Program: Nursing Program Program Code: (NURS)
Program Faculty:
Allen, Anderson, Bell,* Beulke, Breen, Bruce, Clarke, Compo Milow, Dols, Gabor, Glass, Hammerstrom, Hartmann, Hetzer, Hill, Johansen, John, Johnson, M., Johnson, S., Leraas, Maine, Martinson, McFarland, McKenna, Miller, Pearson, Ross, Roudebush, Ryan, Taylor, Timko Olson, Witt, Waindim (*program director)

Program Description:
The graduate of an associate degree nursing program has met the educational requirement for application to take the National Council Licensing Examination RN (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse (RN).

Registered nurse associate degree graduates practice nursing in a variety of settings including health-care or long-term care centers, hospitals, clinics and a variety of community-based settings. Their patients/clients are individuals of all ages in need of nursing care.

The curriculum is organized around a lifespan approach and primarily utilizes the nursing theory of Modeling and Role-Modeling (in conjunction with select other nursing theories). Basic to the curriculum is the belief that nursing is holistic caring through the establishment of relationships with others within the health experience.

The roles of the professional nurse, health promotion and nursing problem-solving methods, such as nursing process, are emphasized throughout the curriculum, which begins in the first semester with a study of health and the healthy client. Variations in health and wellness throughout the lifespan follow in the next two semesters of study and include an emphasis on developing critical-thinking skills, complex-assessment skills and use of technology. The final semester of study involves a strong clinical focus where students integrate prior learning about health and its variations in providing nursing care to complex clients in a variety of settings (situations).

The Nursing program utilizes a variety of different methods of learning, instruction and evaluation. The campus nursing practice lab, as well as assorted clinical experiences in a variety of community and institutionally based health-care settings throughout the Twin Cities provide realistic learning opportunities for students.

The nursing curriculum is outcome-based where progress depends on the student demonstrating mastery of objectives. These objectives are shared with students at the beginning of each course. Mastery requires achieving (currently 75 percent) on written examinations and passing performance examinations. Math competency that is necessary for nursing course work and practice is measured through competency testing or enrollment in a basic mathematics course during the first term of the nursing program. There is a challenge option for this math course. Other grading and progression policies of the Nursing program are contained with in the Nursing Student Handbook. It is distributed at the beginning of the first nursing course or may be obtained in advance from the nursing program office.

Students who complete the Nursing program are awarded an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree. The college also offers a baccalaureate Nursing major in both the Day Program and Weekend College. Interested individuals should refer to the listing under Baccalaureate Programs, Nursing.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A special admission requirement of the Nursing program is one year of high school chemistry or one term of college chemistry completed with a grade of C or better within the past seven years. Applicants who took a chemistry course more than seven years ago will be reviewed individually and challenge may be an option.

ACCREDITATION
The Nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC); 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, (800) 669-1656, Ext. 153.

POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS RELATED TO LICENSURE
There may be conditions related to a person's past history for which the Minnesota Board of Nursing may deny licensure. Each case is considered individually by the board. For more information on these possible legal limitations related to licensure, you can contact the Minnesota Board of Nursing.

CHALLENGE OPPORTUNITIES
Individuals who have had nursing education prior to enrollment at the College of St. Catherine may be eligible for challenge of Level I nursing course work. Inquiries about challenge opportunities should be directed to the Nursing program director. All requests for challenges of nursing courses must be received at least one term in advance of the course offering. Those individuals interested in applying for challenge of nursing courses for fall term must apply for the challenge by April 1 of that year.

CLINICAL COMPONENT
To accommodate the varying schedules of students, the Nursing program offers a day option, an evening/weekend option and a mobility option. Regardless of the option chosen, students may need to readjust their schedules during the clinical component of their nursing courses on account of the differing requirements and daily admittance rates of each clinical facility. For example, most clinical facilities require that clinical experiences start at the beginning of a shift, some facilities require that clinicals coincide with their eight-hour shifts, and in facilities where admittance is low during the weekend, clinicals will be scheduled during weekday hours.

CPR CERTIFICATION
All students in day, evening and mobility nursing options must submit evidence of current certification in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Basic Life Support, Level C, as offered by the American Heart Association. This certification includes one- and two-person CPR/obstructed airway - adult, child and infant.

CPR certification must be current throughout enrollment in the Nursing program. It is important to remember that submitting proof of CPR is a prerequisite to NURS180 (Variations in Health I). Students enrolled in this course must bring evidence of current CPR certification during the first class period. If required certification is not presented at that time, the student will not be allowed to continue in the course.

Major Requirements:
NURS100 Introduction to the Profession of Nursing
NURS120 Health and Nursing Assessment
NURS180 Variations in Health I
NURS200 Variations in Health II
NURS280 Transition to the Professional Role
NURS281 Management of Complex & Multiple Clients

Required supporting courses:
BIOL200 or 240 Summer Science Immersion or Anatomy & Physiology I
BIOL241 Anatomy & Physiology II
BIOL245 Applied Microbiology
PHIL200 Ethical Problems in Health Care
PSYC202 Lifespan Development

Additional liberal arts and sciences requirements (2 credits each)- 16 credits
ART elective
ENGL110 Composition I
ENGL Literature elective*
PSYC100 General Psychology
SSCS100 Diversity, Democracy and Social Participation
SSCS elective
THEO elective

CIL 100 and 110 (1 credit each)
Demonstration of math competency (or FNDN060) and computer competency (or FNDN010)

*The Nursing program requires a writing-based literature elective.

MOBILITY OPTION
The mobility option is offered for the licensed practical nurse (LPN) who desires to pursue an associate degree in nursing during an evening/weekend class schedule. With advanced placement credit, the nursing course work can be completed in one year. Obtaining the associate degree may take longer than one year depending on the number of liberal arts and sciences credits the student has completed toward graduation before beginning the nursing courses. Students must meet the 30-credits-in-residence requirement for graduation.

This option is designed for LPNs who have current work experience in nursing. This experience serves as a foundation for continued study in nursing.

SPECIAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants to the mobility option will have:

• graduated from an LPN program;
• a current LPN license;
• current work experience or a minimum of six months clinical experience in a health-care setting (or its equivalent) in the past three years;
• an employment reference from a health-care provider submitted to the office of admission;
• achieved a passing score on the NLN Acceleration Challenge Exams in Nursing Care: Medical-Surgical and Maternity Nursing. This exam is offered at the Minneapolis campus of the College of St. Catherine.