Academic Programs
Department of Nursing
Dr. Merle E. Mast, Head
Location: Health and Human Services Building, Suite 2124
Phone: (540) 568-6314
E-mail: mastme@jmu.edu
Web site: http://www.nursing.jmu.edu
Professors
P. Hale, M. Mast, J. Rocchiccioli
Associate Professors
S. Annan, M. Eaton, L. Hulton, L. Sobel, V. Martin
Assistant Professors
M. Bagnardi, E. Metzler Swain, S. Strang, D. Trimm
Instructors
S. Brooks, S. Conaty-Buck, A. Graham, K. Jagiello, K. Floyd, N. Patterson,
C. Rubenstein, M. Scheikl, S. Tratnack, C. Webb
Affiliate Instructor
E. Akerson
Lecturers
D. Gochenour, C. O'Neill, H. Taylor, C. West
Mission Statement
Career Opportunities and Marketable Skills
Co-curricular Activities and Organizations
Accreditation
Program Options
Special Admission and Retention Requirements
Degree and Major Requirements
R.N. to B.S.N. Degree Requirements
Mission Statement
The primary mission of the nursing department is to provide quality, professional undergraduate and graduate nursing education that prepares nursing leaders to influence a changing profession, society, health care system and global health needs.
Purposes
In order to support and accomplish this mission the nursing faculty has identified the following purposes:
- Prepare nursing professionals who provide culturally competent, holistic, evidence-based nursing care to individuals, families, aggregates and communities in a wide variety of settings.
- Promote a community of learning that models professional values and lifelong professional development for both faculty and students.
- Promote service-learning activities that include collaborative, interdisciplinary initiatives and partnerships between nursing education and the practice arena to meet the future health needs of consumers.
- Conduct research and creative scholarship to generate nursing knowledge and disseminate that knowledge though collaboration, publication and presentations.
Career Opportunities and Marketable Skills
- Preparation as a professional nurse leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree.
- Eligibility to take the National Certification and Licensure (NCLEX) exam to become a registered nurse (R.N. ).
- Preparation for entry-level positions in a wide range of health care settings.
- Upon completion of the R.N. -B.S.N. program of study, students may be eligible for leadership positions in a wide range of health care settings.
Preparation for graduate study in nursing.
Co-curricular Activities and Organizations
- JMU Chapter of the Virginia Nursing Student Association
- Pi Mu At-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, International Nursing Honor Society
Accreditation
The JMU nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing.
The Department of Nursing offers two program options. The generic B.S.N. program is designed to prepare undergraduates and second degree students to practice at the baccalaureate level of professional nursing. The R.N. to B.S.N. program provides flexible learning opportunities at the baccalaureate level for students who are graduates of community college or diploma schools and are licensed registered nurses (R.N.).
Special Admission and Retention Requirements
Generic B.S.N. Program
Admission to the nursing program is limited and competitive. Admission as a nursing major includes the completion of a program supplemental application. Students can seek admission to the nursing program following completion of 25 credit hours and selected prerequisite courses, and students will be considered for admission at the conclusion of each subsequent semester. Admission criteria are available on the Department of Nursing Web site or from the department.
Each semester 60 students are enrolled in junior level nursing courses. All students, including transfer and second degree students, must complete the supplemental nursing application following admission to the university.
Admitted students must complete all prerequisite courses with a "C-" or higher and must maintain a GPA of 2.8 prior to enrollment in the nursing program.
Students must meet the department's technical standards for nursing practice. Technical standards are basic physical, cognitive and psychosocial skills and abilities that are required for nursing practice. The technical standards are available on the Department of Nursing Web site or from the department.
The nursing curriculum is designed as a full time program. The B.S.N. coordinator must approve any deviation from the full time enrollment pattern as outlined in the catalog.
Once in the program, students are not required to maintain a minimum GPA. To remain in good standing in the nursing program, the student must earn a grade of "C-" or better in each required nursing course. A grade of "D" or "F" is considered a failure. A student who for the first time receives a grade of less than a "C-" in a nursing course may, with department approval, repeat the course. A student who receives a grade of less than a "C-" in a second nursing course will not be permitted to continue in the program.
Other academic and related policies in effect for students in the nursing program are outlined on the department Web site.
R.N. to B.S.N. Program
The R.N. to B.S.N. program provides flexible, partially online learning opportunities for students who are graduates of community college or diploma schools and are licensed registered nurses (R.N. ). Classes are offered once a week and partially online to allow students to maintain employment while completing the B.S.N. degree. The program provides a foundation for professional practice and will equip students for further opportunities afforded through graduate study and advance practice.
JMU will award nurses up to 37 portfolio credits for their prior learning and work experience, as well as 40 transfer credits toward the General Education requirements for a B.S.N. Thirteen additional general education credits will be required but may be taken concurrently at a local community college and transferred into JMU for credit. Students will complete an additional 30 credits in the R.N. to B.S.N. program in one full-time calendar year or two part-time years, thus completing a total of 120 semester hours at the baccalaureate degree. Following completion of the prerequisite requirements at JMU or the Virginia Community College System equivalents, nurses can apply for admission to the R.N. to B.S.N. program. Additional program eligibility criteria include:
- Associate Degree or Diploma in Nursing from a state accredited program.
Completion of the General Education courses required for the Bachelor of Science. May be taken concurrently with nursing course work but must be completed prior to graduation. - Transcripts reflecting a cumulative GPA on all college work attempted of 2.5 or better on a 4-point scale.
- TOEFL scores greater than 570 for international applicants.
- Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of "C-" or better.
- Current unrestricted R.N. license in any state, Washington, D.C. , or a U.S. possession or territory or an equivalent credential in another country.
- Employment as an R.N. for a minimum of six months and/or plans to practice concurrently with course work.
- Graduates of foreign nursing schools, who are licensed outside of the United States, are required to pass the Qualifying Exam of the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) prior to application and include the exam report with their application materials.
- Ability to meet the department's technical standards for nursing practice (posted on the nursing Web site).
- Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to meet with the R.N. to B.S.N. coordinator to review transcripts and provide academic advising prior to applying.
Admission to the program is contingent on admission to the university. A supplemental application to the program is available on the department Web site under the R.N to B.S.N program tab.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Generic B.S.N. Degree Requirements
| Required courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education courses1 | 41 |
| Nursing courses | 61 |
| Other supportive courses | 14 |
| Electives | 5-8 |
120 |
|
1 The General Education program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. The number of credit hours necessary to fulfill these requirements may vary.
General Education and Nursing Prerequisite Requirements
The following are course prerequisites required for the Nursing major. Courses must be completed with "C-" or higher.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
| CHEM 120. Concepts of Chemistry1,2 | 3 |
| MATH 220. Elementary Statistics1 | 3 |
| BIO 290. Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIO 270. Physiology1 | 4 |
| BIO 280. Allied Health Microbiology | 4 |
| NUTR 280. Nutrition for Wellness | 3 |
| GPSYC 160. Life Span Human Development3 | 3 |
| NSG 270. Nursing Practicum: Nursing Fundamentals | 3 |
1 Contained in General Education Cluster Three.
2 Must be taken prior to or concurrent with BIO 270.
3 Contained in General Education Cluster Five
All first year students who declare nursing as a major should take CHEM 120 and MATH 220, one each semester of their first year.
Students can seek admission to the program following completion of 25 credits hours, including CHEM 120, MATH 220 and one of the biology courses (BIO 270, BIO 280, or BIO 290); and students will be considered for admission at the conclusion of each subsequent semester.
All students must take the sophomore level nursing course NSG 270, Nursing Practicum: Nursing Fundamentals, prior to entry into the nursing program.
Cluster One normally is completed during the first year.
General Education courses in clusters one, two, four and five can be scheduled flexibly as desired by the student across the first and second years.
Most students can complete general education and prerequisite courses in four semesters, but some students find it necessary to enroll in summer school or an additional year to complete the work satisfactorily.
Major Requirements
Additional information regarding the nursing curriculum can be found on the nursing department Web site: http://www.nursing.jmu.edu.
| Sophomore Year | Credit Hours |
| NSG 270. Nursing Practicum: Nursing Fundamentals | 3 |
Third Year
| First Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 330. The Professional Nurse | 2 |
| NSG 331. Adult Health I | 6 |
| NSG 332. Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NSG 333. Health Assessment | 3 |
| NSG 370. NSG Practicum: Gerontology | 1 |
15 |
|
| Second Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 340. The Nurse Researcher | 3 |
| NSG 341. Nursing Care of Children and Their Families | 3 |
| NSG 380. Advanced Skills Lab | 2 |
| NSG 381. NSG Practicum: Acute Adult Health | 3 |
| NSG 382. NSG Practicum: Nursing Care of Children | 2 |
| and Their Families | |
| NSG 383. NSG Practicum: Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 1 |
14 |
|
| Third Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 430. The Nurse Leader | 2 |
| NSG 431. Adult Health II | 6 |
| NSG 432. Women's Health | 3 |
| NSG 433. Community Health: Health Assessment of Vulnerable | 2 |
| Populations in the Community | |
| NSG 470. NSG Practicum: Community as Client | 2 |
15 |
|
| Fourth Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 440. Transition to Practice | 3 |
| NSG 480. NSG Practicum: Capstone | 6 |
| NSG 481. NSG Practicum: Acute Adult Health II | 1 |
| NSG 482. NSG Practicum: Home Health Case Management | 1 |
| NSG 483. NSG Practicum: Women's Health | 1 |
| Nursing electives | 2 |
14 |
|
1 The nursing electives may be taken any semester or summer session when a nursing elective is offered. A total of 2 credits of nursing electives are required prior to graduation.
Special Expenses
Additional expenses for nursing students include transportation, uniforms, assessment equipment, laboratory fees, organizational membership fees and professional conference attendance expenses.
R.N. to B.S.N. Degree Requirements
| Required courses | Credit Hours |
| General Education courses1 | 13 |
| Nursing courses | 30 |
| Portfolio Credit given for RN qualifications (up to) | 37 |
| Credit for Associate Degree as prerequisites | 40 |
120 |
|
1 General Education (at JMU or as VCCS equivalents) and nursing prerequisite requirements
The following are course prerequisites required for the nursing major. Courses must be completed with "C-" or higher.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
| BIO 290. Human Anatomy | 4 |
| BIO 270. Physiology | 4 |
| BIO 280. Allied Health Microbiology OR | 4 |
| CHEM 120. Concepts of Chemistry | |
| General Education Cluster 2, Arts and Humanities | 9 |
| General Education Cluster 4, The American Experience | 4 |
Major Requirements
Additional information regarding the nursing curriculum can be found on the Nursing Department Web site.
Full-Time Sequence of Classes
First Year
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 333. Health Assessment | 3 |
| NSG 462. Issues in Contemporary Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NSG 463. Professional Role Transition | 3 |
| NSG 523. Concepts in Aging1 | 3 |
12 |
|
| Spring Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 461. Pathophysiology | 4 |
| NSG 464. Introduction to Nursing Research | 3 |
| NSG 465. Specialty Clinical Practicum | 1 |
| NSG 471. Leadership and Management in Healthcare | 3 |
| NSG 460. Informatics | 2 |
13 |
|
| Summer Session | Credit Hours |
| NSG 469. Caring for the Public's Health: Community | 4 |
| Health Nursing | |
| NSG 466. Community Health Practicum | 1 |
5 |
|
Part-Time Sequence of Classes
First Year
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 433. Health Assessment | 3 |
| NSG 462. Issues in Contemporary Nursing | 1 |
6 |
|
| Spring Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 461. Pathophysiology | 4 |
| NSG 464. Introduction to Research | 3 |
7 |
|
| Summer Session | Credit Hours |
| NSG 469. Caring for the Public's Health: Community | 4 |
| Health Nursing | |
| NSG 466. Community Health Practicum | 1 |
5 |
|
Second Year
| Fall Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 523. Concepts in Aging1 | 3 |
| NSG 463. Professional Role Transition | 3 |
6 |
|
| Spring Semester | Credit Hours |
| NSG 465. Specialty Clinical Practicum | 1 |
| NSG 460. Healthcare Informatics | 2 |
| NSG 471. Leadership and Management in Healthcare | 3 |
6 |
|
1 NSG 523 is a graduate-level course that is required but will be waived at the M.S.N. level.
Special Expenses
Additional expenses for nursing students include transportation, uniforms, assessment equipment, laboratory fees, organizational membership fees and professional conference attendance expenses. R.N. to B.S.N. students will also be required to pay graduate tuition for NSG 523, Concepts in Aging.
