BSN Degree - Undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

One of the top nursing schools in the Philadelphia suburbs, GMercyU offers personal attention in and out of the classroom from experts in the field. Our BSN program provides a strong foundation in the liberal arts, sciences, Mercy values, and professional nursing practice. A graduate from GMercyU's BSN program is highly skilled and passionate about nursing.

As a nurse generalist, you are educated to give direct and indirect nursing care in various healthcare settings to individuals, families, communities, and diverse populations. Students develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to contribute to a healthcare team in multiple nursing roles, such as caregiver, teacher, advocate, and leader.  

We offer:

• Degree program fully approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• State-of-the-art technology, including low and high fidelity simulators and Advanced Video System (AVS) replay for improved confidence and deeper understanding 
• 100+ regional healthcare affiliations
• Low 8:1 laboratory and clinical student-to-faculty ratios 
• All undergraduate bachelor's in nursing courses taught by experienced credentialed faculty with clinical backgrounds (no teaching assistants)
• NCLEX preparation included throughout the program
• Associate Dean focused on student outcomes
• A professional nursing adviser who supports nursing students throughout their program
• Real-world clinical experiences in a variety of specialties and settings
• The Dedicated Education Unit, a mentoring program that pairs top senior Nursing students with an experienced RN mentor at one of 20 participating hospitals, typically one where the student would like to work post-graduation
• The Griffin Edge, which will help you ace future job interviews and launch a successful career
  
  

Licensure: This program was designed to meet national licensure requirements. Carefully review the process of your home state’s licensure requirements. For more information, please visit our Program Licensure Requirement page.

GMercyU develops nurses not just with exceptional clinical skills, but with Mercy values that create compassionate caregivers, advocates, and leaders in the field.

In addition to your general education requirements, you will complete the following courses as part of your undergraduate bachelor's degree in nursing.

Total Credits = 127 credits
General Education = 63 credits
Nursing = 64 credits

A minimum of 127 credits is required for the bachelor of science in nursing degree.

This program requires a criminal background check, child abuse clearance, certain immunizations, and other health-related clearances in order to participate in clinical experiences. See the undergraduate catalog for further information. 

Undergraduate Minors

Increase the value of your BSN degree by adding an undergraduate minor. GMercyU offers a wide variety of minors so you can choose the one that best meets your personal and professional goals.

Wondering what your courses will look like as a BSN major? Here is a closer look at a few, including two electives.

NUR 209 Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of nursing practice. Students will utilize the nursing process as a framework to apply nursing knowledge, diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes to individuals. Course concepts are grounded in evidence-based practice to promote, maintain, and restore health. Topics related to safety, oxygenation, ventilation, circulation, perfusion, ingestion, digestion, absorption, elimination, urinary, movement, sensory input and the nurse patient relationship and the roles of the professional nurse are explored. Emphasis is placed on applying knowledge and practicing skills in the nursing skills lab, simulation lab, and clinical setting.

NUR 307 Nursing Care of Adults
This course focuses on the physical, psychological, social, spiritual and cultural forces that influence the health of the adult population. Students will utilize the nursing process as a framework to apply nursing knowledge. Course concepts are grounded in evidence-based practice to promote, maintain and restore health. Topics related to safety, oxygenation, ventilation, circulation, perfusion, ingestion, digestion, absorption, elimination, regulatory, urinary, sensory input, movement and the nurse patient relationship. Emphasis is placed on application in the adult health clinical setting and simulation laboratory.

NUR 317 Nursing Care Women, Children and Family 
This course examines the childbearing and childrearing families in contemporary society. The nursing process is applied to provide holistic nursing person-centered care within the context of the family. Topics are related to safety and normal and altered physiologic processes as it affects the childbearing and childrearing families. Experiences in the classroom and clinical setting enable the student to integrate cultural sensitivity, clinical reasoning, communication skills, and therapeutic nursing interventions for women, children and families.

NUR 419 Synthesis of Learning for Nursing Practice
This course focuses on preparing the graduating nursing student for transition to professional nursing practice. Preparation is achieved through synthesis of acquired knowledge with emphasis on reflective practice and application of learning. An understanding of professional nursing standards, ethical problem solving, evidence-based practice and a commitment to lifelong learning will be provided. This course provides an integrative, theoretical and clinical experience.

NUR 423 Global Health & Health Policy
This course examines globalization and its impact on the health of all populations. Emerging diseases, environmental safety and health risks are addressed. Health care policy and the socioeconomic, geopolitical, ethical and cultural variables that influence health are explored. Critical analysis of selected global and national problems is examined within the framework of professional nursing practice. The importance of cultural sensitivity and ethical judgment are emphasized.

Sample Electives

NUR 414 Complementary & Integrative Health
This course will provide a comprehensive and clinical relevant coverage of complementary and integrative medicine. It will cover the history, philosophy, and mechanisms of integrated therapies and includes a thorough review of the clinically controlled trials, indications, and contraindications of each therapy.

NUR 490 Community Health Nursing in Ireland
This course explores the healthcare of individuals, families and aggregates in a variety of community settings in Ireland. The concepts of community health nursing and the roles of the professional nurse in the community of Ireland are critically analyzed and compared to the US Public health System. The impact of the health care delivery system of Ireland is presented. Health promotion, health protection and disease prevention are examined. Critical thinking is emphasized in assessing the community of Ireland. A variety of community settings as observational experiences are utilized including home care, hospice, extended care facilities and population focused settings.

For all GMercyU BSN program course descriptions, please refer to the undergraduate catalog.

Jane Hsiao-Chen Tang, PhD, RN, NE-BC
Position: Dean, Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions
Did You Know? Dean Tang's research and scholarship focus has been primarily in the areas of Evidence-Based Practice and Nursing Services Administration, including the nursing workforce, job satisfaction, nurse retention, and turnover.
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Mary Hermann, EdD, MSN, RN
Position: Professor, Nursing
Did You Know? Dr. Hermann’s clinical background spans intensive care and medical surgical nursing.
Read bio

Kristin Meloche Sagedy PhD, RN, CEN
Position: Associate Dean of the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions 
Did You Know? Dr. Sagedy is currently the President of Region 5 of the New Jersey State Nurses Association, sitting on the Board of the NJSNA.
Read bio

Laraine Amoia-Watters, EdD, MSN, CRNP
Position: Associate Professor, BSN Program Coordinator
Did You Know? Dr. Amoia-Watters is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the National Honor Society for Nurses. She coordinates GMercyU's annual spring break trip to Jamaica, a unique service learning opportunity for BSN and Social Work students.
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Patricia Brown O'Hara, RN, PhD
Position: Professor
Did You Know? Dr. O'Hara runs the BSN program's Ireland study abroad program and was recently appointed to the Wolters Kluwer’s NCLEX Advisory Board.
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Pamela Lynn, EdD, MSN, RN
Position: Assistant Professor
Did You Know? Dr. Lynn was once a staff nurse in the medical step down unit, medical intensive unit, medical-surgical, and oncology. She is also the author of two nursing textbooks.
Read bio 

Through GMercyU’s 100+ regional health care affiliations, you’ll benefit from diverse, real-world clinical preparation featuring actual patient care and interaction with health care professionals in a variety of specialties and settings.

Here’s where our undergraduate nursing students have recently completed clinicals – and landed jobs after graduation:  

• Abington-Jefferson Health
• Doylestown Hospital
• Grand View Hospital
• Chestnut Hill Hospital
• Paoli Hospital
• Bryn Mawr Hospital
• Nazareth Hospital
• Holy Redeemer Hospital
• Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital
• Mercy Suburban Hospital 
• Einstein Montgomery 
• Foulkeways at Gwynedd
• Montgomery County Emergency Services     
• Aria – Jefferson Health 
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia 
• Mercy Medical Center 
• St. Christopher's Hospital for Children   
• Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic

Where Nurses Work

• Hospitals
• Home care
• Hospice
• Long-term care facilities
• Health clinics
• Schools
• Pharmaceutical companies
•  …and more!

Top Jobs for Nursing Majors

Registered Nurse
In 2024, U.S. News ranked this career in their 100 Best Jobs list and as a Best Healthcare Job.
Description: Registered nurses work with other health care professionals to provide and coordinate patient care. They offer emotional support to patients and their family members, and they educate patients and the public about health care. 
Degree Requirements: Hospitals prefer a bachelor’s degree in nursing over an associates degree 
Average Salary: The annual median salary in Pennsylvania was $87,530 in 2023 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source

Nurse Manager/Supervisor
Description: These nurses have administrative duties – hiring and managing staff, maintaining schedules and budgets, ensuring that hospital protocols are followed, and more.
Degree Requirements: A bachelor’s degree; a master’s degree preferred
Average Salary: The national median salary in 2023 was $110,680 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source

Nurse Practitioner
In 2024, U.S. News ranked this career as the #1 job in America.
Description:  With advanced clinical skills, nurse practitioners provide primary care. They assess and diagnose patients, treat illnesses, and can prescribe medications. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that of all nursing career paths, nurse practitioners have the fastest rate of employment growth and is projected to be one of the top 10 fastest growing occupations in the U.S. economy.
Degree Requirements: Master’s degree
Average Salary: The national median salary in 2023 was $129,480 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Source

More Nursing Jobs to Consider

• Cardiac Nurse
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
• Critical Care Nurse
• Emergency Room Nurse
• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Geriatric Nursing
• Perioperative Nurse (Surgical/OR Nurse)
• Mental Health Nurse
• Neonatal Nurse
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Manager
• Nurse Midwife
• Nursing Administrator
• Oncology Nurse
• Orthopedic Nurse
• Pediatric Nurse
• Public Health Nurse
• Travel Nurse

*Some of these specialties require additional education.

Nursing Faculty Member Appointed to Wolters Kluwer’s NCLEX Advisory Board

Nursing Students in Ireland Student Blog 2024

Nursing and Social Work Students in Jamaica Student Blog 2024

BSN Students Participate in Poverty Simulation

Nursing Students Attend Health Fair at Meadowood Senior Living

GMercyU Earns Highest NCLEX Pass Rate in Program History

GMercyU Students Participate in Disaster Simulation