California State University-San Marcos

The nursing journey starts at SCUSM School of Nursing in Riverside, California, a dynamic leader in the art and science of nursing. It seeks to educating ethically and culturally-sensitive nursing students with the goal of alleviating suffering while promoting, preserving, and restoring dignity for all patients.

The level of nursing programs offered to nursing students include Accelerated BSN, APRN Certificate, Bachelor, LPN to BSN, Master, Post Master's NP Certificate and RN to BSN level degrees. The mission of the School of Nursing is to offer innovative models of instruction, generates cutting edge research and creative activities, and advocates for health care needs in diverse local, regional, and global communities. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Undergraduate programs - The pre-licensure program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. When students complete their BSN degree, they are eligible for licensure as a Registered Nurse in California and certification as a public health nurse. The program runs as a three-year sequence (including two, required, 10-week summer terms) of courses leading to licensure. Courses are offered at variable days and times each term and may involve travel to clinical sites in areas around San Diego County and/or Southwest Riverside County.

It is a demanding, full-time program not compatible with a heavy workload. The LVN to BSN program is for students who meet the program's minimum eligibility requirements. Students who have already completed a Bachelor's Degree in another discipline may also apply for entry to this nursing program. Cohorts enter the ABSN in the fall, spring, and summer terms and enjoy the same professional support network.

The fast-paced, 24-month online additional Bachelor's is for students who hold a degree in a discipline outside of nursing and have not completed LVN or RN coursework. Students will earn approximately 78 semester units of study in both didactic and clinical coursework under expert guidance and using the best resources available. CSUSM also has an RN to BSN program, operating as an accelerated, online format designed for registered nurses. This fully-online program gives nurses the opportunity to earn their BSN in just 14 months.

Graduate programs - The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is completed on a part-time basis and provides superior graduate education to qualified students. The objective is to prepare nurses in generalist and advanced practice roles for positions in the health care industry, community or public health agencies, and academia, and for continued study at the doctoral level.

The MSN program includes a strong foundation in theory and research inquiry. It builds on the knowledge gained at the baccalaureate level and promotes nursing scholarship at the local, state, national and international level through research, service and practice. Values, ethics and multicultural perspectives are heavily embedded within the graduate program. Post-master’s certificates offered.

The Advanced Practice Nursing concentration prepares students for advanced practice as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP).

The nursing school at California State University-San Marcos is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. Its nursing programs are accredited by ACEN, ACME, CCNE and COA.

Degree types you can earn at California State University-San Marcos include CNL, Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nursing, and the school provides its offerings to students via campus, hybrid and online formats. The level of nursing programs offered to nursing students include Accelerated BSN, APRN Certificate, Bachelor Degree, LPN to BSN, Master Degree, Post Master's NP Certificate and RN to BSN level degrees.

For nursing students in California, the state average NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is 90.30% and for BSN programs is 90.32%. The average national NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is N/A% and for BSN programs is N/A%.

Out of 160 nursing schools in California, the nursing program at California State University-San Marcos ranks #10 in the state, and out of more than 1,700 nursing programs nationally, it ranks #67. It's 3-year average NCLEX-RN passing rate is 96.97%, giving the California State University-San Marcos an overall grade of A.

Nursing Program Stats at a Glance for California State University-San Marcos

• Grade: A
• NCLEX-RN Passing Rate Average: 96.97%
• California State Rank: 10
• National Rank: 67

Best Online Nursing Programs for California Students

In-state nursing schools are preferable to out-of-state programs as your tuition and logistics for attending school will be considerably less than if you attended school out-of-state. Online nursing schools are also an option.

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