Students who complete the program will receive an RN from Washington Health System and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Washington & Jefferson College.

Students have been expressing interest in pursuing a nursing degree for years; with the increasing demand for qualified nurses, the timing seemed right. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for nurses will outpace other professions through 2031. W&J already offers many of the foundational programs needed to train nurses, and this partnership with Washington Health System provides a connection to the necessary clinical instructional facilities.

W&J and WHS have had a close working relationship for decades. WHS has state-of-the-art clinical instruction facilities and 126 years of experience training nurses through its 16-month diploma program. With our two facilities only 1 mile apart in Washington, PA, it will benefit our students.

Students will reside on W&J’s campus and take advantage of all the amenities, organizations, and activities available to W&J’s campus community. This includes the opportunity to participate in W&J DIII athletics programs.

When an individual decides to pursue a BSN from W&J, they will receive the professional readiness that all W&J students receive. Students will have access to our Center for Ethical Leadership and the opportunity to participate in a Magellan project.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, students who graduate from W&J outearn their peers. The U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard looks at “the median earnings of former students who received federal financial aid 10 years after entering school.” The median earning of a W&J student is almost $19,000 more than their peers. We expect that our nursing students will benefit from the leadership programs and emerge as ethical leaders in their field.

Link to College Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?216667-Washington-Jefferson-College

Students can begin applying to the BSN program this summer, with our first group of nursing students taking courses in the Fall of 2024.

While we will have a limited number of seats available in the nursing program, we will do our best to open the program to as many students as possible. We anticipate accepting 24 students for Fall 2024 but will reevaluate capacity throughout the year.

Students who enter their first year as BSN students and complete their coursework will be able to graduate in four years.

Successful completion of the BSN program satisfies W&J two program of study requirement.

There are no special admissions requirements for a BSN student. These students will be subject to the same criteria as all students who are evaluated for acceptance to W&J. Learn more about our admissions requirements here: https://www.washjeff.edu/future-students/apply/admission-requirements/

The tuition price for the BSN program will be the standard tuition price for all undergraduate programs. As with many of our programs, there will be fees associated with the BSN program.

Students who change their major may still be able to graduate in four years. As with any shift in a major, the ability to complete a program in four years depends on when the change is made, what courses have been completed, and the new major they select. Each student is assigned an advisor who can help them to navigate this process and determine what will help them achieve their goals.

The program will blend the best of W&J’s curriculum with a long-standing WHS curriculum aligned with AACN guidelines. We expect the program will ultimately achieve accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, as well as approval by the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing. Graduates will be prepared to serve as leaders in the nursing profession.

BSN students are eligible and encouraged to participate in athletics on campus if they are interested.

Students do not need to obtain special prerequisite high school courses to apply to the program.

At this point, we anticipate clinical rotations will be completed at WHS. Still, we may expand the program to provide additional clinical rotations where students can participate in specialty clinics.

A BSN allows nurses to serve in leadership roles, pursue a variety of career pathways, and pursue advanced degrees in nursing.

Employment & Other Opportunities

There are many opportunities available to nursing graduates to work in various specialties and care settings providing direct patient care in the hospital, ambulatory, community, or home care settings.

Nursing specialty opportunities include but are not limited to:

Maternal Newborn, Pediatrics, Acute Care, Medical Surgical, Psychiatric Mental Health, Critical Care, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine, Surgical and Operating Room, School Nurse, Occupational Health Nurse, Correctional Nursing, Forensics, Rehab Nursing, Gerontological Care, Home Health and Hospice, Nurse Informaticists, Public Health Nurse, Utilization and Review Nurse, and Legal Nurse Consultant.

BSN graduates pursuing further graduate studies and doctoral degrees can find opportunities to include but not limited to:

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (APRN) in various Certification Specialties, Nurse Educators, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, (CRNA), and Academic Chairs and Deans.

U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (Register Nurses)https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm