Philosophy Statement
Faculty members in the BSN program believe that a BSN education prepares students to meet the current and future health needs of society through a comprehensive academic foundation in the sciences and humanities coupled with exceptional professional preparation, preparing students for current and future roles across the continuum of settings for health care delivery. Faculty in the BSN program understand that our students bring a wide range of educational and other experiences to the educational setting and believe that the educational plan should be tailored to the needs of our learners.
Faculty in the BSN program also recognize that learning encompasses knowledge, skills, and affective domains. Each track of the BSN coursework focuses on mastery of conceptual knowledge; demonstration of competencies in nine program outcome areas; and embodiment of exemplary professionalism that includes the values inherent in the profession. Recognizing that BSN graduates will practice in an ever-changing health care environment, students are prepared to understand health care policies and their rapidly-changing impact on care delivery.
Faculty have planned each track of the BSN to offer a cutting edge and evidence-based curriculum to prepare students for careers as professional nurses who are competent care providers, prepared to practice to the full capacity of the professional nurse role in diverse settings and situations. We value diversity and prepare students to provide ethical, holistic, culturally sensitive, patient-centered care. This may focus on and include acute and chronic care and wellness and illness situations, in consideration of those diverse patients and clients we serve: individuals across the lifespan; families in different developmental stages; and communities, aggregates, and populations.
As part of professional nursing in today’s complex care environments, nurses must be accountable leaders and managers, as well as knowledgeable care coordinators, engaging as full partners with interprofessional team members. Furthermore, the faculty believes that as professional nurses, BSN graduates must be exceptional communicators, collaborate effectively, and be able to use and embrace technology and information management systems to achieve high quality, safe patient care outcomes.
Purpose
The baccalaureate program offers a curriculum plan designed to meet learner needs while preparing professional nurses competent in meeting the current and future health needs of society. The curriculum prepares graduates to function as practitioners in a variety of settings including acute care, primary care, and community focused care, to name a few. The BSN program provides a foundation for leadership positions and graduate study.
The graduate of the BSN program possesses a broad knowledge of the humanities, the biological and social sciences, and nursing. As a BSN graduate, the nurse applies well-developed problem-solving skills in caring for individuals, families, and communities.
Program Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of the BSN program you will be:- A critical thinker who demonstrates intellectual engagement and uses evidence as a basis for clinical reasoning and decision making
- A culturally sensitive individual who provides holistic, individual, family, community, and population-centered nursing care
- A knowledgeable care coordinator who facilitates access to resources across the continuum of healthcare environments in order to meet the evolving healthcare needs of individuals, families, communities, and populations
- An individual who understands and considers the impact of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments on care delivery
- An individual who embodies the professional identity of the nurse and who translates the inherent values of the nursing profession into the ethical and legal practice of nursing
- An effective communicator who collaborates with inter-professional team members, patients, and their support systems for improved health outcomes
- A competent care provider who is prepared to practice to the full capacity of the professional nurse role in diverse health care environments
- An accountable leader and manager who applies principles of systems and organizational processes and balances resources to promote quality care and patient safety
- An individual who embraces and employs innovations in information management and technology in the delivery of quality patient care
Prospective students should acquaint themselves with curriculum requirements, course sequencing, and other degree requirements, along with the requirements for admission to the BSN program on each campus. Students are responsible for meeting all degree requirements.
