USM Taking Applications for Accelerated BSN Degree Pathway
Tue, 09/27/2022 - 09:25am | By: Van Arnold
The College of Nursing and Health Professions at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is accepting applications for a unique, accelerated pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree that will be offered on the University’s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, Miss.
The pathway will help eligible students earn a BSN degree in a shorter time and decrease barriers to admission, while providing benefits to those who have already earned a higher education degree. The initial cohort is expected to start coursework in January 2023. Plans call for two admission cycles per year.
Significant components of the accelerated plan include:
- Can be finished in 12 months
- Scholarships are available
- Same degree as traditional BSN – has same clinical experiences
- Able to bypass some typical requirements, having already earned a degree
- CCNE accredited
“It is very exciting to be able to offer students with existing bachelor’s degrees a new pathway to become a nurse,” said Dr. Elizabeth Tinnon, Associate Professor and Director of USM’s School of Professional Nursing Practice. “It is a significant milestone for our nursing program and demonstrates USM’s continued commitment to providing innovative ways for students to achieve their goal of becoming a nurse.”
Students expected to enroll in this degree option will be eligible to bypass some typical BSN requirements because they have already earned a degree. Prospective applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Earlier this year, online resource guide Nursingprocess.org, ranked USM as No. 1 for best accredited nursing schools in Mississippi. Housed within the College of Nursing and Health Professions, the nursing program has continued to raise the bar for excellence in education and clinical preparation.
Southern Miss nursing students put classroom theory into action at the state-of-the-art facilities and simulation labs, where students can focus on learning essential nursing competencies such as assessment, skills, and patient care. Clinical rotations are scheduled at a range of local health care facilities throughout Central and South Mississippi. Through the accelerated pathway, those rotations will include facilities along the Gulf Coast.
One major objective of the accelerated pathway is to combat the nation’s nursing shortage by putting more nurses in the workforce in a shorter amount of time.
“As the accelerated BSN pathway is being offered at the Gulf Park campus, we believe this will increase the number of nurses working in the coastal communities,” said Tinnon. “Students will complete clinicals located within the coastal area. When students have positive clinical experiences, they are more likely to choose that particular health care facility at the time of graduation.”
USM also offers a BSN program for those who do not already have a bachelor’s degree on Hattiesburg campus, as well as a fully online RN-BSN program.
To learn more about USM’s nursing program, call 601.266.5445 or visit: https://www.usm.edu/nursing-health-professions/index.php
About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution
delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching
and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. Founded in
1910, USM is one of only 146 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification
of Institutions of Higher Education’s "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research
activity” designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean
science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and large event venue safety
and security, among others. USM is also one of only 39 institutions in the nation
accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM
generates an annual economic impact of more than $663 million across the state. USM
welcomes a diverse student body of more than 14,000, representing more than 70 countries,
all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman
Scholarships and 37 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while
also leading Mississippi with 27 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes
the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes
in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA). For more information, visit usm.edu.