Regents Approve Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree

After action Tuesday by The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, students attending Gordon State College now have two ways to earn a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing degree.

Since 1973, Gordon has provided students seeking a degree in nursing a well-established and consistently excellent Associate of Science Degree in Nursing (ASN) program.

In 2010, administrators took the next step in addressing Georgia's need for a better educated workforce by developing a RN to BSN completion program for licensed nurses who want to earn a bachelor's degree.

The BSN program approved Tuesday is a traditional four year pre-licensure nursing degree consisting of two years of core requirements and two years of nursing course work.

The ASN program currently admits approximately 160 students per year and the RN to BSN program between 40 and 60 students per year.

The 2014 annual survey conducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) indicated that 43.7 percent of hospitals and other healthcare settings are requiring new hires to have a bachelor's degree in nursing, while 78.6 percent of employers are expressing a strong preference for BSN program graduates.

The first two years of the program can be completed at Gordon State's main campus in Barnesville, as well as on Gordon State's campus in Henry County. The last two years of the curriculum will be taught solely on the Barnesville campus in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Clinical experiences will take place at regional health care facilities and community agencies.