ACCELERATED BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
CHART YOUR COURSE
BECOME A NURSE – In 1 Year!
Mercy College of Health Sciences’ one-year, full-time, fully accredited Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is one of the largest and most affordable accelerated programs in the country. Not to mention we’re located in Des Moines, Iowa, conveniently close to your clinical rotation sites and in the middle of a hub for professionals looking for a low cost of living. Not from Des Moines? No problem! We have partnerships across the state so you can join the program from Dubuque, Storm Lake, Iowa City, and the Cedar Rapids areas!
Median Wage1
Year Program
(Full-Time)
NCLEX Pass Rate†
Projected Job Growth from
2020 – 20301
Our body of work
ABOUT OUR ACCELERATED BSN MAJOR
Our Accelerated BSN curriculum is designed for high-achieving students who have already completed a minimum of 68 credits of college coursework, including all of the core curriculum classes needed to earn a Bachelor’s degree at Mercy College. This option offers all required nursing coursework over five terms (one year) of intensive study, allowing you to earn your BSN and sit for your licensing exam in only 12 months.
The Accelerated BSN major will prepare you to assume roles involving management and coordination of care, leadership, education, research, population-focused health, and inter-professional collaboration. We have start dates year-round and an affordable tuition rate designed to put you on your path toward becoming a nurse even faster.
Application Deadline: Application materials (including all transcripts) must be received by:
- Spring Semester: August 1
- Summer Semester: January 1
- Fall Semester: April 1
Quality Education
Delivered to You!
Looking to become a nurse, but not local to Des Moines? We’ve got you covered! We’ve partnered with healthcare organizations across the state of Iowa to bring a Mercy College education to you! With cohorts in Dubuque, Storm Lake, Iowa City, and the Cedar Rapids areas, earning your Accelerated BSN has never been simpler! Our professional faculty provide online lectures with in-person skills labs and clinical rotations with healthcare facilities in YOUR area. You’ll receive the same top-notch education that Mercy College is known for but in a city near to you, making it as convenient as possible for you to earn your BSN at a time and place that work for you.
Mercy College also offers 3+1 agreements with Buena Vista University, Faith Baptist Bible College, Loras College, and Simpson College. These partnerships enable students to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mercy College and their respective bachelor’s degrees from BVU, Faith Baptist, Loras, or Simpson in just four years!
APPROVED BY THE IOWA BOARD OF NURSING (IBON)
The baccalaureate degree program is approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
ACCREDITED BY THE COMMISSION ON COLLEGIATE NURSING EDUCATION (CCNE)
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org)
Faculty in the Accelerated BSN program are highly motivated and skilled healthcare practitioners comfortable with the latest technology and evidenced-based practices in their specialty areas of healthcare. They average more than 23 years of clinical experience. As a student, you will receive an exceptional level of personalized instruction from experienced educators dedicated to your success.
I love that the class sizes at Mercy College are small enough to work closely with those in my cohort. It is beneficial to be able to build relationships with faculty that help us grow into better healthcare professionals.
Arianna E., BSN Candidate (Accelerated), Tampa, FL
The Accelerated BSN tuition is calculated on a per credit hour basis.
STEP ONE: COLLEGE ADMISSION
To be considered for admission to the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing major, you must first be admitted to Mercy College of Health Sciences. Learn more about admission to Mercy College. Complete our FREE online Mercy College application. Early application is encouraged. Once admitted to Mercy College of Health Sciences, you may enroll in Core requirements prior to your admission to any academic major. If you are transferring credits, please visit our transfer page to learn more.
STEP TWO: PROGRAM ADMISSION
To be considered for admission to the Accelerated BSN major, you must meet the criteria below:
- Prior completion of a minimum of 68 hours of college credit or the completion of a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing major
- A grade of C (not C-) or higher in the following college-level courses, and an extracted GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale from the following courses:
+ Human Anatomy (with lab)
+ Human Physiology (with lab)
+ Microbiology (with lab)
+ English Composition I
+ General Psychology
+ College-level Math (3 credits)
+ Lower or upper-level Statistics (3 credits)
+ Lower or upper-level Nutrition (3 credits)
- Successfully complete all pre-requisite courses before starting the major
- Successfully complete all Mercy College Core Curriculum requirements prior to beginning the Accelerated BSN except for SVL285 – Servant Leadership*
- Clinical compliance
*Students who have earned a previous bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing major are considered to have met all Mercy College of Health Sciences Core requirements except for Servant Leadership.
The following courses are required to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing through our Accelerated path. Students admitted to the Accelerated BSN major will follow this exact course sequence.
Semester 1: 1st term (8 Weeks)
NUA 301 – Introduction to Safe Medication Administration (1 cr)
NUA 312 – Nursing Pathophysiology (3 cr)
NUA 314 – Fundamentals of Nursing I (5 cr)
Semester 1: 2nd Term (7 Weeks)
NUA 303 – Nursing Pharmacology (3 cr)
NUA 321 – Health Promotion Across the Lifespan(2 cr)
NUA 324 – Fundamentals of Nursing II (5 cr)
Semester 2: 1st term (8 Weeks)
NUA 364 – Person-Centered Care (5 cr)
NUA 374 – Concepts of Population Health (3 cr)
NUA 424 – Mental Health Nursing (2 cr)
Semester 2: 2nd Term (7 Weeks)
NUA 404 – Maternal Child Nursing (4 cr)
NUA 414 – Person-Centered Care II (4 cr)
Semester 3: 1st term (8 Weeks)
NUA 401 – Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice (2 cr)
NUA 444 – Person-Centered Care III (4 cr)
NUA 448 – Capstone I (1 cr)
Semester 3: 2nd Term (7 Weeks)
NUA 456 – Role of the Nurse Leader (3 cr)
NUA 464 – Nursing Preceptorship (3 cr)
NUA 478 – Capstone II (2 cr)
TOTAL: 52 MAJOR CREDITS FOR BACHELOR’S DEGREE
The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing major offers start dates in the fall, spring, and summer. View our View our full academic calendar for exact semester start dates. Please note that our cohorts offered outside of our Des Moines campus may have limited start dates per year. Pre-requisites and Core requirements may be completed at Mercy College of Health Sciences year-round.
OUTCOMES†
|
Annual Licensure Exam Pass Rate for First-Time Test Takers |
Job Placement Rate within One Year of Graduation |
Program Completion Rates Within 150% of the Expected Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
Annual Licensure Exam Pass Rate for First-Time Test Takers 94.15% |
Job Placement Rate within One Year of Graduation 100% |
Program Completion Rates Within 150% of the Expected Timeframe 91.88% |
The nursing program is approved by the State of Iowa Board of Nursing and meets state requirements for nursing education. Mercy College of Health Sciences does not claim that the education meets all states’ BON requirements. Applicants who intend to obtain licensure outside of the state of Iowa are encouraged to seek out BON requirements in the state in which they intend to apply for licensure.
1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses.
†Licensure exam pass rate is defined as students who passed the licensure exam on their first attempt during calendar year 2024 for this BSN track.
Job placement is based on 2024 graduates’ response to alumni survey post-graduation.
Program completion time represents 181 of 197 students completed in 5 semesters from the Accelerated BSN August 2023 graduating cohort.
