The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is for students that already hold a Bachelor of Science (BS) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and wish to pursue a career as a Registered Nurse (RN). This is a full-time program focusing on a core nursing curriculum over 16 months or four semesters.
The nursing program mission flows from the college mission by preparing competent ethical nursing graduates at the baccalaureate and master’s level. The integration of knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences with professional education is designed to provide a student‐centered, high-quality education in nursing, grounded in evidence-based theory, including the educational and clinical opportunities that prepare them to practice as professional nurses. It is expected that graduates will practice in a variety of settings as they serve persons from diverse backgrounds in need of health care and form collaborative partnerships with professionals in other disciplines. In addition to a liberal education, the core components of the program in nursing are grounded in the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008) and the Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (2011) and include the competencies and knowledge essential to nursing practice, the values of the healing professions and the development of the professional role of the nurse. The program prepares its graduates for lifelong learning and a spirit of inquiry.
Note: Accreditation agencies and regulatory bodies may change requirements at any time and that, in turn, may necessitate changes in program requirements. In that event, matriculated students will be notified of the nature of those changes and will be required to adhere to the new standards.
Acceptance Policy for ABSN:
The Accelerated Nursing Program at Colby‐Sawyer College is extremely selective. To be considered for acceptance, program candidates must have or will meet the following requirements prior to the start of the program. If a student does not meet the conditions prior to program commencement, the conditional acceptance will be rescinded and the student will be withdrawn from the program. The student may be considered for future enrollment if admission requirements are fulfilled.
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Art (B.A.) degree from an accredited college/university.
- Cumulative GPA above 3.0 from college/university.
- Completion of the following pre-requisite courses. To qualify for a conditional acceptance, a minimum of 5 pre-requisites must be completed.
BIO 205 Anatomy and Physiology I & Lab I *
BIO 206 Anatomy and Physiology II & Lab II *
BIO 121 Microbiology & Lab *
SHS 101 Introduction to Sociology
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
PSY 240 Developmental Psychology
MAT 220 Introduction to Statistics
(*) To be taken within five years of application. Requires lab component and a minimum grade of B- for program entry.
Program candidates must provide the following admission material:
- Completed online application
- Verification of disciplinary action or criminal record
- Official transcript(s) from all post-secondary education
- Professional resume
ABSN Program Academic Policies:
- Students must achieve a B- in all ABSN courses.
- Students may repeat one nursing course (ABSN or NUR) one time, if necessary.
- Students must demonstrate competence in both classroom and clinical/lab components of the ABSN courses to progress in the program.
- ABSN courses with clinical internships have two grade components: a clinical grade expressed as Pass/Fail and a classroom letter grade.
- Students who fail a nursing course based upon their clinical performance and/or receive a grade less than a B- in the classroom, must successfully repeat both the classroom and the clinical components of the course before they can progress in the program. Permission to repeat a clinical course must be granted by the Director and Chair of Nursing and will be considered only when space permits.
- ABSN students may request a one-time transfer to the traditional undergraduate nursing program. Transfer requests must be submitted to the program coordinator. Approval is subject to program availability.
- Students must complete all ABSN coursework prior to NCLEX-RN Preparation, Nursing Leadership Capstone, and ABSN 442 (Clinical Capstone).
- The nursing faculty reserves the right to require withdrawal of any student whose health, conduct, or academic standing makes it unsafe for the student to remain in a nursing course or in a clinical setting. Failure to comply with clinical agency policy is also cause for dismissal from the ABSN program.
Clinical Education:
Clinical courses are taught by nursing faculty who are responsible for assisting students in the integration of theory and practice in a clinical setting. During the final semester, students complete a Capstone clinical preceptorship, working one‐on‐one with a nurse‐preceptor in a clinical setting under the guidance of nursing faculty. Concurrently, students will also develop a Capstone leadership project, addressing a health care issue they have identified.
Colby‐Sawyer College is fortunate to offer its students clinical experiences in a variety of inpatient and community settings. The School of Nursing & Health Sciences has relationships with Dartmouth‐Hitchcock Medical Center, New London Hospital, Lake Sunapee Region Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice, White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and New Hampshire area schools, in addition to other health and human services organizations.
Prior to the start, and for the duration of the program, every nursing student must have on record in the School of Nursing & Health Sciences evidence of:
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS)/CPR for the Healthcare Provider certification issued by either the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association (referred to as HeartCode BLS).
- Clinical agency health requirements that will be specified following program admission.
- A criminal background check and a urine drug screening test per agency requirements.
Additional Nursing Clinical Education Policies and Requirements:
- Students may not attend clinical internships without proper documentation of all health and safety requirements on file in the School of Nursing & Health Sciences.
- Random urine drug screening may also be conducted at the discretion of the program.
- Students are responsible for maintaining annual health requirements and certifications.
- Laptop (not “tablet”) computers that have the capability of meeting the operating system requirements of the college, and that have sufficient battery capability for a three-hour testing session, are required.
- Additional fees for the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) testing package will be required.
- Students who are ill are discouraged from participation in the classroom and clinical learning environments.
- Students who are absent during a clinical day(s) must make up the missed time and may be asked to pay a fee to cover the faculty costs incurred by a make‐up day.
Upon completion of degree requirements, students are able to:
- Incorporate, integrate and apply a broad body of knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences to the acquisition of nursing knowledge as the foundation for safe quality patient care.
- Promote the delivery of compassionate, culturally competent patient centered care in various settings using the core competencies and knowledge that underlie state and national standards of practice.
- Deliver high-quality, cost effective patient care through the application of organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement concepts and patient safety outcomes.
- Exercise clinical judgment and make ethical decisions using critical thinking to deliver and evaluate safe, evidence-based nursing care across the lifespan and the continuum of care.
- Communicate effectively in writing, verbally and electronically with all members of the interdisciplinary health care team, including clients, families, communities and their support systems.
- Demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors that incorporate clients’ rights and professional codes and standards.
- Understand the micro-systems and macro-systems that influence health care delivery in order to achieve quality patient outcomes that address health care disparities within economic boundaries.
- Use critical inquiry and information technology to participate in quality improvement processes.
- Assume responsibility for professional development and life-long learning in an ever-changing and challenging health care environment.
Graduates of the ABSN program are prepared to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), assume entry-level positions in professional nursing and enroll in graduate studies.
Please contact the ABSN program coordinator, School of Nursing & Health Sciences for individual advising.