Nursing, B.S.

Nursing, B.S. - Traditional  (4 years) Nursing, B.S. - Accelerated Second Degree

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Mission statement

The mission of the Department of Nursing is to provide a rigorous professional education to a diverse population, built on a firm foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, that prepares students for leadership roles at all levels of nursing practice. The Department is committed to supporting holistic growth, fostering strong ethical values, providing an environment of equity and inclusion, promoting personal integrity, and preparing students committed to social justice 

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 degree in Nursing at the University of Saint Joseph is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street 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. Utilize 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 - Introduction to Cellular Biology , CHEM 170 - Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry I , CHEM 172 - Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry II , BIOL 241 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology I  ,  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.

• After completion of the requirements below, nursing students admitted to pre-nursing will be changed to the nursing major.

  Grades of B minus (B-) or higher in all sciences including BIOL 114 - Introduction to Cellular Biology , CHEM 170 - Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry I ,  CHEM 172 - Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry II , BIOL 241 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology I  , BIOL 242 - Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology II  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:

Science courses:

All grades in required science courses must be a B- or higher with the following exceptions:

• Students may earn one C+ in a science course and progress without repeating the course.

                                                                      OR

• Students may earn one grade below a C+ and will be eligible to repeat the course.
• Only one grade below a B- in a science course will be allowed. A second grade in a science course below a B- will result in dismissal from the program.

Nursing Courses:

All grades in required nursing courses must be a B- or higher with the following exceptions:

• Students may earn one C+ in a nursing course and progress without repeating the course.

OR

• Students may earn one grade below a C+ in nursing and will be eligible to repeat the course.
• Only one grade below a B- in a nursing course will be allowed. A second grade in a nursing course below a B- will result in dismissal from the nursing 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.

A student has the right to appeal a progression/dismissal decision. If a student wishes to make an appeal, he/she must write a statement supporting the reasons for being granted an appeal of progression and submit this, along with any other supporting documentation to the Department Chair, Dr. Denise Puia  dpuia@usj.edu no later than five days after progression/dismissal decision. 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 wishes to withdraw 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
• Covid Vaccine: must provide documentation of the required number of boosters as defined by the agency policies

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 prior to the first day of class; spring of sophomore year (NURS 219).

CPR course requirement

All students are required to provide evidence of completion of the American Heart Association CPR for health care providers prior to the start of clinical in spring semester sophomore year, NURS 219.