B.S.N. in Nursing (Pre-licensure Students)
Major requirements
Required semester hours: 51 sh
Course requirements
Prerequisites and supporting courses
BIOL 1250, BIOL 1260, BIOL 2910, BIOL 2930; CHEM 1021 and CHEM 1031; CORE 1000; HSC 1490; PSYC 1000, PSYC 2700; SOC 1910; NURS 2100, NURS 2540, NURS 3240.
Many of the prerequisites in Nursing also count toward the fulfillment of Core Curriculum requirements.
Required core courses
NURS 2150, NURS 3020, NURS 3030, NURS 3201, NURS 3220, NURS 3500, NURS 3520, NURS 3540, NURS 4200, NURS 4201, NURS 4202, NURS 4203, NURS 4240, NURS 4500, NURS 4520, NURS 4540, NURS 4550, NURS 4901
Notes and restrictions
Once accepted into the major, students must earn a minimum of a C grade in each nursing course to progress. Only one nursing course may be repeated.
All nursing majors are required to successfully complete a comprehensive examination in order to receive approval to graduate from the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and apply for professional nursing licensure.
The student will assume the cost of transportation to and from the clinical agencies. Transportation is the student’s responsibility,
Honors
For admission into the Departmental Honors program, students must reach fourth-year status. Admission requires an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 with a minimum major GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 system. Application for admission may be made upon completion of the spring term in the third year. For graduation with Honors in Nursing, students must earn minimum of 4 sh in NURS 4000 in addition to Nursing major requirements. For general Departmental Honors requirements and NURS 4000 course description, see appropriate sections of this catalog.
Special programs
Nursing International Exchange Programs: Established with School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping Sweden. Selected nursing students meeting appropriate criteria may spend designated weeks while enrolled in the major to study and gain clinical experience in an international healthcare system.
GE Designates a course that fulfills all or part of a Core Curriculum requirement; see the Core Curriculum Program section of the catalog for more information.
NURS 2100 Survey of Professional Nursing (2 sh) GE
Introduces students to the mission, vision, philosophy, and distinctives of the North Park University School of Nursing; explores the concepts of professional nursing, the history of nursing and nursing education, the roles and settings where professional nurses practice, and envisions a preferred future for the profession.
NURS 2150 Math for the Nurse Generalist (1 sh)
Math for the Generalist Nurse is designed to review basic math relevant to nursing pharmacology and provide the student with necessary knowledge and practice to master comprehensive dosage calculations in nursing practice. Prerequisite: NURS 2100.
NURS 2540 Nutrition (2 sh)
Applies the science of nutrition to human needs throughout the life span. Includes major nutrition related health problems. Explores cultural and ethical issues and values related to nutrition, food consumption, hunger, and the environment.
Connects to Christian, urban, and international issues.
NURS 3020 Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice (4 sh)
Introduces students to the foundational concepts and beginning skills required in professional practice. Includes lecture, lab, and clinical.
NURS 3030 Health Assessment (2 sh)
Integrates knowledge from the natural and behavioral sciences to focus on holistic health assessment of adults. Includes assessment of spiritual, cultural, developmental, and nutritional aspects. Considers ethnic variables of normal assessment. Course culminates with students performing and recording a complete health assessment. Students will describe the role of the nurse in health assessment.
NURS 3201 Nursing of Adults I (4 sh)
Based upon knowledge of liberal arts and sciences and basic nursing concepts, applies nursing theory to the care of adults with physiological disorders. The focus is patients who undergo surgery or have disorders in the respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and endocrine disorders. Applies theory and practice in acute care settings.
NURS 3220 Pharmacology in Nursing (2 sh)
Introduces basic pharmacological concepts including drug classification, drug actions, routes of administration, drug standards, legislation and control, and nursing implications for patient use.
NURS 3240 Pathophysiology (3 sh)
Major pathophysiology concepts are explored using a physiological systems approach. Theories relating to etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations are used to study common disease processes. Concepts from anatomy and physiology provide the foundation for exploring human dysfunction. Concepts learned in this course are basic to practice. Prerequisite: BIOL 2930.
NURS 3500 Nursing of Childbearing Families (4 sh)
Applies a caring philosophy and current knowledge, theory, and research to nursing care of diverse pregnant women, fetuses, newborns, and families. Explores cultural values, community resources, and ethical and spiritual issues related to childbearing. Uses acute and ambulatory care settings.
NURS 3520 Nursing of Children (4 sh)
Based upon knowledge of liberal arts and sciences and basic nursing concepts, nursing theory is applied to the care of ill children and their families. Emphasizes Family Centered Care. Theory and practice in ambulatory and acute care settings. Patients and families are from urban, suburban, or rural environments. The Christian mission is integrated in the plan of care. A caring philosophy directs interaction with culturally and spiritually diverse families.
NURS 3540 Ethics in Health Care (2 sh) GE
Issues and dilemmas in the health care system serve as a basis for examination of theories and principles of ethics. The spiritual domain is considered a valued context for decision-making.
NURS 3560 Healthcare Informatics (3 sh)
This course prepares healthcare professionals to successfully apply technology to manage healthcare challenges and opportunities. It emphasizes the vital requirement of healthcare professionals to effectively use technology tools that will engage healthcare consumers as partners in care. A theoretical foundation for the field of informatics is introduced and applied. The course is designed for students in nursing or health science programs of study. It is built upon and connected to the University urban, intercultural, and Christian distinctives.
NURS 3910 Topics in Health (2 sh)
Selected topics in health-related areas. Restricted to third-year status or above, or consent of nursing faculty.
NURS 4000 Departmental Honors in Nursing (4 sh)
Honors independent research study; student completes individually selected nursing research project that includes all steps of the research process. The student will present and defend their project to nursing and University-wide faculty and community. Student must have completion of minimum of 90 sh; application for admission may be made upon completion of the third year. Special restrictions: School of Nursing approval; fourth year standing; major GPA 3.7 on a 4.0; overall GPA 3.5. Co-requisite: NURS 4200, NURS 4220, NURS 4240, NURS 4500, NURS 4520.
NURS 4200 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (4 sh)
Integrates knowledge of human development, behavior, and psychological theory; places emphasis on increasing self-aware- ness and therapeutic use of self and milieu. With assistance and use of collaborative skills, students develop decision-making skills in the psychiatric-mental health care delivery system in a way that communicates respect and understanding.
NURS 4201 Nursing of Adults II (4 sh)
Based upon knowledge of liberal arts and sciences and Nursing of Adults I, nursing theory is applied to the care of adults with physiological disorders. The focus is patients who have cardiovascular, peripheral vascular, neuromuscular, and renal disorders typically seen in older adults. Applies theory and practice in acute care settings. Co-requisite: NURS 4202.
NURS 4202 Concepts in Gerontology (2 sh)
Focus is on “being old” in America and transitions that impact health of older adults and families. Explores issues related to the health care industry, access to health care, and health care management. Considers culturally specific issues, and ethics of health care at the end of life. Incorporates priorities of Healthy People 2010 and ANA standards of practice for gerontological nursing. Co-requisite: NURS 4201.
NURS 4203 Concepts of Gerontology Internship (1 sh)
Applies gerontological concepts in student-selected activities. Students identify, plan, implement, and analyze the effective- ness of their acute and community-based service-related activities that promote healthy lifestyles, enhance the quality of life, or support adaptive behaviors with the elderly. Requirements include a course project incorporating specific cultural and ethnic perspectives to provide optimal, individualized care.
NURS 4240 The Research Process in Professional Nursing (2 sh)
Introduces elements of the research process with emphasis on becoming a consumer of research. Focus is on relevance of research findings to evidenced-based quality health care. Considers ethical issues in research.
NURS 4500 Community Health Nursing (4 sh)
Synthesizes knowledge in the science and practice of community health nursing, and is built upon and connected to the University’s urban, intercultural, and Christian distinctives. Focuses on patterns that influence wellness, as well as potential barriers that place individuals, families, and communities at risk for major health problems. Includes health care delivery system and its effects on under-served consumers and professionals, community assessment, epidemiology, violence in the community, environmental & occupational health issues, world health issues, and home health hospice care. Applies theory and practice in community health settings.
NURS 4520 Synthesis of Nursing Practice (5 sh)
Culminating nursing course. Synthesizes knowledge in arts and sciences, nursing theory, and current management principles in multi-complex health care settings. Includes leadership, management, and synthesis of multi-system disorders.
NURS 4540 Health Policy and Politics (2 sh)
Examines and emphasizes the challenges and opportunities related to issues in health policy and health care from a local, national, and international perspective. Addresses the political, economic, legal, and ethical aspects of the United States Health Care policy and health care issues; their impact on patients; and mechanisms and strategies for political advocacy and influence.
NURS 4550 Leadership and Management in Nursing (2 sh)
Integrates leadership and management theory in the preparation of nurse leaders and managers who, through the functions of leading, managing and directing others in a variety of healthcare settings, will not only know how to use power appropriately, but will empower others in serving humankind.
NURS 4901 NCLEX Success (1 sh)
This course was developed to assist graduating nursing students to self assess, analyze, and remediate important content from the nursing program in order to facilitate their accountability in preparation for the NCLEX.
NURS 4910 Independent Study in Nursing (1 or 2 sh)
The student completes an individually selected nursing project. Open only to nursing majors with consent of faculty and School of Nursing Director.
NURS 4970 Internship in Nursing (1-4 sh)
Internship in an approved healthcare setting. A maximum of 4 semester credit hours of elective credit can count toward the overall graduation requirement. The student must have completed at least 14 semester hours in nursing and have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in the nursing major. Approval by the Selection and Progression Committee and the Director of the Undergraduate Nursing Program is required. Please refer to the catalog for further internship requirements and guidelines. Awarded on an individual basis. Prerequisite: NURS 3020, NURS 3030, NURS 3201, NURS 3220, NURS 3240.