Nursing, Bachelor of Science
The objectives of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing are to utilize theory and evidence-based practice to provide safe, quality, patient-centered care; to teach care of patients by using clinical judgment, critical thinking, and knowledge of best practices; and to be eligible for licensure. The program creates an environment where competency-based learning can flourish. It prepares graduates for nursing practice and leadership roles.
Nursing practice is both a caring art and a human science developed using nursing knowledge, theory, and research within a holistic, caring framework. Nursing education introduces the science and theory of nursing and assists students with developing an understanding of the distinct perspective of the nursing discipline.
Functional Expectations
Due to the nature of the work performed in nursing, successful completion of the nursing program requires the ability to perform each of the following functions:
- Employ conventional means of written and spoken English communication
- Apply basic mathematics and statistics used in nursing for nursing practice (ratios, calculations of drug dosages, etc.)
- Read and comprehend graphs and charts
- Use telephones, PDAs, and other common electronic devices
- Distinguish tonal differences in sound, colors of light and shading, tactile sensations (relative temperature, texture, pulses, etc.), and odors
- Move about in populated areas, position patients, and reach and bend with ease
- Safely handle and manipulate standard nursing and medical equipment (syringes, IV stands, electronic monitoring equipment, etc.)
- Conduct CPR on adults and infants and using one and two-person CPR techniques
- Demonstrate sensitivity to social context and circumstance (professional interactions, familial consultations, etc.), as well as consideration of reasonable patient cultural expectations
- Follow chain of command
State Board Examinations
Paperwork related to licensure should be completed six weeks in advance of graduation. Students receive detailed instruction related to licensure application procedures in the Nursing Capstone Project. Students are encouraged to schedule the licensing exam within thirty days of graduation. Transcripts are not sent to the Virginia Board of Nursing prior to graduation.
At the end of the program, students are able to:
- Conduct comprehensive and focused holistic assessments of illness and wellness parameters of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations using developmentally and culturally appropriate methods.
- Implement evidence-based nursing interventions for delivering and managing acute and chronic care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across continuum of healthcare environments.
- Monitor client outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.
- Demonstrate clinical reasoning in delivering patient-centered care that reflects adherence to regulatory, legal, and ethical frameworks and standards of the profession.
- Demonstrate effective application of psychomotor skills in delivering safe and compassionate patient care.
This program requires students to purchase a nursing kit from the University. All nursing students are charged an ATI fee upon beginning nursing courses.
This program typically takes 60 months to complete for part-time enrollment and 30 months to complete for students enrolled full-time.
Required courses for BS Nursing (21 core, 3 medical, 4 elective, 12 arts and sciences) = 40 courses or 180 credit hours
Core requirements (21 courses or 94.5 credits)
| NSG 100 | Introduction to Nursing as a Profession | 4.5 |
| NSG 110 | Introduction to Nursing Practice | 4.5 |
| NSG 120 | Foundations of Evidence-Based Nursing Pr | 4.5 |
| NSG 210 | Case Studies in Pathophysiology | 4.5 |
| NSG 220 | Pharmacology & Therapeutic Modalities I | 4.5 |
| NSG 225 | Pharmacology & Therapeutic Modalities II | 4.5 |
| NSG 240 | Adult Health Nursing I | 4.5 |
| NSG 315 | Adult Health Nursing II | 4.5 |
| NSG 320 | Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family | 4.5 |
| NSG 325 | Nursing Care of Children | 4.5 |
| NSG 330 | Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning | 4.5 |
| NSG 350 | Mental Health Nursing | 4.5 |
| NSG 360 | Nursing Care of Older Adults | 4.5 |
| NSG 410 | Research & Evidence-Based Nursing Practice | 4.5 |
| NSG 420 | Nursing in the Community | 4.5 |
| NSG 430 | Complex Care Nursing | 4.5 |
| NSG 460 | Nutrition and Dietetics | 4.5 |
| NSG 470 | Leader., Manag., & Contemp. Iss. in Nurs | 4.5 |
| NSG 480 | Nursing Capstone | 4.5 |
| NSG 492 | NCLEX Preparation | 4.5 |
| NSG 495 | NCLEX Preparation II | 4.5 |
Medical requirements (3 courses or 13.5 credits)
Elective requirements (choose 4 courses or 18 credits from either elective pool 1 or elective pool 2)
Elective Pool One
| NSG 290 | Current Topics in Nursing I | 4.5 |
| NSG 291 | Current Topics in Nursing II | 4.5 |
| NSG 292 | Current Topics in Nursing III | 4.5 |
| NSG 293 | Current Topics in Nursing IV - Conflict Management | 4.5 |
| NSG 294 | Current Topics in Nursing V - Stress Management | 4.5 |
| NSG 296 | Current Topics in Nursing VI - Cultural Diversity | 4.5 |
| NSG 490 | Special Topics in Nursing I - Violence in Health Care | 4.5 |
| NSG 491 | Special Topics in Nursing II - Vulnerable Populations | 4.5 |
| NSG 493 | Special Topics in Nursing III - Substance Disorders in Health Care | 4.5 |
| NSG 494 | Special Topics in Nursing IV - Palliative Care | 4.5 |
| NSG 496 | Special Topics in Nursing V | 4.5 |
Elective Pool Two
Any courses from BUS, CIS, HCA, HIM, HSC, or MED
Arts and Sciences requirements (12 courses or 54 credits)
Choose 1:
| ENG 211 | Oral Communications | 4.5 |
| ENG 220 | Advanced Composition and Research | 4.5 |
Choose 1:
Choose 2:
Arts and Sciences courses (any from ENG, HUM, MAT, PSY, SCI)