Robert Morris University

Nursing Programs Offered

Accelerated BSN Programs
BSN Programs
Clinical Nurse Specialist - Doctor's degree - professional practice
DNP Programs (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
RN Programs

BSN Program Details

The nursing degree program at RMU builds on the natural and behavioral sciences, integrating liberal arts and professional courses into a cohesive program. Students develop strong technical skills, as well as the clinical judgment and critical thinking necessary to succeed in today's rapidly changing health care system. Clinical experiences are conducted in community and hospital settings.

The program has a unique focus on business, communications, global perspective and technology in addition to strong clinical skills, and preparation for the licensing exam to become a registered nurse. All students will utilize handheld computer technology capable of storing software applications and data at their fingertips. Students learn to care for patients in state-of-the-art clinical facilities as well as in RMU's up-to-date nursing laboratory, where bedside computers and patient simulators will assist in developing clinical decision-making skills. Students also have the opportunity to travel internationally to better understand global health issues.

Students are admitted to the program in the fall semester and complete the program in eight semesters (fall and spring) over four years. The first two years involve core courses in liberal arts and sciences with nursing courses beginning in the second semester of the sophomore year. Clinical courses begin in fall of the junior year. Students are admitted to the program as freshmen but must meet progression criteria to advance to clinical courses.

The B.S.N. degree program prepares students to:

-Demonstrate critical thinking, clinical decision-making and psychomotor skills necessary for safe and competent practice
-Integrate methods of research and scholarship to make and prioritize diagnoses, plan, implement and evaluate the care of individuals, groups and communities
-Assess health and incorporate principles and methods of health promotion and health education in nursing care of individuals, groups and communities
-Integrate traditional and developing methods of discovering, retrieving and using information in nursing practice
-Demonstrate professional behaviors when providing nursing care to individuals and families
-Describe how health care delivery systems are organized and financed and the effect on patient care
-Communicate clearly and succinctly in speech and writing.

MSN Program Details

If you already hold a baccalaureate degree in nursing, RMU offers a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) with a concentration in nursing education to prepare you for a career as an educator in health care and academic settings.

This CCNE-accredited program is designed to provide maximum flexibility and support for individuals with busy professional lives. Courses are taught using a combination of online and classroom study, with only 50 percent of course work completed on campus.

Strong interdisciplinary courses and individual educationalized practicum experiences make this program attractive to the busy professional nurse.

The M.S.N. in Nursing Education will provide you with knowledge of the educational process and practical experiences that will prepare you to be an effective educator and leader. The curriculum combines strong interdisciplinary support courses in education and information science with focused nursing courses to develop expertise in teaching and presentation methods that incorporate the use of technology.

The M.S.N degree program prepares students to:

1. Demonstrate mastery of advanced knowledge and skills in a specialized role.

2. Critically evaluate knowledge and theories from nursing and other disciplines for their contribution to nursing practice and education.

3. Demonstrate leadership activities to advance the profession of nursing.

4. Critically evaluate issues relative to nursing practice and health care in light of scientific knowledge and personal and societal values.

5. Analyze how health care delivery systems are organized and financed, and the effect on patient care.

6. Communicate clearly and succinctly in speech and writing.

The M.S.N. is a 36-credit, part-time evening degree program that can be completed in six semesters (two years) by taking two courses per semester. Courses are offered in two eight week sessions per semester, with on-campus classes supplemented by out-of-class online activities. Approximately half of the coursework is completed in the classroom and half completed online.

Accelerated BSN Program Details

The Nursing Second Degree Track is designed for students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and do not hold RN licensure. Studies lead to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree.

The nursing degree program at RMU builds on the natural and behavioral sciences, integrating liberal arts and professional courses into a cohesive program. Students develop strong technical skills, as well as the clinical judgment and critical thinking necessary to succeed in today's rapidly changing health care system. Clinical experiences are conducted in community and hospital settings.

The program has a unique focus on business, communications, global perspective and technology in addition to strong clinical skills, and preparation for the licensing exam to become a registered nurse. All students will utilize handheld computer technology capable of storing software applications and data at their fingertips. Students learn to care for patients in state-of-the-art clinical facilities as well as in RMU's up-to-date nursing laboratory, where bedside computers and patient simulators will assist in developing clinical decision-making skills. Students also have the opportunity to travel internationally to better understand global health issues.

Depending on the applicant's previous degree and course work, many of the core and prerequisite course requirements can be satisfied by transfer credits, and in some cases by advanced placement. Once students start courses with clinical, the degree can be completed in four consecutive semesters over a 15-month period. Three prerequisite courses are to be taken prior to the first nursing course with a clinical component including Intro to professional Nursing, Pathophysiology, and Nursing Assessment and Health Promotion. These nursing courses are to be taken at RMU in either the preceding spring or summer term.

The B.S.N. degree program prepares students to:

-Demonstrate critical thinking, clinical decision-making and psychomotor skills necessary for safe and competent practice
-Integrate methods of research and scholarship to make and prioritize diagnoses, plan, implement and evaluate the care of individuals, groups and communities
-Assess health and incorporate principles and methods of health promotion and health education in nursing care of individuals, groups and communities
-Integrate traditional and developing methods of discovering, retrieving and using information in nursing practice
-Demonstrate professional behaviors when providing nursing care to individuals and families
-Describe how health care delivery systems are organized and financed and the effect on patient care
-Communicate clearly and succinctly in speech and writing.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Details

The responsibilities and opportunities for nurses continue to grow in scope and complexity. The next generation of nursing leaders will be called upon to deliver patient-centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team, emphasizing evidence-based practice, quality improvement and informatics.

Growth and change in the field indicates a strong need for doctoral-level training for advanced practice nurses. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) is an emerging field of study approved by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in 2004. The AACN has issued a position statement advocating that advanced practice nurses evolve to the D.N.P. level by 2015.

Robert Morris University's D.N.P. degree program is clinically oriented, preparing graduates to employ clinical reasoning at the highest level of nursing practice to plan and implement patient care. Nurses completing the program will have a strong practice-oriented preparation with the ability to work within teams of health professionals, care for diverse populations, and lead other health care providers in providing safe, high-quality health care.

RMU's D.N.P. curriculum emphasizes teamwork and team building among health care practitioners, including physicians, social workers, pharmacists and others. In designing the program, RMU incorporated all five of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recommendations regarding the future of health professions education: patient-centered care, interdisciplinary teams, evidence-based practice, quality improvement and better use of informatics.

For advanced practice nurses who already have a master's degree, the D.N.P. Completion Program combines an appealing format with specially targeted content to provide the perfect extension of knowledge and abilities. The coursework moves students to the next level of their careers, incorporating a broader knowledge of health care in today's complex market.

The objectives of the D.N.P. program are to prepare advanced practice nurses who:

-Apply nursing science and clinical reasoning at the highest level of practice to plan and implement care.
-Utilize expert communication and leadership skills with interdisciplinary teams to create improvements in health care and complex health care delivery systems.
-Integrate theory, clinical inquiry, information technology, and evidence-based practice for clinical decision-making and the provision of patient care.
-Lead health care provider teams to systematically evaluate outcomes and implement quality improvements based on evidence-based practice.
-Generate a culturally competent practice environment.
-Influence health policy to improve health care delivery and outcomes for all stakeholders.
-Partner with other health care providers to form an inter-professional team to advance high-quality, safe, patient-centered care.
-Lead initiatives to promote disease prevention and population health.