Accelerated Nursing, BSN

On Campus

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Earn your BSN  in just 15 months from NMC's accelerated nursing degree program.

Get on the Fast Track with an Accelerated Nursing Degree.

If you want to complete your training and put it to good use at a faster-than-normal pace, check out our Accelerated Nursing degree option. The CCNE-accredited degree is designed to be completed at a pace that will challenge but not overwhelm you. This course of study is ideal for career changers and other students with an Associate or Bachelor's degree and a solid science background.

Graduates are prepared to assume nursing careers not just as competent nurses, but also as healthcare leaders. The success of our Accelerated BSN graduates with state board examinations (NCLEX) is testimony to our students.

Accelerated Nursing Degree Program Info

  • High-intensity, full time accelerated nursing program allows you to earn your BSN in just 15 months.
  • The curriculum format centers on community-based education with an emphasis on caring and holistic healthcare. With this approach, the learning focus is on the community of people being served wherever their needs are-such as acute-care settings (hospitals), long-term care settings (nursing homes), clinics, or in the community.
  • Students learn to integrate the concepts of health promotion, self care, prevention, collaboration and continuity of care with clinical and assessment skills—all within the context of culture and community. 
  • A Clinical Preceptorship of nearly 200 hours gives each student an opportunity to apply learned knowledge and skills while working alongside a professional nurse.

More Program Information

Nurse Salary & Job Outlook

Nursing salaries across the United States vary by specialty and level of experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the U. S. median salary in 2010 for Registered Nurses was $64,690 per year, with a faster than average projected job growth until 2020 of 26 percent.

Professional Organizations 

Accelerated Nursing Degree Program Accreditation

CCNE AccreditationThis baccalaureate degree in nursing at Nebraska Methodist College is accredited by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036-1120
Phone: 202-887-6791

Admissions

Application Deadline:
April 1, 2013; June 14, 2013
Program Start Date:
January 6, 2014

Prospective students may apply anytime and are accepted from deadlines throughout the year. Early application is encouraged so the student's transcripts can be evaluated. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt and students will be notified of their admission by letter or phone.


Tuition & Fees

Attending Nebraska Methodist College represents a major investment in your future. For most students, attending college takes planning and sacrifice. NMC recognizes that and is committed to helping you find every avenue to finance your education. View the Tuition by Program & Degree page for a comprehensive list of all fees for the accelerated nursing degree program.

Tuition per credit hour: $454


All accelerated nursing degree students are required to complete specific coursework. This list should only be used as a curriculum guide. Course listings and required curriculum are subject to change. 

Included within this list is the Educated Citizen Core Curriculum. All students seeking to complete an undergraduate degree at Nebraska Methodist College must complete this set of Arts & Sciences requirements. As an educated citizen, NMC graduates are competent practitioners and respond productively to the complex dynamics of the world, utilizing a diversity of disciplines and perspectives.

Spring Semester - First 8 Weeks

NRS 100

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY-BASED NURSING

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This introductory course provides a foundation for community-based nursing. Students examine the fundamental concepts and skills used in the delivery of professional nursing care with culturally diverse adult clients. Environmental considerations and the basic concepts of community, partnerships and visits with clients in various settings are introduced. The wellness continuum is expanded and professionalism in nursing, interpersonal communication, change, nursing process, critical thinking and caring are addressed.

  • Credits: 2.5
  • Prerequisites: SCI 226, SCI 280, SSC 101, HU 150, COM 230/245 Co-requisites: NRS 100C

NRS 100C

COMMUNITY-BASED NURSING CLINICAL PRACTICUM

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Co-requisites: This clinical practicum offers students opportunities to provide nursing care with adult clients to promote and maintain health. Experiences focus on providing students beginning nursing-process skills for the delivery of care with a community-based perspective. Students incorporate interpersonal communication techniques while interacting with adult clients, members of the health care team and community partners.

  • Credits: 1.5
  • Prerequisites: NRS 100

NRS 202/202L

HEALTH ASSESSMENT ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

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This course familiarizes students with normal and abnormal health assessment of clients across the life span. The course utilizes Gordon‘s structural framework as the primary means to organize assessment data and prioritizing nursing diagnoses. Students will identify and utilize the principles of diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking to practice the application of health assessment findings to nursing practice. Students will apply the skills of interview, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation throughout the course as guided by evidence-based practice (EBP). Students will analyze data collected during a complete health assessment. The health assessment data collected consists of a complete health history and physical assessment including laboratory values, the client‘s level of wellness, environment, health practices and goals, and psychosocial (including domestic violence), mental, nutritional and transcultural considerations. The student will work to correlate the health assessment data while differentiating the major trends in growth and development and the attainment of developmental milestones comparing the differences of the well, acutely ill, and chronically ill clients across the lifespan.

  • Credits: 3.0

SCI 315

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

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This course begins with a major focus on cellular functions and pathology, including inflammation, infection, immune response, metabolism and fluid disequilibrium. These concepts serve as the foundation for the course as alterations in various bodily functions are examined. Alterations in body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis; fluid acid-base balance; genetic disorders, carcinogenesis, nematologic, gastrointestinal, urinary, respiratory, cardiac, endocrine, neurological, musculoskeletal functions are emphasized.

  • Credits: 3.0
  • Prerequisites: SCI 103, SCI 225, SCI 226, SCI 280

Spring Semester - Second 8 Weeks

NRS 220

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE WITH ADULTS

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This course focuses on nursing care using a culturally sensitive framework with adult clients along the continuum of well being. Students employ caring and professional communication to promote change. Critical thinking and the nursing process are used in collaborative relationships with clients and community partners. Students are introduced to the economic impact on health. The concepts of legal/ethical accountability and prioritization are applied to professional community-based nursing practice.

  • Credits: 4.0
  • Prerequisites: All year-one courses except HUM_: World of Ideas Pre-/Corequisites: SCI 315, SSC 215 Corequisites: NRS 202/202L

NRS 220C

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE WITH ADULTS CLINICAL PRACTICUM

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The clinical practicum offers students opportunities to provide nursing care with adult clients to promote and maintain health. Experiences focus on providing students beginning nursing-process skills for the delivery of care with a community-based perspective. Students incorporate interpersonal communication techniques while interacting with adult clients, members of the health care team and community partners.

  • Credits: 3.0
  • Prerequisites: Corequisites: NRS 220

NRS 202/202L

HEALTH ASSESSMENT ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

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This course familiarizes students with normal and abnormal health assessment of clients across the life span. The course utilizes Gordon‘s structural framework as the primary means to organize assessment data and prioritizing nursing diagnoses. Students will identify and utilize the principles of diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking to practice the application of health assessment findings to nursing practice. Students will apply the skills of interview, inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation throughout the course as guided by evidence-based practice (EBP). Students will analyze data collected during a complete health assessment. The health assessment data collected consists of a complete health history and physical assessment including laboratory values, the client‘s level of wellness, environment, health practices and goals, and psychosocial (including domestic violence), mental, nutritional and transcultural considerations. The student will work to correlate the health assessment data while differentiating the major trends in growth and development and the attainment of developmental milestones comparing the differences of the well, acutely ill, and chronically ill clients across the lifespan.

  • Credits: 3.0

SCI 265

INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY

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This course is designed to introduce students to pharmacological principles of prescription and over the counter (OTC) medications. The various drug classifications and general characteristics of drugs within a class are examined. The course also focuses on analysis and understanding of the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, side effects, adverse reactions and drug - drug and food - drug interactions of prototype and commonly used drugs within each class.

  • Credits: 3.0
  • Prerequisites: SCI 103, SCI 225, SCI 226 Prerequisite/Co-requisite: SCI 315

Summer Semester - First 5 Weeks

NRS 240

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE WITH FAMILIES

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This course focuses on developing partnerships with women and childbearing families to promote and maintain health. Selected changes in the family and in the health of women are addressed. New knowledge and skills build on the frameworks of caring and community-based nursing care. Selected nursing assessment skills are introduced and applied. Use of the nursing process enhances critical-thinking skills as needs of women and childbearing families are explored. Beginning nursing leadership concepts are explored. Students identify the influence of economics on the health and well being of women and childbearing families.

  • Credits: 3.5
  • Prerequisites: All year-one courses and NRS 220/ 220C, SCI 315 Pre/Corequisites: SCI 240, HU ____:World of Ideas, SSC 235, SCI 265 Corequisites: NRS 240C, NRS 245

NRS 240C

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE WITH FAMILIES CLINICAL PRACTICUM

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The clinical experience offers students the opportunity to collaborate with women and childbearing families in their health care. Students develop partnerships through professional communication, dialogue and collaboration, critical thinking and shared learning. The nursing processand concepts of public health science, caring, professionalism and change are incorporated while working with clients. Students demonstrate selected nursing assessment skills while providing safe effective care within guidelines and policies.

  • Credits: 2.5
  • Prerequisites: Corequisites: NRS 240

NRS 245

PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE I

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This course introduces public health concepts and principles. Emphasis is on the core functions of public health: assessment, policy development and assurance. The course content provides an overview of the history and organization of public health and public health issues at the local, state, national and global levels.

  • Credits: 1.0
  • Prerequisites: Corequisites: NRS 240

Summer Semester - Second 7 Weeks

NRS 340

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

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Students begin to integrate a broad range of concepts related to children and adults in the community. Students build on family concepts and incorporate growth and development into a framework for community-based nursing care across the life span. Content focuses on health promotion, illness prevention, maintenance and management of acute and chronic health problems. The differences in communication with clients across the life span are examined. The course facilitates professional role development, critical thinking and the use of humanistic/scientific principles and research as the basis of culturally competent care.

  • Credits: 5.0
  • Prerequisites: All year-one and -two courses Pre/Corequisites: SS 360 Corequisites: COM 320

NRS 340C

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN CLINICAL PRACTICUM

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The clinical practicum promotes integration of nursing process, including prioritization, into community-based care with children and adults. Caring, professional communication, dialogue and advocacy are used to build partnerships with families. Health care and economic policies and ethical decision-making are examined. Students incorporate beginning management and leadership principles and information from research to further develop professional roles.

  • Credits: 4.0
  • Prerequisites: Corequisites: NRS 340

NRS 345

PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENCE II

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This course builds upon public health core concepts and principles introduced in Public Health Science I. Content focuses on epidemiology and special needs of aggregates at risk. Current and changing health care are critically analyzed in relation to local, state, national and global conditions and policies.

  • Credits: 2.0
  • Prerequisites: Corequisite: NRS 350 (traditional); NRS 340 (ACE)

Fall Semester - First 8 Weeks

NRS 350

ADVANCED CONCEPTS IN COMMUNITY-BASED NURSING

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The course incorporates concepts and principles of psychiatric mental health nursing, community health nursing and public health science that promote holistic health of diverse vulnerable communities. As students broaden self-awareness and understanding of human beings, major foci are on therapeutic communication, group process and advocacy for individuals, families, aggregates and communities. Students use enhanced critical-thinking skills and a caring approach to apply nursing process to problems with multiple causes. Students value teaching/learning principles, motivation, risk reduction and health promotion as integral to achieving desired outcomes. Theory and research related to the promotion of mental health, prevention and management of acute/chronic mental illness and population-based needs are explored. The roles of the nurse in community-based care, which include interdisciplinary collaboration, advocacy for social justice and professional leadership, are examined.

  • Credits: 4.0
  • Prerequisites: All year-one and -two courses, NRS 340, SSC 360 Pre/Corequisites: SS 370, HU 210, COM 320 Corequisites: NRS 345, NRS 350C

NRS 350C

ADVANCED CONCEPTS IN COMMUNITY-BASED NURSING CLINICAL PRACTICUM

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The clinical practicum facilitates the synthesis of public health principles and physical and mental health concepts/interventions with diverse populations. This experience promotes the application of theory and skills in community-based health settings for acute and chronic mental illnesses. Nursing process is applied to a variety of population-based needs. Wide-ranging skills include the use of personal and community resources and collaborative problem solving leading to innovative solutions and desired outcomes. The roles of the nurse in community-based care are assumed. These roles include interdisciplinary collaborator, advocate, casefinder/manager, counselor, referral and change agent.

  • Credits: 5.0
  • Prerequisites: NRS 345, NRS 350

COM 230/245 or 252

LANGUAGE & CULTURE IN HEALTH CARE OR CROSS CULTURAL SERVICE LEARNING

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LANGUAGE & CULTURE IN HEALTH CARE: Access to healthcare is greatly affected by one's command of language. Students in this course engage in the exploration of language and culture then apply these concepts to the healthcare environment through service-learning and community engagement. Students develop practical communication skills that enable effective cross-cultural work with health professionals and clients with backgrounds different from their own. This course lasts over the entire semester.

CROSS CULTURAL SERVICE LEARNING: This one-credit course is designed for students who transfer in at least two credits of Spanish or Sign Language. The course will build upon the student's language skills to emphasize the importance of language and culture as they relate to access to quality healthcare in the United States. Through service-learning, the student will understand barriers faced by traditionally-underserved populations in a healthcare setting.

  • Credits: 3.0/1.0

Fall Semester - Second 8 Weeks

NRS 450

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE: COMPLEX CONCEPTS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN

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This course focuses on the application of theory when caring for complex, high-risk clients across the life span. Students build upon research findings and previous knowledge to further develop critical thinking skills through the advanced nursing concepts presented in the course. Students examine the roles of professional caregiver, teacher and manager with families in an interdependent world. Students expand strategies for dialogue, collaboration and advocacy within an increasingly complex global health care environment.

  • Credits: 4.0
  • Prerequisites: All year-one, -two and -three courses Pre/Corequisites: NRS___: Non-Clinical Nursing Elective, HU ___ World of Ideas (Completion of 2 out of 3 World of Ideas Courses) Corequisites: NRS 445

NRS 450C

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE: COMPLEX CONCEPTS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN CLINICAL PRACTICUM

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This clinical practicum provides opportunities for students to apply culturally diverse, holistic care with high-risk families across the life span. In the delivery of nursing care, students provide collaborative, complex care with families along the continuum of well being. When providing care in the changing health care environment, students promote autonomy, altruism, human dignity, integrity and social justice.

  • Credits: 5.0
  • Prerequisites: Corequisites: NRS 450

NRS 446

COLLABORATIVE NURSING LEADERSHIP IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY

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This course analyzes leadership and management theories in relation to trends in nursing and healthcare. The concepts of change, power, collaboration, gender dynamics, and advocacy will be examined and applied to the practice of nursing. Health care policy, legal aspects, and economic factors are explored as they relate to client care and professional nursing practice. Using a global perspective, students will analyze, evaluate and create possible solutions to nursing and healthcare issues.

  • Credits: 3.0
  • Prerequisites: Placement: Accelerated BSN students or Admission to the RN to BSN Program or RN to MSN Program

Spring Semester - First 4 Weeks

NRS 462

COMMUNITY-BASED CARE: COMPLEXITY OF AGING

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This course focuses on the synthesis of humanistic/scientific principles and research in the care of the older adult with complex needs. Students use critical thinking skills to examine professional nursing care in the areas of health promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention, illness/disease management, and rehabilitation in the changing environments of the older adult. Holistic concepts including spirituality, sexuality, end-of-life and economics are expanded. The roles of the professional nurse in meeting the mutually identified needs of the older adult in the community are evaluated.

  • Credits: 1.5
  • Prerequisites: All year-one, -two, -three courses and NRS 445, NRS 450 Pre/Corequisite: HU_____: World of Ideas Corequisites: NRS 462C, SSC 465

NRS ---

NON-CLINCIAL ELECTIVE

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Student's choice of non-clinical elective

  • Credits: 2.0

SSC 465

CAPSTONE: THE EDUCATED CITIZEN

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This course is based in the social sciences and is designed to assist students in the integration of their roles as healthcare professionals and educated citizens. The focus of the class is on deepening students’ understanding of and facility with social and political systems that impact the health and wellbeing of the community.  Students demonstrate their preparation to act as educated citizens through the presentation of their portfolio within the context of this capstone course.

  • Credits: 3.0

Spring Semester - Second 7 Weeks

NRS 470

SENIOR SYNTHESIS

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Students integrate concepts of the professional role into a personal philosophy of nursing. Using a problem-based learning approach, students critically evaluate research and refine decision-making skills. Leadership/management and legal/ethical principles provide a framework for classroom activities.

  • Credits: 1.0
  • Prerequisites: All year-one, -two, -three courses and NRS 460 Pre/Corequisites: HU__: World of Ideas Corequisites: NRS 470P, SSC 465

NRS 470P

SENIOR PRECEPTOR PRACTICUM

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Students experience the role of the practicing nurse within a community-based learning environment. Students are assigned a RN preceptor to promote the development of confidence and competence in applying the skills and knowledge expected from a novice. Through the synthesis of prior knowledge, students apply management and communication skills to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Students demonstrate responsibility and legal/ethical accountability in their professional role as caregiver, teacher and manager of client care.

  • Credits: 2.0
  • Prerequisites: Corequisites: NRS 470

Accelerated Nursing Faculty

Our faculty is highly experienced and credentialed in their own fields, giving you constant real-world insight you can use. While any instructor can recite from a textbook, ours go a step further and draw from vast personal experience. Instructors here care as deeply about their students as they do the subject matter and it shows.

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