Allen College Nursing Program Review

When it was established in 1925, Allen College in Waterloo, Iowa was originally a diploma nursing school, called Allen Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. While it has expanded its program offerings considerably, Allen College (AC) remains focused on healthcare education. The college is part of the Iowa Health System and offers nursing programs and radiography programs. Allen College has accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for its nursing programs.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Five Semester, Upper Division, Traditional Option

The upper-division, traditional track of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program takes five semesters to complete. Before enrolling, prospective BSN students must earn at least fifty-seven credits of general education requirements at another college. Once these are complete, they can begin the five-semester nursing course sequence at Allen College. Allen College begins the course sequence in both the fall and the spring. After completing 124 credits in total (including sixty-seven credits of nursing coursework at Allen College), a student earns a BSN degree. He is then eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Fifteen Month Accelerated Option

The accelerated track of the BSN program is designed for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and for students who have completed all the general education requirements and nursing prerequisites. These students begin in May and complete an intense course of study that lasts for fifteen consecutive months. They graduate in August with a BSN. Like the students on the traditional track, they must have 124 credits in order to graduate and start their careers as Registered Nurses (RN).

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – LPN to BSN

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can continue working while completing the flexible LPN to BSN program at Allen College. Before starting the nursing courses, she must enroll at another college and complete the required fifty-seven credits of general education coursework. After she has completed these requirements, she must complete the nursing coursework at Allen College. Allen College requires sixty-seven credits of nursing coursework for the BSN degree; an LPN will receive twenty advanced placement credits on the basis of her education and work experience and must complete the remaining forty-seven credit hours at Allen College. Nursing classes are offered in the evenings and on the weekends, in order to accommodate working LPNs. The LPN to BSN program begins in the fall.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Seven Semester, Part-Time Option

In order to enroll in the part-time BSN program, a student must either hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing or have completed at least sixty-four credits of general education coursework. Qualified students may begin the seven-semester nursing course sequence in the fall. Classes are designed to accommodate work schedules; most are offered in the evening or on weekends, and some are in a hybrid format (partly online, partly on-site). A student on the part-time BSN track must earn at least fifty-eight credits of nursing coursework over the course of the program’s seven semesters.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing – RN to BSN

A BSN degree is the foundation for graduate-level specialization in the nursing field; an RN who is a graduate of an associate degree program or a diploma program will need to complete a BSN before enrolling in any master’s program. Allen College offers an online option for RNs who wish to do this. In conformity to the Iowa Articulation Plan, an incoming RN will receive up to forty-two advanced placement credits for the lower-level nursing coursework in the BSN program. He must complete an additional thirty credits of nursing coursework through Allen College (all these courses are offered online) as well as fifty-two credits of general education coursework at a different college. There is a clinical component to the RN to BSN program, which students may arrange at a location that is convenient for them. RNs may pursue a BSN degree on a full-time or part-time basis.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing/Master of Science in Nursing – RN to MSN

A graduate of an associate degree program or a diploma program who already knows that she wants to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) can enroll in the RN to MSN track. Allen College will help her to shorten the length of her study and transition smoothly from undergraduate classes to graduate classes by allowing her to substitute nine credits of MSN courses for nine credits of the BSN degree. Once she has earned the required 124 credits for the BSN degree, she can transition into the MSN program of her choice, with nine credits already completed. The nursing courses for the BSN portion of the RN to MSN program are offered online. Students may enroll either full-time or part-time.

Master of Science in Nursing

Allen College starts its MSN program every fall, spring, and summer. The program is open to RNs who hold a bachelor’s degree. (RNs who hold an associate degree or diploma must enroll in the RN to MSN program instead.) The program consists of core graduate nursing classes, which are offered online, as well as classes and clinical rotations in a chosen area of specialization. The number of credits and clinical hours required can vary, depending on the specialization. Students may pursue an MSN degree on either a full-time or a part-time basis. Allen College offers the following areas of specialization within its MSN program:

Leadership in Health Care Delivery – Administration:
The Leadership in Health Care Delivery – Administration track of the MSN program requires thirty-six credits and 300 clinical hours.

Nursing Education:
In order to complete the Nursing Education track of the MSN program, a nurse must earn thirty-nine credits and complete a 375-hour teaching practicum and 300 clinical hours.

Family Nurse Practitioner:
Before taking the certification exam to become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), a nurse must complete forty-two credit hours and a 600-hour practicum.

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner:
The Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) track of the MSN program requires forty-two credits and 600 hours of clinical experience.

Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner:
To complete the Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (FPMHNP) track of the MSN program, a nurse must earn forty-three credits and complete 600 hours of clinical practice.

Adult Nurse Practitioner:
The Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP) track requires forty-four credits and 600 hours of clinical experience.

Gerontological Nurse Practitioner:
The Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (GNP) curriculum requires forty-four credits and 600 hours of clinical practice.

Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner:
In order to earn dual certification as an ANP and GNP through the Adult and Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (AGNP) program, a nurse must complete forty-seven credits, and complete an 825-hour practicum.

Master’s Completion Program for Nurse Practitioners:
Any Nurse Practitioner (NP) who needs to complete his MSN degree must earn twenty-six credits of core graduate nursing courses, and complete a 75-hour practicum.

Post- Master’s Certificate

An MSN-prepared nurse can complete a post-master’s certificate in any of the MSN areas of concentration. As a nurse with an MSN who has already completed core graduate nursing classes, she only needs to complete courses in her chosen area of focus. Allen College offers the following post-master’s certification options: Leadership in Health Care Delivery – Administration (sixteen credits), Nursing Education (twenty-two credits), FNP (twenty-five credits), ACNP (twenty-five credits), FPMHNP (twenty-six credits), ANP (twenty-seven credits), GNP (twenty-seven credits), and AGNP (thirty credits).

Doctor of Nursing Practice

To achieve the highest level of clinical and administrative responsibility, a nurse can enroll in Allen College’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. This program is only open to nurses who have already completed an MSN degree. It requires thirty-three credit hours and a 400-hour practicum.

Contact:
Allen College

1990 Heath Street
Waterloo, IA 50703