BS Nursing

Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing

The Undergraduate Nursing Program prepares students for entry-level professional nursing practice including the health needs of underserved populations. This level of education is based on core knowledge and clinical competency applied though a unique blend of critical thinking, caring, communication and collaboration. Health promotion, illness management and population-based care are the focus of the traditional undergraduate curriculum.

Students are prepared to practice holistically as leaders in healthcare delivery, with an educational foundation grounded in the Benedictine values. Throughout the curriculum simulation, technology and integrative therapies are blended to prepare students as healers of the mind, body and spirit. Graduates will have the skills and knowledge necessary for responsible living and meaning work.

Clinical practice necessitates that students care for a variety of individuals in various settings. These practice experiences are designed so that students have diverse experiences in meeting the health care needs of individuals, families and groups. Clinical experiences occur in the nursing simulation laboratory, acute care, extended care and community health settings beginning in the first semester of the nursing program.

The program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing and qualifies the graduate to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses). Graduates are also eligible to apply for registration as a Minnesota public health nurse and have the academic credentials to pursue master's study in nursing.

Outcomes which students achieve in the program are derived from St. Scholastica's institutional mission. The ANA's Code for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, ANA's Code of Ethics, AACN's Essentials of Baccalaureate Education and the Minnesota Nursing Practice Act form the basis for nursing practice. These documents have been utilized in the development of the curriculum and in the structuring of clinical practice experiences.

Program outcomes

The outcomes of the baccalaureate curriculum are:

1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing, the arts and sciences and the Benedictine values in the holistic practice of professional nursing.

2. Demonstrate values and behaviors consistent with professional standards.

3. Demonstrate competence in utilizing patient care technologies and information system technologies in dynamic healthcare environments.

4. Integrate effective interprofessional collaboration practice to enhance the health of all patients, including diverse and vulnerable populations.

5. Utilize knowledge of healthcare policy and evidence-based nursing to advocate for the quality and safety of patient care.

The baccalaureate nursing program at The College of St. Scholastica is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, (202) 887-6791.