Nursing (BS to BSN)

The mission of the University and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Orlando (Lake Mary), Florida location is to offer a quality educational program that provides its graduates with the educational foundation and skills necessary to achieve professional success in the field of nursing.

The University is committed to providing quality nursing education with the goal of developing clinical leaders with the ability to advance and promote the health of the diverse populations within the communities they serve, advocate on behalf of their clients, achieve and maintain their clinical competency, and provide service to the community and the profession.

The members of the faculty and administration of the University are dedicated to achieving the University’s and the BSN program’s mission.

See also the following additional program information:

• Admissions Requirements > Nursing | BS to BSN (Orlando) (includes Essential Functional Abilities and Accepted Student Requirements)

• Attendance Policy > Nursing | BS to BSN (Orlando)

• Transferability of Credit > Nursing | BS to BSN section

About Nursing

The Bachelor to BSN graduate can work in a variety of roles in community health, specialty bedside practice, informatics, and management, pursuing employment in a range of settings. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program allows students to acquire the essential skills and knowledge needed to meet the preventative and restorative needs of patients. Students learn both the art and science of nursing.

Recommended Licensure

ECPI University provides vouchers allowing students to take licensure exams administered by the student's state's Board of Nursing at a greatly reduced cost. All Bachelor Degree Nursing graduates must successfully pass the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) before being able to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN). 

Program Progression

A numeric grade of 77 or better is required in all nursing courses to graduate from the nursing program. In order to receive a passing grade in the course, students are required to pass the clinical, lab, and theory portions of the course. Failure in the theory, lab, or clinical component requires repeating all aspects of the course. Academic progression in the nursing program is determined by a student’s weighted exam average in each course without consideration for any additional assignments. The benchmark for passing each course is a weighted exam grade average of 77 or greater. Students who achieve a final course grade of less than 77 in any nursing course cannot enroll in subsequent clinical nursing courses. If the student does not pass the exam portion of the course with this average, other course requirements (such as papers and presentations) will not suffice to raise the grade to passing.

Only one nursing course may be repeated to raise an unsatisfactory grade. Students may not enroll in any course for which they do not have the necessary prerequisites as a result of course failure or course withdrawal. A Student who is unsuccessful in a course may be allowed to reattempt that course the next time it is offered, based on availability. In order to be considered to repeat the failed course, the student must write a letter to the Dean/Chief Nursing Administrator requesting permission to repeat the course ECPI University’s Nursing Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee will determine reinstatements and reviews each case individually. Re-admission to the nursing program is not guaranteed.

A student who fails more than one course, or who fails one course twice, will be dismissed from the program and will not be eligible for re-enrollment.

Student Evaluation

At the completion of certain courses, students are required to complete a computerized, national examination that tests the student’s comprehensive knowledge of the course content. Any fees for these examinations are included in the program costs.

Students are evaluated according to course-specific performance criteria designated on the syllabus. Students will receive a written evaluation in each clinical course at mid-term and at the completion of the clinical course. The instructor will review the evaluation with the student, and upon completion of the review, the student and the instructor will sign the evaluation. The student’s signature does not constitute an acknowledgement that the student agrees with the instructor’s evaluation, but serves as confirmation that the evaluation has been reviewed with and provided to the student. The student may make written comments in response to the evaluation, attaching it to the evaluation.

In the final quarter of the program, students are required to take a course entitled Senior Seminar and as a part of the course requirements, must pass a comprehensive computerized examination provided by ATI, containing questions similar to those found on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (“NCLEX-RN”). Students who fail to achieve a passing score of 70 or greater on the exam, as graded by the testing service, will not pass the Senior Seminar course, and will not be eligible for graduation until they pass the Senior Seminar course. During the Senior Seminar course, students are given three (3) opportunities to achieve a passing score on the comprehensive computerized examination. Students who do not achieve a passing score on the ATI comprehensive computerized examination during the Senior Seminar course, will receive a failing grade for the course.