COVID-19 Announcement
Due to COVID-19, we have moved our health care programs to an online learning platform so we can continue supporting our student’s educational goals. The hands-on components of courses are being held on campus following strict health and safety guidelines.
All we do is Nursing
How does our accelerated Nursing Program fit your busy life?
- Earn your BSN in just 3 years, or less with qualified transfer credits!
- Start sooner – classes begin about every 8 weeks
- ABHES-Accredited1 and CCNE-Accredited2
- Conveniently located in the Westshore District, our nursing school in Tampa FL is easy to find and reach from nearly anywhere in Tampa Bay.
Finally, a nursing school near me!
A nursing program for the entire Tampa region including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, North Tampa, and Brandon.
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program
Arizona College of Nursing is now authorized to offer eligible students the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. This program provides scholarships based on high school academic achievement. It has four award levels: the Florida Academic Scholars Award (FAS), Florida Medallion Scholars Award (FMS), Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars Award (GVS), and the Florida Gold Seal CAPE Scholarship (GSC).
Each award has different academic criteria for eligibility and provides a different award amount. The Florida Academic Scholar with the highest academic ranking in each county will also receive the Academic Top Scholars Award.
Bright Futures Eligibility and Requirements
- Be a Florida state resident and a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) by 8/31 the year of your high school graduation
- Earn a standard Florida high school diploma or its equivalent from a Florida public high school or a registered Florida Department of Education private school
- Not have been convicted of (or pleaded no contest to) a felony charge
- Be accepted by and enroll in a degree or certificate program at an eligible Florida public or independent postsecondary institution
- Be enrolled for at least six (non-remedial) credit hours per term
*The State of Florida determines eligibility and award amount of the scholarship.
If you would like to apply for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, click here.
Career-Focused Education
Real-life Scenarios & Simulation
Participate in high-tech health simulations in state-of-the-art labs that replicate today’s exam rooms, ER bays, and delivery suites.
Expert Faculty
Learn from experienced nurses and healthcare leaders as they share their knowledge and passion with you.
Case Studies & Discussion
Join your classmates and instructors in engaging conversations while examining and reimagining actual medical cases.
Fast. Flexible. Focused.
Complete your BSN in three years or less with qualified transfer credits. Begin with evening, hybrid general education classes, then dive into your nursing core.
Real-world experience.
Participate in hands-on simulations in high-tech labs. Immerse yourself in the field during your clinical experiences.
Our Nursing School in Tampa
Are you looking for a nursing school that offers a nursing program to match your busy life? The first 4 semesters of our nursing program are evening general education classes. To help you earn your nursing degree faster, you’ll complete each general education course in just 8 weeks.
Stop by to learn more about our BSN degree, which prepares you to take on a wider range of responsibilities than an ADN, CNA, LVN or LPN nursing program.
Learn more about our CCNE-Accredited2 BSN programNationally Accredited
1 All Arizona College campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), a U.S. Department of Education-recognized national accrediting agency.
Hear From Our Students
BSN Curriculum
To fill the requirements for your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, you’ll start your nursing program with General Education courses that will form the foundation of your education. If you enter the program with no transfer credits, these classes would span the duration of your first three semesters. You’ll take classes like The Fundamentals of Biology, Introduction to Psychology, Global Health and more. A sample first year course schedule could look like this:
| Semester 1 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Fundamentals of Biology | 3 |
| Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| College Mathematics | 3 |
| First Year Composition I | 3 |
| Total | 12 |
| Semester 2 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Human Anatomy/Physiology I | 4 |
| First Year Composition II | 3 |
| Critical Inquiry & Literacy-or-Introduction to American Politics | 3 |
| Human Anatomy/Physiology II | 4 |
| Total | 14 |
| Semester 3 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Statistics | 3 |
| Human Development | 3 |
| Introduction to Chemistry | 4 |
| Cultural Diversity & Global Health | 3 |
| Total | 13 |
In situations where students are able to transfer in a high number of credits from other schools, they may be able to start nursing core classes during the first year.
In your second year of the BSN program, you’ll finish your General Education courses and make the exciting transition into the Nursing core portion of the program. You’ll take classes that help you develop the critical judgment needed to deliver safe and effective care and get your first clinical experiences caring for patients.
You’ll take classes like Ethical & Legal Standards in Nursing, Interprofessional Communication and Mental Health Theory & Application. A second year schedule could look like this:
| Semester 4 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Human Pathophysiology | 4 |
| Human Nutrition | 3 |
| Microbiology | 4 |
| Total | 11 |
| Semester 5 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Critical Thinking in Clinical Decision-Making | 2 |
| Ethics & Legal Standards in Nursing Practice I | 1 |
| Theoretical Foundation in Nursing Practice + Practicum | 2 didactic 3 practicum |
| Health Assessment | 3 |
| Interprofessional Communications | 1 |
| Leadership for Quality & Patient Safety I | 1 |
| Total | 13 |
| Semester 6 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Ethics & Legal Standards in Nursing Practice II | 1 |
| Pharmacology I | 2 |
| Acute & Chronic Health Disruption in Adult 1 + Practicum | 3 didactic 3 practicum |
| Mental Health Theory & Application + Practicum | 3 didactic 2 practicum |
| Evidence-Based Practice I | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
In the final year of the program, you’ll spend the most time engaged in patient care. You’ll work alongside medical professionals and take advanced classes that will prepare you for a career in nursing.
As you near the end of your program you’ll take classes in specialty fields such as Maternal Health, Pediatric Health and Community Health. A typical third year schedule could look like this:
| Semester 7 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Pharmacology II | 2 |
| Evidence-Based Practice II | 1 |
| Leadership for Quality & Patient Safety II | 1 |
| Acute & Chronic Health Disruption in Adult II + Practicum | 2 didactic 3 practicum |
| Community Health Nursing + Practicum | 3 didactic 3 practicum |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 8 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Maternal Health Theory and Application + Practicum | 3 didactic 2 practicum |
| Pediatric Health Theory and Application + Practicum | 3 didactic 2 practicum |
| Ethics & Legal Standards in Nursing Practice III | 1 |
| Evidence-Based Practice III | 1 |
| Leadership for Quality & Patient Safety III | 1 |
| Total | 13 |
| Semester 9 | |
|---|---|
| Course | Credits |
| Transition to the Profession | 1 |
| Acute & Chronic Health Disruption in Adult III + Practicum | 3 didactic 4 practicum |
| Professional Seminar | 2 |
| Evidence-Based Practice IV | 1 |
| Leadership for Quality & Patient Safety IV | 3 |
| Total | 14 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The requirements for licensure in Florida by examination include:
Graduation from a Florida approved or accredited nursing education program as defined in Section 464.008, F.S.
Graduation from an Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited nursing program that has been issued an NCLEX code by NCSBN.
Graduation from a nursing education program that is approved or recognized by the jurisdiction in which it is based and that has been issued an NCLEX code by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
To see all requirements for licensure in Florida, visit: https://floridasnursing.gov/licensing/licensed-practical-nurse-registered-nurse-by-examination/
Registered Nurses in Florida have a median salary $64,400 per year
As you will be newly entering the workforce, it’s important to know that you will likely not start at the median rate, but would likely increase your earnings with experience.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that Registered Nurses in Florida range from a low rate of $47,070, per year, to the highest paid Nurses earning as much as $88,630 per year
Source: Wages for Registered Nurses in Florida O*NET OnLine. Retrieved November 19, 2019, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/wages/29-1141.00?w=1&st=FL&g=Go
Registered nurses are the largest healthcare occupation
Registered nurses held about 3.1 million jobs in 2018
The largest employers of registered nurses were as follows:
- Hospitals (60%)
- Ambulatory healthcare services (18%)
- Nursing and residential care facilities (7%)
- Government (5%)
- Educational services; state, local, and private (3%)
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses. Retrieved November 19, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-3
We make it easy to apply for transfer credit. You’ll need to request two things from your previous institution(s):
- An official transcript
- A copy of the course catalog
Read more about Arizona College’s transfer requirements.
Arizona College accepts numerous types of financial aid. Students may be eligible for a wide variety of options, including but not limited to:
- Federal student loans (payments can begin after you’re done with school)
- Federal PELL and SEOG grants (do not have to be repaid)
- State-based grant programs (do not have to be repaid)
- Work-study (on-campus employment)
- Private educational loans
- Military veteran educational benefits (available at some campuses)
Read more about financial aid at Arizona College.
Yes. While every student’s schedule may vary due to prior academic experience, you’ll start your BSN degree program with evening general education courses. In addition, some general education courses are offered in a convenient on-campus/online hybrid format.
We offer general education courses in the evening because we know students are busy and often can’t immediately change their entire schedule when starting Nursing school.
Once you begin your Core Nursing courses, your schedule will shift to daytime classes.
As of 2018, there were 30,450 RNs employed in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area
RN employment in Florida is projected to grow 21% from 2018 to 2028
As of 2018, here were 3,059,800 RNs employed in the United States
RN employment in the United States is projected to grow 12% from 2018 to 2028, with 210,400 projected annual openings
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses. Retrieved November 19, 2019, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/wages/29-1141.00?w=1&st=FL&g=Go
There are 2 parts of the cost to become a nurse in the state of Florida. First, one needs to complete an accredited nursing program. Arizona college offers an accelerated nursing program to earn your BSN in 3 years or less, which saves you time and money.
Additionally, applicants will pay $200 to take the NCLEX and then an additional $175 to the Florida Board of Nursing. This fee covers the application and the licensure.
The Florida Board of Nursing requires that after 3 failed attempts at the NCLEX, applicants need to complete an approved remedial training program before they may test again. This program must include both clinical and classroom training. Once completed, applicants can submit proof of completion at the time of application for their next NCLEX attempt. For more information, contact the Florida Board of Nursing.