Nursing Program

Universidad del Sagrado Corazón

The Nursing program prepares you to provide clients with excellent care based on the quality of human beings, moral and spiritual values, and respect for diversity.

Mission

The Nursing Program, as an integral part of the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Corazón shares the institutional mission through its own mission: to prepare nursing professionals who practice their profession effectively and competently in the performance of their humanistic, moral and spiritual roles in providing care to their clients.

Nursing Program Goals

To prepare highly educated nursing professionals to practice effectively and competently, adopting a humanistic, social, moral and spiritual role in the care provided to create a culture of health, reduce health disparities, in a global society with an emphasis on prevention and well-being of vulnerable populations.
To prepare nursing professionals committed to community service and care, moral and professional values, and with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform professional nursing roles as care providers, communication and coordination of patient care.
Use fundamental concepts of biology, social sciences, theology, philosophy and nursing knowledge to assess the understanding and use of emotions to respond to the human experience of health, illness and healing, integrating technology, information management and biodiversity in offering quality care in patient care to meet health and social care demands.
To use the best available evidence to develop evidence-based practices and research in an ever-changing world, providing the opportunity to enhance the learning experience of students and the professional development of teachers, through continuous improvement processes to increase efficiency and productivity.
Faculty and students use university resources in accordance with their financial stability, to prepare themselves in the construction of their own knowledge and professional development, to promote health and disease prevention, demonstrating leadership, quality improvement and patient safety, among other competencies included in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice [American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), 2008].

Expected Learning Outcomes of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Apply knowledge of leadership skills, service quality improvement and customer safety when providing health care.
Implement current scientific evidence in various situations and scenarios in your practice.
Use technology and manage information in customer care by providing the highest quality health services.
Demonstrate knowledge of public and global policies in health care, and their influence on the functioning of care systems and the practice of professional nursing.
Communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues and other members of the healthcare team.
Demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills in health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population levels.
Demonstrate professional behaviors and professional values.
Practice nursing care competently with individuals, families, groups, communities and populations throughout the life cycle in different care environments.

Competencies of the Program Graduate

Competencies of the Graduate of the Baccalaureate Program

Apply knowledge of leadership skills, service quality improvement and customer safety when providing health care.
Implement current scientific evidence in various situations and scenarios in your practice.
Use technology and manage information in customer care by providing the highest quality health services.
Demonstrate knowledge of public and global policies in health care, and their influence on the functioning of care systems and the practice of professional nursing.
Communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues and other members of the healthcare team.
Demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills in health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population levels.
Demonstrate professional behaviors and professional values.
Practice nursing care competently with individuals, families, groups, communities and populations throughout the life cycle in different care environments.

Competencies of the Graduate of the Associate Degree Program

Apply knowledge and skills of leadership, quality improvement, and customer safety in providing health care.
Apply current scientific evidence to your practice in various health situations and scenarios.
Using technology in customer care and information management to provide quality care.
Demonstrate knowledge of health care policies and their influence on the functioning of health care systems and on nursing practice according to their associated nursing category.
Communicate, coordinate and collaborate efficiently with colleagues and other healthcare professionals.
Demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills in health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population levels.
Demonstrate professional behaviors and professional values.
Practice nursing care competently with individuals, families, groups, communities and populations throughout the life cycle and in different health care settings.

Our program prepares nursing professionals to practice their profession effectively and competently with excellent performance, human quality, and moral and spiritual values by providing care centered on the client and their family.

The curriculum includes the development of professional skills in the areas of nursing fundamentals, medicine and surgery, maternity, pediatrics, mental health and psychiatry, community, leadership, management and research, among other innovative areas of health care.

The program has a modern Simulations and Skills Laboratory, considered one of the best in Puerto Rico.

The program is offered in two study modalities: in-person and distance learning.

The distance learning modality combines online theoretical courses with clinical practices and simulation laboratories and face-to-face skills.

The Bachelor's Degree Program in Nursing at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Heart is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Puerto Rico BSN Nursing State Board Outcomes – 2015 - 2020

CALENDAR YEAR	SAGRADO APPROVED %	PR NATIONAL MEAN ALL EXAM TAKERS
2021	80%	76%
2022	87%	51%
2023	87%	53%

Data provided by the JEEPR (Spanish acronym for Puerto Rico Exam Nursing Board).

Professional Licensure Disclosure

In accordance with state and federal regulations, the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Corazón is required to provide the following information to prospective students considering enrolling in an academic program leading to professional licensure.

See information

Admission requirements

I. General Requirements

Complete the application for admission to the University of Sagrado Heart and make the corresponding payment.
Have a high school GPA of 2.50 or an entrance index of 3,300. Candidates with a bachelor's degree or equivalent must have a GPA of 2.50 in said degree.
Please specify the modality in which you are interested in taking the Bachelor of Nursing Sciences: in-person or distance learning.
Be a citizen, permanent resident of the United States or have an immigration status that allows you to pursue studies.
Submit a Certificate of Criminal Record issued by the PR Police with a validity of 30 days. If it is processed online, it must be validated and a copy of the validation must be included. Any candidate who has resided outside of Puerto Rico for a period of five (5) years prior to the filing of his/her application must present the original Certificate of Criminal Record issued by the competent authority of the state, country or countries where he/she has resided.
Students from institutions outside the jurisdiction of the United States must present recognition of their academic degree from an academic credential evaluation agency.
a. Foreign students must meet the requirements established in the current Catalog. All documents related to the legal status and residence in the USA of foreign students must be valid for at least 2 years.
Students with an Associate Degree in Nursing Science must also meet the following requirements:
a. Possess a permanent license and current professional registration from the Puerto Rico Nursing Examining Board or its counterpart in the US. Present evidence of the license and registration.

II. Additional requirements for students admitted to the distance learning modality

Present official identification from the government of the country of origin, preferably a valid passport.
Possess a bachelor's degree in any discipline or at least 24 approved university credits with an academic average of no less than 2.50 points.
Technical Requirements
- Have access to a computer with the specifications required by the institution.
- Have basic internet browsing skills.
- Basic knowledge and skills in handling operating systems, word processors, software and work tools.
- Knowledge of managing email accounts, to send, attach and receive messages.

III. Additional requirements for students transferring from another accredited higher education institution

Submit a copy of the student's transcript of credits from the institution of origin for initial evaluation and an official copy, directly from the institution, for the final decision on the courses that will be validated.
Students interested in transferring to the distance/accelerated program must have at least 24 approved university credits with a minimum GPA of 2.50.

IV. Student of Sagrado active in another program

Regular students of Sagrado Admitted to another concentration who are interested in changing to Nursing must have a minimum GPA of 2.50.
Students in the on-campus nursing program interested in reclassifying to the accelerated distance learning program must have at least 24 approved university credits with a minimum GPA of 2.50.
To make this change you must follow the procedures established by the institution for this purpose.

V. Additional requirements, after the student is admitted to the Nursing Program

Every student admitted to the nursing program must submit a series of documents required by the different clinical scenarios as part of the clinical performance.. The list of these requirements is in the Nursing Student Handbook.

Requirements for the Associate Degree in Nursing Science in Accelerated Distance Learning Mode

In addition to the institutional requirements established in the Catalog, the following admission requirements are established for the distance/accelerated program:

21 years old
One (or both) of these two options:
- College experience (9 credits minimum with GPA of 2.50 or higher)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN Curriculum (Distance Learning)

Study Plan

Description of the program

The RN-BSN prepares associate degree nurses who possess permanent licensure and work experience. The program is designed to develop knowledge, skills, and competencies in leadership and management, administration theories, case management, principles of evidence-based practice and nursing research, interprofessional collaborative work, clinical judgment and decision making, communication, technology and information technology, community health concepts and principles, global policies, current therapeutic trends and interventions, and client-, family-, and community-centered care. These competencies will enable you to join the health care workforce to improve patient, family, and community care outcomes as a generalist nurse. The program is offered in 6-week academic sub-terms. Students may take a maximum of 21 credits per academic semester and up to 9 credits in each summer session.

Admission Requirements for the BACHELOR OF NURSING SCIENCE – RN to BSN (Distance Learning)

Admission requirements

Diploma of Associate Degree in Nursing with a valid license to practice, Membership of the College of Nursing Professionals (Puerto Rico) and GPA of 2.50.
Official ASN transcript.
Permanent nursing license and current professional registration and “GOOD STANDING”. The license can be from PR or any state in the US.
Two years of clinical experience as an ASN nurse. Submit official employment verification.
Submit the professional interest questionnaire.
Criminal Record Certificate issued by the PR Police with a validity of 30 days. If it is processed online, it must be validated and a copy of the validation must be included. Any candidate who has resided outside of Puerto Rico for a period of 5 years prior to the filing of his/her application must present the original Criminal Record Certificate issued by the competent authority of the state, country or countries where he/she has resided.
Computer and technology skills.
Additional associate degree courses in nursing will not be validated.