Nursing Degree Overview
Justina Malinak, Assistant Teaching Professor and Program Coordinator gives an overview of Penn State Scranton's Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing
Established in 1965, the General B.S.N. program is a four-year nursing program that combines a broad liberal arts and science foundation with an extensive range of nursing courses. The nursing degree program prepares students to provide nursing care in a variety of settings, including hospitals, private practice, long-term care, clinics, and health care/community agencies.
Students gain experience in diverse settings such as academic medical centers, rural hospitals, community agencies, schools, and prisons. After earning the B.S., students are eligible to take the national examination for licensure as a registered nurse (NCLEX).
Why a four-year nursing degree?
A four-year education helps nurses navigate the increasingly complex medical field. In its report The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the Institute of Medicine recommends that 80 percent of all nurses have, at minimum, a bachelor's degree by 2020. Hospitals applying for Magnet status employ a larger percentage of nurses with a B.S. degree than those without. Many institutions have higher pay grades for baccalaureate-prepared nurses. A four-year degree is also the foundation for the advanced education needed for advanced practice positions (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist) and other advanced nursing roles (administrator, educator, or researcher).
For more information, please call:
- Admissions 570-963-2500
- Registrar 570-963-2505
Many US states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.
Annette Blasi-Strubeck, MSN, CCRN, Instructor, Nursing (right) works with students in The Nursing Sim Lab in the campus' Nursing Suite. The realistic patient simulators give students hands on experience in the classroom.
Credit: Penn State Scranton
Penn State Scranton nursing students gain hands-on experience and practice with a computerized mannequin resembling a newborn.
Credit: Penn State Scranton
Using a birthing mother and newborn simulator, nursing students gain hands-on learning experiences and can practice their clinical assessment skills in a controlled environment.
Credit: Penn State Scranton
The Nursing Sim Lab in the campus' Nursing Suite houses all of the patient simulator robots that are currently in use at Penn State Scranton. The realistic simulators have proven to be a valuable teaching tool at the campus and faculty hope to be able to add more to the campus' collection.
Credit: Penn State Scranton
Nursing Instructor Theresa Baker, MSN, RN checks the vitals of Sim Junior, which represents a seven-year-old boy. In addition to emulating vital signs for nursing students to check, Sim Junior can also cough and say yes or no.
Credit: Penn State Scranton
