**Orlando and Tampa students starting in or after September 2021, click here  for the Bridge Option Program Outline.

Program Description

This bridge to ASN program is open to licensed practical nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, and cardiovascular technologists. This associate degree nursing program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing (FBON) and prepares students to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and to begin a professional nursing career. Graduates will be prepared to integrate nursing knowledge, critical thinking, and nursing skills in the healthcare environment in order to provide a broad, holistic, and concept-based understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the registered nurse. Courses are designed for students to attend planned clinical and laboratory experiences that will complement classroom learning and development of the critical thinking skills necessary to apply nursing concepts across the health continuum.

Program Outcomes (Student Learning Outcomes)

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

1. Manage quality, safe, evidence-based, skilled, and patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process.
2. Engage in critical thinking necessary to provide quality nursing care.
3. Integrate individualized teaching plans.
4. Participate in collaborative relationships with patients, families, and members of the interdisciplinary team to provide and improve patient care.
5. Demonstrate leadership in a variety of healthcare settings for diverse patient populations.
6. Use information technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.
7. Incorporate professional, ethical, and legal principles into entry-level nursing performance.
8. Think critically, both conceptually and by using mathematical analysis; write and speak effectively; use basic computer applications; and understand human behavior in the context of the greater society.

Special Admission Requirements

Applicants must have successfully completed a program in practical nursing, paramedic, respiratory therapy, or cardiovascular technology and hold a license in that discipline. Please refer to the “Undergraduate Nursing Program Requirements ” policy in the Admissions Information section of this catalog for nursing program admission requirements.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, registered nurse. 

Program Content

A minimum of 72.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation. Students who have completed a program in practical nursing, paramedic, respiratory therapy, or cardiovascular technology in the state in which the program was completed and who hold a current license from any state will be awarded 14.00 semester credit hours toward this degree.

Third Party Testing

Assessment and remediation are critical components of nursing education. Students in the nursing program may be required to take third-party, standardized exams in an electronic format throughout the curriculum. These standardized tests are valid and reliable predictors of success on the NCLEX examination and provide valuable feedback concerning student strengths and weaknesses. Student learning outcome data identifies content areas that require remediation, allowing faculty to personalize student support and intervention. Courses that utilize third-party exams will incorporate the points earned on the test as a percentage of the final grade earned for the course as specified in the course syllabus.