ADMISSION CRITERIA
High school seniors have the opportunity to apply for admission into the nursing program as incoming college freshmen. Early admission is based on the following criteria:
* a composite ACT score of 22 or above, with all subscores of 20 or above
* a high school GPA of 3.5 or above
* satisfactory faculty evaluation of responses to essay questions on the nursing application form
* acceptable references

Students already at Augustana who did not apply to the nursing major as incoming freshmen may apply for early admission. Early admission is based on the following criteria:
* a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
* four (4) prerequisite science courses successfully completed at Augustana

Transfer students with less than 40 credits may apply for early admission, based on the following criteria:
* acceptance to Augustana college
* a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
* three (3) prerequisite science courses successfully completed
* have a plan of study for completing the remaining prerequisite courses at Augustana

Early admission guarantees the student a placement in the junior year clinical nursing courses providing the student:
* completes the required supportive courses for nursing with a grade of C- or higher
* completes a minimum of 51 cumulative semester credit hours
* achieves a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.7
* provides sufficient evidence of those personal qualifications generally considered necessary for success in professional nursing

Students who are not admitted to the nursing major as freshmen, as well as part-time students and transfer students desiring to pursue a nursing major, apply for admission to the nursing program by February 15 of the calendar year in which the student desires to begin clinical courses and after:
* completing six of the required supportive courses for nursing with a grade of C- or higher
* completing a minimum of 51 cumulative semester credit hours
* achieving a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.7
* providing sufficient evidence of those personal qualifications generally considered necessary for success in professional nursing.

All students in the major, where officially admitted to the program or not, are assigned an academic advisor within the nursing department.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES
1. Practices nursing consistent with the foundational values of the discipline and a belief in human wholeness.
a. Clarifies personal and professional values and recognizes their impact on decision-making and professional behavior.
b. Demonstrates personal and professional initiative and accountability.
c. Demonstrates receptivity and openness to differing values and worldviews, honoring the perspective of individuals, families, groups, and communities.
d. Applies moral and ethical reasoning toward understanding and responding to issues in nursing practice.
e. Demonstrates commitment to continued personal and professional growth.

2. Integrates theories, concepts and research from the sciences, humanities and nursing as a foundation for nursing practice.
a. Demonstrates a basic understanding of nursing theory and its influence in guiding nursing practice and research.
b. Applies understanding of health patterns to nursing practice in promoting health and enhancing quality of life for individuals, families, groups, and communities.
c. Uses information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.*
d. Incorporates principles of teaching-learning into appropriate health educational interactions.
e. Applies current evidence-based practice into clinical experiences, incorporating patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.
f. Demonstrates a basic understanding of research methods and systematic inquiry and their relationship to nursing practice and theory.
g. Integrates concepts of nursing and public health science in addressing health issues of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations.

3. Develops partnerships in addressing the human health concerns of individuals, families, groups and communities.
a. Develops competent communication skills, using a variety of modalities.
b. Develops caring relationships through presence.
c. Demonstrates sensitivity to the diversity and uniqueness of human health experiences across cultures.
d. Engages individuals, families, groups and communities as full partners in identifying and responding to health care needs.
e. Recognizes that human behavior is affected by culture, race, religion, gender, lifestyle, age and environment.
f. Contributes the unique nursing perspective to interprofessional teams to optimize patient outcomes.

4. Demonstrates critical thinking, creativity, and sound clinical judgment in professional practice across settings.
a. Demonstrates initiative.
b. Applies competent psychomotor skills in the delivery of safe, efficient, and compassionate care.
c. Establishes priorities in the provision of care.
d. Uses creativity and aesthetics in addressing health concerns of individuals, families, groups and communities.
e. Responds to changing situations in practice to assure safe, effective care.
f. Evaluates outcomes, modifying care in partnership with individuals, families, groups, and communities.
g. Evaluates the contribution of system factors to the quality and safety of health care.

5. Displays leadership in professional nursing practice to address the health concerns of individuals, families, groups and communities.
a. Incorporates professional nursing standards into nursing practice.
b. Influences nursing and interdisciplinary colleagues through role modeling and mentoring.
c. Advocates for health care that is sensitive to the needs of individuals, families, groups, and communities.
d. Coordinates and manages care, through delegation and supervision.
e. Incorporates consideration of cost, quality, and access issues into nursing practice.
f. Demonstrates basic understanding of the organization and financing of health care delivery systems.
g. Applies appropriate quality and safety indicators in nursing practice.
h. Explains the process and relevance of continuous quality improvement in health care systems.
i. Applies knowledge of social, political, economic, and historical issues to the analysis of societal and professional problems.
j. Displays an understanding of the scope of baccalaureate-level nursing practice and regulatory requirements for professional practice.

CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Nursing include general education requirements, courses which are supportive to the major, and nursing courses which comprise the major. Course descriptions can be found at http://www.augie.edu/dept/courses/.

General Education Requirements
Nursing is an applied discipline. The practice of nursing focuses on providing a service to individuals, families, groups and communities based on identification of needs. Thus, each aspect of the person studied in the liberal arts core facilitates the student's understanding of self in relation to specific dimensions of humanity. This helps in increase breadth of understanding of clients who are the recipients of nursing care. Students must satisfy the same general education requirements as any other student at Augustana College.

Supportive Course Requirements
Required biological, physical, and social science courses have been identified as prerequisite to nursing theory content. These courses are prerequisite to enrollment in upper division nursing courses. Some of these courses also fill General Education requirements. Students must successfully complete the supportive courses with a grade of C- or better to progress into the nursing courses.

Required prerequisites to nursing courses are:
* Biology 120 - Biological Principles I (prerequisite to Biology 150)
* Biology 150 - Human Anatomy
* Biology 225 - Human Physiology
* Biology 250 - Introductory Microbiology
* Chemistry 120 - Introduction to Chemistry
* Chemistry 145 - Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry
* Sociology 110 - Contemporary Society
* Psychology 125 - Life-Span Human Development
Recommended:
* Gero 289 - Medical Terminology
* Psyc/Econ 270 - Statistics (if considering graduate school)

Nursing Major Course Requirements
Progression into subsequent nursing courses or to graduation is contingent upon attaining a C or better (minimum of 74%) in both the theory and clinical portions of all preceding nursing courses. Unsatisfactory completion of a nursing course requires that the student request readmission to the nursing major and permission to re-enroll in the failed course the next time the course is offered. Readmission is contingent on space availability, recommendations from the student's advisor and course professor of the failed course, and the professional judgment of the Nursing Admission/Progression Committee. A student is allowed to repeat a maximum of one nursing course one time.

The sequencing of nursing courses for academic year 2008-09 is as follows:

Sophomore Year - fall semester
* Nurs 200 - Introduction to Profesional Nursing (3 cr. hrs.)

Sophomore Year - spring semester
* Nurs 230 - Pharmacotherapeutics (3 cr. hrs.)

Junior Year - fall semester
* Nurs 324 - Health Pattern Recognition/Nutrition (3 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 326 - Nursing Therapeutics I (4 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 328 - Pathophysiology (3 cr. hrs.)

Junior Year - interim
Open

Junior Year - spring semester
* Nurs 340 - Adult Health Nursing I (4 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 352 - Child Health Nursing (3 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 354 - Community Health Science (2 cr. hrs.)

Senior Year - fall semester
* Nurs 420 - Behavioral Health Nursing (3 cr. hrs.) and Nurs 425 - Behavioral Health Nursing Clinical (2 cr. hrs.)
OR Nurs 430 - Community Health Nursing (3 cr. hrs.) and Nurs 435 - Community Health Nursing Clinical (2 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 441 - Adult Health Nursing II (4 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 450W - Perspectives in Professional Nursing (3 cr. hrs.)

Senior Year - interim
* Nurs 451 - Leadership in Professional Nursing (3 cr. hrs.)

Senior Year - spring semester
* Nurs 410 - Maternal & Reproductive Nursing (3 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 420 - Behavioral Health Nursing (3 cr. hrs.) and Nurs 425 - Behavioral Health Nursing Clinical (2 cr. hrs.)
OR Nurs 430 - Community Health Nursing (3 cr. hrs.) and Nurs 435 - Community Health Nursing Clinical (2 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 495 - Internship (2-4 cr. hrs) - not required by highly recommended

Elective courses in Nursing
* Nurs 399 - Independent Study (2-4 cr. hrs.)
* Nurs 468 - NCLEX Review (1 cr. hr.)
* Nurs 495 - Internships (2-4 cr. hrs.)

All students will be required to take specific standardized content exams as a part of the nursing curriculum. Exams include: Nursing Fundamentals, Obstetrical Nursing, Pediatric Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Medial Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology, Leadership, and a Comprehensive Predictor.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
A total of 130 credits is required for graduation, including 60 credits in the core of liberal studies, 48 credits in the nursing major, and 22 credits in supportive and elective courses.

APPLICATION INFORMATION
Once a student has applied and been accepted to Augustana College, he or she may apply for admission to the nursing major. An application to the major may be obtained through the Office of Admission or online. For further information on the application process, contact the Department of Nursing at 605-274-4721.