Nursing, B.S.

Chair: Rita Trofino, DNP, MNEd, RN

Program Director: Kimerly Forst, DNP, RN

Accreditation Statement:

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and the master’s degree programs in nursing are accredited by the Commission Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Program Description:

The BSN Program prepares generalists in nursing to assist persons, families, and communities toward the goal of health throughout life. A baccalaureate education in nursing provides each student with the knowledge base for practicing professional nursing. The curriculum is based on a liberal arts foundation in the Judeo-Christian tradition and utilizes the AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice within an integrated caring curriculum.

The faculty of the Department of Nursing has embraced the concept of the learner as an individual who has acquired the self-concept of being responsible for one’s self and of being self-directed. We view learning as a self-motivated and voluntary endeavor on the part of our nursing students. We also have, in response to our caring curriculum, moved away from the traditional role of teacher to that of facilitator of learning. Upon completion of the curriculum, the graduate possesses a foundation for graduate study.

The baccalaureate nursing program at Saint Francis University has full approval by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW Suite 750, Washington, DC. 20001, (202) 887-6791. http://www.ccneaccreditation.org A graduate is eligible to sit for the R.N. licensure exam, NCLEX-RN®.

Student Learning Outcomes:

1. Synthesize knowledge from the humanities and sciences, advanced nursing concepts, and applicable evidenced-based practice to enhance the art and science of nursing care.

2. Espouse a life-giving mode of being derived from The Prayer of Saint Francis for use in interprofessional communication and collaboration to establish therapeutic and human caring relationships with individuals, families, and communities.

3. Utilize technology and informatics to improve the delivery of nursing care, quality of care, health care outcomes, and the delivery of health education to multiple populations.

4. Employ the caring-nursing process to maximize wellness in the delivery of culturally competent professional nursing care for individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across the continuum of health care environments.

5. Affirm professionalism in the art and science of nursing care by understanding the ramifications of health care policy, finance, and regulatory environments on nursing care.

6. Assume the professional nursing roles of caregiver, teacher, advocate, and care manager by utilizing basic organizational and systems leadership skills to promote quality patient-centered care and patient safety.

Admission to the BSN Nursing Program:

Candidates for the Baccalaureate nursing Program will be admitted to Saint Francis University as a nursing student with full or provisional acceptance. One freshman class is admitted each fall semester and the number of students admitted each year is based on availability of educational and clinical resources. All applicants are considered on the basis of their qualifications regardless of age, race, national origin, religion, or sex. Transfer students are required to have a meeting with a Department of Nursing faculty.

Admission Criteria for First Year Students:

• Graduated from an approved secondary school or submission of a state-approved GED
• Completed work equal to a standard academic high school coursework with a minimum of 16 units:
  • 4 units of English
  • 3 units of Social Studies
  • 2 units of Math, (one of which is Algebra with a grade of “B” or higher).
  • 2 units of Science with a related laboratory (Biology and Chemistry with a grade of “B” or higher
• 3.0 cumulative high school GPA  
• 1080  minimum SAT or 21 ACT (within 5 years of applications)
• Students with SAT scores between 980-1070 or minimum ACT score of 19 may be admitted on provisional status if all other criteria has been met.
• Applicants are required to complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) if they’ve been out of high school for 5 years or more.  Applicants must achieve a composite score of 70% with no less than a 60% in any subject area; i.e. Reading, Math, Science and English and Language Usage. Applicants are permitted two attempts on the TEAS.

Admission criteria for transfer students:

• Students requesting transfer from within the university or other institutions will be reviewed for acceptance and be placed on a space available basis
• 3.0 cumulative GPA
• 2.6 GPA in the required Natural Science courses
• Students with less 28 earned college credits must also meet requirements of First Year students
• Applicants from the Adult Degree & Continuing studies program who  have not taken the SAT or ACT within five years of the application date, must complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and meet required composite score of 70% with no less than a 60% in any subject area; i.e. Reading, Math, Science and English and language Usage.    Applicants are permitted two attempts on the TEAS.
• Only a total of three courses/labs can be repeated:
  • Only one repeated nursing course from the transferring institution is permitted. (includes a withdraw)
  • Any of the following Pre-requisite or Natural Science equivalent courses or labs (includes a withdraw from either the lecture or lab component)
    • MATH107 College Algebra
    • SOC 101 General Sociology
    • PSYC101 General Psychology
    • BIOL111/111L Biology I
    • BIOL 214/214L Microbiology
    • CHEM113 Human Chemistry I
• If enrolled in a Nursing program, the student must be in good standing as confirmed by the SFU Nursing Evaluation Form

Technical Standards or Essential Functions:

Students are required to satisfactorily achieve program outcomes. Therefore, consideration may be given to scholastic aptitude, academic achievement, personal qualities, emotional health and minimum functional requirements/technical standards, necessary to fulfill the objectives of the program.

Nursing education requires that the accumulation of scientific knowledge be accompanied by the simultaneous acquisition of skills and professional attitudes and behaviors. The nursing degrees awarded by Saint Francis University at the completion of the educational process certifies that the individual has acquired a base of knowledge and skills requisite for the practice of nursing at the respective undergraduate or graduate level.

To this end, all courses in the curriculum must be completed successfully. In order to acquire the knowledge and skills to function in a variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care, candidates for the undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing must have abilities and skills in five areas:

• Observation
• Communication
• Motor
• Conceptual Integrative
• Behavioral- Social

Technological compensation can be made for some disabilities in certain of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner and exercise independent judgment.

Reference:  http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/Technical_Standards.pdf (Retrieved May 16, 2017)

*Refer to Minimal Functional Requirements/Technical Standards Policy for details - BSN Student Handbook

Students in the Nursing Program must comply with the requirements of the Professional Nursing Law of Pennsylvania. Students are required to submit to PA criminal clearances, FBI fingerprinting clearance, child abuse history clearance, drug testing, immunizations, physical exam and other requirements. Healthcare agencies have the right to refuse clinical placement or deny employment based on background checks.  A graduate of the Nursing program who has been convicted of a felony, is or was involved in drug abuse or has violated other rules of the licensure body, may not be permitted to take the licensing examination regardless of the student’s ability to complete college educational requirements. The student is required to notify the Dean of Nursing of any changes to the criminal record. The Nursing program reserves the right to require appropriate documentation as requested regarding previous felonies or violations.

Progression in the Nursing Program Requirements:

Progression and continuance in the Nursing Program is based upon academic performance and successful achievement of nursing prerequisites, health maintenance, and adherence to Saint Francis University policies in the current University Catalog and Department of Nursing policies as stated in the current Student Handbook. The faculty of the Department of Nursing has the right and the responsibility for judging and evaluating the quality of the student’s achievement, both in the mastery of the theoretical content and in clinical competence.

1. Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” in the following prerequisite Natural Science and Social Science courses. A “C-” grade is not acceptable.

                      Natural Science Courses:                                                                    Social Sciences Courses:

                       BIOL 111 Biology I                                                                          PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology

               CHEM 113 Human Chemistry I                                                                  SOC 101 General Sociology

                     BIOL 214 Microbiology

         BIOL 205 Anatomy and Physiology I *

 

                 Mathematics Course:

      BIOL 206 Anatomy and Physiology II *

      Math 107 College Algebra or higher

 

   * BIOL 205 and BIOL 206 must be taken at Saint Francis University

 

2. Students must earn a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.6 or better in the Natural Science courses of BIOL 111, CHEM 111, BIOL 214, BIOL 205 and BIOL 206 prior to entry into the professional phase of nursing in the junior year (300 Level)

3. All Natural Science courses required by the Nursing Program that are taken at another institution and transferred into Saint Francis University will be used in the Natural Science GPA calculation, although they are not calculated into the student’s overall cumulative GPA.

4. Students must earn a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.75 prior to entry into the professional phase of nursing in the junior year (300 Level).

5. The only nursing courses that may be taken prior to entry into the professional phase of the nursing program (300 Level) are:  NURS 100, NURS 200, NURS 201, and NURS 311.

6. Students must successfully complete the required pre-requisites with at least a “C” grade.

7. Prior to the junior year, it is recommended that the maximum number of liberal arts courses the student should have left to complete is three (3) courses (nine credits maximum). When scheduling classes, it is the student’s responsibility to schedule classes so that the classes do not interfere with the clinical experiences.

8. All students must pass a math proficiency exam with an 80% in the following courses: NURS 200, NURS 300, NURS 303 and NURS 401. The purpose of the examination is to determine the student’s ability to correctly calculate medication dosages in the clinical setting. Please refer to the policy on the Math Proficiency Exam found in the Student Handbook.

9. A maximum of three (3) repeated courses  are permitted in the total curriculum of the Nursing Program which includes only one nursing course, and any  prerequisite Social Science or Natural Science course.

10. Nursing majors MUST earn a minimum grade of “B-” (80%) in each nursing course in order to progress to the next course that requires a clinical laboratory component.

      a. A grade of less than a “B-“grade will constitute a failing grade in any required nursing course.

      b. A student may repeat a nursing course only once.  Dismissal occurs when a student fails any nursing course the second time.   If a student’s level of clinical practice is unsafe or unsatisfactory, the student will fail the course BEFORE the end of the semester.

      c. Any withdrawal from a nursing course with less than a B- grade is considered a course failure and counts as a course to be repeated.

     d. Any student who needs to repeat a nursing course beyond one year of withdrawal or failure of that course must repeat all prerequisite and co-requisite nursing courses for that course. Exceptions are NURS 100, NURS 201, NURS 311, NURS 316, NURS 416, NURS 403, and nursing electives

11. Nursing majors must attain at least a GPA of 2.6 in the pre-requisite Natural Science courses (BIOL 111, CHEM 113, BIOL 214, BIOL 205 and BIOL 206) and minimum “C” grade in the Social Science courses (SOC 101, PSYC 101) and MATH 107.

      a. Any withdrawal from a core curriculum prerequisite social or natural science course with a grade of “D” or lower is considered a course failure and counts as a course to be repeated.

      b. If a science course has a separate laboratory grade, and the student earns a “D” or “F” in the lab component, this is considered a failing grade and counts as a course to be repeated.

      c. Courses in which “D” or “F” grades are earned can only be repeated at Saint Francis University.

     d. Students who need to repeat a course are subject to the restrictions specified below.  Both the original course and grade, and the repeated course and grade, appear on the academic record, but only the higher grade is used in the computation of the GPA. A course which is a prerequisite

         course for a more advanced course in the same discipline may not be repeated after a more advanced course has been successfully completed.

     e. If a student passes a prerequisite course with a C grade and elects to repeat a prerequisite course to increase their GPA, the repeated course will count toward total repeated courses.

12. Nursing students enrolled in the program of studies will be the first to fill the limited spaces available in the nursing courses. Students who must repeat a nursing clinical course will then be given preference over those students reactivating their status in the program or transferring into the program.

13. A student who requests and receives a continuance or readmission is responsible for curricular changes in the program of nursing study which occur during his or her absence. A student follows the curriculum guide for the class which he or she joins upon returning to the program.

14. Nursing students who leave the program for a year or more will be evaluated on an individual basis for a progression plan in the curriculum.

Capstone Requirement:

Students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Studies program are required to complete CORE 407

Other Information:

Transportation to and from clinical sites is the responsibility of the student.