Nursing and Health Sciences

B.S.N. Program Purpose (Description)

The purpose of the Cauble School of Nursing is to prepare future professional nurses in both the science and art of nursing. The purpose includes preparing the student to be a nurse who is both caring and compassionate, utilizing critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and evidenced- based therapeutic interventions to meet the healthcare needs of culturally diverse populations along the continuum of health. In addition, the purpose of the Reinhardt School of Nursing is to prepare the student for the role of the professional nurse in the ever-changing climate of healthcare in both the local and global community.

NOTE: All Reinhardt B.S.N. students must adhere to all policies and procedures published in the B.S.N Student Handbook.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) Conceptual Framework

In keeping with Reinhardt University’s Mission statement and the School of Nursing Mission Statement, the Reinhardt Faculty hold the following beliefs about Persons, Environment, Health, Nursing, and Nursing Education:

Persons

Humans are holistic, having an existence other than the sum of their parts the mind, body, and spirit. Humans are biological, psychological, social and cultural, and spiritual beings. Each human is created uniquely, equally valuable in the sight of God, and has individual needs, wants, and rights.

Each human is biological, a living organism, that interacts with the environment and has a physical beginning and end.

Humans are psychological and complex with the ability for awareness, intellect, cognitive function, motivation, feelings, and a wide array of emotions.

Humans are social and cultural, and thus relational. Humans are made to interact with “God,” friends, families, and individuals in the community. Humans are influenced by culture, beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, values, traditions, and practices. Humans are spiritual beings having a spirit or soul, capable of faith and a “relationship” with God and others.

Environment

Environment includes the total circumstances surrounding the human being. The physical world as well as chemical, biological, cultural, economic, political, and developmental influences are part of the environment. Air and water quality, toxic substances, home, community, and health access may interact with the human, requiring change and adaptation, and subsequently affect the health of the human.

Health

Health is unique and individualized: an overall condition for each person at a specific point and time along life’s journey. Health includes biological and physical body systems as well as psychological, social and cultural, and spiritual components of the whole person functioning at its greatest potential. Health is being the very best one can be considering all circumstances.

Humans have the potential for any unique component of the person to become unbalanced, impacting any or all components negatively and causing a person to become unhealthy.

Nursing

Nursing is an applied discipline in which both art and science are utilized. The professional nurse provides therapeutic interventions for humans in need of nursing care along the continuum of health. The professional nurse has an understanding of nursing practice, theories, research, physical science, life science, mathematical science, social science, humanities, ethics, philosophy, leadership, and technological sciences.

“Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities; prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response; and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” (American Nurses Association, 2010b, p.10).

Caring is an essential component of patient- and family-centered care. Caring demonstrates faith, and is the way that the nurse communicates compassion, empathy, concern, protection, attention, and love for fellow man.

Nurses utilize theoretical, research, and evidenced-based knowledge along with the problem solving process known as the nursing process in providing healthcare to the community. As the coordinator of care, the nursing process is utilized with individuals, families, and populations to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate healthcare opportunities for improvement along the continuum of health.

Nursing Education

It is the belief of the faculty that the baccalaureate in nursing, grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, is the minimal and foundational level of education for the professional nurse.

The School of Nursing is not only committed to encouraging the nursing student to remember, understand, apply, analyze, and evaluate scientific and empirical knowledge, theory, evidenced based practice and research that encompasses nursing practice, but also to aspire to be future-directed and create new opportunities for nursing in the ever-changing environment of healthcare in the local and global community.

An emphasis on integrity, respect, accountability, responsibility, and treating all with dignity in every circumstance is an essential component of nursing education.

To encourage the use of critical thinking and clinical reasoning as well as the application of the nursing process, students participate in didactic, lab, simulation, and therapeutic relationships with individuals in the community. As the coordinator of care, the professional nurse is responsible for effective communication, providing quality care, and considering both legal and ethical implications of practice. The professional nurse demonstrates organization and leadership principles while infusing every aspect of practice with the safety of individuals, communities, and populations.

Being a role model, preparing the student for lifelong learning and excellent nursing practice to meet the needs of individuals and communities, as well as local and global populations in the ever-changing healthcare landscape is an essential role of nursing faculty.

B.S.N Student Learning Outcomes

Cauble School of Nursing B.S.N. graduates will demonstrate the following characteristics and behaviors:

Domain I Communication

• Demonstrate caring therapeutic communication and collaboration grounded in theory and techniques to be utilized across the disciplines, with individuals, families, and communities including the use of verbal, written, informatics, and technology.

Domain II Critical Thinking and Inquiry

• Infuse research, evidenced-based information, and safe quality therapeutic interventions throughout the process utilized for nursing practice – the nursing process.
  • Utilize both critical thinking and clinical reasoning to determine prevention, treatment, education, and follow-up in caring for individuals and the community in the role of the professional nurse.
  • Apply legal, organizational, management, and leadership principles and techniques in the daily care of the individual in nursing practice.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of quality improvement principles, state and federal regulatory agencies, accreditation agencies, economics, healthcare policy, and reform.

Domain III Society and Culture

• Understand the role of the professional nurse in respecting culturally diverse populations and providing holistic care to these individuals.
• Demonstrate knowledge of theory and practice advocacy for vulnerable individuals, communities, and populations.
• Understand the legal and ethical rights to self- determination in regard to health.

Domain IV Values and Ethics

• Demonstrate self-assessment, accountability, and responsibility for self in preparation for the role of the professional nurse.
• Understand legal responsibility for actions and inaction in the role of the professional nurse.
• Demonstrate ethical principles, reasoning, and problem solving in the role of the professional nurse.
• Self-Assess and evaluate growth personally, spiritually, and as a nursing professional based on moral and ethical principles, Christian principles of faith, and nursing principles.

B.S.N. Admission Requirements

• Completion of all core and prerequisite courses before entering the Nursing program.
• Application to the Reinhardt University School of Nursing the Semester before entering the School of Nursing. Application includes the following:
  • Reference letters (2)
  • Successful completion of the Test of Academic Skills (TEAS exam) with a score of Proficient or above.
  • Overall GPA of at least 3.0.
  • Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Chemistry, and Pathophysiology with a minimum cumulative science grade of 3.0. Courses must have been completed in the prior 5 years and can only be repeated once.
  • Grades of C or higher are required for Natural Science, Social Science, Math and English courses

B.S.N. Requirements for Progression in the Program

The student enrolls in the courses in nursing education according to the prescribed sequence. At least a C grade in each nursing course is required for progression in the nursing curriculum. Students who receive a grade of less than C in any nursing course may not proceed within the nursing program. Based on the School of Nursing re-enrollment policy and procedure, students may be re-admitted to the nursing program. For more information, see Re- Enrollment Policy and Procedure (below). Nursing courses may be repeated only once. Permission to progress must be obtained from School of Nursing faculty and will be dependent upon meeting course prerequisites and co- requisites. A student who receives a grade of D or below must reapply to the School of Nursing for consideration to be allowed to repeat the nursing course the next time it is offered in the scheduled sequence of courses. To progress to the final year of the program, a student must have a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Continuation in the program is also contingent upon compliance with ethical and professional standards of conduct. Students who remove school or hospital property without permission will be subject to immediate disciplinary action. Graduation requirements follow the guidelines of Reinhardt University.

Re-Enrollment Policy and Procedure

1. Students who have failed the didactic or clinical portion of a nursing course or withdrawn from one nursing course for any reason may be considered for readmission to the school of nursing as directed by the Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
2. The student’s application will be considered competitively with all other applicants.
3. After failing two (2) nursing courses the student will not be readmitted to the Nursing Program, but will be advised to seek another major.
4. Student performance and disposition during the previous admission to the School of Nursing will be highly considered during the re- admission process; therefore, re-acceptance is not guaranteed.
5. Resources and space must be available in the required course to be taken.
6. The student must initiate the request for re- enrollment through Reinhardt University processes.
7. The student must submit a letter to the Dean of the School of Nursing at least one semester before the requested return semester. The letter should include the reason for the previous failure, what obstacles prevented success, and a plan of action that will enhance future success.
8. The Dean, in collaboration with faculty, will review the petition and make a decision about re-admission.
9. If re-admittance is granted, it will be contingent upon successful completion of proficiency exams and skill competencies prescriptive to the point at which the student is re-entering the program. This may include passing comprehensive course examinations and demonstrating competency through skill check- offs.
10. The student will be granted one attempt to pass proficiency testing.