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Nursing: Accelerated Pre-Licensure

Bachelor's Degree

Program Overview

This accelerated program is ideal for students with a previous baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field looking to fast-track their nursing careers. As one of the primary healthcare professionals to interact with patients, you will find that the profession is not just about administering medication and following orders; it’s about making critical decisions every day for your patients, understanding interdisciplinary methods of care, and mastering the art of personal interaction with patients, family members, clinical team members, and administrators.

What makes this program different? 

  1. Urban experience. As a Radford University nursing student in Roanoke, Virginia, you'll experience city life rather than the traditional setting of a college campus while having all the amenities you'd expect from Radford University. Living in Roanoke, you are also very close to hospitals and community sites where you will be traveling for clinical experiences in your junior and senior years of the nursing program!
  2. Immersive location. You'll spend four semesters immersed in nursing at our Roanoke Higher Education Center (RHEC) location. There you'll have your nursing classes, skills labs, and clinical simulation experiences with your faculty on-site and there to assist you succeed.
  3. Admitted to Your Program. As a new student, you will begin your studies immediately as a nursing student; not a pre-nursing student. With support from your faculty and classmates, we fully expect that you will rise to meet the program's demands and progress toward your degree.
  4. Express Lane to your degree. In the Accelerated BSN program, you will complete your degree requirements in 16 months. You will demonstrate your dedication and commitment to prospective nurse employers; you will enter the workforce sooner than your peers and begin earning a salary two years ahead of those in four-year programs; you will learn in an intensive environment that most closely mimics the daily demands of practicing nurses.

NCLEX-RN Pass Rate

NCLEX-RN 2020 first-time pass rate: 80.90%National average 90.29%   
NCLEX-RN 2021 first-time pass rate: 88.00%National average 82.50%   
NCLEX-RN 2022 first-time pass rate: 87.69%National average 79.90%   

Career Path

After receiving your BSN, you will take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to gain licensure to become a registered nurse.

Most of our graduates have career jobs lined up prior to graduation, and 100% have successful careers after graduation across a wide range of practice areas.

Many of our ABSN graduates go on to pursue master's degrees with Radford University to become Family Nurse Practitioners, which ranks among the top 30 high-growth professions with a projected 10-year growth rate of over 36%, according to data recently released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This rate exceeds the average among the 30 high-growth professions and provides a clear indication that the career outlook in nursing is bright.

Admission Requirements

This four-semester, 16-month program is designed for students looking for an intensive, accelerated path to the BSN. Students entering are expected to have an earned bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field and have the commitment to study full-time for 16 months, including fall, spring and summer semesters. It is an intense, full-time program, and students are encouraged not to carry outside employment while enrolled in this program. We are looking for motivated students with backgrounds that demonstrate the ability to handle challenging work in a fast-paced environment.

  • Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher.
  • Completion of the following pre-requisite coursework:

    4 credit Chemistry I and II (must include a lab)
    4 credit Anatomy and Physiology I and II
    4 credit Microbiology
    3 credit Nutrition
    3 credit Lifespan Development
    3 credit Introduction to Statistics
       
  • The deadline for receipt of completed applications is 5 p.m. January 15 for the Fall cohort and 5 p.m. September 15 for the Spring cohort.
  • Writing sample, one page or less, double-spaced, 12-font on the following topic:  Please describe your motivation for pursuing a BSN degree and why you want to do so at Radford University.
  • Resume documenting previous education and work experience.
  • Completion of all prerequisite coursework by the end of the semester preceding the cohort start.
  • Students seeking entry into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing program who have been program dismissed from another nursing program must wait for two years to be considered for admission at Radford University.
  • Students who have failed one nursing course at another institution must submit a letter of good academic standing from their previous nursing institution.

Accelerated BSN Curriculum

Program of Study - Fall Cohort

Semester 1: Fall
Semester 2: Spring
INDS 100Introduction to Healthcare Delivery Systems1IPEH 200Foundamentals of Teamwork (online)1
NURS 300Pharmacology3NURS 317Nursing Process in Gerontology (online)2
NURS 301Dosage Calculation (online)1NURS 314Nursing Process in Psychiatric/Mental Health3
NURS 303Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice3NURS 362Nursing Research (online)3
NURS 340Health Assessment (with lab)3NURS 354Nursing Process Application for ABSN I3
NURS 351Professional Nursing Skills for ABSN4NURS 358CClinical Practicum for ABSN I4
TOTAL15TOTAL16
Semester 3: Summer
Semester 4: Fall
IPEH 350Interprofessional Healthcare Exploration (online)2NURS 423Community and Population Health3
NURS 334Nursing Process of the Childbearing Family2NURS 453Nursing Leadership (online)3
NURS 336Nursing Process for Children2NURS 457Transition to Licensure2
NURS 320Informatics and Technology in Health Care (online)3NURS 461Nursing Process Applications for ABSN III3
NURS 361Nursing Process Applications for ABSN II3NURS 479CClinical Practicum for ABSN III5
NURS 369CClinical Practicum for ABSN II4   
TOTAL16TOTAL16

Program of Study - Spring Cohort

Semester 1: Spring
Semester 2: Summer
INDS 100Introduction to Healthcare Delivery Systems1IPEH 200Foundamentals of Teamwork (online)1
NURS 300Pharmacology3NURS 314Nursing Process in Psychiatric/Mental Health3
NURS 301Dosage Calculation (online)1NURS 317Nursing Process in Gerontology (online)2
NURS 303Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice3NURS 320Informatics and Technology in Health Care (online)3
NURS 340Health Assessment (with lab)3NURS 354Nursing Process Application for ABSN I3
NURS 351Professional Nursing Skills for ABSN4NURS 358CClinical Practicum for ABSN I4
TOTAL15TOTAL16
Semester 3: FallSemester 4: Spring
IPEH 350Interprofessional Healthcare Exploration (online)2NURS 423Community and Population Health3
NURS 334Nursing Process of the Childbearing Family2NURS 453Nursing Leadership (online)3
NURS 336Nursing Process for Children2NURS 457Transition to Licensure2
NURS 361Nursing Process Applications for ABSN II3NURS 461Nursing Process Applications for ABSN III3
NURS 362Nursing Research (online)3NURS 479CClinical Practicum for ABSN III5
NURS 369CClinical Practicum for ABSN II4   
TOTAL16TOTAL16

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree programs in nursing and master's degree programs in nursing at Radford University Carilion are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. 

The nursing pre-licensure degree programs are approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico Virginia 23233-1463.