Nursing—LPN to BSN

OBU maintains clinical partnerships with most major hospital entities (Integris, Mercy, OU, Norman Regional and SSM) community health clinics and many private practices around the metro and OKC. 

Clinical partnerships with major hospital entities provide numerous opportunities for clinical experience and networking. These parternships include Integris, Mercy, OU, Norman Regional and SSM. In addition, students can apply for internships with these partners to further enhance their learning experience.   

The Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) is an organization for students who are planning a career in professional nursing. The organization is designed to enhance the educational experience of its members and facilitate a smooth transition from student nurse to professional nurse, while providing fellowship, encouragement, and opportunities to minister to one another, OBU, the Shawnee community, and our world.  

The School of Nursing incorporates a Christian worldview into our curriculum, enriching students’ educations and spreading the teachings of Christ. We feel nursing and Christianity go hand-in-hand. After all, the Bible is overflowing with references of tending to the sick and practicing acts of compassion and kindness. Nursing embodies these characteristics, with registered nurses dedicating themselves to saving lives, improving health and making patients more comfortable. 

Hospitals

Many students who graduate from nursing school at OBU go on to work in hospitals. They may work in emergency rooms, critical care centers, labor and delivery, or surgery. These nurses thrive in a busy, demanding environment.

Doctors’ Offices

Some nursing school graduates prefer doctors’ offices over hospital settings because the work is less hectic, and the hours are set and predictable. Opportunities for nurses in this area include pediatrics, oncology, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology.

Long-Term Care Facilities

Some of our nursing graduates choose to work in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement communities and other care centers for the elderly, disabled or those recovering from a medical event or surgery. Many of our nursing graduates find this type of geriatric nursing rewarding. The Bible tells us to honor and care for our elders in their time of need, and nurses who staff long-term care facilities do God’s work on a full-time basis.

Nursing in Mental Health

Psychiatric nurses or those who work in mental health facilities care for patients with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. You may also work with patients diagnosed with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, and those addicted to drugs or alcohol. With an OBU nursing degree, you have many opportunities in Oklahoma and throughout the U.S. to help those struggling with mental health issues.

Visiting or Traveling Nurse

This type of work is perfect for the OBU nursing graduate who loves adventure and doesn’t want to be in the same hospital or doctor’s office every day. Visiting nurses attend to homebound patients who require onsite care. They often work in conjunction with home health care and hospice agencies, checking patients’ vital signs, changing dressings, assessing physical and emotional health, monitoring medications and more. Traveling nurses work at hospitals or medical centers across the country on a short-term basis, usually to help with nursing shortages in these areas.

The OBU nursing program has a long tradition of producing qualified graduates who find  success in the areas of employment,  NCLEX pass rates and program completion. See our
Nursing Student Achievement Data.

Oklahoma Baptist University offers a hybrid LPN to BSN program to support working nurses in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Admission requirements and application steps as follows:

• Complete OBU admission application and requirements
• Once accepted to OBU, complete the School of Nursing admission application selecting the anticipated cohort year start date;
  • Conditional Admission Criteria:
    • Earn a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA
    • Complete all Clinical Practicum Requirements
  • Complete the following academic courses with a minimum grade of C, limited to a maximum of two (2) attempts per course
    • CHEM 1124 Intro to Chemistry
    • BIOL 2354 Human Anatomy
    • BIOL 2364 Human Physiology
    • BIOL 3274 Microbiology
    • MATH 1163 College Algebra
    • MATH 2003 Statistics
    • SOCI 1223 Intro to Sociology
    • PSYC 1223 Intro to Psychology

• Students not meeting the conditional admission requirements may request a Review of Circumstances be completed by the Chair of Nursing. Students should complete and submit the Review of Circumstances form to the Chair as part of the application process. Factors to be considered include:
  • College credits that are older than 5 years
  • Returning to college after a gap in years
  • Required GPA on the last 60 hours
  • Required GPA only on the courses being used to meet the BSN degree requirements
  • Current healthcare experience

• Full Admission Criteria
  • Upon admission to the LPN to BSN Hybrid Program Tract, the applicant may have a maximum of 9 non-nursing credit hours to complete. The outstanding 9 credit hours do not include courses in the plan of study for the School of Nursing. The student must have these outstanding credits completed prior to start of the fall semester of the cohort year.
  • All conditional requirements must be completed.
  • For courses taken at another college or university, all official transcripts must be in the Registrar’s Office no later than October 15th, prior to the admission cohort start.
  • In the event that the SoN must limit the size of the nursing cohort, applicants will be ranked according to GPA. Students enrolled at OBU full-time for at least one semester will receive priority over new transfer students.

• Completion of a State Board approved LPN
• Submit proof of a current, unencumbered license to practice as an
• Based on a current unencumbered LPN license the following advanced placement credits will be awarded after completion of the first semester in the program:
  • NURS 2013 Development and Nutrition
  • NURS 3173 Pharmacology
  • NURS 3194 Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice
  • NURS 3294 Practicum: Foundations of Professional Practice
• Based on successful completion of NURS 1999 LPN Transition Prep students will receive credit for the following after completion of the first semester in the program:
  • NURS 3222 Health Focus: Behavioral and Mental Health
  • NURS 3823 Practicum: Mental Health
  • NURS 4252 Health Focus: Childbearing Family
  • NURS 4393 Practicum: Childbearing Family
  • NURS 4512 Health Focus: Child and Family
  • NURS 4563 Practicum: Child and Family