Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S)

Students who graduate with a B.S. degree in Nursing from Western will possess the following learning outcomes. They will be able to:

Synthesize knowledge from the arts, sciences, and humanities with nursing theory as the basis for making nursing proactive decisions.

Exercise critical thinking in using the nursing process to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate the care provided to individuals, families and communities.

Apply the nursing process to design, implement, and evaluate therapeutic nursing interventions to provide preventive, curative, supportive, and restorative care for individuals, families, and communities in both structures and unstructured settings, using a variety of techniques.

Use a variety of communication techniques, including written documentation, in the process of assessment, counseling, and therapeutic interventions with individual clients, families, groups and communities.

Develop and implement a variety of teaching-learning strategies in the provision of health teaching for individuals, families, and groups in a variety of settings.

Use the process of scientific inquiry and research findings to improve nursing care delivery.

Manage information, human resources, and material resources to achieve optimum client outcomes in a cost-effective manner.

Use leadership, management, and collaborative skills as a member of a multidisciplinary team within the health care delivery system to develop implement, and evaluate health care provided to clients.

Exercise independent judgment and ethical decision-making, and act as an advocate for consumers of health care services.

Demonstrate accountability in learning and in nursing actions, based on accepted standards of nursing care and in accordance of professional nursing practice.

Admission

Students interested in majoring in nursing at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) must complete a dual admission process. Initially, students must be accepted into the University as pre- nursing. Once accepted into the University, application for admission to the Department of Nursing (DON) is made at the beginning of the spring semester of the Freshman year. Applications are available on-line or in the nursing department at the end of December and due to the Nursing Office the first Monday of February. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed by the Department of Nursing.
All students must be admitted to the university prior to applying for admission to the nursing major. The applicant pool is not limited to pre-nursing students. The decision to admit an applicant to the Nursing major is made by the Department of Nursing.

Admission to nursing is competitive with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 being the minimum considered for acceptance. Students are ranked according to GPA and successful completion of all prerequisites. Qualified students may not be accepted because of a limited number of clinical placements and limited Department of Nursing resources. Admission is limited to 60-85 students.

In evaluating students for acceptance into the nursing program the following criteria are used: GPA, evaluation of overall academic record including number of course withdrawals, prerequisite course failures, and academic success at other colleges and universities. Students must earn at least a C in the four science prerequisite courses (BIO 105, 106, and CHE 120, 121). Sciences cannot be more than 5 years old. Consistent with WCSU admission requirements, preference is given to those candidates who, in the judgment of the DON, have academic and personal qualifications with the greatest potential for program success.

Applicants must have successfully completed or be enrolled in the following courses:

• Writing Intensive Course (W)
• COM 162 Interpersonal Communication
• PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
• SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
• BIO 105 and BIO 106 or equivalent with a grade of “C” or better
• CHE 120 and CHE 121 or equivalent with a grade of “C” or better

Students are ineligible to apply for admission to the WCSU nursing program if they have been dismissed for either academic or clinical reasons from another nursing program.
Students newly accepted into the program must adhere to the Health Policies of the DON. The following information must be submitted on or before June 1 prior to starting nursing classes.

• Current health form
• Results of either PPD skin test or chest x-ray or quantiferrin blood test
• Evidence of rubella, rubeola, mumps and varicella vaccinations or antibody titres
• Evidence of measles vaccination
• Evidence of Hepatitis B vaccination, Hepatitis B titre or signed declination to receive vaccine
• Tdap vaccine completed within the last 10 years
• CPR certification for professional rescuers

Students without documentation of health requirements and/or CPR certification will not be allowed to participate in clinical experiences.
Transfer students coming into the University must first apply to the admissions department and must meet the same standards listed above. Western students wishing to change their major to Nursing must apply to the department for admission to the Nursing major and must meet the same requirements as pre-nursing students. Please refer to the above criteria.