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Program Codes:
BSNURS
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Introduction
The Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program provides the opportunity for Registered Nurses with an Associate of Science in Nursing degree or Diploma in Nursing to continue their education and advance in their nursing practice. The program prepares the Registered Nurse to adapt to an ever changing healthcare delivery system, to care for individuals, families, and communities, function in leadership positions, and pursue continued education at the graduate level.
This program offers a balanced curriculum that recognizes the value of general education while prioritizing the learning of needed clinical information and nursing leadership skills. The learning environment is designed to enable the student to be self-directed in the successful completion of the program outcomes through collaboration with both the nursing and liberal arts faculty.
Graduates of this BSN program will use an evidence-based approach in the delivery of quality, safe, cost-effective, culturally competent patient care across the health care continuum. Graduates will display an ability to function in the role of communicator, provider of care, leader, life-long learner, advocate, and collaborator. Graduates will be able to utilize information systems and technology in the assessment, planning, delivery, and evaluation stages of patient care in diverse clinical settings. Graduates of the RN to BSN completion program may pursue advanced degree programs if, and when, they choose.
The curriculum combines asynchronous online nursing courses with occasional synchronous class meetings, which can be attended on our Erie campus. The curriculum also includes precepted clinical practice in local health care agencies.
Philosophy
The faculty of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program believe nursing is a caring profession whose members provide patient-centered care across the life span to individuals, families, and the global community. We believe nursing is a scientific discipline using clinical judgment, substantiated by evidence, and integrating safe, quality care and health promotion.
As part of our professional identity, we value interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork to promote effective communication and shared decision making. We believe nurses use information and technology to communicate, access resources, promote patient safety and engage in continuous quality improvement. Professional nurses adhere to the established standards of practice and are accountable within the legal and ethical framework of the profession. Inherent in this is the belief that professional education is a continuous life-long process necessary to integrate the best current evidence for clinical practice. In keeping with the core values of Mercyhurst University, we believe nurses are ambassadors of service demonstrating the values of social mercy, global responsibility, intellectual creativity, and reflective awareness.
We believe learners are self-directed and build on prior knowledge and life experiences. Learning is facilitated by various teaching strategies which consider individual learning preferences and varied teaching and educational methodologies, including synchronous and asynchronous distance learning. The faculty encourages and supports the spirit of inquiry to challenge the status quo and question underlying assumptions.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) completion program is pre-accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation..
NLN CNEA
The Watergate
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Eighth Floor
Washington, DC 20037
At the end of this program, the graduate will be able to:
BSN Requirements
The BSN student must meet the following requirements:
A grade of C+ (80%) or above is required to successfully pass all 300 and 400 level nursing courses. In addition, a satisfactory performance in the clinical component of NURS 401 and NURS 404 is required. Grades of C (79%) or below in nursing courses and/or an unsatisfactory clinical performance will require a student to repeat the course.
Some major requirements may also fulfill components of the REACH curriculum.
REACH Curriculum
The RN-BSN program curriculum builds on the student’s Associate Degree or Diploma in nursing and requires a total of 120 Credits. All previous student transcripts will be reviewed and the student may need to take specific Liberal Arts courses in order to fulfill the REACH curriculum. Each student will be advised of any specific requirements at the beginning of the program.
This nursing course promotes the professional advancement of the Associate Degree or Diploma-prepared Registered Nurse. This course introduces the student to the learning outcomes of the BSN completion program and to the professional nursing and academic sources needed to meet these outcomes. Assisting the student to enhance written communication skills (scholarly writing) is a priority in this nursing course. The nursing knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) needed to advance as a professional nurse are also emphasized.
The main goal of this course is to demonstrate that nursing research has relevance to the bedside nurse. Nursing research is not just for the academic audience but is geared toward nurses who want to solve problems and answer questions. Therefore, this course will develop these concepts, and illustrate how they can be used realistically at the bedside.
This course introduces the student to the use of information technology (IT) in healthcare and the management of information pertinent to nursing. Included is a brief history and evolution of health information technology; selected concepts, theories and models related to healthcare information systems; current IT systems and their uses; and trends in healthcare informatics. Knowledge and skill in computer basics and information literacy, as well as electronic learning (e-learning) will be highlighted.
This course considers the illness experience of individuals and their families, across cultures, as they live with, and sometimes die from, chronic disease. While the focus will be on the older adult’s experience with mental illness, social isolation, the need for caregivers, and diminished quality of life, this course will also examine family caregiving and the care of the chronically ill child. The impact of chronic disease on the U.S. healthcare delivery system will be analyzed along with clinical ethical issues at end-of- life. The principles of beneficience, non-maleficence, autonomy, veracity, and respect for others, in the context of providing nursing care, especially at end of life, will be highlighted. The student will practice integrative health approaches, such as mindfulness, to empower them to reach out in compassion to others.
This course focuses on enhancing the health status, outcomes and quality of life of a community by promoting healthy attitudes, behaviors and interventions at the individual, group or population level. Healthy People 2020 provides the framework to study the goals, objectives and priorities of population-based health promotion, risk reduction, social engagement and environmental concerns. Health promotion program planning, intervention and evaluation is emphasized.
This nursing course integrates nursing knowledge and public health principles and focuses on the promotion and the protection of the health and the well-being of the community. The prevention of disease is addressed by gaining an in-depth understanding of the effect of the bio-psycho, cultural, socio-economic, political and environmental determinants of health status and outcomes. Surveillance, case management, and profit/non-profit health initiatives are examined as strategies for reducing the burden of disease and impacting the health of individuals, groups and communities.
This course examines the varied and multiple factors that influence the health status, disease trajectories and life expectancy of our world's population. This course will analyze health status, beliefs, behaviors and practices primarily from a socio-cultural perspective. The structure of the healthcare system and the influence of the healthcare policy of governments as well as national and international agencies are discussed. The global impact of communicable disease(s), environmental concerns/causes and/or natural and man-made disasters is presented.
This nursing course focuses on the leadership and management of professional nursing care/services within a diverse and ever-changing health care environment. Emphasis is placed on developing the professional nurse roles of manager, leader, communicator, collaborator, and life-long learner. Evidence-based professional nursing practices and their impact on patient care outcomes are stressed. As a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, the contributions of nursing to quality patient care at the individual or group level, is highlighted.
NURS-403
