St Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

Nursing Programs Offered

RN to BSN Program Details

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing offers an accelerated pathway for nurses interested in obtaining a BSN degree. This option provides students the opportunity to translate professional experience and education into academic credit through the development of a portfolio. Students earn credit by developing a portfolio that documents how they have acquired nursing knowledge and skills that meet the learning objectives in a specific College of Nursing course.

Academic advisement is available at the College to assist the student with a plan for advanced placement, transfer of credit and completion of requirements. All policies regarding academic advisement, progression in the nursing major, and program completion apply to the RN student.

BSN Program Details

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing offers an undergraduate program that leads to a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN). The program continues over a 100-year history and tradition of excellence in nursing education. The BSN program prepares men and women for the practice of professional nursing. The curriculum for the BSN program consists of 124 semester hours of coursework. The hours are divided into 62 hours of liberal arts and sciences courses at an accredited college or university of the student's choice and 62 hours of study in the nursing major at the College of Nursing. The curriculum was designed by the faculty so that each course contributes to the overall program. The curriculum is based upon the Mission and Philosophy of the College. Courses required in the pre-nursing sequence prepare the student for the study of the nursing major. Upon graduation, students are eligible to write the national licensure examination for practice as a professional registered nurse.

The BSN program offers a variety of clinical experiences to prepare students for the practice of nursing. OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is the primary clinical site. OSF Saint Francis is an academic medical center affiliated with the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. A Level I Trauma Center and tertiary medical center with the Children's Hospital of Illinois, OSF Saint Francis is also recognized for its quality nursing care having earned Magnet Recognition Status from the American Nurses' Credentialing Commission. In addition to the nursing clinical at OSF Saint Francis, students also gain experiences at four local health departments, the Human Service Center, agencies of the Catholic Social Services and various other community agencies.