| Admission To The BSN Program | Nursing Major |

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program is derived from the institutional mission statement of the College. The mission of the Notre Dame College Nursing Program is to prepare a professional nurse who is responsive to the health needs of a diverse global society.

This mission is implemented through fostering personal, professional and social responsibility within the context of a values based faith environment. Liberal arts and the sciences serve as the foundation for the professional education and the development of core competencies. The baccalaureate nursing program provides unique opportunities for service to meet the health needs of society, especially the vulnerable and underserved. International educational opportunities are also integrated throughout the program to prepare students for practice in a rapidly changing global health care environment. The baccalaureate nursing program prepares individuals for practice in a variety of health care settings and serves as a foundation for further graduate education.

Tracks
Multiple entry levels for the program are designed to meet the needs of the lifelong learner. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program has two tracks. The Pre- Licensure track is designed to prepare the student to become a professional nurse. Upon completion of the program the graduate is eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse.

The second track is the RN to BSN Post-Licensure track. This track is designed for the registered nurse (RN) who has a diploma in nursing or an Associate of Science degree with a major in nursing and who wants to complete their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.

Program Outcomes
Graduates of the BSN Program will:

1. Synthesize concepts and theories from the liberal arts, sciences and the discipline of nursing to promote the health and well being of individuals, groups, communities and populations.
2. Communicate effectively using oral, written and other forms of information technology.
3. Demonstrate competence in technological skills used in professional nursing practice.
4. Apply critical thinking to evaluate alternatives and make decisions that affect the health and well-being of self and others.
5. Integrate personal and professional values to practice within the legal and ethical standards of the profession.
6. Respect human diversity in the provision of health care to populations of different gender, socioeconomic, religious or cultural traditions.
7. Demonstrate leadership and management in the delivery of health care within complex adaptive systems.
8. Support a commitment to lifelong learning for personal and professional development.
9. Use evidence-based practice in the provision of health care services for individuals, groups, communities and populations in a variety of settings.
10. Participate in political processes that influence the economic, legal and social direction of health care policies.

ADMISSION TO THE BSN PROGRAM

Nursing Program admission is open to all students who demonstrate that they have the intellectual ability, emotional stability and personal qualifications needed to be a professional nurse. Students wishing to apply to the BSN Program must first be admitted to the College. This is a separate application process conducted through the Admissions Office.

Prerequisites needed for admission to the BSN Program include:
EN100/101 Basic Principles of Expository Writing (6 cr.) OR
EN 110 Advanced Composition:
Expository Writing (3 cr.)
CH 106/107 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry/ Lab (4 cr.)
CH 116/117 Principles of Organic and Biological Chemistry/Lab (4 cr.)
MA110 Intermediate Algebra (3 cr.)
BI 204/BI 205 &
BI 206/BI 207 Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II/Lab (8 cr.)
PY 201 General Psychology (3 cr.)

The nursing application process is competitive with preference given to current Notre Dame students and graduates of the Notre Dame Associate of Science in Health Sciences program. Not all qualified students may be accepted into the program.

Current Notre Dame College students may apply to the Pre-Licensure track of the BSN program Spring semester for entry beginning the following academic year. Students applying to the nursing program must:
1) have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher (grades earned over 10 years ago will not be used to calculate the GPA), 2) complete the course prerequisites for the nursing program with a grade of C or greater, 3) submit ACT or SAT scores (students who have not taken SAT or ACT scores must take the Nursing Entrance Test (NET), 4) submit a 1-2 page essay describing their personal/professional goals, and 5) provide documentation of physical and emotional ability to meet the requirements of the program from their health care provider.

Registered Nurse (RN) students in the Post-Licensure RN to BSN completion track must also show evidence of graduation from a pre-professional nursing program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and evidence of current valid licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Ohio. RN students must meet the same requirements as traditional students in the pre-licensure track, with the exception of the ACT/SAT requirement.

Conditional acceptance for students in the Pre-Licensure track may be given for those students who are currently enrolled in nursing program prerequisites at the time of application, based on mid-term grades. All nursing course prerequisites must be completed with a grade of C or better and all other requirements must be met for full acceptance into the program. Students in the Pre- Licensure track will be notified of final acceptance into the program once grades are received for Spring semester and the cumulative GPA is determined. Students in the RN to BSN Post-Licensure track may be given provisional acceptance pending completion of nursing program prerequisites.

Physical and emotional capabilities required for applicants to the Nursing Program include (but are not limited to):

• Visual acuity with or without corrective lenses to read small print on medication labels and/or physician’s orders, calibrate equipment, perform physical assessment and recognize when a patient is in imminent danger.
• Hearing ability with or without auditory aids to understand the normal speaking voice without seeing the person’s face, hear emergency alarms, student/patient’s calls for help, call bells, and stethoscope sounds originating from body systems.
• Physical ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pulling, pushing, stooping and kneeling.
• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form.
• Manual dexterity and fine motor skills, including the ability to draw up medication in a syringe.
• Emotional stability to function in stressful situations and to accept personal responsibility and accountability for his/her actions.
• All students must have a completed criminal record and background check prior to beginning any clinical experience. Students must assume all costs associated with the background checks/fingerprinting
• The results of the criminal background check may impact the student’s ability to complete the clinical component of the program. Clinical affiliating agencies may refuse access to clinical sites for students with a criminal record. The results of the background check are used, along with other components of the student’s academic and personal record, to determine the ability of the person to fulfill the requirements of the program.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Notre Dame College will make reasonable accommodations to assist a student with a disability to advance through the program.

Readmission Policy
A student in the baccalaureate nursing program who interrupts enrollment in the nursing sequence of courses for any reason, must apply for re-enrollment. Reenrollment in nursing courses is based upon a space available basis and cannot be guaranteed. If a student has not been enrolled in classes at Notre Dame College for one calendar year, the student must apply for readmission to the College and the nursing program. Students seeking readmission are expected to follow the same admission process as those prospective students who will be attending Notre Dame College for the first time. The student must meet current College and nursing program curriculum and graduation requirements at the time of readmission to the program, regardless of the number of credits earned under a previous catalog.

Transfer and Advanced Standing
Students transferring into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program must abide by the College policies regarding transfer students/credits. Not all qualified transfer students may be accepted into the program. The best qualified applicants will be selected each year based on the number of seats available. All courses transferred into the Nursing Program, including nursing courses, must have a grade of C or greater for transfer credit to be granted.

Faculty of the Notre Dame Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program will evaluate content of nursing courses to determine if the course is comparable to one offered in the Notre Dame Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Students may be asked to submit course syllabi or other evidence for evaluation of transfer credit. Nursing courses completed more than five years before admission may not transfer and may need to be repeated. Students may be required to take proficiency tests in identified subjects.

The transfer policy for students enrolled in the Notre Dame College Associate of Health Sciences Program that wish to transfer into the Notre Dame College Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program is provided in the BSN Student Handbook.

Transfer students must submit a nursing application to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program and must meet all prerequisites for entry into the Program. The best qualified applicants will be selected each year based on the number of seats available.

Any student admitted to the Nursing Program with advanced standing must meet current college and nursing program curriculum and graduation requirements at the time of admission to the program.

Graduates of the Associate of Science in Health Sciences Program who wish to articulate into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program must show evidence of current valid licensure as a registered nurse in the state of Ohio. Credit for the following courses taken in the Associate of Science in Health Sciences Program will also apply toward meeting the requirements of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing: EN 100/101 or EN110, CA 100, BI 204/205, BI 206/207, BI 240/241, HP 215, PY 201, SO 201, PY 251, PH 380, EN 261 (or other English literature course taken at Notre Dame College) and the TH Theology course (must include a study of scripture). Credit for the following Bachelor of Science in Nursing courses will be awarded upon completion of the NR 300 course: NR 215, NR 216, NR 225, NR 320, NR 330, NR 340, NR 461.

Grading
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for all students in the baccalaureate nursing program.

A minimum grade of “C” is required in the following prerequisites and support courses for the nursing major: BI 204/205, BI 206/207, CH 106/107, CH 116/117, MA 110, EN 100/101 or EN 110, PY 201, PY 251, SO 201, and BI 240/241.

A minimum grade of “C” is required for satisfactory completion of each nursing course. Students must achieve a minimum exam average of 73% in each nursing course and complete all course requirements, as specified in the syllabus, in order to satisfactorily pass the nursing course with a grade of “C” or greater. If a student achieves less than a 73% exam average in a nursing course, the student must repeat both the theory and clinical component (if included) of the nursing course. Extra credit points achieved in a course may not be applied toward the exam average.

If a nursing course has a clinical component, students must achieve a satisfactory rating in the clinical component, as well as meet all other course requirements, in order to successfully pass the course. If a student achieves less than a satisfactory rating in the clinical component of a nursing course, a grade of F will be recorded for the course. Prerequisite courses, support courses and nursing courses may be repeated only once if a grade less than C is achieved.

Progression
Students must attain a final semester grade of C or better in all required nursing courses prerequisites and support courses, must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA and must achieve a satisfactory clinical rating for their clinical experience to progress in the program.

Students in the Pre-Licensure track must also achieve a score in the Assessment Technology Institute Exams (ATI) which meets the Proficiency Level 2 in order to progress in the program. ATI exams are criterion referenced exams which cover major content areas in the program. Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 2 generally indicate that a student is fairly certain to meet the National Council Licensing Exam (NCLEX-RN) standards in this content area.

Registered nurse students are not required to take ATI exams. Registered nurse students must maintain a current, valid license as a registered nurse in the state of Ohio throughout their enrollment in the program.

Graduation
Students in the Pre-Licensure track must demonstrate satisfactory performance on a comprehensive exit examination as described in the Nursing Division Student Handbook in order to graduate from the program. All candidates for the Bachelor of Science in the Nursing Degree must meet the requirements listed below. The student shall:

• have earned a minimum of 129 semester hours of credit
• have successfully completed courses fulfilling the General Education Requirements
• have successfully completed the courses fulfilling the requirements of the baccalaureate nursing major
• have maintained a minimum 2.5 average in the nursing major
• have attended Notre Dame College for at least one year
• shall have completed a minimum of thirty-two (32) semester credits of course work at Notre Dame
• College, including a minimum of sixteen (16) semester credits of nursing courses
• have at least 45 credits of upper-biennium (300-400) courses.

Pre-Licensure Track Requirements
Prerequisites (25-28 Credits):
BI 204/205 Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
BI 206/207 Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
CH 106/107 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry with Lab
CH 116/117 Principles of Organic & Biological Chemistry with Lab
EN 100/101 Basic Principles of Expository Writing
OR
EN 110 Advanced Expository Writing
PY 201 General Psychology
MA 110 Intermediate College Algebra

Support Courses (16 Credits):
BI 240/241 Introductory Microbiology with Lab
HP 215 Nutrition for Sports, Fitness & Health
MA 221 Statistics I
PY 251 Lifespan Development
SO 201 Introduction to Sociology

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NURSING MAJOR

63-64 Credits
NR 200 Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
NR 215 Foundations of Nursing I
NR 216 Foundations of Nursing II
NR 225 Pharmacology
NR 310 Evidence Based Practice
NR 320 Adult Nursing Practice
NR 330 Mental Health Nursing
NR 340 Family Nursing
NR 410 Health Care Policy in Complex Adaptive Systems
NR 420 Community/Populations Nursing Practice
NR 430 Nursing Care of Adults/Families with Complex Health Alterations
NR 440 Professional Issues
NR 450 Gerontology
NR 460 Health Care Leadership/Management
NR 461 Professional Practicum

Nursing Elective (3 Credits), Select one:
NR 470/471 Complementary/Alternative Health
NR 472/473 Selected Topics in Nursing
NR 474/475 International Nursing in a Developing Country

Post-Licensure RN to BSN Requirements:
A Registered Nurse (RN) student who is a graduate of a nursing program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) will receive a minimum of 31 semester credits for previous nursing courses. These credits will be awarded upon completion of the NR 300 Professional Transitions course.

RN students who submit evidence of current certification in gerontology from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) will receive credit by examination for NR 450. This credit will be applied upon completion of the program.

Prerequisites (25-28 Credits):
BI 204/205 Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
BI 206/207 Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
CH 106/107 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry with Lab
CH 116/117 Principles of Organic & Biological Chemistry with Lab
EN 100/101 Basic Principles of Expository Writing
OR
EN 110 Advanced Expository Writing
PY 201 General Psychology
MA 110 Intermediate College Algebra

Support Courses (16 Credits):
BI 240/241 Introductory Microbiology with Lab
HP 215 Nutrition for Sports, Fitness & Health
MA 221 Statistics I
PY 251 Lifespan Development

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NURSING MAJOR

32-33 Credits
NR 200 Health Assessment Across the Lifespan
NR 300 Professional Transitions
NR 310 Evidence Based Practice
NR 410 Health Care Policy in Complex Adaptive Systems
NR 420 Community/Populations Nursing Practice
NR 450 Gerontology
NR 460 Health Care Leadership/Management
NR 464 RN to BSN Capstone Practicum

Nursing Elective (2-3 Credits), Select one:
NR 470/471 Complementary/Alternative Health
NR 472/473 Selected Topics in Nursing
NR 474/475 International Nursing in a Developing Country

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