Accelerate your health-care career with a nursing degree

The Honours Bachelor of Science-Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway provides Registered Practical Nurses with an option of entering the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program with advanced standing. Practical Nurses who are Registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario are eligible to receive up to one year of advanced standing into the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program. Students who satisfy the admission requirements below can apply for the Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) through OCAS using the major code HBNA.

Eligibility Requirements: 

• Completion of a Practical Nursing Diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution with a graduating GPA of 75% or higher 
• Registered, in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario 
• Be entitled to practice with no restrictions 

Full disclosure of the following is required: All post-secondary transcripts taken after the completion of the Practical Nursing diploma and any Nursing post-secondary transcripts. Failure to disclose these postsecondary transcripts may result in immediate disqualification from consideration, or removal from the program.  

Selection Process

An overall minimum GPA of 75% is required for all applicants.

This is a highly competitive program. Applicants will be assessed and ranked based on the stated admission requirements.

Placement Requirements:

In order to provide quality practicum placements, students are placed in a variety of agencies in the region serviced by the campus. Students are required to provide their own transportation to practicum placements. Placements may be 6, 8, 10- or 12-hour days and may also include holidays, weekends, nights and evenings starting as early as 0600.

Many programs have immunization, criminal reference checks or other requirements that need to be met prior to placements starting and/or the first day of class. Please review your program outline for specific information. Placement forms may be posted at Georgian College Placement Office website.

You are responsible for meeting these requirements. To be eligible for all practicum placements, students must have a completed Clinical Preparedness Permit (see BScN Clinical Preparedness Permit forms) which includes: 

• a current Cardiac Life Support Certificate for Health Care Providers renewed annually and Standard First Aid (only on admission). On-line courses are not acceptable. It is the student’s responsibility to renew CPR certification every year throughout the Nursing Program;
• a completed and current immunization form in compliance with the Public Hospitals Act;
• a record of mask fit test, renewed every two years;
• WHMIS Training.

Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check:

Students in the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) are required by host agencies to provide a current criminal record check and vulnerable sector check 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.

Obtaining the Vulnerable Sector Police Record Check usually requires a processing time of up to 12 weeks and can vary between Police jurisdictions. As some jurisdictions require longer lead-time for processing, ensure you allow for sufficient turn-around time. Checks conducted earlier than six months may not be considered current. Please ensure these requirements are fully met prior to the placement start date. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the completed documents prior to placement start at the designated check time and format as set by the college. Contact the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing program coordinator on your program’s webpage if you have further questions.

The costs associated with the provision of the Vulnerable Sector Police Record check and/or pardon are to be borne by the student. The college assumes no responsibility for these matters.

Additional Applicant Information:

Upon successful completion of the Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing RPN to BScN Advanced Standing Pathway (Bridge) candidates must write the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) to work as Registered Nurses.

This college has been granted consent by the Minister of Colleges and Universities to offer this applied degree for a seven-year term starting October 4, 2021. The college shall ensure that all students admitted to the program during the period of consent will have the opportunity to complete the program within a reasonable time frame.

Clinical Simulation Learning Experiences: Students with the Orangeville campus will need to travel to Owen Sound campus in order to participate in high fidelity simulation learning. 

Non-core courses are required in all degree programs to meet the Ministry of Colleges and Universities benchmark for depth and breadth in degree-level learning. These courses are designed to give students the tools to develop interdisciplinary perspectives that inform their approach to their own discipline, their continued education and their life outside work.

Students are required to take: at least one first year interdisciplinary course (INTS1xxx); two introductory courses in their choice of disciplines outside their main field of study, which may include psychology (PSYC 1000 or PSYC 1001), social science (SOCI 1000), humanities (HUMA 1012), or science (SCEN 1000); one advanced course in a discipline (ex. PSYC3xxx, SOSC3xxx, HUMA3xxx), and; one upper level interdisciplinary course (INTS4xxx). These courses and any remaining non-core course requirements to be selected from the program list.