Chair: Dr. Amy Lee

Nursing Program Mission

The Minot State University Department of Nursing, as an integral part of the parent institution, is dedicated to excellence in nursing education, scholarship, and community engagement.  The mission of the Department of Nursing is to educate individuals for professional roles in nursing and for graduate education through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and contributions to a vibrant campus life.

The philosophy of the Department of Nursing faculty is anchored in the major constructs of the meta-paradigm of nursing. Those constructs are identified as person, environment, health, and nursing. Nursing education is viewed as a process designed to facilitate learning. Students and faculty are active and responsible participants in learning. Nursing education at the baccalaureate level integrates content from the arts and humanities and social and physical sciences.

The key curricular components emphasized within the curriculum are derived from the Department of Nursing’s mission and philosophy and include professionalism, research, holistic health, and globalization.  The Department of Nursing’s theoretical beliefs are eclectic in nature with key concepts drawn from the works of Florence Nightingale, Madeline Leininger, and M. Jean Watson. Faculty embraces these theoretical beliefs as vital to nursing and baccalaureate education.

Student Learning Goals and Outcomes

Student Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Goals	Student Learning Outcomes
SLG 1: Utilize professional and interprofessional communication and patient care technology in providing quality nursing care.	SLO 1: Communicate effectively - orally, in writing, with technology.
SLG 2: Adhere to professional nursing standards and guidelines in providing safe, quality, compassionate nursing care.	SLO 2: Integrate knowledge for safe, effective, quality care environments, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity.
	SLO 3: Practice professional nursing in a variety of settings responding to the needs of diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities.
SLG 3: Practice evidence-based nursing using research driven knowledge in clinical decision-making.	SLO 4: Employ critical thinking/reasoning in problem solving and decision making.
	SLO 5: Incorporate research for evidence-based nursing practice.

Advisory Information

First-year students (freshmen) and sophomores should select required support courses before other required and elective courses. Study of the current class schedule, the summer schedule, and the yearly schedule of classes will aid students in planning how to complete requirements to be eligible for admission into the nursing major. Students are expected to maintain contact each semester with their academic adviser.

Assessment

The purpose of assessment is to measure the extent of attainment of Student Learning Goals and Student Learning Outcomes. Assessment results are used to evaluate and improve the program. Participation in assessment activities (e.g., surveys, standardized tests) is required of all nursing majors. Decisions about progression can be affected by student outcomes of assessment results, for example the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) assessments.

Approval and Accreditation

Minot State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Department of Nursing is fully approved by the ND Board of Nursing. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Minot State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (122 credits)

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is a four-year course of study and delivers a high-quality nursing education by providing an accredited baccalaureate nursing program supported by the liberal arts and sciences. A graduate is prepared as a generalist nurse and is qualified to take the licensure examination to become a registered nurse. Minot State University’s nursing program provides experiences in meeting human needs holistically along the health-illness continuum.

The Department of Nursing reserves the right to alter content, sequence, and courses offered in the nursing program to maintain relevance with current and future professional nursing education and practice.

Clinicians with Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees are well-prepared to meet the demands placed on today's nurse. BSN nurses are prized for their skills in critical thinking, leadership, case management, and health promotion, and for their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. Nurse executives, federal agencies, the military, leading nursing organizations, health care foundations, magnet hospitals, and minority nurse advocacy groups all recognize the unique value that baccalaureate-prepared nurses bring to the practice setting (AACN, 2014).

Expenses

There are additional expenses for all students admitted to the program related to program fees, uniforms, supplies, travel, health protection requirements, and exams. Please contact the department for current expenses.

Requirements for Application for Admission into the Nursing Major

Admission to the nursing major (NURS 255 and higher numbers) requires that a student has demonstrated scholarly ability to pursue a professional career in nursing. An Application for Admission to the Nursing Major must be submitted by Sept. 15 for Spring admission and by Feb. 1 for Fall admission, along with the $25.00 application fee.

Prior to applying to the nursing major, a student must have met the following criteria:

1. Completed Minot State University admission requirements. This needs to be done before making application to the nursing major. The application, required fee, and official transcript(s) from previously attended colleges and universities should be sent to the Admissions Office.
2. Completed all science courses within 10 years prior to admission to the nursing major. Students with a previous bachelor's degree in a professional clinical health care role (ex: radiology, medical technologist) who have documented clinical practice within the last 10 years may have the 10 year science policy waived. If the student accepts the waiver, their transcribed grade for science courses will be used for application.
3. Achieved a minimum grade of “C” in each required support course.
4. Achieved a GPA of 2.80 in required support courses.
5. Completed or enrolled in a minimum of 47 SH plus UNIV/FYE if required.
6. Completed a minimum of 8 required support courses of which two are Sciences (BIOL 202, BIOL 220, BIOL 221, CHEM 118).
7. If English is not your native language, an English proficiency test may be required. Please follow the TOEFL decision tree in the Nursing Student Handbook to determine the requirements for admission.
8. All applicants must take the current Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS®) test and achieve a “proficient” level score to be eligible for admission. The TEAS® test can be taken no more than two times for each application period (www.atitesting.com). Note: Students transferring from an accredited nursing program into the MSU nursing program, S2-S5, are not required to complete the TEAS.
9. Contact information for two references must be included on the application form.
10. Connecting with your advisor is required before submitting an admission application. It is expected that you communicate through email, phone, or in person with your advisor during the application process.
11. Students without a nursing license, but having transferable nursing major credits comparable to NURS 255 and higher numbered coursework: A letter of recommendation which documents the student leaving the program in good standing must be received from the prior nursing program administrator.
12. A student who has been accepted into the program two times, but has not been successful; or has withdrawn from nursing; or has been dismissed from the program; or has not met Admission and Progression requirements; or otherwise has not been successful, will not be eligible for readmission.

Completed or Enrolled in All Required Support Courses for the Nursing Major 40 SH
BIOL 202	Introductory Microbiology	4
BIOL 220	Anatomy and Physiology I	4
BIOL 221	Anatomy and Physiology II	4
CHEM 118	General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry	4
SOC 110	Introduction to Sociology	3
PSY 111	Introduction to Psychology	3
ENGL 110	College Composition I	3
or ENGL 120	College Composition II
HMS 213	Life Span Growth and Development	3
NURS 253	Nursing Perspectives	3
COMM 110	Fundamentals of Public Speaking	3
HMS 240	Nutrition	3
Cultural Course (HMS 333, SS 283, SOC 374) (Cultural courses must address a variety of cultures.)		3
Support Courses for the Nursing Major Not Required for Admission (9 cr.)
PSY 270	Abnormal Psychology	3
Philosophy Course		3
Statistics Course		3

Requirements after Admission to the Nursing Major (63 cr.)

HMS 215	Principles of Pharmacology	3
HMS 243	Pathophysiology	3
NURS 255	Nursing Foundations	5
NURS 264	Health Assessment	4
NURS 325	Adult Health I	5
NURS 335	Adult Health II	5
NURS 344	Child Health Nursing	4
NURS 354	Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing	4
NURS 361	Women's Health	1
NURS 363	Nursing Theory and Research	3
NURS 364	Maternal Newborn Nursing	4
NURS 456	Public Health Nursing	5
NURS 464	Adult Health III	5
NURS 471	Nursing Review	1
NURS 472	Trends and Issues	2
NURS 473	Nursing Leadership and Management	3
NURS 497	Nursing Practicum	6

A criminal background check is required of all students admitted into the MSU Nursing Program. CPR, health protection requirements (immunizations), and alcohol/drug testing is required upon acceptance and before class participation can begin.

The stated admission requirements are the minimum qualifications. Fulfilling these requirements does not guarantee admission when the number of applicants exceeds available program positions. The Department of Nursing complies with the MSU policy that prohibits discrimination in the recruitment and admission of students.

• Fulfilling the stated admission requirements does not guarantee admission into the nursing program.
• Established assessment benchmarks must be met by students for progression and graduation.
• Successful completion of the nursing program does not guarantee professional registered nurse licensure.
• The number of admissions can be altered based on available resources
   

Nursing Department Selection Policy and Procedure

Policy
By Nov. 15, available positions will be filled for the following Spring semester. By March 15, the available positions will be filled for the following Fall semester. The positions will be filled from eligible applicants based upon the following "Procedure." These selected students will be deemed "admitted" pending satisfactory review of transcripts.

Procedure
1. Positions will be filled through guaranteed admission and/or ranking.
2. Ranking will be accomplished through a point system: (Total possible 27)

• Required support courses GPA will be calculated as 5x the GPA of completed support courses at the time of application for a maximum of 20 points.
• TEAS - points will be given for the following scores: Proficient (1) Advanced (3) Exemplary (5)
• Eligible applicants will be ranked using the GPA from the completed required support courses and results of the TEAS.
• MSU credits 12-24 cr. (1) 25 or more (2)

3. Tie Breaker: Cumulative GPA will be used to break a tie.
4. Selection: The qualified applicants are selected for admission assignment in the following semester. Remaining qualified applicants will remain ranked as "alternates" for that semester.

• Upon the disqualification or withdrawal of a selected student, the open positions will be offered to the highest ranked student from the list of alternates.

5. Continuing Requirements for Admission after Selection: The admission status is subject to a review of the transcript after posting of grades for the semester during which application was made. A satisfactory review includes:

• Completion of all required support courses, with a minimum grade of "C." Achieve an overall GPA of 2.8 in the Required Support Courses. An "I" in a course will be judged as an incomplete if the faculty member for the course or courses does not provide written documentation that all requirements have been satisfactorily completed at a minimum grade of "C" by the first day of classes of the semester of admission; therefore, an "I" without the above required written documentation means a student would be ineligible for admission.
• Completion of 47 SH (Semester Hours) plus UNIV/FYE if required.

6. English language proficiency requirement. (See MSU Undergraduate Catalog for policy under Requirements for Admission to the Nursing Major.)
7. Criminal Background Check, CPR, Health Protection, and Alcohol/Drug Testing Requirements is required upon acceptance.
8. A student not meeting required criteria may reapply during the next application period.

Progress in the Major

Nursing majors must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in nursing courses and required supplemental courses for continuous progress in the nursing program. PSY 270 Abnormal Psychology must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” prior to NURS 354 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. HMS 215 Principles of Pharmacology and HMS 243 Pathophysiology must be completed prior to or concurrent with NURS 255 and NURS 264. A statistics course must be completed with a grade of ‘C’ or better prior to or concurrent with NURS 363 Theory and Research.

To obtain a minimum grade of “C,” nursing courses may be repeated one time only subject to Admission and Progression committee recommendations, faculty decision and such considerations as availability of faculty, clinical resources, and classroom spaces. The Faculty Committee reserves the right to deny the readmission of a student who failed one or more courses in the nursing major. Any student not making satisfactory progress may be subject to stipulations, such as probationary status, providing evidence of adequate aptitude for nursing, or evidence of academic improvement in prerequisite or concurrent courses. Documentation of any or all of these may be required.

Special student requests, such as for readmission, should be directed by petition or letter to the Admission and Progression committee through the Department of Nursing Chair’s office.

Adherence to policies in the Department of Nursing Handbook is required and includes the maintenance of current CPR certification, proof of health insurance, and Health Protection Requirements.

Students must successfully complete each semester’s listed nursing, support, and HMS courses before advancing to the next semester. Students are required to meet or exceed established assessment benchmarks for progression and graduation.

BSN Completion

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Registered Nurses is available in an online format with one designated clinical course. The program offers indirect and direct clinical experiences through a variety of assignments in the nursing program courses.

Requirements for Admission for BSN Completion Program:

1. Make application to Minot State University.
2. Request an appointment with the Advanced Standing Director in the Department of Nursing. An informal credit review of prior coursework will be conducted to plan a program of study.
3. Students who have graduated from a board approved nursing education program and have passed NCLEX-RN® need to:
   1. Make application to the Department of Nursing.
   2. Submit nursing license documentation to the Department of Nursing.
4. Students who have graduated from or are in the final semester of a board approved nursing education program, but have not yet passed NCLEX-RN ® may be given conditional admission to the program and take the following courses before acceptance into the program:
   1. General education courses
   2. Required support courses
   3. NURS 363 Theory & Research
   4. NURS 383 Professional Nursing I
   5. Special Topics courses (6 semester hours) approved by the Department of Nursing

Curriculum:

General Education Courses (38)
Required Support Courses: (4)
PSY 241	Introduction to Statistics
or MATH 210	Elementary Statistics
Nursing Courses (23)
NURS 363	Nursing Theory and Research
NURS 383	Professional Nursing I
NURS 483	Professional Nursing II
NURS 457	Public Health for the Professional Nurse
NURS 493	Professional Nursing III
Special topics courses (6 semester hours) approved by the Nursing Department
NCLEX-RN Examination Credits (40)
Electives or Transfer Courses (26)
A minimum of 30 credits need to be taken at Minot State University

 Progress in the Major

BSN Completion nursing majors must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in nursing courses and required supplemental courses for continuous progress in the program. NURS 383 Professional Nursing I must be completed prior to NURS 483 Professional Nursing II. NURS 363 Nursing Theory and Research, NURS 383 Professional Nursing I, and NURS 483 Professional Nursing II must be completed prior to taking NURS 457 Public Health for the Professional Nurse and NURS 493 Professional Nursing III. The prerequisite statistics course must be completed prior to NURS 363 Nursing Theory and Research. Special topics courses may be taken any time before, during, or after nursing courses. General education courses can be taken before, during, or after nursing courses (except the prerequisite statistics course).

Special student requests, such as for readmission, should be directed to the Advanced Standing Director in the Department of Nursing.

Adherence to policies in the Department of Nursing Handbook is required and includes the maintenance of CPR certification, proof of health insurance, and NCLEX-RN licensure.

Health Management Science Minor (24 CR) (Non-Nursing Majors only)

The goal of the Health Management Science Minor is to:

• Provide students with the background and foundational skills necessary to manage personal health and to be an informed citizen in the health care arena.
• Provide students with an understanding of the dynamic, multidimensional, and interdisciplinary aspects of the management of health.
• Provide students with a knowledge base for informed decision-making regarding personal health management.
• Provide students with an understanding of culturally congruent and age appropriate dimensions in health management in a global society.

Required Core
HMS 151	Stress Management	2
Cultural Diversity
Select one of the following:		3
HMS 333	Transcultural Health Care
SS 283	Diversity in America
SOC 361	Comparative Ethnic Studies
SOC 374	Cultural Studies
Developmental Courses
Select at least one of the following:		3
HMS 203	Health Care Through the Life Span
HMS 213	Life Span Growth and Development
HMS 279	Death and Dying
HMS 379
Health Science
Select at least one of the following:		3
HMS 215	Principles of Pharmacology
HMS 240	Nutrition
HMS 243	Pathophysiology
Elective Courses
Select courses to reach 24 credits:		13
HMS 208	Medical Terminology
HMS 460	Quality and Risk Management in Health Care
HMS 463	Issues Health Care Regs and Prac
NURS 253	Nursing Perspectives
FIN 251	Personal Finance
KIN 210	First Aid and CPR
KIN 361	Vital Health Issues
BIOL 220	Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 221	Anatomy and Physiology II
Total Hours		24

Health Management Science Concentration (12)

(Open to General College students. Concentration not required for the nursing major.)

Elect from any of the Health Management Science (HMS) course offerings and/or NURS 253 Nursing Perspectives.

Faculty

Chair

Dr. Amy Lee

Advanced Standing Director

Melissa Fettig

Nursing Faculty

Angie Bischof

Ashley DeMakis

Dr. Renee Duncan

Sara Frantsvog

Dr. Jamie Hammer

Sandy Harbort

Erin Iverson

Richelle Johnson

Carrie Lewis

Heidi Okeson

Dr. Jaqueline Reep-Jarmin

Dr. Danielle Reinisch

Amy Roberts

Kimberly Tiedman