RN to BS in Nursing Program Overview
Registered nurses interested in moving their careers forward can earn a CCNE-accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) online. This 38-credit program prepares nurses for leadership roles in healthcare, empowering them to create change in the workplace and promote high-quality, patient-centered care.
You must have a current, unencumbered RN license in Texas or other Nurse Licensure Compact state for consideration.
From One Generation of Nursing Leaders to the Next
Every aspect of our online RN to BS in Nursing program caters to the needs of today’s nurses. Courses are designed and led by nursing leaders, all of whom are RNs with first-hand experience of the challenges faced by healthcare practitioners.
As an experienced RN, you can gain a deeper understanding of evolving challenges in nursing, the intricacies of organizational culture, the importance of patient-centered care, and much more in our virtual classroom. Our course Social Determinants of Health takes an in-depth look at environmental factors that influence patient outcomes, while Informatics and Innovation explores the impact of technology on clinical decision-making. These courses, along with the rest of our online RN to BS in Nursing program, offer a practical way to perfect the skills needed to transition into leadership roles, such as:
- Clinical nurse manager
- Health policy nurse
- Nurse administrator
- Nurse consultant
- Nurse educator
Maintain a Work-Life Balance With Self-Paced Learning
With the exception of two clinical courses, our program is composed of asynchronous elements that allow you to complete coursework on your schedule. After a shift or during a long weekend, dive into a course module’s readings, assignments, and quizzes and gain up-to-date knowledge immediately applicable to your career. Your time in and outside of work is valuable, which is why we’re entrusting you to control the pace of your own education.
Translate Nursing Concepts into Clinical Practice
As a student, you’ll be required to complete two clinical courses conducted in person and with a local nurse preceptor of your choice, as long as that person has a BSN and is working in a leadership role. By working closely with a nurse leader, you will further develop the knowledge and skills needed to take on additional professional responsibilities, even if you already have considerable experience as an RN. Clinical courses require no campus visits.
Earn a BSN and an Optional Nurse Manager Certificate
Earning a BSN degree is an honor in and of itself. However, graduates of our program are also able to obtain a Nurse Manager Certificate from Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society, for an additional cost. This prestigious certificate further distinguishes graduates in the competitive healthcare industry.
Accreditation
UT Permian Basin’s School of Nursing is accredited by the prestigious Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), a national accreditation agency committed to ensuring the quality of collegiate professional education programs throughout the United States.
42 credits required. 3 Liberal Arts credits must come from ENGL 2322, 2323, 2327, 2328 or COMM 1301. 3 or 4 Math credits must come from MATH 1314, 1324, 1332, or 2412.
The following are required courses as part of the pre-nursing major: BIOL 3300 Microbiology, NURS 3368 Pathophysiology, PSYC 3344 Lifespan and Development, and PSYC 3301 Introductory Statistics.
38 sch.
Admission Requirements
- Current unencumbered RN license in Texas or other Nurse Licensure Compact state
- Graduate of a nationally accredited professional nursing program approved by the Texas State Board of Nursing or appropriate state board
- Minimum 2.5 GPA
- Official transcripts from all colleges, universities, and nursing programs attended
Official Transcripts
Official copies of transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and should be mailed to:
UT Permian Basin
Office of Admissions
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762
Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to admissions@utpb.edu.
Application Fee
The application fee is $40 and must be paid when you submit your online application.
You may request an application fee waiver if the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) listed on your Student Aid Report is zero.
Faculty Bios
Adjunct Professor
School of Nursing
bredimus_b@utpb.edu
Dr. Kit Bredimus is the Chief Nursing Officer at Midland Memorial Hospital in Midland, Texas. Dr. Bredimus earned his Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. He is a nationally recognized nurse leader through his various presentations, podcasts, publications, and involvement in professional organizations. Dr. Bredimus was featured on the inaugural list of 20 under 40 by Midland Magazine and is a Texas Nurses Association’s 2020 Year of the Nurse Award winner. Nationally, Dr. Bredimus is a Modern Healthcare’s Rising Star in Nursing Award winner, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership Early Careerist Award winner, and runner-up for Nursing Management’s Hader Visionary Nurse Leader Award. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Texas Organization for Nursing Leadership, Texas Nurses Association, and Permian Basin Great 25 Nurses Recognition Program.
Dr. Bredimus is also an active member and volunteer with several national and regional professional organizations. He is a Master Certified Values Coach with a focus on transformational leadership and personal empowerment, a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and he holds multiple board certifications in nursing management and executive leadership, along with Emergency and Pediatric Emergency nursing. Dr. Bredimus is married to his high school sweetheart, Heather, and they have four children. He is active in his community, volunteering with several local non-profit organizations with a focus on helping children, especially those in the child welfare system.
Assistant Clinical Professor
Coordinator, RN-BSN Program
Director, Center for Inter-Professional & Experiential Learning (CIPEL)
College of Health Sciences and Human Performance
dunne_d@utpb.edu
Ms. Dunne has been a nurse for over 30 years. She has worked in varying roles from staff nurse to director as well as serving on numerous committees. The majority of her career has been in women’s health, but she has worked in research, specialty areas, quality/risk management, and education. Ms. Dunne received her Associate Degree in Nursing in 1992 and then went on for a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration, a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, and a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in education. She obtained her BSHA and both master's degrees online while working two jobs, and she understands the sacrifices you make to complete your degrees.
Currently Ms. Dunne is the Director for the Center for Inter-Professional and Experiential Learning at UTPB as well as an Assistant Clinical Professor and RN-BSN Program Coordinator. In her free time, Ms. Dunne enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and giving back to her community.
Adjunct Professor
School of Nursing
faulk_d@utpb.edu
Dr. Faulk retired from full time teaching at Auburn University Montgomery in 2015 as the RN to BSN program coordinator and a professor emeritus. Her experience as a nurse educator is somewhat varied in that she has taught RN to BSN, baccalaureate, and graduate students. Her course experience is primarily teaching leadership, health policy, professional issues, informatics, and scholarly inquiry (research). Dr. Faulk has over 20 years of experience teaching online. She is creative, energetic, and a seasoned faculty member, and she is excited about the possibility of sharing her knowledge and experience with students at UTPB.
Dr. Faulk’s teaching philosophy is simple: “I treat students with respect and exhibit a caring approach in my interactions ... By using various pedagogical methodologies, I accomplish the basic tenets of nursing education; the development of knowledge and a voice to express that knowledge. Through use of transformative learning principles and approaches, I create planned strategies to stimulate transformative learning with the outcome of enhanced professionalism. As an authentic nursing educator, I use my professional values of honesty, fairness, individual responsibility/accountability, team spirit, knowledge and the Golden Rule in my relationship with students and colleagues.”
Part-Time Faculty
School of Nursing
hall_m@utpb.edu
Dr. Hall has been a nurse since 1995 and has served in various formal nursing leadership roles since 2001. He has presented at national conferences, consulted on state legislature for the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners, and has consulted both nationally and internationally on nursing leadership. He been published in nursing journals for his research on pain management as well as his work on formal recognition programs like ANCC’s Pathway to Excellence.
Dr. Hall is the director of the Center for Advancing Professional Excellence at Midland Health. In his director’s role, he leads nursing education, mental health, patient safety, safe patient handling, clinical data analytics, the Nursing Intern Program, the Nursing Residency Program, the Nursing Fellowship Program, and the Professional Governance Programs. Dr. Hall also leads the formal recognition programs for the hospital including ANCC Magnet, ANCC Pathway to Excellence, ANCC Practice Transition Accrediting Program, AACN Beacon, and DAISY.
Part-Time Faculty
School of Nursing
leftwich_k@utpb.edu
Dr. Leftwich is an adjunct faculty member at UT Permian Basin’s School of Nursing. She has been a nurse since 1996 and is a graduate of Odessa College, Texas Tech University, and Capella University. Her nursing degrees focus on administration, leadership, and management.
She has served in various roles clinically and in leadership, including working bedside for 13 years before transitioning into a nurse educator role. She was the Director for Medical Telemetry and Medical Oncology for five years and had oversight of the Palliative Care Program. Dr. Leftwich currently serves as the Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Medical Center Hospital, where her oversight includes the Center for Women and Infants, Pediatrics, Medical Telemetry, Medical Observation Unit, and Medical Oncology, as well as Care Management and Utilization Review. She serves as the chair of the Clinical Ethics Committee and is the Nursing Chair for the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Adjunct Professor
School of Nursing
Ms. McQuitty has been a nurse since 2007. Prior to nursing, she worked as a surgical technologist for 10 years. Ms. McQuitty’s nursing career has been in Critical Care, Informatics, and Education. She graduated with her Associate Degree in Nursing from Odessa College in 2007, her BSN from Angelo State University in 2013, and her MSN from Western Governors in 2019.
Ms. McQuitty loves to travel to new places with the beach being her favorite. Family is very important to her, and she always wants to be surrounded by positive people so they can lift one another up.
Associate Professor
Department Chair
School of Nursing
murray_a@utpb.edu
Dr. Alicia Murray is an Associate Professor and Department Chair for The University of Texas Permian Basin. She is originally from Glenburn, Maine. She has been in nursing for over 36 years. She began as an LPN and earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice with a Population Health focus from Quinnipiac University in August of 2020. She spent six years in the Army reserves.
She has an extensive background in the clinical areas of nursing. She developed a chronic illness management program as well as inpatient palliative care programs, and she opened a diagnostic cardiac catheterization lab at a community hospital. She has been certified in hospice and palliative care for 22 years. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. She has been active in board service for Northern Light Healthcare Operations board, Maine Hospice Council, and Bangor Nursing and Rehabilitation Services. She has two grown children and enjoys traveling, scuba diving, and spending time with family and friends.
Clinical Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
saldana_v@utpb.edu
Venessa Saldana is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse with board certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She received her associate degree in respiratory care in 2009, bachelor's in nursing in 2013, and master's in nursing from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 2019.
As a registered nurse, Ms. Saldana began her career with Midland Memorial Hospital as a staff and charge nurse in the Emergency Department for over seven years. She also has experience working in a primary care practice, urgent care, and aesthetic medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Ms. Saldana has over 10 years of experience in urgent and emergency medicine. She also holds certifications in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME).