If you meet all the academic requirements you will have the opportunity to take part in a professional practicum in semesters five, six, and seven. This is a once-a-week, 12-hour shift in a group clinical placement with six to eight other students and a Registered Nurse (RN) onsite clinical supervisor. In semester eight you will be placed in an integrated professional practicum. This is a one-on-one opportunity for you to work with an RN preceptor and apply skills gained throughout the program. This practicum is unpaid and takes place in a professional setting such as acute care/hospitals, health care centres, treatment centers, and long-term care/facilities.
Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (Bridge) (BSNB)
About the Program
There are three streams of Seneca’s Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing degree:
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Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (Bridge) (BSNB) – Designed for current practicing RPNs who wish to complete the degree via a bridging pathway.
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Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (BSN) – Designed for those who wish to complete the full program in four years (eight semesters). If you start in September, there are summer breaks. If you start in January, there are summer breaks after the first year.
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Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (Fast track) (BSNF) – Designed for those who wish to complete the full program in three years (eight consecutive semesters).
In Seneca’s Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing (Bridge) degree program you will earn a BScN credential. Prepare to be a healthcare leader by following a curriculum that provides a diverse and global perspective.
This stream is for graduates of an Ontario Practical Nursing diploma program who have registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), and otherwise meet the admission requirements. You will be eligible to enter the program at the fifth semester (year 3, level 5) after completing a two-semester bridge program (with a final grade of 65 per cent or higher for each bridge course). You will then complete the degree in four semesters (two years).
In this program you will have the opportunity to provide nursing care within a variety of clinical settings. Clinical education is enhanced with focused simulation in state-of-the art labs, which gives you the ability to practice and refine your clinical reasoning skills.
The curriculum is designed to meet the entry to practice competencies defined by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and provides a solid base for further study at the graduate level.
All three streams of Seneca's Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program have received preliminary approval from the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Graduates from these programs are eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse in Ontario. Programs with preliminary approval status will be considered for full approval status after completing a comprehensive review in the academic year following the first class of graduates.
Credential Awarded
Honours Bachelor Degree
Duration
6 Semesters (3 Years)
Starts
January, September
Program and Course Delivery
This program is offered in Seneca's hybrid delivery format. Some coursework is online and some must be completed in person. Students will need to come on campus to complete in-person learning requirements.
Skills
Throughout this program you will develop the following skills:
- critical thinking and problem-solving skills that support the development of clinical reasoning and clinical judgment
- self-management that demonstrates initiative, personal responsibility and accountability to work in the profession of nursing
- communication and interpersonal relationship skills to work effectively and collaboratively in a diverse inter-professional health-care system
- ability to collaborate in groups and work independently
Work Experience
Professional Practicum
Your Career
When you graduate from this program, these are the types of career options you can explore:
- hospitals
- public health
- community nursing
- rehabilitation centres
- long term care
- primary healthcare
- travel nursing
- private clinics
Professional Practice Upon Graduation
Successful completion of the bridge and years 3 and 4 of the BSN program earns graduates a BScN degree, which meets the educational credential required to write the regulatory exam for RNs (NCLEX-RN) in Ontario. Visit the regulatory body website to learn more about the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Entry to Practice Competencies for Registered Nurses.
Graduates wishing to engage in professional practice as a Registered Nurse and use the legally protected title Registered Nurse are subject to all entry to practice requirements of the CNO, Ontario’s governing body for nurses. For a full list of the current requirements, please see the CNO Registration Requirements.
Program of Study
| Course Code | Course Name | Weekly Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||
| BRN100 | Pharmacotherapeutic Concepts in Acute and Chronic Illness | 3 |
| BRN101 | RPN to RN Professional Role Transition | 3 |
| BRN102 | Scholarly Writing in Nursing | 3 |
| PSY114 | Introduction to Psychology II | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| BRN200 | Comprehensive Health Assessment | 3 |
| BRN201 | Nursing Practice in Acute and Chronic Illness | 3 |
| BRN203 | Bridge to BSCN Seminar and Simulation | 3 |
| IDI300 | Infectious Disease and Immunology | 4 |
| Semester 5 | ||
| BSN510 | Nursing Research | 3 |
| BSN520 | Medical Surgical Nursing II | 3 |
| BSN525 | Professional Practicum III | 12 |
| PPY500 | Pathophysiology II | 4 |
| plus: Liberal Studies Course (1) | 3 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| BSN610 | Ethical and Legal Foundations of Nursing Practice | 3 |
| BSN615 | Childbearing Families | 3 |
| BSN620 | Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| BSN625 | Professional Practicum IV | 12 |
| STA683 | Applied Statistics in Social Sciences | 3 |
| Semester 7 | ||
| BSN710 | Leadership in Nursing Practice | 3 |
| BSN715 | Pediatric Nursing | 4 |
| BSN716 | Community and Global Health Nursing | 3 |
| BSN720 | Medical Surgical Nursing III - Acute and Complex Care | 3 |
| BSN725 | Professional Practicum V | 12 |
| Semester 8 | ||
| BSN810 | Nursing Registration Preparation | 2 |
| BSN825 | Integrated Professional Practicum | 33 |
Seneca has been granted consent by the Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security to offer this degree for a seven-year term starting Oct. 15, 2021. In conformity with the Minister's criteria and requirements, Seneca will submit an application for the renewal of the consent for this program 12 months prior to the expiration of the consent. Seneca shall ensure that all students admitted to the above-named program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.
Program Learning Outcomes
This Seneca program has been validated by the Credential Validation Service as an Ontario College Credential as required by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the ability to:
- Be accountable to the public and the profession by abiding to the profession’s legal, ethical and practice standards.
- Provide competent, ethical, compassionate, and evidence informed client-centred care to individuals, families, communities and diverse populations.
- Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to provide safe and coordinated care using critical thinking, problem solving and clinical reasoning in a variety of settings.
- Utilize health promotion, harm reduction, disease prevention and illness management strategies with clients to support optimal health outcomes.
- Establish collaborative professional relationships within nursing, the interprofessional team, and other community partners.
- Communicate with individuals, families and communities using therapeutic and relational practices.
- Integrate concepts of empowerment, social advocacy, and social justice in providing client care to individuals, families and communities to reduce health inequities and disparities.
- Advocate for and support culturally safe environments where clients are respected for their health care practices and decisions.
- Use nursing informatics to inform care and improve the health of clients.
- Engage in scholarship through critical inquiry, continuous quality improvement, and through the support of research to enhance professional practice.
- Demonstrate leadership and a commitment to lifelong learning.
Admission Requirements
- Completion of a recognized Practical Nursing Diploma from an Ontario College with a graduating GPA of 75% or higher (Seneca Polytechnic GPA 3.5).
- Current RPN registration in the practising class in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
Additional Information
Clinical Practicum Requirements:
To be eligible for clinical practicum placements, students must have a completed Clinical Preparedness Permit which includes:
Medical Requirements
- current immunization records as outlined in the Canadian Immunization Guide for health-care workers
- bloodwork for immune status of hepatitis B/varicella/measles/mumps and rubella
- TB testing/CXR as required
Non-Medical Requirements
- A current Basic Life Support Certificate renewed annually
- Standard First Aid valid for four years
- Online courses are not acceptable
- Record of mask fit test, renewed every two years
- Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening (annually)
Transportation
- Clinical practicum placements are in a variety of agencies in the greater Toronto area. Students are required to provide their own transportation to practicum placements. Placements may be six-, 10- or 12-hour days starting as early as 6 a.m. and may include weekends and evenings.
Students in the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program are required to provide a current criminal record check and vulnerable sector screening from a recognized police service before they are permitted to start their clinical/practicum or work placement. Individuals who have been charged or convicted criminally and not yet pardoned, will be prohibited from proceeding to a clinical/practicum or work placement. A student with an outstanding charge or who has been convicted of a criminal offence and has not obtained a full pardon will be counselled to withdraw from the program as a successful practicum placement is a requirement to progress through the program.
Notes
- Admission to this program is highly competitive. Program GPAs will be taken into consideration in ranking applications for an admission decision. Only the top ranked applicants will be offered a seat in the program.
Pathways
As a leader in academic pathways, we offer a range of options that will allow you to take your credential further in another Seneca program or a program at a partner institution.
To learn more about your eligibility, visit the Academic Pathways web page.