Faculty:

• Andrea Berry, MSN, RN
• Diane Kondas, DNP, RN, CRNP, Program Director
• Tara Phillips, MSN, RN
• Carrie Slagle, PhD, MSN/ED, RN

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program is a major that prepares college students for a career as a professional registered nurse. Nurse professionals are members of interprofessional teams in four spheres of care: 1) disease prevention/promotion of health and well-being, which includes the promotion of physical and mental health in all patients as well as management of minor acute and intermittent care needs of generally healthy patients; 2) chronic disease care, which includes management of chronic diseases and prevention of negative sequelae; 3) regenerative or restorative care, which includes critical/trauma care, complex acute care, acute exacerbations of chronic conditions, and treatment of physiologically unstable patients that generally requires care in a mega-acute care institution; and 4) hospice/palliative/supportive care, which includes end-of-life care as well as palliative and supportive care for individuals requiring extended care, those with complex, chronic disease states, or those requiring rehabilitative care (AACN, 2021).   Nurses provide person-centered care to individuals  of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and lifestyles to improve individual, community, and global population health. 

Upon completion of the degree, students will be eligible to take the national licensure examination (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse. 

The concept-based curriculum has been established incorporating the American Association of Colleges of Nursing The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (the Essentials), the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Clinical Judgment Model.

The nursing program utilizes competency-based education.  The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) defines competency-based education as “a system of instruction, assessment, feedback, self-reflection, and academic reporting that is based on students demonstrating that they have learned the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, self-perceptions, and skills expected of them as they progress through their education.”  Coursework will include clinical experiences. Clinical experiences are learning approaches that integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application. Clinical supports student achievement of  the required competencies of the Essentials, development of skills and clinical judgment required of a nurse, and prepares the student to care for a variety of patients across the fours spheres of care.  Clinical experiences will advance from basic, fundamental skills to increasingly complex clinical learning opportunities. Students will experience a preceptorship type of clinical experience in their senior year that will allow them the opportunity to develop increasing autonomy and assume an assignment that is more realistic of the workload of a novice nurse.

Daniel J. Wukich School of Nursing Mission & Philosophy:

The Daniel J. Wukich School of Nursing is grounded in the Catholic tradition and the values of Elizabeth Ann Seton.  Our purpose is to prepare safe, competent professional nurses guided by ethics, critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and practice standards.  Our graduates will work to transform the quality of healthcare in the world and demonstrate respect and compassion for every person.

Program Learning Outcomes:

The graduate of the Nursing Program will: 

1. Integrate knowledge from the liberal arts, sciences and nursing to inform nursing practice and as a basis for clinical judgment. 

2. Exhibit holistic person-centered care focusing on patient, family, community and population reflecting diversity, equity, and social justice across the lifespan and the four spheres of care.

3. Integrate population health principles to deliver quality care that promotes health and addresses health disparities.

4. Apply reliable evidence in practice to transform health care.

5. Synthesize principles of safety and quality improvement to contribute to a culture of patient safety and workplace safety.

6. Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with interprofessional team members, patients, families and other stakeholders to provide optimal care.

7. Integrate knowledge of a systems-based approach to healthcare delivery to provide equitable care and promote health of diverse populations. 

8. Use information and communication technology to provide best practice in the delivery of holistic nursing care.

9. Demonstrate a professional nursing identity guided by principles of ethics, compassion, accountability, inclusion and social justice. 

10. Utilize professional leadership skills to advance nursing practice and optimize healthcare outcomes.

 

Requirements for Progression in the Nursing Major

For retention in the major, students must minimally earn a B- in all nursing courses (SNU). Additionally, students must make required progress in the course of study and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. First-year students (Freshman) will not be placed on nursing probation during their first academic year at the University unless their cumulative grade point average drops below a 2.0, but will receive a warning email if their cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. Beginning with enrollment in SNU201, if the student’s GPA falls below 3.0, he/she will be placed on nursing academic probation. If the student’s GPA remains below 3.0 for a second semester, the student may be dismissed from the nursing major. Probation may be extended one semester if necessary to allow for a student to repeat a required course for the first time, and after review of overall academic progress by the nursing program director. 

Per University policy, all courses must be successfully completed within three (3) attempts. If students are unable to complete any nursing course within three (3) attempts this may be grounds for dismissal from the program. 

All candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing must complete the Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements, the capstone assessment requirement, and the required courses for the major. Additionally, nursing students must register for NU 110 NCLEX Preparation (0 credits) every Fall and Spring starting with the Fall Semester of Sophomore year through the Spring semester of Senior year.

BSN Admission Requirements

In addition to the University’s general requirements for admission, the School of Nursing has its own entrance requirements and process, as described below.  Applicants must have:

• a minimum high school GPA of 3.2.
• a grade point average of 3.2 or higher in high school science courses.

The PA State Board of Nursing requires high school students to complete a minimum of 4 units of English, 3 units of Social Studies, 2 units of Mathematics (1 of which is Algebra) and 2 units of Science with a related laboratory or the equivalent. Overall, the high school academic course of study should include completion of the following high school courses:

• 4 years of English
• 2 years of Science (Biology is required) with a related Laboratory
• 2 years of Mathematics (1 of which is Algebra)
• 3 years of Social Studies

 Transfer Students:

School of Nursing faculty will assess each transfer application on an individual basis. Current Seton Hill University students seeking a change of major to nursing are considered transfer students.

• Applicants seeking to transfer into the nursing program must have an overall college GPA of 3.0 and a minimum college GPA of 3.0 in science courses (applicants must show evidence of strength in science and math courses).
• There must be space available in the admission class.

Transfer students must provide the Program Director and Registrar with official transcripts of previous college work and high school transcripts, in addition to the other application materials. A Seton Hill student who meets admissions criteria shall have priority over students from other Universities.

Seton Hill courses SCH 115, SCH 116, SNT 160, SHL 214, SHL 215, SHL 216, SHL 217, SBL 218, and SBL 219 or equivalent courses from another institution must be taken within 10 years of admittance to the nursing program. If not, the courses must be retaken.

Transfer of Nursing Coursework

The Nursing Program will consider accepting nursing courses transferred from another nursing accredited university after a review for content equivalency including expected learning outcomes, concepts/topics and nursing standards with Seton Hill University nursing courses. The nursing course to be transferred into Seton Hill’s Nursing Program will be evaluated for transfer credit on an individual basis. A grade of “B” or better is required for an accepted transferred nursing course. A nursing course will not be accepted for transfer if it was completed three or more years from the date of enrollment in the nursing program. Nursing students may be asked to provide the Nursing Program Director with a copy of the previous nursing course syllabus. At least 50% of the credits required for the nursing major must be taken at Seton Hill. Transfer of coursework must follow the Transfer of Coursework policy found in the Seton Hill University Academic Catalog.

Students wishing to transfer non-nursing courses must follow the Transfer of Coursework policy found in the Seton Hill University Academic Catalog.