Bachelor of Science Degree – Major in Nursing

The Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing meets the standards for and has been approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, leading to a California Registered Nurse (RN) license. Students who wish to practice in a state other than California may or may not have additional educational and/or non-educational requirements to complete prior to applying for the RN license. Prior to enrollment, prospective students must review the lists below to determine whether this program meets the educational requirements in a specific state. MSMU would like to help applicants and students navigate the licensure process. Contact Marie Seitz at mseitz@msmu.edu to discuss the process of obtaining an RN license in a state outside of California.

BSN Objectives

At the completion of the baccalaureate nursing program, the graduate will have met the following objectives and will:

Integrate critical thinking, knowledge, and skills from the liberal arts and nursing courses to provide care that is safe, and ethical.
Use the Roy Adaptation Model which guides the steps of the nursing process, as a scientific method to deliver nursing care to persons, families, groups, and populations.
Implement holistic, evidence-based patient-centered care.
Demonstrate the application of psychomotor skills for the efficient, safe, and compassionate delivery of patient care.
Communicate and advocate effectively with all members of the healthcare team, including the patient and patient’s support network.
Provide health education that reflects variances in individuals, groups, and/or populations.
Implement patient and family care around palliative and end-of-life care issues.
Apply clinical judgment and accountability for patient outcomes when delegating to and supervising other members of the healthcare team.
Create a beginning understanding of complementary and alternative modalities and their role in health care.
Create a culture of respect for the diversity among the client continuum (patient, family, groups, global population).
Apply leadership concepts, skills, and decision making in the delivery of high quality nursing care in a variety of settings.
Incorporate ethical and legal principles to safely manage care of individuals, families, groups, and populations.

Upon the completion of the Bachelor of Science Degree: Major in Nursing, the student is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and is also qualified to apply for the Public Health Nursing Certificate issued by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

BSN Program Academic Policies

The BSN program is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The faculty of the BSN Program has the right and the responsibility for evaluating the quality of the student's achievement, both in the mastery of theoretical content and in clinical competence. Mid-term warning, probation, or dismissal is used when deemed necessary. The following academic policies apply:

A grade of C- or below in a required course or a nursing theory course is not accepted. If the grade of C- or below is in a nursing theory course, non-progression in the program occurs.

A student may repeat a nursing theory course required for the nursing major, including pre-nursing/pre-health prerequisites, no more than once.

A grade of no credit in a nursing clinical course or failure (C- or below) of any two or more required nursing courses, including pre-nursing/pre-health prerequisites, results in dismissal from the nursing program.

If a student's level of clinical practice is unsatisfactory or unsafe, the student may fail before the end of the semester. Readmission may be granted by special action of the BSN Admission Committee.

Once admitted and enrolled in the University, all BSN nursing students will be required to successfully complete PHI 168A or PHI 168B or RST 149 at MSMU.

Departmental policy statements regarding grading, mathematical competence, clinical progression, incomplete grades, probation, absences, dismissal, and readmission to the program are provided to the student at the beginning of the nursing major. During the clinical portion of the program, students must:

Ordinarily be enrolled full-time (see Tuition and Fees).

Carry malpractice insurance.

Have a current CPR card (AHA Health Care Provider BLS).

Have a fire and safety card.

Complete a criminal background as outlined in clinical policies.

Drug screening prior to start of course work, and annually thereafter.

Complete a First Aid Course prior to beginning senior level coursework.

Nursing classes are held at multiple sites. Transportation is the responsibility of each student. Students who drive are required to have a current driver's license and auto insurance. Information on all policies and procedures can be obtained from the BSN Coordinator or the ABSN Program Coordinator.

Certain health requirements must be met prior to clinical experiences. The requirements are provided to students in admission packets and in the BSN Student Handbook.

In addition to the University Baccalaureate degree requirements, students who re-enter the BSN program after an absence of five (5) years or more must complete all requirements of the BSN Program and the level to which they are re-enrolling.

Membership in the National Student Nurse Association, highly recommended.

For up to date polices and procedures refer, to the current MSMU Bachelor of Science in Nursing Student handbook.

Clinical Agencies/Scheduling

Multiple agencies are used for clinical practice and include the following: private and public acute and subacute health care facilities, community health sites, and public and community health care agencies.

Schedules for clinical and class times are subject to change and may include evenings and weekends.

BSN Program

The Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing meets the standards for and has been approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, leading to a California Registered Nurse (RN) license. Students who wish to practice in a state other than California may or may not have additional educational and/or non-educational requirements to complete prior to applying for the RN license. Prior to enrollment, prospective students must review the lists below to determine whether this program meets the educational requirements in a specific state. MSMU would like to help applicants and students navigate the licensure process. Contact Marie Seitz at mseitz@msmu.edu to discuss the process of obtaining an RN license in a state outside of California.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements, acceptance into the BSN Program is determined by the BSN Admission Committee. Admission is based upon a consideration of the student's academic achievement. There is a formal review of the student's high school achievement record, grade point average, University Entrance Examination scores, previous college experience (if any). Students who intend to major in nursing are advised to take high school chemistry. A student may repeat a course required for the nursing major no more than once. Failure (C- and below) of any two required science or pre-requisite courses results in non-admission.

In order to be eligible for review, applicants must be admitted to the University and then fulfill the nursing admission requirements. Admission to the sophomore nursing courses is considered for the fall semester only and is based on:

Cumulative GPA: 3.0 or higher
Science GPA: 2.7 or higher
English GPA
Entrance Exam
Social Science GPA

LVN to BSN Admission Policy

LVNs that have been accepted by the University and have completed the general education requirements of the first two years may challenge sophomore level nursing courses and move directly into junior level nursing courses.

LVN to RN Non-Matriculation 26 unit Option

A non-degree R.N. option is available for applicants licensed as LVN’s in California. After completing 26 units of prescribed courses, the student is eligible to take the California examination for the R.N. Licensure. The student is not a graduate of the BSN Program and does not receive a Degree. This option is available in any of the pre-licensure programs at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Practice as a Registered Nurse with a CA license outside the State of California may be limited.

RN to BSN Admission Policy

Registered Nurses who apply to the BSN program may be given transfer credit for previous nursing courses equivalent to the sophomore and junior level nursing courses. Validation of clinical competence is required prior to entry into the program. In addition, applicants need to meet university admission requirements and BSN program admission policies for RN to BSN applicants.

Criteria for Guaranteed Admission for High School Students

Mount Saint Mary’s University Baccalaureate Nursing Program extends eligibility, to be reviewed for admission, to high school student applicants who qualify for guaranteed (direct) admission consideration by meeting the following requirements. Meeting the following requirements does not necessarily constitute a guaranteed (direct) admission spot.

Complete two science advanced placement courses with AP or IB test scores of four or five or complete three years of science in high school with a GPA of 3.5 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale. Of these three years of science requirements, the student must complete at least one year of chemistry and one year of biology.
Achieve an overall high school GPA of 3.8 or greater on a four point scale or 4.25 or greater on a five point scale.
Complete three years of math with pre-calculus as the minimum attainment.
Achieve a total score greater than 1170 on the new SAT, including a minimum score of 600 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (SAT-EBRW) and a minimum score of 570 in Math (SAT-M) OR an ACT composite score of 24 or greater. For applicants submitting old SAT scores, they must achieve a total score greater than 1650, including a minimum score of 550 in Critical Thinking (SAT-CR), a minimum score of 550 in Math (SAT-M), and a minimum score of 550 in Writing (SAT-WR).

Once the student is accepted and enters the University under the guaranteed (direct) admission program, they will declare nursing as their baccalaureate major and be considered a part of the Department of Nursing. To progress into nursing courses, the student must do all of the following:

Complete and pass (C or higher) all nursing prerequisite courses at the University during the first (freshman) year.
Maintain an overall Science GPA of 3.2 and Cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Obtain a minimum score of 70 or above on the Kaplan evaluation taken during the freshman year.

Once a guaranteed (direct) admission student has completed nursing pre-requisites and achieves the above requirements, the student will move into the sophomore nursing courses.

Should a guaranteed (direct) admission student fail to meet the minimum requirements above in the freshman year, she or he will not progress to the sophomore nursing courses. The student will then be eligible to be added to the general pool of pre-nursing admission candidates for that academic year, provided they meet the BSN admission requirements.

If a student does not meet the BSN admission requirements, they have an option to do a second year as a pre-nursing major and reapply to the program the following spring.

BSN Curriculum Requirements

Pre-requisite Courses for Nursing Programs

FYS 1 and FYS 2	First Year Seminar	2,2
ENG 1A and ENG 1B	Freshman English	3,3
	or
ENG 5H	Freshman Honors English	3
SOC 1	Introduction to Sociology	3
PSY 1	Introduction to Psychology	3
MTH 10	Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematical Ideas	3
SPE 10	Introduction to Communication	2
PHS 1	Scientific Concepts	3
	or
CHE 3	Foundations of Chemistry	3
BIO 50A	Human Anatomy	3
BIO 50AL	Human Anatomy Laboratory	1
BIO 50B	Human Physiology	3
BIO 50BL	Human Physiology Laboratory	1
BIO 3	General Microbiology	3
BIO 3L	General Microbiology Lab	1
PSY 12	Lifespan/Human Development	3
	or
PSY 15	Global Lifespan Development	3

*PHS 1/CHE 3, BIO 50A, BIO 50AL, BIO 50B, BIO 50BL, BIO 3, and BIO 3L: must have been completed within 5 years prior to admission.

*FYS 1 & FYS 2: not required for students entering MSMU with over 24 transferable units.

*PSY 12 or PSY 15: taken during the First Year of BSN.

First Year of Nursing

NUR 12T	Nutrition and Health	2
NUR 13T	Pharmacology I	1
NUR 14T	Pharmacology II	2
NUR 55T	Adaptation Nursing: Foundations of Nursing and Roy Adaptation Model	7
NUR 55TP	Adaptation Nursing: Foundations of Nursing and Roy Adaptation Model	0
NUR 56T	Pathophysiology	3
NUR 57T	Adaptation Nursing: Fundamental Nursing Skills Lab	1
NUR 62T	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical Nursing I	7.5
NUR 62TP	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical Nursing I	0

LACE	Central Core Course	3

RST 41	Christian Ethics: Introduction to Christian Ethics	3
	or
PHI 21	Moral Values and Ethical Decisions	3

PSY 12	Lifespan/Human Development	3
	or
PSY 15	Global Lifespan Development	3

Second Year of Nursing

NUR 168T	Integrative Theory and Practices	1.5
NUR 169T	Pallative Care	1.5
NUR 170T	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical II	4.5
NUR 170TP	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical II	0
NUR 171T	Adaptation Nursing: Childbearing Families and Women's Health	4.5
NUR 171TP	Adaptation Nursing: Childbearing Families and Women's Health	0
NUR 172T	Adaptation Nursing: Children and Families	4.5
NUR 172TP	Adaptation Nursing: Children and Families	0
NUR 173T	Adaptation Nursing: Mental Health	4.5
NUR 173TP	Adaptation Nursing: Mental Health	0

PHI 168A	Contemporary Moral Problems	3
	or
PHI 168B	Bioethics	3
	or
RST 149	Christian Ethics: Biomedical Issues in Christian Ethics	3
	or
HCP 158	Ethics in Health Policy	3

LACE	Critical Thinking Course	3

Third Year of Nursing

NUR 134T	Evidence-Based Practice	3
NUR 184T	Adaptation Nursing: Leadership and Policy	4.5
NUR 184TP	Adaptation Nursing: Leadership and Policy	0
NUR 185T	Adaptation Nursing: Gerontology	4.5
NUR 185TP	Adaptation Nursing: Gerontology	0
NUR 186T	Adaptation Nursing: Transition to Professional Practice	5
NUR 186TP	Adaptation Nursing: Transition to Professional Practice	0
NUR 187T	Adaptation Nursing: Community/Public Health	4.5
NUR 187TP	Adaptation Nursing: Community/Public Health	0
NUR 188T	Adaptation Nursing: Advanced Health Assesment	2
	Integrative Scholarship (Any 2 courses that meets)	6

*SOC 1, PHI 21 or RST 41, and PHI 168A or PHI 168B or RST 149 or HCP 158 are required as part of the LACE General Education requirements, starting with the Fall 2018 Catalog.

To graduate with a BSN degree, students will need to complete the LACE requirements. This will encompass a central core course sophomore year in addition to the courses noted above.

*NUR 186T and NUR 186TP fulfill the capstone requirement for BSN.

Please note, those courses with Practicum units above are the clinical courses in the curriculum. They must be passed with a C or better. A C- or lower grade will result in program dismissal.

Accelerated BSN Program

ABSN Application Procedure

ABSN applicants must submit the following documents:

Completed admissions application
Personal statement of intent
Official transcripts of all college work
Two recommendations by those acquainted with the applicant's ability to succeed in an accelerated curriculum.
Personal interviews may be scheduled.

ABSN Program Admission Requirements

The ABSN program is open to persons who have previously completed a Baccalaureate degree and who meet specific admission requirements. Admission to the program is open twice a year. Please see the website for specific deadlines.

To be considered for admission, students must be graduates of an accredited four-year college or university with an earned cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.

ABSN Entrance Requirements

Before admitted students begin the program, they must:

Complete the necessary health forms and immunizations (See Health Policies, Department of Nursing.).
Be current in CPR (Healthcare Provider BCLS/Professional Rescuer CPR).
Carry malpractice insurance.
Complete a First Aid Course.
Submit a successful completion of a Criminal Background check as outlined in clinical policies
Drug Screening

LVN to RN Non-Matriculation Option (26 unit option)

See option under the BSN option.

Transfer Articulation for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science – Major in Nursing

Mount Saint Mary's University accepts completed Baccalaureate degrees from accredited colleges and universities as evidence of fulfillment of MSMU General Education requirements with the exception of GE Central Core. ABSN students will be exempted from taking 3 units of GE Written Communication, GE Critical Thinking, GE Math, and GE Integrative Scholarship courses because they are pursing a second bachelors degree.

Costs/Financial Aid/Registration

Tuition for the ABSN program is the same as the standard Mount Saint Mary’s University undergraduate tuition and fees for three semesters. There is a nursing fee for each of the three accelerated sessions. Please refer to the Fees and Expenses for exact figures and guidelines.

While ABSN students are not eligible for Mount Saint Mary's grants or scholarships, students may be eligible for federal, state, or private grants or loans. In order to qualify, students must send the FAFSA forms to the processor no later than January 15. Information on financial aid eligibility will be sent prior to the deposit deadline. A non-refundable deposit fee of $400.00 is due on the date specified in the acceptance letter.

Nursing Pre-requisite Requirements (starting Fall 2021)

An eligible applicant entering the ABSN option Fall 2021 or thereafter, must have also completed the following requirements prior to beginning the program:

Nursing Pre-requisite Requirements:

*Chemistry or Physics	(4 units)
*Human Anatomy with Lab	(4 units)
*Human Physiology with lab	(4 units)
*Microbiology with Lab	(4 units)
Human Nutrition	(3 units)
General Psychology	(3 units)
Life-span Developmental Psychology (Infant through Older Adult )	(3 units)
Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology	(3 units)
Written Communication (ENG 1A or ENG 1B)	(3 units)
Oral Communication	(2-3 units)

*Must have been completed within five years prior to admission

General Education Requirements - Central Core

The General Education requirement includes 12 units of course work in the Central Core category, with 3 units completed in each core: Spirit of the Founders, Community, Global Awareness and Understanding, and Women and Gender.

Bioethics	(3 upper division units, must be MSMU Bioethics)
Sociology/Cultural Anthropology		(3 units)
Two Additional LACE Central Core Courses		(6 units)

ABSN Degree Curriculum Requirements for Students Entering Fall 2021 and thereafter

The ABSN program requires 58 Nursing department units and 3 units of upper division Bioethics. Admitted students must complete their total curriculum plan at Mount Saint Mary’s University. They may not take required nursing courses at other institutions. A sample program is listed below.

Courses

1st Semester

NUR 13A	Pharmacology I	1
NUR 14A	Pharmacology II	2
NUR 55A	Adaptation Nursing: Foundations of Nursing and Roy Adaptation Model	6
NUR 55AP	Adapt Nur: Fnd of Nur/Roy Adap	0
NUR 56A	Pathophysiology	3
NUR 57A	Adaptation Nursing: Fundamental Nursing Skills Lab	1
NUR 62A	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical Nursing I	8
NUR 62AP	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical Nursing I	0

2nd Semester

NUR 168A	Integrative Theory and Practices	1.5
NUR 169A	Pallative Care	1.5
NUR 170A	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical II	3.5
NUR 170AP	Adaptation Nursing: Adult Medical Surgical II	0
NUR 171A	Adaptation Nursing: Childbearing Families and Women's Health	3.5
NUR 171AP	Adaptation Nursing: Childbearing Families and Women's Health	0
NUR 172A	Adaptation Nursing: Children and Families	3.5
NUR 172AP	Adaptation Nursing: Children and Families	0
NUR 173A	Adaptation Nursing: Mental Health	3.5
NUR 173AP	Adaptation Nursing: Mental Health	0
PHI 168B	Bioethics	3
	or
PHI 168A	Contemporary Moral Problems	3
	or
RST 149	Christian Ethics: Biomedical Issues in Christian Ethics	3
	or
HCP 158	Ethics in Health Policy	3

3rd Semester

NUR 134A	Evidence-Based Practice	3
NUR 184A	Adaptation Nursing: Leadership and Policy	3.5
NUR 184AP	Adaptation Nursing: Leadership and Policy	0
NUR 185A	Adaptation Nursing: Gerontology	3.5
NUR 185AP	Adaptation Nursing: Gerontology	0
NUR 186A	Adaptation Nursing: Transition to Professional Practice	4
NUR 186AP	Adaptation Nursing: Transition to Professional Practice	0
NUR 187A	Adaptation Nursing: Community/Public Health	4
NUR 187AP	Adaptation Nursing: Community/Public Health	0
NUR 188A	Adaptation Nursing: Advanced Health Assessment	2

*SOC 1, and PHI 168A or PHI 168B or RST 149 or HCP 158 are required as part of the LACE General Education requirements, starting with the Fall 2021 Catalog.

*NUR 186A and NUR 186AP fulfill the capstone requirement for the ABSN program.

Please note, those courses with Practicum units above are the clinical courses in the curriculum. They must be passed with a C or better. A C- or lower grade will result in program dismissal.