RN to BSN (online)

The RN to BSN program has two admissions requirements:

• A current unencumbered FL or Compact RN license or be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN
• Cumulative GPA of 2.5

Students that have received their pre-licensure nursing degree (AS/AA) from a non-regionally accredited institution must complete the following process to receive prior coursework credit.  

Prior to initial enrollment at LSSC, a student may request credit for coursework obtained at an institution that is not regionally accredited. The student must submit the appeal documentation directly to the Admissions and Records   Office for verification of all documents.

Required documentation includes:

1. A completed Request for Evaluation of Online Course form;
2. Official transcripts of coursework;
3. A course description from the term in which the course was taken which is recognized by the American Council on Education;
4. A course syllabus from the term in which the course was taken;
5. A statement on letterhead from the institution indicating the instructor of the course that was taken, the academic credentials of the instructor, the concentration of the instructor's master's degree or specific graduate course titles, and the institution from which the credentials/degree were earned.

Once all documents are received, the student's request will be submitted to the appropriate academic administrator for evaluation. The academic administrator will determine if the instructor's credentials meet those required by SACSCOC and if the course content is of equivalent value to a LSSC course. All coursework approved by the academic administrator will be evaluated using the same guidelines as those for regionally accredited institutions.  The academic administrator will determine specific course equivalency for a general education or major course or degree program requirement. Additionally, the equivalency may be granted towards elective credit. Approval of all evaluated coursework will be included in the LSSC official student transcript. Denied requests may be appealed in writing to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Application Process

• Submit your online application and $30 application fee
• Submit high school/GED and prior college/university transcripts
• Complete the FAFSA and other financial aid forms

Program Length

Credit Hours: 30 core program credit hours (plus 18 additional hours to fulfill requirements)

Estimated Time to Completion: Full-time students (15 credits per semester) can finish the program in two semesters. Part-time students (6 credits per semester) can finish the program in 5 semesters or 18 months.

Course Types Offered

All courses in the RN-BSN program will be offered in an online course type. The courses are offered in a 7-week format. 

Learn more about course types offered at LSSC.

The Capstone course and the Community and Public Health courses include clinical hours. The design of these clinical components will allow students to self-schedule their clinical hours in their local communities.

Program Costs

Total tuition costs for the Nursing program are currently about $3,668. The cost per credit hour is $122.25 multiplied by the program credit hours, 30. This does not include course/lab fees and textbooks. For more information, visit our current Tuition & Fee information page.

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to all eligible students each semester from the LSSC Foundation. Visit the Foundation Scholarships page to learn more.

Students graduating from high school and enrolling at LSSC may qualify for other scholarships offered through the State of Florida. You will be notified of your eligibility after you apply to the College.

Financial Aid

There are many options to finance your education. You may be eligible for Federal Grants, Work-Study, State Grants, Federal Loans, and Institutional Scholarships. For more information and how to apply, please visit the Financial Aid page.

Jobs/Careers

• Registered Nurse

Job Outlook (Florida)

Statewide, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FLDEO) predicts a 3.27% job growth in Registered Nurses through 2023. This includes all 67 of Florida's counties.

In Central Florida, FLDEO predicts a 20.9% growth rate inRegistered Nurses through 2029. For this data, Central Florida includes Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Sumter Counties.

Salary Data (Florida)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2021 wage data, the median salary for
Registered Nurses is $78,000 in Central Florida. Across Florida, the median salary is $75,000. For this data, Central Florida includes Lake, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties.

Program Vision

Lake-Sumter State College’s post-licensure baccalaureate in nursing (RN to BSN) program provides a positive, supportive, and transformative distance-learning environment that promotes student success through evidence-based, innovative instructional design and delivery grounded in the philosophical tenets of critical theory, humanism and social constructionism. The program seeks to strengthen the health, well-being, and quality of life of those living in the communities served by LSSC, by anticipating and meeting their needs for competent, safe, and compassionate nurse generalists.

Program Mission

The purpose of the post-licensure baccalaureate nursing program (RN to BSN) is to prepare environmentally, culturally, and relationally safe, competent nurse generalists who honor and respect human dignity, and who are prepared to take a leading, critical role in meeting the diverse, complex health care needs of ever-changing local and global communities.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing science and liberal studies to apply critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and decision-making skills that improve nursing care of individuals, families, and communities through the life span.
2. Incorporate effective interprofessional and collaboration skills to provide safe, nursing care that promotes patient preferences, mutual respect and improved health and outcomes.
3. Analyze the concepts of nursing leadership and management in the ethical principles of professional nursing to promote safe and quality outcomes of wholistic care in various healthcare environments.
4. Examine the use of information technology to promote the delivery of safe, quality nursing care.
5. Integrate nursing research, theory and trends related to nursing practice that promotes health and provides access to healthcare for diverse populations.

Student Achievement

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

The RN to BSN nursing program at Lake-Sumter State College located in Leesburg, Florida is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm.

College Accreditation

Lake-Sumter State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Learn more on our Accreditation page.

Program Director

Dr. Elinda Steury, Program Director
steurye@lssc.edu

Elinda E. Steury, PhD, RN is Program Director for the online RN-BSN program at LSSC.  She has more than three decades of healthcare experience - at the bedside and in leadership roles - with a strong background in critical care.  She also has over a decade as an educator.  She has a passion for developing the next generation of nurses & assisting students to achieve their academic goals. 

Her professional interests include patient care practices, international healthcare, and tropical disease management. Her research focuses on health promotion, disease prevention and pharmacoadherence in the treatment of malaria in Zambia. 

Dr. Steury received her BSN from UCF in 1988, her MSN in Education from UCF in 2009 and her PhD from UCF in 2014. 

Program Contact

Shirley Bazemore, MA
Advisor, RN-BSN Program
Phone:  (352) 523-2121
Email:  bsn@lssc.edu

Kayla Sharon
Allied Health Student Coordinator
Phone:  (352) 365-3513
Email:  bsn@lssc.edu

Lake-Sumter State College does not currently require COVID-19 vaccinations.  However, the State of Florida and national accreditation agencies require instruction and skills validation in clinical healthcare settings.  The individual clinical facilities set the vaccination rules for their institutions.  These clinical facilities set the compliance rules (i.e., immunizations, drug screenings, background checks, etc.) that students must meet to be eligible for instruction at these sites. If a student decides not to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or meet other eligibility requirements defined by the clinical facility, they may not be allowed to participate at those sites and may not be able to complete the requirements of the program and obtain the diploma/certification. If there are any questions about these requirements, please speak to the program manager or academic advisor.

In order to participate in the clinical portion of the program, students will be required to meet additional criteria. Healthcare professionals must keep ALL immunizations current. OSHA requires immunization against Hepatitis B for all individuals in a workplace environment where the potential exposure to blood exists. Students admitted to the program must have an immunization record on file and a current TB test before they can enter practicum.

• ANNUAL FLU SHOT: Have documentation of annual flu shot administered during the current flu season. If a student chooses not to have the flu shot, a signed declination/waiver form is required.
• HEPATITIS B: Begin the Hepatitis B series. The vaccine for Hepatitis B is highly recommended. There must be documentation of 3 vaccinations or positive antibody titer (lab report required). If a student chooses not to have the vaccine, a signed declination/waiver form is required.
• TB TEST: Complete a 1 Step TB Skin Test or Chest X-ray. There must be documentation of one of the following: a) negative 1 step test in the past 6 weeks; OR b) negative Quantiferon Gold Blood Test (lab report required) in the past 6 weeks. If either test is positive, a clear chest x-ray (with lab report) is required.
• TETANUS: Provide proof of a Tetanus booster within the past 10 years.
• VARICELLA (CHICKEN POX): Provide documentation of one of the following: a) 2 vaccinations; OR b) positive antibody titer (lab reports required).
• MEASLES, MUMPS, & RUBELLA (MMR): Provide documentation of one of the following: a) 2 vaccinations; OR b) positive antibody titers for all 3 components.
• CORONAVIRUS DISEASE SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19): Have documentation of the COVID-19 vaccine. If a student chooses not to have the vaccine, a signed declination/waiver form is required.

The State of Florida requires students entering a Florida College System (FCS) or State University System (SUS) institution to demonstrate competency in civic literacy by the time they graduate, pursuant to s. 1007.25(5), Florida Statutes. Beginning with the 2021-2022 academic year, newly enrolled students must demonstrate competency through completion of a civic literacy course and by achieving a passing score on the Florida Civic Literacy Examination (FCLE).

Check your DegreeWorks or the Florida Civic Literacy Requirement page for more information.