Western States (preferably CA/NV/UT/OR/WA) with BSN programs accepting upper-division nursing transfer credits

[em.m_carter]

Hello,

I'm currently a first-semester nursing student at the University of Memphis- Lambuth campus in Jackson, TN, but I grew up in Las Vegas, NV, and my family still lives there. I've been trying to get out of Tennessee for a while, and I figured now is probably my last chance to transfer nursing programs, as nursing schools aren't likely to accept any more transfer credits. I was hoping someone (ideally living on the west coast in Oregon, Washington, Utah, California, Arizona, or Nevada) could point me in the direction of colleges that might accept upper division nursing courses? I've completed one semester of nursing school so far, and have taken Foundational Nursing Skills (a lab and clinical course), Foundations of Patient-Centered Care, Health Assessment, Health Assessment Lab, Pathophysiology, and Intro to Pharm and Med Admin. 
 

Thanks in advance!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Most schools will require most of the credits to be completed with them; in addition, you are looking at switching states. Each state's BON sets the required content for nursing schools, but each school can arrange the content as they want. This means the same level of courses in one school may not match another school. It is unlikely nursing courses will transfer. Your best bet is likely going to be to stay where you are, especially as those schools you'd apply to may raise an eyebrow for leaving a program without completing it and move you lower in consideration if considering accepting you at all. 

[londonflo]

Quote

 I've completed one semester of nursing school so far, and have taken Foundational Nursing Skills (a lab and clinical course), Foundations of Patient-Centered Care, Health Assessment, Health Assessment Lab, Pathophysiology, and Intro to Pharm and Med Admin. 
 

 

Rose_Queen said:

Each state's BON sets the required content for nursing schools, but each school can arrange the content as they want. This means the same level of courses in one school may not match another school. It is unlikely nursing courses will transfer.

The courses your cited are pretty standard. Every school starts with a Foundations course and builds on this as well as Health Assessment. I would print out copies of your course syllabi for all and ask for a review from a potential college. In my experience (I am retired now) but we have taken students in to fill spots for first semester students who fail. Never underestimate the economics involved in trying to keep those tuition $$ coming. 

[Zoe Lucas]

Hey, I'm in a similar situation looking to transfer to a school on the West Coast from Hawaii. Did you end up finding any schools that allow transfer of those nursing credits?

[em.m_carter]

Zoe Lucas said:

Hey, I'm in a similar situation looking to transfer to a school on the West Coast from Hawaii. Did you end up finding any schools that allow transfer of those nursing credits?

Hey. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find many schools willing to accept me without requiring me to retake several courses, so I ended up staying where I was. If you happen to still be taking your prerequisites (although it sounds like you might already have taken some nursing courses), I would apply to whatever West Coast school you're looking at for nursing school or to finish your prerequisites ASAP. If you have taken several nursing courses already, I would try using Transferology- they show which schools take which courses from certain other schools. Also, some schools list which nursing courses/prerequisites they'll take from specific other schools.

Pacific Lutheran University's Traditional BSN program in Tacoma, Washington, for example, I know has a spreadsheet that lists comparable courses to their prerequisites. Since you're transferring from a school in Hawaii, I would say you might be in luck since they seem to list mostly courses from other "nearby" schools (WA, OR, CA, NV, and possibly HI). 

Good luck!