Nursing, B.S.

Nursing, B.S. - Traditional  (4 years) Nursing, B.S. - Accelerated Second Degree   Nursing, B.S. - RN to B.S. Multicultural Health

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Mission statement

The Department of Nursing educates students for all levels of nursing practice by building on a firm foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. The mission promotes the growth of the whole person in a caring environment and fosters strong ethical values, intellectual curiosity, personal integrity and a commitment to the health and well-being of society. The goal is to prepare graduates to practice the art and science of Nursing, be effective leaders and use evidence-based resources to improve the health of persons, families and communities.

Traditional B.S. (4 years)

Students in the traditional program are high school graduates or transfer students who have had no previous education for professional nursing. Upon graduation, students are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensing Examination for licensure as a Registered Nurse.

The baccalaureate program in Nursing at the University of Saint Joseph is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K St. NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202.887.6791.

Program outcomes

The student will:

1. Integrate the aesthetics and empirics of Nursing with the natural/behavior sciences, the humanities and inter-professional education to provide holistic care for individuals, families, groups, communities and populations
2. Demonstrate knowledge and skills in leadership that promote quality improvement and patient safety
3. Implement an evidence-based and theoretically guided framework for Nursing practice including the five patterns of knowing in Nursing and transition theory 
4. Use data from diverse sources with knowledge and skill in informatics and patient care technology to promote safety and optimal patient outcomes
5. Appraise and respond to the economic, legal, political and social issues that impact health and wellness of individuals, families, groups, communities and populations through emancipatory knowing
6. Communicate and collaborate with other members of the health care team to advocate for high quality and safe patient care
7. Deliver culturally appropriate nursing care through health promotion and disease prevention to populations on a local and global level
8. Assume responsibility and accountability for ethical professional behavior and nursing care
9. Demonstrate competent nursing practice in diverse settings caring for individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations

Admission to the Nursing major

• Students who are admitted directly into the Nursing major must meet the requirements for continued progression in the major as noted below. There is no secondary application process.

Admission to Pre-Nursing

• Students admitted to pre-Nursing may register for NURS 200 - Foundations of Professional Nursing  if they achieve a B minus (B-) or higher in BIOL 114 - General Biology , CHEM 170 - Principles of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry , BIOL 241 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology I , and CHEM 240 - Biochemistry of the Human Body  AND have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Transfer students’ grades previously earned in biology and chemistry are assessed by the undergraduate director, in consultation with the Admissions Department and the Natural Science chairpersons when transcripts are reviewed as part of the application process to the Nursing major.
• Students must have achieved a B minus (B-) or higher in any science courses to be transferred in to the program, if taken after August 2014.
• Students admitted to pre-Nursing can apply for a change of major into Nursing at the end of the fall semester sophomore year. Students must meet all of the following criteria:
  • Grades of B minus (B-) or higher in all sciences including BIOL 114 - General Biology , CHEM 170 - Principles of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry , BIOL 241 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology I , BIOL 242 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology II , CHEM 240 - Biochemistry of the Human Body , and NURS 200 - Foundations of Professional Nursing  
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Acceptance into the Nursing major is determined by the Admission and Progression Committee
  • Grades in science courses transferred from other institutions will be counted in determining admission and progression in the major
  • Once a decision has been made, all applicants will receive a written notification from the Nursing chairperson

Criteria for progression in the Nursing major

All traditional students who are admitted into the Nursing major must meet the requirements for continued progression in the major as noted below:

Students are allowed to progress in the Nursing Program under the following criteria:

 Year 1:

• All grades in required science courses must be a B- or higher.
• Students may earn only one C+ in a science course and progress without repeating the course. If the student earns a second C+ or less in a science course during the freshman year, the student will need to repeat the course and earn at least a B- prior to progressing on to nursing courses. Only one repeat is allowed.
• Students must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to progress into year 2 (200 level courses).
• Any grade in a science or nursing course less than a C+ will need to be repeated subject to limits on repeat courses.

 Year 2:

• All grades in required nursing courses must be a B- or higher.
• Students who earn one C+ in one of the three nursing courses offered during the sophomore year, N200, N216 or N219 may progress without repeating the course.
• A second grade of C+ or less in either a science prerequisite or nursing course in the sophomore year will result in dismissal from the nursing major.

All 300 & 400 level nursing courses:

• All grades in required nursing courses must be a B- or higher.
• If a student has no prior C+ in a nursing course, but earns a C+ in either junior or senior year, the student must repeat the course and earn a grade of B- or higher in the repeated course in order to progress.
• If a student has previously earned a C+ or less in a sophomore nursing course and earns a C+ or less in either junior or senior year, the student will be dismissed from the program.

All Students:

• A student is allowed to withdraw only from one nursing and one science course for academic reasons only. Withdrawals for non-academic reasons will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Pre-requisite science courses that are transferred to USJ are subject to the same grade, repeat, and withdrawal policies as outlined above.

In addition to the above guidelines, students will be dismissed from the program under the following additional circumstances:

• Failure to successfully remediate a Notification of Needs Improvement within the semester it is received.
• Failure to pass the clinical experience will result in failure of the course, despite the grade earned for the classroom content.
• Failure to pass a clinical experience will also result in dismissal from the program if this is the student’s second nursing course with an earned grade of C+ or less.

Once dismissed from the nursing major, a student cannot apply for and will not be admitted or reinstated into any USJ pre-licensure nursing program.

Any student who withdraws from any Nursing course will be required to meet with his/her faculty advisor.

Health requirements

• Physical examination and vaccination form needed upon entering the program, and every two years thereafter
• Immunization against: Rubeola, Rubella (or titer), Mumps, Poliomyelitis; Tdap booster within 10 years
• Two-step Tuberculosis skin test 1-3 weeks apart and renewed annually while in the Nursing program
• Varicella (Chicken Pox) titer or two vaccines
• Hepatitis B vaccine series or positive titer
• Evidence of health insurance, submitted yearly
• Seasonal Influenza vaccine yearly

Uniforms and equipment for clinical experiences

Students are responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and several specific items of equipment necessary for clinical experiences. Students are also responsible for arranging their own transportation to clinical agencies. For details on these requirements, see the Student Handbook for Nursing Majors.

Criminal background investigation and drug screening

All undergraduates must have a Criminal Background Investigation and drug testing completed and on file during the spring of their sophomore year. A letter will be provided to each student accepted into the major with instructions. The background investigation may need to be updated throughout the program.

CPR course requirement

All students must provide annual evidence of completion of a CPR course for health care providers prior to starting clinical courses. The CPR course must be the AHA health care provider course good for two years.