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Bachelor of Science in Nursing

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BECOME A NURSE

Become a Registered Nurse at Mercy College of Health Sciences! Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) major will prepare you in as little as three years to take the NCLEX-RN® examination. With start dates year-round and clinician rotations embedded in semester one coursework, you'll be prepared to enter the workforce as a successful nurse in no time! Our BSN major uniquely immerses you in nursing coursework right away, allowing you to enter your clinical experience and put classroom theory into practice from day one!

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$75,330

Median Wage1

607.5

Clinical Hours, Starting Semester 1

180

Lab Hours, Starting Semester 1

88%

Job Placement Rate within One Year of Graduation†

9%

Projected Job Growth from 2020 - 20301

OUR BODY OF WORK

ABOUT OUR BSN MAJOR

Our Bachelor of Science in Nursing major is designed for students who wish to complete their BSN either full-time or part-time.  This major can be completed in as little as three years.

The BSN major will prepare you to assume roles involving management and coordination of care, leadership, education, research, population-focused health, and inter-professional collaboration. We have start dates year-round and an affordable tuition rate designed to put you on your path toward becoming a nurse.


Are you an LPN? Receive four academic credits toward your BSN! See admission requirements below.



 

Accreditation
APPROVED BY THE IOWA BOARD OF NURSING (IBON) 
The baccalaureate degree program is approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
 
ACCREDITED BY THE COMMISSION ON COLLEGIATE NURSING EDUCATION (CCNE)
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Faculty

Faculty in the BSN major are highly motivated and skilled healthcare practitioners comfortable with the latest technology and evidenced-based practices in their specialty areas of healthcare. They average more than 23 years of clinical experience! In addition, our full-time liberal arts and science faculty members are PhD-prepared and adept at integrating their subject matters into a comprehensive health science curriculum. As a student, you will receive an exceptional level of personalized instruction from experienced educators dedicated to your success.

Meet Your Faculty

Students

The clinical and lab experiences have given me a great introduction to what it’s actually like to be a nurse. Student activities and clubs like Student Senate have rounded out my college experience. Mercy College has shown me all the ways students like me can make a positive impact in the future of our College and our community.

Madison M., BSN Candidate, 2022
Male nursing student practicing oxygen mask placement with child sim

STEP ONE: COLLEGE ADMISSION  
To be admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) major, you must first be admitted to Mercy College of Health Sciences. Learn more about Mercy College admissions requirements. To get started, complete the FREE online Mercy College application. Once admitted to Mercy College of Health Sciences, you may enroll in Core requirements prior to your admission to any academic major. If you are transferring credits, please visit our transfer page to learn more.

STEP TWO: PROGRAM ADMISSION
To be considered for admission to the BSN major, you must meet the criteria below. 

  • Earn a grade of "C" or higher (not C-) and an extracted GPA of 2.7 in the following college-level courses: 
    • General Chemistry (with lab)
    • English Composition I 
    • General Psychology
    • College Math
    • Human Anatomy (with lab)1
  • Earn a minimum adjusted cumulative score of 63% on the ATI TEAS Test2 
    • Scores from previous attempts may be reported by the student to Mercy College via the ATI TEAS Transcript process
    • If unsuccessful in achieving the desired benchmark, prospective students will have the opportunity to work with tutors in the Norkaitis Student Success Center to prepare for additional attempts
  • Non-Mercy College LPN students who wish to enroll in the BSN program will take an NCLEX-PN Predictor Exam3 to determine placement in the BSN program.

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1The Human Anatomy (with lab) or equivalent course must be taken within five years of admission to Mercy College of Health Sciences to be considered transferable.
2The ATI TEAS Exam must be taken within two years of desired entry into the nursing program. In a retest is necessary to achieve the minimum score, the retest attempt must be made a minimum of 4 weeks from the previous attempt. Mercy College has a maximum limit of 3 attempts. Students are asked to purchase their ATI TEAS Exam. Students unable to purchase the exam on their own may request financial assistance through the Norkaitis Student Success Center at studentsuccess@mchs.edu.
3The cost of the predictor exam will be paid by the student. Students unable to pay for the predictor exam may request financial assistance from the Norkaitis Student Success Center at studentsuccess@mchs.edu.

The following courses are required to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students must also satisfy all Core requirements.

NUR 105 - Introduction to Basic Nursing Skills (2 cr)
NUR 115 - History and Trends in Nursing Practice (1 cr)
NUR 125 - Therapeutic Communication in Nursing (1 cr)
NUR 275 - Holistic Assessment in Nursing (4 cr)
NUR 205 - Foundations of Nursing Practice (4 cr)
NUR 265 - Medical Surgical Nursing I (5 cr)
NUR 285 - Nursing Pharmacology (1 cr)
NUR 290 - Health Promotion in Nursing Practice (2 cr)
NUR 305 - Medical Surgical Nursing II (4 cr)
NUR 340 - Nursing Concepts in Pediatrics (3 cr)
NUR 345 - Concepts in Gerontology (2 cr)
NUR 375 - Nursing Concepts and Practice of Mental Health (3 cr)
NUR 390 - Medical Surgical Nursing III (4 cr)
NUR 418 - Introduction to Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (3 cr)
NUR 405 - Medical Surgical IV (4 cr)
NUR 416 - Information and Financial Management in Nursing (3 cr)
NUR 430 - Concepts of Community Health Nursing (3 cr)
NUR 410 - Nursing Concepts in Obstetrics (3 cr)
NUR 435 - Health Policy Advocacy (1 cr)
NUR 445 - Capstone I (1 cr)
NUR 475 - Capstone II (1 cr)
NUR 450 - Concepts of Nursing Leadership (2 cr)
NUR 460 - Advanced Concepts of Nursing Practice (3 cr)
NUR 465 - Transition to Nursing Practice (4 cr)
 
TOTAL: 64 MAJOR CREDITS FOR BACHELOR'S DEGREE
 

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offers start dates in the fall, spring, and summer. View our Academic Calendar for exact semester start dates. Pre-requisites and Core requirements may be completed at Mercy College year-round.

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Outcomes†

Annual Licensure Exam Pass Rate for First-Time Test Takers Job Placement Rate within One Year of Graduation Program Completion Rates Within 150% of the Expected Timeframe
78.16% 88% N=145 75%

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1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses.

†Licensure exam pass rate is defined as students who passed the licensure exam on their first attempt during calendar year 2019 for this BSN track.
Job placement is based on 2018 graduates.
Program completion rate represents the 2017-2018 academic year.

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Next step before transforming into a life-saving hero: complete the form below. Our admissions team will get you all the info you need to know.

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EMAIL
Admissions: admissions@mchs.edu

PHONE
Admissions: (515) 635-1133
General: (515) 643-3180

About Us

Mercy College of Health Sciences has been transforming students into healthcare professionals since 1899. Located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, we offer master's degrees, bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, certificate programs, and continuing education courses.

Mercy College is the only private Catholic college in central Iowa and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), in addition to numerous programmatic accreditors.

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Mercy College is a Catholic, accredited, nonprofit institution of higher learning.

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