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Registered Nursing

Registered nurses provide and direct others in the provision of nursing care to patients in acute care settings and a variety of other healthcare agencies. They work closely with physicians and other members of the healthcare team.

Regardless of your educational experience, we have a program to meet your needs.

Level of Experience	Track
Do you have little or no college experience, or some college with few science credits?	If yes, the 3-year Traditional Track may be for you.
Do you have extensive college experience with some science credits?	If yes, the 2-year Express Track may be for you.
Are you an LPN/LPTN or Paramedic and have some college experience?	If yes, the 1-year Accelerated Track may be for you.
Are you a Baptist Health RN graduate interested in completing your Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN)?	If yes, one of our BSN Completer Agreements may be for you.

The school of nursing offers three educational tracks designed to serve a variety of students with diverse educational backgrounds. In addition, we also coordinate with Arkansas Tech and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock so that graduates from our program can seamlessly complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Students wishing to complete some or all of the general education and science courses prior to entering into a nursing program have the unique opportunity to apply to become a Baptist Health/PTC student. Baptist Health/PTC students are eligible to take the general education and science courses required for the nursing program on the BHSLR campus through Pulaski Technical College. Students interested in becoming a Baptist Health/PTC student must complete the application process with BHSLR – School of Nursing.

Track 1: Traditional Track

The Traditional Track is a three-year track designed for students who have little or no college experience. During the first two semesters of the Traditional Track, students are considered pre-professional students, and will be taking introductory nursing classes as well as general education and science courses.

Classes begin in August each year; application deadline is July 1
Must be a high school graduate or have a GED
ACT composite score of 19 preferred; 17 required; 16 or above is required in each subset. The ACT must have been taken in the last 10 years.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) may be submitted in lieu of the ACT. The SAT is evaluated utilizing an ACT/SAT (Critical Reading + Math) concordance scale available on the ACT website (test date must be less than 10 years old).
No college courses are required for admission. Required courses are taken with the nursing curriculum.
Graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) upon successful completion of program requirements.
Average Clinical Ratio = 1:10
Applicants to BHSLR School of Nursing are reviewed beginning January 1 of each year for the incoming fall classes. Therefore, it is important to submit applications and all required documents as early as possible.
Please note that these are minimum requirements and applicants are ranked according to academic criteria.

View application information

Track 2: Express Track

The Express Track is a two year track designed to meet the needs of more experienced students who have completed a minimum of five selected college level courses. Eight college courses are required for successful completion of the RN program, five of which must be completed as prerequisites. The eight required courses are detailed below.

To be eligible for entry into the Express Track , students must have successfully completed:

3 laboratory science courses, Psychology, and Composition I
OR
4 laboratory sciences and Composition I.

Laboratory Sciences Course Requirements (16 hours)

General Education Course Requirements (12 hour)

Chemistry w/lab (4 hours)
Microbiology w/lab (4 hours)
Anatomy & Physiology I w/ lab(4 hours)
Anatomy & Physiology II w/ lab(4 hours)

Composition I (3 hours)
Sociology (3 hours)
Nutrition (3 hours)
Psychology (3 hours)

Express Track students will begin nursing classes during the Freshman semester and are allowed to complete the remaining three college courses during the Express Track curriculum. For convenience, required courses are offered through Pulaski Technical College on the BHSLR campus. Below are some fast facts about the Express Track.

Classes begin in July each year; application deadline is June 1
Must be a high school graduate or have a GED
ACT composite score of 19 preferred; 17 required; and a 16 or above is required in each subset. The ACT must have been taken in the past 10 years.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) may be submitted in lieu of the ACT. The SAT is evaluated utilizing an ACT/SAT (Critical Reading + Math) concordance scale available on the ACT website (test date must be less than 10 years old).
A minimum of five selected college-level prerequisites required for entry
Graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) upon successful completion of program requirements
Applicants to BHSLR School of Nursing are reviewed beginning January 1 of each year for the incoming fall classes. Therefore, it is important to submit applications and all required documents as early as possible.
Please note that these are minimum requirements and applicants are ranked according to academic criteria.

View application information

Track 3: Accelerated Track

The Accelerated Track is an option for Paramedics and LPN/LPTNs who wish to become a registered nurse. The Accelerated track is one year in length and begins in January of each year. Click here for more information on the RN Accelerated track.

FAQs

The cost of the BHSLR School of Nursing varies depending on the number of general education courses and the track of study that a student is enrolled in. Please download the cost sheet for estimated costs.

The BAPTIST HEALTH School of Registered Nursing prefers an ACT Score of 19 or above for admission. If you do not score a 19 or above, we recommend that you re-test. Generally, students are able to increase their score with each time they take the ACT. We also recommend that you use a study guide or preparatory course that is specifically designed for the ACT.

Nursing courses including class, skills lab, clinical may be up to five days per week. Pulaski Technical schedule will vary based on need.

At this time, the BAPTIST HEALTH School of Registered Nursing does not offer classes at night or online classes. General Education classes may be offered in the evening or online, and are scheduled by Pulaski Technical College.

Earnings for Registered Nurses vary greatly and have many different factors. Please visit the US Department of Labor website to find out earning information.

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