Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

In addition to University Requirements:

• At least 47 units of preprofessional requirements
• At least 73 units of major requirements

• Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Studies requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

• Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Purpose Statement

The philosophy of the School of Nursing at Northern Arizona University is based on an ethic of caring that embraces students, faculty and staff, and the university community and the global community within which we live and work. We also believe that caring is a conscious, intentional discipline that is part of nursing’s unique body of knowledge and is practiced in interdisciplinary contexts. Caring includes the creation and nurturing of an environment that recognizes that students, staff and faculty have unique ways of viewing the world. This philosophy promotes excellence for nursing education and practice in an environment of constant change and emerging healthcare trends.

The faculty believes the transition to the role of competent professional nurse is a major developmental achievement. We believe that nursing is an art and science that is an integral component of health care. Applying the discipline of nursing to practice depends on a foundation of natural and human sciences, humanities and arts, the application of research, and the diverse backgrounds of learners. Societal influences in the evolving healthcare system challenge all involved in nursing education.

Education is a dynamic, life-long collaborative process by which an individual pursues life goals, broadens human potential, develops thinking and clarifies values. The faculty believes that learning is the intentional acquisition, application, and integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Learning is shaped by the environment and developmental level of the learner, and is ultimately the responsibility of the learner. Faculty plan, guide, and facilitate learning while supporting the learning needs of a diverse community of students. We believe that learning-centered experiences with rigorous expectations and actively-engaged students result in higher-level thinkers and graduates prepared for real world practice. We value incorporating rural and global healthcare into a variety of educational experiences. Thus education not only expands the thinking of the learner, but increases opportunities for application.

The faculty has developed a philosophy that values diverse persons, environment, health, and nursing, and their inter-relatedness. The following meta-paradigm concepts guide the implementation of the organizing framework for the curriculum.

NAU’s Bachelors of Science in Nursing program is a four and a half year program will teach student to provide care for individuals, families, and communities in a variety of urban, rural, and culturally diverse settings. During the BSN Program you will learn the tools to be in a successful nursing career, along with a hands on curriculum and many different programs that are available within NAU’s Nursing Department. Graduates of the Program are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), and begin their rewarding career in healthcare.

Student Learning Outcomes

Outcomes align with Standards from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

• Clinical Practice and Prevention: Integrates theory, evidence, professional perspectives, and patient preferences into clinical judgment to provide holistic patient-centered care across the lifespan and healthcare continuum, and in healthcare environments.

• Communication: Incorporates effective communication into professional nursing practice.

• Critical reasoning:
  • Synthesizes evidence and nursing knowledge to evaluate and modify clinical nursing practice, in order to provide holistic, safe, comprehensive, patient-centered care.
  • Integrates reliable evidence from multiple ways of knowing to inform practice and make clinical judgments.

• Leadership: Integrates knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, health care policy and patient safety into practice to provide high quality care.

• Professionalism and Professional Values
  • Integrates professional values and their associated behaviors into the practice of nursing.
  • Incorporates ethical and legal principles and professional standards into nursing practice.
  • Integrates caring’s affective characteristics into patient-centered care and with other healthcare professionals.
• Global Health
  • Global Engagement: Promotes safety and quality of health care outcomes for diverse populations incorporating principles of advocacy, leadership and collaboration.
  • Diversity Education: Advocates for health equity and social justice for vulnerable populations and the elimination of health disparities both locally and globally.
  • Environmental Sustainability: Participates in collaborative efforts to improve aspects of the environment that negatively impacts health both locally and globally.

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• Preprofessional Requirements
  Prerequisite courses and also complete liberal studies and diversity requirements before being admitted to the nursing program (47 units):

  • (BIO 181) or (CHM 130 and CHM 130L) (3 – 5 units)
  • BIO 201, BIO 201L, BIO 202, BIO 202L, BIO 205, BIO 205L (12 units)
  • NTS 135 or any Human Nutrition course approved by an advisor (3 units)
  • PSY 101, PSY 240 (6 units)
  • STA 270 or PSY 230 (3 units)
  • All other foundation, liberal studies, and diversity courses

Major Requirements

• This major requires 109 units distributed as follows:

  • Preprofessional Requirements: 46 units
  • Nursing Common Course Requirements: 73 units

  
  Take the following 73 units of sequenced nursing coursework in five semesters:

  • NUR 322, NUR 322L, NUR 323, NUR 326, NUR 327, NUR 330, NUR 355 (16 units)
  • NUR 348, NUR 349, NUR 349L, NUR 352, NUR 365, NUR 365L, NUR 366 (14 units)
  • NUR 326L, NUR 353, NUR 375, NUR 375L, NUR 376, NUR 390W (13 units)
  • NUR 401, NUR 402, NUR 402L, NUR 403, NUR 417, NUR 424, NUR 440 (15 units)
  • NUR 419, NUR 427, NUR 427L, NUR 450C, NUR 451 (15 units)

   

• Compressed Option
  
  Students in the compressed option, take the following 73 units of sequenced nursing coursework in four semesters:

  • NUR 322, NUR 322L, NUR 323, NUR 326, NUR 327, NUR 330, NUR 352, NUR 355 (18 units)
  • NUR 326L, NUR 348, NUR 349, NUR 349L, NUR 353, NUR 365, NUR 365L, NUR 366, NUR 390W (18 units)
  • NUR 375, NUR 375L, NUR 376, NUR 401, NUR 402, NUR 402L, NUR 403, NUR 440 (15 units)
  • NUR 417, NUR 419, NUR 424, NUR 427, NUR 427L, NUR 450C, NUR 451 (22 units)

   

• Please note that NUR 390W meets NAU’s junior level writing requirement, and NUR 450C meets NAU’s senior capstone requirement.

General Electives

• Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

  You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren’t used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
  
  We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

Additional Information

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.