The core courses in this program are administered in an online group format, with a group of students progressing together through each course. Each course is offered in a time frame comparable to a traditional semester schedule, with fixed start and end dates. General Education courses are offered in both online group and online individual study formats and are also delivered on a traditional semester schedule.
Clinical Requirements
Some of the courses in this program include clinical lab requirements, which may be undertaken at your local health care facility under the supervision of a qualified preceptor. Your course instructor or the RN to B.S. online program coordinator can assist you in determining if a potential preceptor and/or clinical site have the required qualifications. You can e-mail the program coordinator at mfm107@psu.edu.
Lab Requirements
To participate in any clinical course experience, all students must have the following forms and clearances up-to-date each year:
- Annual health examination/health examination forms
- Health insurance
- Malpractice insurance
- CPR
- Criminal abuse history clearance
- Criminal record check clearance
Clinical courses require students to pair up with a qualified preceptor for supervision of the experience.
Preceptor Qualifications:
- Currently licensed as a registered nurse (RN)
- Minimum of a baccalaureate degree in nursing
- Tangible evidence of commitment to further education and/or competency (workshops, conferences, certification, or enrollment in courses)
- Experience as a nurse for at least one year
- Employment time in the setting sufficient for thorough familiarity with the institution (The actual time can be determined jointly by the preceptor, agency, and faculty.)
- Voluntary acceptance of the preceptor role
Preceptor Responsibilities:
- Participating in the student's orientation to the clinical environment
- In conjunction with the student, selecting learning experiences to meet the objectives of the course
- Continuous on-site teaching of the student
- Allowing the student to work in a collaborative relationship
- Providing the majority of the clinical guidance and/or supervision as dictated by the learning experience
- Maintaining open dialogue with the faculty and the student
- Evaluating the student's progress continuously and providing feedback
More Information
Details and required forms are found in the School of nursing's RN to B.S. in nursing handbook. To open this PDF document, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download.
NOTE: Semesters generally run as follows:
- Fall: August through December
- Spring: January through April
- Summer: May through August
The Pennsylvania State University and the World Campus reserve the right to alter this schedule.
