The Columbus campus currently offers two educational programs in nursing: a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and an Associate Level of Nursing program.
In the BSN program there are two options: a nine-semester on-site option and a three-semester online option for registered nurses wishing to complete their BSN degree. There are also two options in the associate program. The first option is a six-semester program for students with no prior nursing education. This option may be available online or on-site depending on the campus location. There is also an opportunity for LPNs to bridge toward their associate degree through both the on-site or online options.
General education provides the foundation for the nursing major and continued learning in all educational programs. Chamberlain contracts with DeVry University to provide general education courses for both online and on-site students. Both clinical and non-clinical nursing courses in each program prepare graduates for practice at differing levels of experience and responsibility.
Chamberlain is committed to career mobility within the profession of nursing. LPNs have the opportunity to bridge toward an associate degree in five semesters of coursework. Registered nurses can complete the BSN degree in three semesters.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The BSN program incorporates general education and nursing coursework in a program of study that provides knowledge and skills necessary for a lifetime of personal and professional growth. The general education component of the curriculum provides the student with a liberal arts foundation. This is accomplished through academic experiences that provide skills needed for advanced studies and lifelong learning. The first year of the program emphasizes general education and prepares the student for the nursing major.
The nursing curriculum provides the opportunity for the student to acquire and demonstrate the professional nursing knowledge and skills necessary to assist clients to attain an optimal level of health. This is accomplished through an integration of theoretical nursing knowledge with essential clinical skills. The curriculum integrates moral, ethical, and legal principles with critical thinking, decision-making, leadership, and management techniques. An introductory course in nursing is offered in the third semester of the first year, and clinical practice experiences begin in the second year.
The majority of nursing coursework occurs in the second and third years. Significant clinical practice hours are planned throughout the program to promote the proficiency in skills necessary for safe, competent nursing practice. Students’ clinical experiences occur in acute and long-term care facilities as well as in community settings that reflect the changing healthcare environment.
The emphasis on clinical experience, supported by theory from nursing and related disciplines, is the hallmark of the BSN curriculum at Chamberlain. Theoretical and clinical nursing courses, nursing research, and cultural diversity courses provide the professional education base for the BSN degree. The BSN degree consists of a minimum of 126 credit hours: 66 credit hours in general education and 60 credit hours in the nursing major.
Associate Level of Nursing
The Associate Nursing degree program is a six-semester year-round program. The first year of the program is designed for students with no prior nursing education and includes fundamentals in nursing, basic nursing courses and general education courses.
Continuation to the second level of studies enables the student to earn an associate degree and take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who wish to pursue associate degree completion will be given advanced standing.
The registered nurse with an associate degree or diploma may complete the BSN degree via online instruction. The online option allows the registered nurse student to complete the BSN degree in three semesters within an educational format designed for adult learners.
Program details - LPN to RN Bridge Option
LPN students are awarded up to 10 credit hours (3 in general education and 7 in nursing) toward the Associate degree in Nursing. These hours are awarded through the Chamberlain College Articulation Plan (CCAP) and represent credit for knowledge gained in previous practical nurse education programs. Content for awarded credit includes theory and experience in basic maternal/newborn nursing, nursing of children, nursing of adults and geriatric clients, and mental health nursing as well as developmental psychology. To receive this transfer credit the LPN student must successfully pass a validation test of adult health content. This test is administered as part of the course requirement for NR 225.
Accreditation:
Chamberlain College of Nursing is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association www.ncahlc.org one of the six regional agencies that accredit U.S. colleges and universities at the institutional level. The Jacksonville campus is pending approval. The associate and bachelor’s degree programs in nursing at the Columbus and St. Louis campuses are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The bachelor’s degree program in nursing at the Addison, Columbus, Phoenix and St. Louis campuses is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Accreditation provides assurance to the public and to prospective students that standards of quality have been met. Program availability varies by location.