Nursing (RN to BSN)
Is a Nursing Major for Me?
Registered nurses (RNs) with a diploma or an associate degree in nursing (refer to Admissions Requirements and Transfer Credit for specifics) may earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing through Southwestern College Professional Studies. This program builds on an RN’s previous learning experience and is designed to position graduates for leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings.
Because Southwestern strives to accommodate your busy schedule, our program is completely online. Learners can finish their degree at their convenience without leaving current jobs or locations.
The Southwestern College Nursing Program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Notice of Re-Accreditation
The department of nursing will soon be hosting an accreditation site visit by members of a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) site evaluation team. The visit is scheduled for March 2013, and is part of the ten-year re-accreditation process for baccalaureate nursing programs. We want to provide our constituents and educational partners the opportunity to provide written input into the deliberations of the evaluation team. We invite comments that relate to the program’s compliance with CCNE accreditation standards, which may be found at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation/standards09.pdf. Written and signed third-party comments will be accepted by CCNE until February 9, 2013, and should be sent to:
Cristina Walcott
Administrative Assistant
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
1 Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530
Washington, DC 20036
MISSION STATEMENT
The Southwestern College Department of Nursing exists to facilitate:
- Baccalaureate education of professional nurses capable of leadership in an ever-changing health-care system;
- Caring through encouraging health promotion for individuals and populations in a diverse society;
- Evidence-based care for individuals throughout the lifespan;
- Development of students to think critically, to be professionally accountable and to participate in life-long learning.
Graduate nurses are prepared through integration of knowledge based in the liberal arts and sciences, professional therapeutic nursing concepts, and the exploration of professional values to practice in diverse settings.
Program Outcomes
The nursing program at Southwestern College prepares the graduate to:
- Apply principles and theories from the sciences, humanities, and arts to the nursing care of individuals, groups, and diverse populations.
- Provide culturally congruent, holistic patient-centered care to individuals and families across the health continuum, across the lifespan, and across healthcare settings.
- Discern and utilize evidence-based information to safely promote the health of individuals, families, groups and communities.
- Demonstrate integrity and ethical decision-making in the provision of competent, compassionate care, respecting the dignity and worth of each patient.
- Use patient care technologies, information systems, and communication strategies that support safe, quality nursing practice
- Demonstrate an awareness of systems complexities and apply problem solving strategies in promoting change for quality improvement
- Incorporate effective communication, leadership, and collaboration techniques to produce positive professional relationships in the provision of care.
- Incorporate basic knowledge of health care policy, finance, legislative and regulatory processes and their impact, including local, state, national, and global health care trends
- Advocate for consumers, patients, nurses and the nursing profession
- Assimilate the values of the nursing profession and the importance of a professional identity, assuming accountability for professional behaviors.
Required and Core Courses
Major Courses
NURS310 Introduction to Professional Nursing Education
NURS332 Caring: A Foundation for Nursing
NURS333 Health Promotion: A framework for Nursing Practice
NURS334 Theories, Trends and Issues in Nursing
NURS336 Health Assessment
NURS345 Nursing Research
NURS400 Ethical and Legal Dilemmas in Nursing
NURS410 Community Health Nursing
NURS426 Culturally Competent Nursing Care
NURS434 Pathophysiology for Current Practitioners
NURS440 Nursing Management
NURS442 Research Applications in Nursing
MASC110 Statistics and Probability
CLO 499 Responsibility for the Future
SSC 326 Economic Theory (or approved 3 hour economics course)
All classes are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.
Course Descriptions
NURS310 Introduction to Professional Nursing Education
This course provides an introduction to the concept of professionalism and BSN education. Learners explore the program’s philosophy and mission, and skills necessary to be a successful adult learner. Learner roles, critical thinking, and scholarly work are addressed.
NURS332 Caring: A Foundation for Nursing
Learners analyze the concept of caring as the essence of nursing with exploration of caring theory, relationships, influences, and behaviors, and development of caring for self and others.
NURS333 Health Promotion: A Framework for Nursing Practice
In this course, health promotion and disease prevention as a framework for nursing practice are explored from a theoretical, philosophical and historical perspective. Consideration of clients as individuals with health issues is approached from a positive orientation.
NURS334 Theories, Trends, and Issues in Nursing
Learners consider the past, present, and future of nursing, including analysis of the impact of current healthcare system dynamics on nursing roles.
NURS336 Health Assessment
This course discusses comprehensive health assessment as a foundation for professional nursing practice.
NURS345 Nursing Research
This course teaches principles of research and identification of applications to nursing practice. Learners experience the research process through writing a proposal and critical evaluation of written research. Prerequisite: Successful completion of two nursing courses.
NURS400 Ethical and Legal Dilemmas in Nursing
This course teaches ethical principles and legal issues associated with nursing and health care. Emphasis is on personal introspection and self-understanding.
NURS410 Community Health Nursing
Learners develop an understanding of the concept of community-as-partner as the basis for nursing practice in and for the community. Emphasis is on theories critical to understanding the community-as- partner, the process of community-as-partner, and strategies for health promotion. Coursework involves an individualized practicum project.
NURS426 Culturally Competent Nursing Care
In this course, cultural diversity as well as universality are emphasized in comparing beliefs, values, and practices pertaining to health, care expressions, and well-being among cultural groups. Communication to convey mutual understanding of thoughts, feelings and actions is emphasized. Coursework involves directed online reading, learning, interaction and an individualized, individually scheduled practicum project.
NURS434 Pathophysiology for Current Practitioners
Major pathophysiologic concepts are explored in this course using a body systems approach. Theories relating etiology, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations physiology, chemistry, and other science courses provide the foundation for exploring human dysfunction. This course provides a basis for understanding alterations in functioning imposed by stressors and disease processes so that application to understanding clinical manifestations can be made.
NURS440 Nursing Management
Learners explore management skills necessary to function as a professional practitioner within today’s healthcare organizational hierarchy. An individualized practicum component includes observation of management skills as they are applied in an organizational setting.
NURS442 Research Applications in Nursing
Learners apply the research process to nursing and explore evidence-based practice. Basic statistical methods for conducting research are explored and research results are interpreted. Prerequisite: NURS345
MASC110 Statistics and Probability
This course provides an introduction to statistics and probability with emphasis on applications. Topics include numerical and graphical displays of data, linear regression, hypothesis testing, and elementary probability, including counting methods, conditional probabilities, and probability distributions.
CLO 499 Responsibility for the Future
Seniors from various majors will share approaches from their different disciplines towards dealing holistically with issues that shape the future, seeking to integrate disciplines and to synthesize knowing, caring and doing.
SSC 326 Economic Theory
This course provides a theory and issues-oriented approach to the study of economics. Both microeconomic and macroeconomic principles will be explored. Various cases and issues are used to develop the economist’s view and contribution to solutions.
Admission Requirements
- Have completed a Registered Nurses (RN) diploma or associate degree in nursing
- Provide proof of current, unrestricted licensure to practice as a registered nurse.
- Have at least a 2.5 GPA for all college work.
- Successful completion of NURS310 Introduction to Professional Nursing.
Transfer Credit
*64 credit hours are granted by transfer for an accredited Associate Degree in Nursing; 40 hours are granted by transfer for an accredited Diploma in Nursing.
*Nursing coursework taken at another baccalaureate degree granting institution may be substituted for required nursing courses at Southwestern College provided specific criteria are met.
*English Composition 1 & 2 must be satisfied for graduation from Southwestern.
Graduation Requirements
A total of 124 credit hours must be earned to graduate. You must have at least 60 credit hours from a four-year university or college and at least 30 hours from Southwestern College (does not include prior learning credits). Of the 30 hours required from Southwestern, 15 of the last 30 hours earned toward your degree must be at Southwestern College. Contact your Academic Success Coach for more information.
Meta
Southwestern College Professional Studies builds on an RN’s previous learning experience. This program positions graduates for leadership roles in a variety of healthcare settings.
