The Nursing Traditional Track is designed for high school graduates without a college degree or RN licensure. Studies lead to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree. Program Overview The nursing degree program at RMU builds on the natural and behavioral sciences, integrating liberal arts and professional courses into a cohesive program. Students develop strong technical skills, as well as the clinical judgment and critical thinking necessary to succeed in todays rapidly changing health care system. Clinical experiences are conducted in community and hospital settings.

About the Program: Program Overview Program Objectives R.N. Licensure Prerequisites Curriculum Requirements Career Opportunities

The program has a unique focus on business, communications, global perspective and technology in addition to strong clinical skills. All students receive personal digital assistants (PDAs) capable of storing two to three textbooks of medical and nursing information at their fingertips. Students learn to care for patients in state-of-the-art clinical facilities as well as in RMU's new nursing laboratory, where bedside computers and a SIMMAN patient simulator assist in developing clinical decision-making skills. Students also have the opportunity to travel internationally to better understand global health issues.

Students are admitted to the program in the fall semester and can complete the program in eight semesters (fall and spring) over four years. The first two years involve mostly core courses in liberal arts and science. Clinical courses begin in fall of the junior year. Students are admitted to the program as freshmen but must meet progression criteria to advance to clinical courses.

Program Objectives
The B.S.N. degree program prepares students to:

• Demonstrate critical thinking, clinical decision-making and psychomotor skills necessary for safe and competent practice;
• Integrate methods of research and scholarship to make and prioritize diagnoses, plan, implement and evaluate the care of individuals, groups and communities;
• Assess health and incorporate principles and methods of health promotion and health education in nursing care of individuals, groups and communities;
• Integrate traditional and developing methods of discovering, retrieving and using information in nursing practice;
• Demonstrate professional behaviors when providing nursing care to individuals and families;
• Describe how health care delivery systems are organized and financed and the effect on patient care; and
• Communicate clearly and succinctly in speech and writing.

R.N. Licensure
Following completion of the degree, students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) required for practice as a registered nurse (RN).

Pennsylvania State Licensure Requirements

Prerequisites
The following high school courses are required of all applicants to the B.S.N. program:

English	4 units
Algebra	1 unit
Additional Math	1 unit
Social Studies	3 unit
Science w/lab or equivalent	2 units (1 must be chemistry)
Electives	5 units
Total	16 units

One unit is given for the successful completion of one year of work in an accepted course. The faculty also recommends taking the following high school courses if available: statistics, anatomy and physiology, and any computer class.

Curriculum Requirements
To earn the B.S.N. degree, students must complete 127 credits with a QPA of at least 2.0. The curriculum has four components:

1. Robert Morris University Core - 40 credits
   These are the traditional liberal arts requirements of the University. Studies in humanities, communications skills, and social, behavioral, natural and quantitative sciences are included.
2. Required Non-Nursing Courses - 21 credits
   These courses develop a strong foundation in the sciences and human development. An introductory accounting class provides perspective on how nursing fits into the business of health care.
3. Nursing Courses - 60 credits
   These courses develop strong clinical nursing skills with comprehensive coverage of the background and knowledge required to perform competently in the nursing field.
4. Electives - 6 credits
   The open electives provide the student with the opportunity to include some special courses of interest.

Sample Curriculum - BS in Nursing, Traditional Track

Admission Requirements
The following are required for admission:

• Robert Morris University application for admission
• Official transcripts from high school and any post-secondary institutions attended
• Minimum SAT score of 1000 or ACT score of 22
• Minimum high school GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale
• A 300- to 600-word essay on why the applicant wants to become a nurse
• Two professional letters of reference

Career Opportunities
A career in nursing has endless possibilities, allowing graduates the flexibility to choose a specialty that fits their interests and abilities. Specialties include pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency care, surgical nursing and more. Other nurses work outside of hospitals and doctor's offices, such as forensic nurses, legal nurse consultants, clinical researchers and school nurses.

The career outlook for nurses has never been better. With a nationwide nursing shortage and an aging population, qualified nurses have their choice of well-paying jobs. There are currently over 100,000 vacant nursing positions in the U.S., and that number is predicted to grow to over 1 million by the year 2010.

Salary Information
Financial compensation for nurses varies according to geographic location, type of nursing, years of experience and level of education. The national mean bachelor-level starting salary for a registered nurse is around $45,000. Benefit packages often include health insurance, vacation, holiday pay, college tuition reimbursement, child care, flexible scheduling and pension plans.