Nursing
Goals
- Implement a professional nursing
curriculum that builds on a strong liberal arts foundation for undergraduate
learners and offers specialization, expansion, and/or advancement in nursing
practice for graduate and professional learners.
- Provide an educational experience that
emphasizes active learning in a values based context.
- Create a collegial environment that
facilitates the professional development of students and faculty.
- Prepare graduates for professional
nursing roles in a dynamic health care environment.
Bachelor
of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Completion
Goals
- Strive to identify the special needs of
the B.S.N. Completion students while at the same time recognizing the
requirements of the basic program.
- Implement the professional nursing
curriculum with a strong liberal arts foundation.
- Provide an educational experience that
emphasizes active learning in a values based context.
- Create a collegial environment that
facilitates the professional development of the student.
- Increase the level of professionalism
and job mobility.
Mission
The B.S.N. Completion program prepares
students for professional holistic nursing practice. Faculty create an
educational experience that embraces the pursuit of wisdom and values of
caring, integrity, collegiality, and commitment as preparation for faithful
service and ethical leadership in a dynamic health care environment. In
addition, faculty create an educational experience that is relevant and
meaningful to the practicing nurse as an adult learner.
Viterbo
University is committed to providing a quality experience and a meaningful
education to graduates of associate degree and diploma nursing programs. The
university strives to identify the special needs of the B.S.N. completion
student while at the same time recognizing the requirements of the basic
program. Various methodologies appropriate to the experienced adult student are
utilized.
Admission
To be admitted to the B.S.N. Completion program, applicants must have an Associate Degree in
Nursing (ADN) or a Registered Nurse Diploma from a regionally accredited
college or technical school. Also, students must show documentation of an active U. S.
registered nurse license or its international equivalent prior to beginning the
second session of nursing courses in the program.
Graduates
of foreign schools of nursing are not required to have a current nursing license
if such credentialing is not required by the country in which they practice.
Policy
In
order to graduate from the program, students must attain at least 128 credits
(43 must be upper division and 12 of these 43 credits must be from courses
other than nursing) and have met all requirements of the core curriculum and B.S.N.
Completion program curricula. One course must be taken at
Viterbo University during the semester or summer school in which the student
plans to graduate.
Classes
for the B.S.N. Completion program are offered one day
per week at the La Crosse campus, as well as at several off-campus locations.
In most cases a student can complete the requirements for graduation in
approximately two years which includes summer sessions. Up to 39 credits of
lower division nursing credits will be awarded to the B.S.N.
Completion program student who has graduated from a
community college, vocational/technical school, or diploma program.
Students
entering the B.S.N. Completion program with 98 or more credits must
complete a minimum of 30 credits from Viterbo University. All the following
requirements must also be met – 23 nursing credits required for the major; six
credits in support courses for the major (three in statistics and three in ENGL
307); 43 upper division credits; and all other requirements in the core curriculum.
A
student who does not maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average will not be
permitted to progress in nursing designated courses until the grade point average
is re-established at 2.5.
A
student who receives a grade of “CD” or below in a nursing course is placed on
probation and must earn grades of “C” or better in any repeated courses in all
remaining non-concurrent nursing courses. Failure to do so will result in
dismissal from the nursing program.
A
non-probationary student who earns a “D” or “F” in a nursing course may be
given the opportunity to repeat the course the following semester (if the
course is offered). The student will only be permitted to take another nursing
course pending development of an academic success plan.
The
nurse shall have submitted documentation of an active U.S. registered nurse
(RN) license or its international equivalent prior to beginning the second
semester of the B.S.N. Completion program. The nurse shall have at least
two years of practice in a health care facility, or approval by the B.S.N.
Completion Assistant Dean, prior to enrolling in NURS 481, Clinical Synthesis.
Individual
programs for meeting the degree requirements will be planned with the
respective student’s advisor.
Readmission Policy
An
individual previously dismissed from the School of Nursing shall be required to
complete a readmission packet for the respective program (traditional or B.S.N.
Completion program). The packet shall be obtained from
the assistant dean of the program to which the individual is seeking
readmission. The completed readmission packet will be evaluated on an
individual basis by the assistant dean and a readmission board.
Nursing Major (B.S.N. Completion) (Bachelor
of Science in Nursing)
- core curriculum and mission seminars – see
the degree requirements section of this catalog
- major requirements
– NURS 340, 346, 408, 435, 450, 451, 472, 481
- support courses
– ENGL 307, MATH 130 or 230
- final degree requirements
– see the degree requirements section of this catalog
The total credits of the major and support course
requirements are 29-30. The core curriculum and mission seminars require 35-43
credits. A total of 128 credits, 43 of which need to be at the 300/400 level,
are required to graduate. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions
could modify these credit totals.