Nursing (BSN)

123 credits required for graduation

The School of Health Sciences offers a Bachelor of Science of Nursing (B.S.N.) degree.

Clinical Courses

Several courses in the Nursing Program include both class and clinical components. The clinical and class components complement each other as integrated elements of a course that facilitate the accomplishment of Course Outcome Goals. Students must pass both the clinical and class. If a student is unsuccessful in either the class or the clinical component, he/she will not receive a passing grade and must repeat both components of the course.

Accreditation

The Nursing Program at Georgia Gwinnett College has received full approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON).

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Georgia Gwinnett College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Curriculum

General Education Requirements (60 hours)

The primary objective of the general education requirements is to guarantee that all students seeking a degree will be exposed to a common set of learning experiences that draw from a broad spectrum of subject areas. These common learning experiences are designed so that a student who completes the general education requirements will achieve the general education program goals, as well as take the core set of sciences, which are prerequisites to the courses in the program of study curriculum.

Additional Requirements (3 hours)

The physical education requirement comprises one credit hour of Wellness and two credit hours of additional Physical Education courses.

Legislative Requirements

Georgia law requires that each candidate for a degree demonstrate knowledge of the history and constitution of the United States and Georgia. These requirements may be met by receiving a passing grade in certain courses, or by passing the appropriate examination. The courses and the requirement(s) each course satisfies are as follows:

1.     HIST 2111 or HIST 2112 satisfies the Georgia and U.S. History requirement (if taken at a University System of Georgia Institute)

2.     POLS 1101 satisfies the Georgia and U.S. Constitution requirement (if taken at a University System of Georgia Institute)

3.     Students with transfer credit (HIST 2111, HIST 2112 or POLS 1101) from outside the University System of Georgia will need to contact the Testing Center regarding the legislative exams requirement.

Nursing Program Admission Requirements & Procedures

The Nursing Program at GGC requires eligible students to have completed areas A-F from the Nursing Program of Study (PDF) prior to the first semester of being enrolled in the first nursing courses. Note: Only transfer students may take ITEC 1001 after enrollment in the Nursing Program prior to graduation.  Any student applying to the Nursing Program for fall semester may not be enrolled in any area F or sciences courses during the preceding summer semester.  Completion of all core courses in spring semester is highly recommended for fall applicants.

• Students who have been previously enrolled in a nursing program may apply to the GGC nursing program if they have received only 1 “D” or “F” in a nursing course. The School of Health Sciences’ Admission Committee upon application will request additional information.

The following criteria will need to be completed before admission to the baccalaureate nursing program:

1.     Complete areas A-F for BSN program

2.     Be in good standing at Georgia Gwinnett College or other accredited academic institutions with 2.0 overall GPA.

3.     Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 in required general education courses for nursing and a minimum of a 3.0 overall science GPA (cumulative GPA of all required science courses: CHEM 1151K and CHEM 1152K or CHEM 1211K and CHEM 1212K; BIOL 2451K and BIOL 2452K; and BIOL 2516K)

o    Course history will be evaluated in determining acceptance into program (this means that all attempts of all required courses will be used to determine overall GPA)

o    A student who has received one D or F in a previous nursing course will have the grade calculated into cumulative overall GPA.

o    Science courses required for the program must be less than 6 years old. Note: GGC has a policy that if a student repeats a course, the higher grade is recorded on the transcript; however, ALL grades will be used in determining overall general education GPA and science GPA for admission to the Nursing Program. Withdraws “W” from courses noted on transcripts are not used in GPA calculations.

4.     Complete the TEAS Test only the first two attempts will be reviewed. Note: The TEAS Test must be taken within one (1) year of submitting an application. Minimum TEAS overall score must be a 70 or higher with a minimum of 60 in all sub scores of the exam.

5.     Obtain one (1) recommendation from a faculty member of an accredited institution utilizing Nursing Program reference form (PDF)

6.     Obtain one (1) recommendation from a professional/work reference utilizing the Nursing Program reference form (PDF)

7.     Complete and submit the volunteer verification form documenting community service activity within the past 3-5 years.

8.     Provide a typed-writen personal statement. 500 words or less addressing the following topic: the foundation for GGC’s nursing program is a caring philosophy.  “As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul, and body of our patients, their families, and ourselves” (Maya Angelou).  Considering this quote and the foundation of GGC’s Nursing Program, why do you want to be a nurse?  What factors in your life influenced your decision to pursue nursing as a career.

 

Major Requirements (60 hours)

The 60 credit nursing curriculum, offered over four semesters, has 16 courses which include four integrated Wellness and Illness courses, health assessment, research, population health, leadership, two integrated pathophysiology and pharmacology courses, three professional nursing courses, and a capstone course. The number of professional and leadership courses reflects a commitment to core-values espoused by the faculty, and particularly by the local health care community, and will create a medium for connecting program concepts. The health assessment, research, and integrated pathophysiology and pharmacology courses have strong bases in the sciences and liberal arts which create a solid foundation for nursing knowledge.

Course credits are evenly distributed across four semesters with no current plans to offer clinical courses in the summer. By not offering clinical courses in the summer, students will have the opportunity to pursue nurse extern positions offered by surrounding health care facilities. Externships serve to augment learning and will produce a more marketable, valued, and well-rounded nursing graduate. Healthcare partners have indicated that externships help prepare graduates for employment.

Expected Student Outcomes

Bachelor of Science - Nursing

The School of Health Sciences Nursing Program Outcomes are congruent with the mission and philosophy of the nursing program, with role expectations for professional nursing as defined by the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Baccalaureate Essentials, and Quality and Safety Education, and the needs of our community stakeholders.

Program Outcomes/Goals include:

1. Provide a high- quality, innovative program to prepare the next generation of highly competent, caring professional nurses by fostering an invitational environment supportive of student learning & personal growth.
2. Prepare students for leadership in collaborative, interprofessional, evidence-based practice designed to improve health outcomes and to better serve diverse local and global communities.
3. Cultivate faculty who are committed to professional flourishing and excellence in teaching, student engagement, service, scholarship, and creative activity.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Nursing Program the student will:

1. Develop a personal philosophy of caring for and caring about others and self.
2. Synthesize nursing knowledge, skills, and abilities to promote health, prevent disease, and manage care for individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan.
3. Communicate effectively as provider of care, designer/manager/coordinator of care, and member of a profession.
4. Recognize and respect the unique perspective of all individuals by valuing oneself and others of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
5. Apply principles of leadership and collaborate intra-professionally and inter-disciplinarily.
6. Integrate technology and informatics into evidence-based nursing practice.
7. Integrate theory in the development of nursing knowledge and evidence-based nursing practice.
8. Evaluate how social determinants of health, politics, and economics impact the access to and delivery of healthcare locally, nationally, and globally.
9. Incorporate clinical judgment into the delivery of competent and compassionate client-centered care.
10. Demonstrate professionalism and commitment to the School of Health Sciences core values, which include ethics, integrity, responsibility, accountability, and life-long learning.