Simmons College

Simmons College is a private school in Boston, MA that was founded in 1899. Though all undergraduate programs are women-only, they do offer co-educational graduate programs. The nursing school offers a BSN program as well as a BSN to MSN program. The traditional four year program is centered around compassionate and skillful applications of nursing principles. With simulation labs, a core curriculum and a clinical education program, students at Simmons will be immersed in a full-time, supportive experience.

For adult learners they offer a special program: the Dorothea Lynde Dix Scholars Program, which is a BSN track that is to be completed in 16 months or two years. This program is open for those who are 24 or older. The 16 month option is ideal for those with a previous non-nursing bachelor’s degree who want to complete the program at an accelerated pace. The 2 year option is for those desiring a part-time program that does not require the student to hold a previous bachelor’s degree.

The school also offers a unique mentoring program entitled the Dotson Bridge and Mentoring program which is tailored to the needs, experiences, and prospective success of Native American, Asian, Latina, and African American students who are part of the nursing program.

Simmons University is a four-year, private university in Boston. This non-profit and non-sectarian university has a student to faculty ratio of 8:1 with an average undergraduate class size of 15. Its School of Nursing houses the first university-based nursing programs in the country. Its nursing baccalaureate, master’s and DNP programs are all CCNE-accredited.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) - This program prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam and for the role as an entry-level nurse. A 16-month or 2-year BSN program is also available for adult learners through the Dorothea Lynde Dix Scholars Program. Other options for obtaining a BSN degree at Simmons’ is through the accelerated five-year BSN and MSN degree, and the completely online RN to BSN program.

Nursing + Nursing (4+1) - The BSN and MSN 4+1 or five-year degree structure allows students to obtain a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing with lesser time. The students proceed to the MSN part after successful completion of the BS in Nursing curriculum and the NCLEX exam. Aside from safe and patient-centered procedures taught by expert faculty, students also gain hands-on experience through clinical rotations. Simmons University has a network of world-renowned hospitals and facilities.

BSN to MSN - This allows RNs with nursing or related field degrees to obtain an MSN degree in just two years. The program consists of foundational courses, primary care, and research, providing career advancement opportunities for students towards becoming Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs).

MSN Direct Entry - Designed for students of all academic backgrounds who would like to pursue an MSN degree, this program can be completed in three years. The program equips students for the FNP national board certification exam and their roles as FNPs. Applicants must possess a BS or BA from a regionally-accredited college or university in order to be considered for program admission.

Online Nursing Programs - Simmons University offers the following online: RN to BSN, MSN to FNP, and DNP. The Online RN to BSN program can be completed in as few as 12 months, and requires 128 credits with up to 94 transfer credits accepted. The MSN-FNP program is available in full-time, part-time, and extended options which can be completed in as few as 24, 28, and 32 months, respectively. Meanwhile, the Online DNP degree requires practice-based research of at least 1,000 hours.

The nursing school at Simmons College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts. Its nursing programs are accredited by ACEN, ACME, CCNE and COA.

Degree types you can earn at Simmons College include Family Nurse Practitioner and Registered Nursing, and the school provides its offerings to students via campus and hybrid formats. The level of nursing programs offered to nursing students include Bachelor Degree, BSN to MSN, Direct Entry MSN, Doctor of Nursing, Master Degree, MSN to DNP and RN to BSN level degrees.

For nursing students in Massachusetts, the state average NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is 82.67% and for BSN programs is 91.70%. The average national NCLEX-RN passing rate for ADN programs is N/A% and for BSN programs is N/A%.

Out of 44 nursing schools in Massachusetts, the nursing program at Simmons College ranks #4 in the state, and out of more than 1,700 nursing programs nationally, it ranks #103. It's 3-year average NCLEX-RN passing rate is 95.67%, giving the Simmons College an overall grade of A.

Nursing Program Stats at a Glance for Simmons College

• Grade: A
• NCLEX-RN Passing Rate Average: 95.67%
• Massachusetts State Rank: 4
• National Rank: 103

Best Online Nursing Programs for Massachusetts 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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