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 baccalaureate degree program in nursing/master’s degree program in nursing at Georgia Gwinnett College is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.

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 ITEC 1001  , Introduction to Computing and PE, Physical Education may be taken after enrollment in the nursing program prior to graduation. A student applying to the Nursing program for Fall semester may not be enrolled in any science courses during the preceding summer semester.

• 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 seeking 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)
   • 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)
   • A student who has received one D or F in a previous nursing course will have the grade calculated into cumulative overall GPA.
   • 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.
5. Obtain two (1) letter of recommendation from a faculty member of an accredited institution addressing your academic behavior, academic ethics and evidence to support why you would be a good nurse. Each letter of recommendation submitted should be on official letterhead.
6. Obtain one (1) letter of recommendation from a professional reference addressing your professional behavior and evidence to support why you would be good nurse.
7. Complete and submit the volunteer verification form documenting community service activity within the past 3-5 years.
8. Provide a typed-written personal statement, 500 words or less, addressing why you want to become a nurse and why you have chosen to apply to GGC’s nursing program.

Major Requirements (60 hours)

The 60 credit nursing curriculum, offered over four semesters, has 16 courses which include four integrated Wellness andIllness courses, health assessment, research, integrated pathophysiology and pharmacology, three professional nursing courses, two public health courses, two leadership courses, a capstone, and a four credit elective. 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 Outscomes

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.

Upon completion of the Nursing Program the student will:

1. Describe how a personal philosophy of caring as a mode of being can affect health outcomes.
2. Demonstrate application of nursing knowledge and skill to promote health, prevent illness, and manage care in individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan.
3. Effectively communicate as care giver, educator, advocate, and professional.
4. Recognize and respect the unique perspectives of all individuals by valuing oneself and others of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
5. Apply principles of leadership to collaborate intra-professionally and inter-disciplinarily.
6. Incorporate technology and informatics in the research, delivery, and evaluation of care.
7. Describe the importance of theory in the development of nursing knowledge and evidence-based practice.
8. Understand the impact of social, political, and economic influences on the access and delivery of health care locally, nationally, and globally.
9. Utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills to deliver competent, patient-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.