CU College of Nursing - RN to Nursing BS Program, Denver, Colorado

Course Descriptions

 

Listed below are the undergraduate courses in the College of Nursing RN to BS program. To view the description of the course, click on the course title.

Faculty

In addition to providing state-of-the-art technology both inside and outside the classroom, the University of Colorado College of Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the nation's top nursing programs. The faculty at the College of Nursing is dedicated to educating graduates using evidence based best practices in all areas of nursing.

Our distinguished faculty have made significant contributions to a wide variety of areas in nursing, including school-based health care, nursing informatics, setting standards in pain management, rural health as well as pediatric nursing. As we look to the future, we continue to expand our areas of influence including public health, health care of children and chronic illness care. Our clinical faculty practice in many settings, providing a wide variety of specialty care and working with varying populations. An education at the University of Colorado provides opportunities to be educated by some of the nation’s leading nursing clinicians and nurse science researchers.

For more information about our renowned faculty and research interests, visit and review the College of Nursing faculty pages and bios.

Careers

A bachelor of science (BS) degree in nursing provides a wide variety of career choices. Upon successful completion of the BS nursing program and the national licensure examination (NCLEX), baccalaureate prepared nurses are able to choose from a wide variety of practice settings. Additionally, unlike graduates prepared with an associate degree in nursing, bachelors prepared nurses are able to pursue advanced degrees in nursing including careers as an adult or pediatric nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife or certified nurse anesthetist. Doctorate level education is also possible for bachelors prepared nurses who wish to pursue a PhD or DNP (doctorate in nursing practice).

Examples of potential practice areas include:

• providing patient care in the hospital settings (the most popular choice of nursing graduates)
• caring for patients in community based settings
• providing nursing leadership through nursing management positions
• pursuing a nursing career at  Magnet designated hospital facilities
• providing nursing care to individuals, families and communities internationally
• working in clinical research by coordinating human subject studies
•  helping shape future nursing clinicians through teaching opportunities

For more information on the wide variety of career options available to BS in nursing graduates, please visit the Johnson and Johnson Discovering Nursing website.

Continuum of Care Practicum Project (Clinical Experience)

Clinical experiences flexibly focus on your learning needs and interests.  A practicum project across the continuum of care provides opportunity to develop an evidence-based project on a topic of your choice, relevant to acute care, public/community health and case management

• An emphasis on application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through practicum hours and project development, vs. traditional scheduled shifts
• You will have the opportunity to identify an area of interest relevant to professional nursing roles and practice.
• Examples of focused areas of interest may be related to leadership and management, IOM/QSEN competencies (patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality, safety, and nursing informatics), clinical best practice, cost/quality improvement initiative, or aspect of institutional strategic plan. 
• Course faculty, in collaboration with RN-BS academic advisor and/or mentor/preceptors, approve, facilitate, and provide oversight for practicum and project development
• The project focus may align with strategic initiatives or performance plans/career ladder at your place of employment.
• The project prioritizes ability for you to schedule flexibly to complete clinical exploration and practicum project.
• The project may conclude in a paper, poster, presentation, staff development or patient education, component of unit/organization initiative, or other demonstration of significant and successful endeavor in the area of your interest across courses and practicum experiences.