Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program
Women's College
Diane Aschenbrenner, MS, RN
Jane Balkam, PhD, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC
Virginia Byer, MSN, RN
Simone Christian, MA, Instructional Designer
Rodnita Davis, MSN, RN
Kathryn Handy, DNP, RN
Amanda Henson, MS, RN, Director, Center for Caring with Technology
Jenna Hoffman, MS, Retention and Success Specialist
Zane Hunter, AA, Simulation and Technology Specialist
Carol Kurtz-Stack, BA, Adult Student Advisor
Deborah Naccarini, DNP, RN, CNE, Associate Dean
Mary O'Connor, PhD, RN, FACHE
Mary Packard, PhD, RN
Sabita Persaud, PhD, RN, APHN-BC, Associate Dean
Amber Renaud, MSN, RN, Simulation Lab Assistant
Amy Rohrs, BS, Dean's Assistant and Clinical Placement Coordinator
Natalie Scimonelli, MA, Enrollment Manager
Melody Seitz, PhD, RNC-OB
Brittany Sherrod-Howard, AA, Administrative Assistant
Marleen Thornton, PhD, RN
Mark Walker, MS, RN, CNL, CCRN
Kathleen Wisser, PhD, RN, CNE, Dean, School of Nursing
The School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to students admitted through the Women's College. Dedicated to the mission of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the School of Nursing educates students in a caring science curriculum to become leaders in the profession of nursing, and thereby to transform healthcare and the world. The BSN program challenges students to strive for intellectual and professional excellence, to build inclusive communities, to engage in service to others, and to promote social responsibility. The philosophy of the School of Nursing grounds the caring curriculum, as well as all activities of the School:
Nursing and the teaching of nursing is a journey through deep caring connections with patients, students, colleagues, and the discipline of nursing. Nursing is imagined and known through caring authentic presence with others and multiple ways of knowing. Nursing is a presence to life lived with those entrusted to our care, a beacon, attentive to the extraordinary in the mundane and boldly entering questions of meaning. All stories of individuals and of the discipline are valued as necessary to the growth and advancement of the profession. Healing practice is possible in partnership relationships; nursing creates safe welcoming places, encouraging growth, seeking to understand and knowing each other's hearts.
Nurses are called to care through advocacy, action, 'power-with' and trusting relationships with persons and groups in diverse settings. Nursing embraces diversity and commitment to social justice. With perseverance and fortitude, caring and compassion are preserved as the ethical foundation of nursing practice and scholarship.
A nursing way of being requires reflective practice, a listening, that allows for meaning-making in all dimensions of academic and practice endeavors. Nursing practice is characterized by thoughtfulness and necessarily lived out with intention. This way of being a School of Nursing in all aspects allows for possibilities for our mission to be realized—educating nurses to transform the world.
The Philosophy of the School of Nursing is lived by the graduates through the following program outcomes: Presence, Praxis, Advocacy, Scholarship, Self-Care and Leadership.
Students are admitted to Notre Dame as Nursing students and complete most liberal arts and basic science courses prior to beginning the Nursing Major in the junior year. The BSN program integrates the academic discipline with reflective clinical practice. Clinical experiences occur in a variety of hospital and community settings serving diverse populations throughout the region. BSN graduates are prepared as nurse generalists and are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX–RN) in order to secure licensure as a Registered Nurse.
The Nursing Program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001; Phone: 202-887-6791).
Progression Policy in the Nursing Major
Once enrolled in the Nursing Major, students must meet the following criteria in order to progress in the Major:
Criteria for Progression
- Adhere to the NSNA Code of Ethics for Nursing Students—Code of Academic and Clinical Conduct.
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 in Nursing courses.
- Achieve a grade of C or better in all Nursing courses.
- Satisfactorily complete the clinical component of each Nursing course. A clinical failure constitutes failure of the entire Nursing course regardless if a passing grade was obtained in classroom theory tests.
- Minimum of 70% examination average must be met before other assignments are considered in select Nursing courses in order to pass the course. Once the examination average of 70% is met, all other assignment grades will be factored. These select courses include: NUR-301 Holistic Health Assessment, NUR-305 Foundations of a Caring Profession, NUR-310 Pathopharmacology, NUR-311 Professional Nursing Care of the Adult I, NUR-312 Nursing Care of Children and Families, NUR-408 Maternal and Infant Nursing, NUR-409 Professional Nursing Care of the Adult II, NUR-410 Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, NUR-431 Community Health Nursing.
- Only one Nursing course (NUR designation) may be repeated—and only one time. Failure of a second Nursing course results in dismissal from the Nursing Program.
- Students are limited to repeating one science course (for a grade less than C) and one Nursing course (for a grade less than C) throughout the entire Program of Study.
- Students are limited to two withdrawals from Nursing courses during their course of study.
- Students who withdraw from the Program due to non-academic reasons may be reinstated on a space available basis. Students must have withdrawn in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above in all Nursing courses. University admission policies are followed.
The complete policy for acceptance to the Nursing Major is contained on this page and in the Undergraduate Nursing Student Entry-Level BSN Student Handbook. See here for the complete progression policy for Majors.
Program of Study
Required Courses for the Major in Nursing (Credits)
BIO-111 General Biology (4)
BIO-253 General Microbiology (4)
BIO-260 Genetics and Genomics for Clinical Practice (3)
BIO-281 Human Anatomy & Physiology I (4)
BIO-282 Human Anatomy & Physiology II (4)
CHM-108 Survey of General, Organic & Biochemistry (4)
LSP-108 Spanish Language and Culture for Healthcare Professionals (3)
MAT-103 Applied Algebra (unless waived) (3)
MAT-215 Basic Statistics (3)
NUR-250 Nutrition for Wellness (online) (3)
NUR-301 Holistic Health Assessment (4)
NUR-303 Nursing Informatics (online) (2)
NUR-304 Healthy Aging (3)
NUR-305 Foundations of a Caring Profession (5)
NUR-307 Research in Nursing Practice (3)
NUR-308 Professional Nursing Care: Psychiatric/Mental Health (4)
NUR-310 Pathopharmacology (4)
NUR-311 Professional Nursing Care of the Adult I (4)
NUR-406 Contemporary Trends and Theory (3)
NUR-408 Professional Nursing Care: Maternal and Newborn (4)
NUR-409 Professional Nursing Care of the Adult II (4)
NUR-417 Professional Nursing Care: Children and Families (4)
NUR-431 Community Health Nursing (5)
NUR-432 Caring Nursing Leadership (3)
NUR-461 Clinical Practicum (6)
PSY-101 Introductory Psychology (4)
PSY-233 Human Growth & Development (3)
PHL-339 Medical Ethics (3)
SOC-101 Introductory Sociology (3)
Note: Students also complete the General Education Requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree. Nursing students are encouraged to take fine arts and Spanish courses for their elective requirements.
Nursing Four-Year Plan
Students must select courses with the assistance of a faculty advisor. The Program of Study requires a total of 123 to 129 credits.
|
FALL |
SPRING | ||
|
FIRST YEAR |
|||
|
*MAT-100 Algebraic Applications OR *MAT-103 Applied Algebra (unless waived) NDMU-100 First Year Seminar ENG-101 College Writing BIO-111 Fundamentals of Biology HIS- History Requirement [14/18 credits] |
4 3 4 3 4 3 |
CHM-108 Survey of General, Organic & Biochemistry BIO-253 Microbiology ENG- English Literature PHL-201 Introduction to Philosophy PSY-101 Introductory Psychology [18 credits] |
4 4 3 3 4 |
|
SECOND YEAR |
|||
|
BIO-260 Genetics and Genomics for Clinical Practice NUR-250 Nutrition for Wellness (Online) PHL-339 Medical Ethics BIO-281 Human Anatomy & Physiology I RST-201 Introduction to Biblical Studies LSP-105 Spanish Language & Culture for Professionals I (unless waived) [16/17 credits] |
3 3 3 4 3 1 |
BIO-282 Human Anatomy & Physiology II SOC-101 Introductory Sociology PSY-233 Human Growth & Development MAT-215 Basic Statistics RST-300/400 Upper Level RST Course Requirement LSP-106 Spanish Language & Culture for Professionals II (unless waived) [16/17 credits] |
4 3 3 3 3 1 |
|
THIRD YEAR |
|||
|
NUR-301 Holistic Health Assessment NUR-303 Nursing Informatics NUR-305 Foundations of a Caring Profession NUR-310 Pathopharmacology [15 credits] |
4 2 5 4 |
NUR-304 Healthy Aging NUR-311 Professional Nursing Care of the Adult I NUR-307 Research in Nursing Practice NUR-308 Professional Nursing Care: Psychiatric/Mental Health [14 credits] |
3 4 3 4 |
|
FOURTH YEAR |
|||
|
NUR-417 Professional Nursing Care: Children and Families NUR-406 Contemporary Trends and Theory in Nursing NUR-408 Professional Nursing Care: Maternal and Newborn NUR-409 Professional Nursing Care of the Adult II [15 credits] |
4 3 4 4 |
LSP-108 Spanish Language & Culture for Healthcare Professionals NUR-431 Community Health Nursing NUR-432 Caring Nursing Leadership NUR-461 Clinical Practicum [15 credits] |
1 5 3 6 |
|
Total General Education Credits: 62/68 Total Nursing Credits: 61 [123/129 total credits] |
|||
Additional Curriculum Information
Gender and Cross-Cultural Studies General Education Requirements - In addition to the General Education Requirements listed in the curriculum, all NDMU students must satisfy a Gender Studies Requirement and a Cross-Cultural Studies Requirement.
Students who take both MAT-100/103 and BIO-110 will need to fit a General Education Requirement into a winterim or summer semester (these students will meet with their advisor to make a plan for completing the requirement).
*Math Requirement
If Nursing students place into MAT-100 Algebraic Applications on the Math Placement Test, then they are required to take MAT-100. If Nursing students place into MAT-103 Applied Algebra, then they are required to take MAT-103; however, if they place into MAT 107 or higher, then MAT-103 may be waived.
*General Biology Requirement
BIO-111 General Biology requires permission of instructor to take without BIO-110 Exploring Concepts of Biology as a pre-requisite course.
*Foreign Language Requirement for Nursing Majors only
LSP-108 Spanish Language & Culture for Healthcare Professionals is a requirement of the Nursing Major. Students will take a Spanish Placement Test that determines whether or not LSP-105 Spanish Language & Culture for Professionals I and/or LSP-106 Spanish Language & Culture for Professionals II is required to take prior to LSP-108. If students place into LSP-105 on the placement test, then they are required to take LSP-105, LSP-106 and LSP-108. If students place into LSP-106 on the placement test, then they are required to take LSP-106 and LSP-108. If students place into LSP-108 on the placement test, then they are required to take LSP-108 only.