from other accredited institutions.
Applicants without a prior Baccalaureate Degree
Applicants without a prior baccalaureate degree must show completion of all prerequisite courses that include a minimum of 56 semester credits of post-secondary coursework from an accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. This includes 40 semester credits of prerequisites with a grade of C or better (C- or below is not acceptable) and a GPA of 2.0 or better for the courses noted below and 16 or more semester credits of General Education courses. General Education credits must be from three different disciplines such as Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, Communications and History etc. Applicants that do not have a prior Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college are required to take the HESI A2 entrance exam.
Course Name |
Semester Credits |
Quarter Credits Equivalent (1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits) |
Microbiology with lab |
4 |
6 |
Anatomy & Physiology with labs |
8 |
12 |
Sciences Two courses; one with a lab (Pathophysiology cannot be used) |
7 |
10 |
Algebra |
3 |
4 |
Statistics |
3 |
4 |
Psychology |
3 |
4 |
Human Growth & Development |
3 |
4 |
Nutrition |
3 |
4 |
English Composition |
3 |
4 |
English |
3 |
4 |
|
40 |
56 |
Added General Education Total |
16 |
24 |
Total prerequisite credit hours |
56 |
80 |
Applicants with a prior Baccalaureate Degree
Applicants who already possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, must show satisfactory completion of 21 semester credits from an accredited institution with a GPA of 2.0 or better and with grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable) for the courses noted below. Applicants that have already graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college do not have to take the HESI A2 entrance exam.
Course Name |
Semester Credits |
Quarter Credits Equivalent (1 semester credit = 1.5 quarter credits) |
Microbiology with lab |
4 |
6 |
Anatomy & Physiology with labs |
8 |
12 |
Statistics |
3 |
4 |
Human Growth & Development |
3 |
4 |
Nutrition |
3 |
4 |
Total prerequisite credit hours |
21 |
32 |
Applicants who have completed courses that are different from, but are the equivalent of, those required for admission should submit transcripts and course descriptions for review by the Registrar.
NOTE:Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology must have been taken within seven (7) years of start date at Denver College of Nursing. Pathophysiology cannot be used as a science prerequisite as it is part of the program.
- Submit official transcripts and course descriptions for review by the Dean of Nursing Education Programs or designee
- Applicants that have not already graduated from an accredited college with a Bachelor’s degree have two opportunities to obtain a minimum of 75% on the HESI A2 English Composite Subscale (Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar) and on the Math Subscale; and take the HESI A2 components utilized in the advising program
- Applicants that have already graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college do not have to take the HESI A2 entrance exam
- Provide a background check and drug screen that meets licensure requirements
- Successfully complete Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology within seven (7) years of start date
- Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Completion Option must show satisfactory completion of 56 semester credits or 80 quarter credits from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better
NOTE: Meet additional requirements detailed in the Admissions Policies and Procedures section of the DCN catalog available for download on this site.
- Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
- Grades of C or above (C- or below are not acceptable) for the listed prerequisite courses.
- Have completed all prerequisites prior to the start date of their program. (Not before application)
- Prerequisite course work does not have to be completed at the time of application, however please be realistic about being able to complete all outstanding prerequisites before the start date of the program.
- Applicants will submit a one-page typewritten personal statement (double-spaced, 12 point font) that addresses your professional goals, healthcare related work background and volunteer experience with their application. The content is the most important part of the statement; however it will be reviewed for writing style, syntax and grammar.
- Eligibility for all BSN programs is pending the successful completion of a drug screen and a criminal background check due before the start of the program. These are not required with the initial application.
- Eligibility for all BSN programs is pending the successful submission of all required immunizations records and completed “Fit For Practice” form. Applicants will receive more information on submitting these forms during the admissions interview if granted. These are not required with the initial application.
- Applicants must have the ability to meet all the requirements for licensure and the physical, psychological and emotional standards established by the applicable governing bodies and State regulations for the location of their campus.
- Applicants must have the ability to become certified in CPR. This is not required with the initial application.
- BSN applicants meeting our admission requirements will be contacted for an application interview and testing.
- Applicants that have already graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college do not have to take the HESI A2 entrance exam.
Important note: This program has an admissions process where students are selected based on a number of factors including personal statement, previous health care and or volunteer experience and cumulative / science GPA (acceptance is not based solely on GPA).
Can a DCN graduate with a Colorado license work in another state?
Yes, each state has different requirements for the transferring or endorsement of licenses so you should contact the state’s Board of Nursing in the state you’re interested in to find out the specifics on the process in that state. We have graduates that are currently employed as Nurses in California, Texas, South Carolina, and New Mexico to name a few. As of January 2018, Colorado is a participating state in the enhanced Nurse Compact. When a new graduate residing in the state of Colorado obtains a nursing license, it is granted as a multi-state license allowing practice in all the participating states. Please visit https://www.nursecompact.com for more information. For information on licensure and nursing regulatory bodies in general, please visit https://www.ncsbn.org.
Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) | NCSBN
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) provides a multistate license that allows nurses to practice with patients across state lines.
Licensure
This program meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN) in the state of Colorado and Texas.
We have not made a determination for the following states*: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, and WY.
Those who successfully graduate from the professional nursing program may be eligible to take the NLCLEX-RN ®. Approval to take the examination is not automatic. Successfully passing the NCLEX is one of several requirements for licensure.
Requirements for licensure vary among states. In order to locate the licensure eligibility requirements of another state, please refer to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to find the contact information the Board of Nursing of that state. Click here to visit the NCSBN website.
* If you need additional information on state eligibility or transferability requirements for these states, please contact the Campus President or Dean of Nursing.
Graduation does not guarantee eligibility to sit for licensure exams. Please understand that licensure eligibility can be affected by unlawful events that take place after acceptance into a program. As part of the licensure application process, arrest and court records of final adjudication for any offense other than a minor traffic violation may be submitted to credentialing agency for review. Applicants who have been convicted of a felony and whose civil rights have not been restored may be considered incomplete by the College until documentation of restoration of civil rights is received.
Licensing requirements vary by state. Students who relocate to another state during their enrollment may or may not satisfy the eligibility criteria to obtain a professional license or certification in that state.
Please contact the Campus President or Dean of Nursing if you have additional questions pertaining to your program of interest.