Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Within the context of the liberal arts, students completing the BSN degree learn to become critical thinkers and healthcare leaders in a diverse society. Professional and liberal learning is enriched by completion of nursing-specific and liberal arts courses. Students earning the BSN degree will develop a strong foundation in the biological sciences. The sequence for the nursing major begins in the freshman year and includes classroom content that is coordinated with enriched patient care experiences in urban and rural settings. The nursing sequence includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical courses. These experiences will develop clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and cultural competencies, which are proficiencies essential to the practice of nursing. Upon completion of the degree requirements graduates are eligible to apply to the Virginia Board of Nursing for registered nurse (RN) licensure and to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®).
To meet the BSN degree requirement for the bachelor of science in nursing, students must successfully complete the following requirements in addition to the collegiate requirements.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
BSN Degree Requirement Courses | ||
BIOL 251 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I (w/lab) | 4 |
BIOL 252 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II (w/lab) | 4 |
BIOL 311 | Microbiology | 4 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Introduction to Statistics | ||
Introduction to Statistics | ||
NUIP 115 | Nursing Profession & Health Systems | 3 |
NUIP 315 | Pathophysiology-Pharmacology I | 3 |
NUIP 325 | Pathophysiology-Pharmacology II | 3 |
NUIP 375 | Population Health Immersion 1 | 3 |
Total Hours | 27 |
A student must successfully complete a major in nursing. Courses required for the nursing major are listed here:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Nursing Major Requirements | ||
NURS 300 | Health Assessment 1 | 2 |
NURS 310 | Professionalism and Practice I | 1 |
NURS 320 | Professionalism and Practice II | 1 |
NURS 330 | Fundamentals of Nursing 1 | 4 |
NURS 340 | Epidemiology and Population Health | 3 |
NURS 350 | Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing I 1 | 5 |
NURS 360 | Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing II 1 | 5 |
NURS 370 | Women's Health and Childbearing Families 1 | 3 |
NURS 410 | Professionalism and Practice III | 1 |
NURS 420 | Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 1 | 3 |
NURS 430 | Nursing Care of Children and Families 1 | 3 |
NURS 450 | Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing III 1 | 5 |
NURS 460 | Transition to Practice | 2 |
NURS 470 | Nursing Capstone 1 | 4 |
Total Hours | 42 |
- 1
Contains lab and clinical experiences, such that 1 credit hour clinical/lab = 3 hours in clinical learning experiences.
BSN Progression Requirements
Students admitted to the BSN program must achieve the following to continue to progress in the nursing major:
- Maintain a cumulative RMC GPA of 2.3
- Successfully complete all prerequisite courses (BIOL 251, 252, 311) and the following BSN degree requirement courses (NUIP 115, NUIP 375; MATH 111 or 113) with a C- or higher
- Complete NUIP 315, NUIP 325, and all nursing major courses (NURS) with a C or higher
- Demonstrate satisfactory clinical performance in all courses with a clinical learning component
- Demonstrate achievement of minimum medication competency examination scores each semester of clinical courses
- Adhere to all program policies as outlined in the BSN Student Handbook
- Complete the BSN program within 7 consecutive fall and spring semesters upon beginning nursing major courses with a clinical learning component (NURS 330)
BSN degree requirement courses: NUIP 115, NUIP 375; MATH 111/113
If a nursing student is not successful in obtaining the required grades in the BSN degree requirement courses of NUIP 115, NUIP 375, and MATH 111/113, s/he may repeat the course once if space is available. If a nursing major fails to earn the designated minimum grade in any two BSN degree requirement courses; in any one BSN degree requirement course and a prerequisite or BSN major course; or the same course twice, the student is dismissed from the nursing program. These failures may be concurrent or nonconcurrent during the program.
NUIP 315, NUIP 325, and all nursing major courses
If a nursing student is not successful in achieving a C or higher in NUIP 315, NUIP 325, or a nursing major course, he or she may repeat the course once if space is available. If a nursing major fails to earn at least the minimum required grade in any two courses; in any one course and a prerequisite or other degree requirement course (NUIP 115, NUIP 375, MATH 111/113); or the same course twice, the student is dismissed from the nursing program. These failures may be concurrent or nonconcurrent during the program.
NOTE: Students who change progression may not be fully refunded for their student fees for the semester in which they are not enrolled in nursing courses. Annual student fees are divided over the semester and select fees are not refundable. Refunds are calculated by year and semester based on these factors.
Dismissal from the BSN Program
A student may be dismissed from the BSN program at any time for any of the following reasons:
- Failure to achieve a C- or higher in two BSN degree requirement courses or the same course repeated for NUIP 115, NUIP 375, and MATH 111/113.
- Failure to achieve a C or higher in two courses or the same course repeated for NUIP 315, NUIP 325, and/or two nursing major courses.
- Failure to achieve the minimum required grades in two prerequisite, degree requirement, and/or nursing major courses.
- Failure to maintain a cumulative RMC 2.3 GPA at the end of each academic year.
- Unsafe clinical performance.
- Egregious violations of academic/clinical policies.
- Inability to place student in clinical agency due to failure to meet clinical compliance requirements and/or dismissal of student by the clinical agency.
- Inability to meet BSN Core Performance Standards with or without reasonable accommodations.
- Failure to adhere to BSN program policies as published in the BSN Student Handbook.
- Failure or inability to complete the BSN program within seven consecutive fall and spring semesters upon beginning nursing major courses with a clinical learning component (NURS 330).
NOTE: Students who are dismissed from the program in the fall term may not be fully refunded for their student fees for the subsequent spring semester. Annual student fees are divided over the semester and select fees are not refundable. Refunds are calculated by year and semester based on these factors.
BSN Core Performance Standards
Standard | Core Performance | Examples |
---|---|---|
Communication | Communicates effectively and with sensitivity in interactions with patients, families, communities, and members of the healthcare team. Expressive and receptive communication includes verbal,written, and nonverbal modes | Accurately elicits and interprets information from clinical data sources to adequately and effectively evaluate a patient's conditions Accurately conveys information and interpretation of information in English using one or more means of communication (verbal, written, assisted TTY and/or electronic) to patients and the healthcare team Effectively communicates within the interprofessional team |
Professional Attitudes and Behaviors | Expresses empathy, integrity, ethical conduct and comportment, accountability, engagement, and motivation Demonstrates interpersonal skills necessary for professional and effective interactions with diverse populations of individuals, families and communities Demonstrates interpersonal skills for professional and civil interactions with members of the healthcare team, including peer students, faculty, staff, and all healthcare team professionals |
Demonstrates the RMC nursing program's core values in all interactions Makes appropriate judgments regarding safe, confidential, respectful, and culturally sensitive care and interactions with patients and the interprofessional team Functions effectively and exercises good judgment under stressful, crisis, and non-crisis situations, adapting to changing environments inherent in clinical practice and maintaining emotional stability at all time Integrates constructive feedback and guidance from instructors and clinical agency personnel into nursing practice and clinical performance Determines appropriately when a nursing intervention requires additional assistance from clinical faculty or clinical agency staff |
Psychomotor | Able to move in and around care settings, handle equipment safely and safely participate in the physical care of patients in clinical placement settings | Possesses sufficient proprioception (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis, and vibration), physical strength and mobility to carry out physical assessment of patients and perform nursing procedures Demonstrates sufficient manual dexterity and fine and gross muscular coordination to provide safe general care and specific nursing interventions during the course of patient care Demonstrates an appropriate and timely response to emergency situations, including any circumstance requiring immediate and rapid resolution Navigates patients' rooms, work spaces, and treatment areas with appropriate precision and speed during the delivery of general nursing care or in emergency situations Demonstrates the endurance to complete all required tasks during a clinical practice day of a customary or contracted length |
Data Gathering and Interpretation | Assesses, monitors, and evaluates patients' health needs and responses to nursing care and interventions Demonstrates computational thinking and cognitive load management |
Accurately obtains and interprets information from comprehensive patient assessment, including nursing skills to assess patient status and responses (e.g. respiratory and cardiac function, blood pressure, blood sugar,neurological status, etc.) and environmental assessment Translates data into abstract concepts and develops interventions based on data-driven reasoning Synthesizes objective and subjective findings and diagnostic studies in order to formulate nursing diagnoses and a patient plan of care |
Clinical Judgment | Thinks critically, solves problems and makes decisions needed to care for persons, families and/or communities across the health continuum in various settings Applies intellectual and conceptual abilities to accomplish the learning outcomes of each course in the nursing program as well as the studentoutcomes of the program by program completion |
Synthesizes and critically interpret data on ongoing basis to deliver safe, quality nursing care (i.e. assessment, diagnosis, goals, plan of care, and evaluation) Provides safe, quality care, based on evidence and standards of care, that promote the health of patients within the context of family and community Implements priority setting using the nursing process model of care within in a dynamic clinical environment Accurately follows course syllabi, assignment directions, program policies, patient care protocols and corrective learning plans developed by faculty or health careagency staff Accurately calculates and follows processes for safe medication administration and error reduction |
Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Randolph-Macon College is committed to equal opportunity for all academically-qualified students and does not discriminate on the basis of disability. Accommodations are available to support students with disabilities in taking full advantage of the college’s educational, residential, social, and cultural opportunities. The Office of Disability Services (DS) is responsible for the coordination of these accommodations. The Director of DS determines eligibility for services and reasonable academic accommodations.
The purpose of disability accommodations at the collegiate level is to provide equal access. Reasonable accommodations do not negate requirements for successful completion of a program, course, service, and/or activity; adherence to generally acceptable standards of behavior; the college’s general and academic student rights and responsibilities; or adherence to faculty/staff directions and instructions.
Complete information regarding services and resources for students with disabilities is available online at https://www.rmc.edu/academics/academic-support/disability-services; staff may be reached via email to DSS@RMC.edu or by phone at 804-752-7343.