Overview

During the first two years of the traditional undergraduate Nursing curriculum, nursing majors complete core and prerequisite liberal arts and sciences courses and participate in non-credit nursing seminars that give an introduction to the discipline. After being admitted to the nursing school in the junior year, nursing students engage in the study/practice of nursing theory and evidence-based clinical coursework in the specialties of nursing care including community, adult, child, psychiatric, and women’s health. Knowledge and practice are specialized and progressively more complex each semester, culminating in a precepted clinical role transition course in the last semester of the senior year. Successful advancement through the baccalaureate curriculum equips the student to engage in nursing practice that is responsible, accountable, ethical, holistic, technologically advanced, scholarly, therapeutic, cost-effective, culturally sensitive, collaborative, innovative, and outcome-oriented. The baccalaureate graduate is prepared to assume an entry-level nursing role in any of the numerous and diverse local, national, and international health care opportunities available to professional nurses.

The baccalaureate degree in Nursing will meet the educational needs of:

• Students entering from high school who select professional nursing as a career
• Transfer students
• Adult students seeking a second undergraduate degree or career change
• Students who have completed liberal arts and sciences pre-nursing requirements
• Qualified students who want the B.S. to M.S. Fast Track

A Nursing minor is not available.

About the Program

Transfer, Second-Degree, or Career-Change Students

Students who have completed all, or some, of the liberal arts and sciences courses at another accredited college or university with a grade of “C” or higher and a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above may apply to the College through Transfer Admissions. Students must also have a GPA of 2.40 or higher (including all attempts) in the seven prerequisite science/math courses (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Nutrition, Statistics and Development Across the Lifespan) to be considered for the junior clinical year. Individual transcript analysis and counseling are available with assessment regarding College Core and nursing prerequisite requirements.

The School of Nursing selects the best-qualified transfer students. High motivation, scholastic excellence, and interest in professional nursing are desirable characteristics for future members of a health care team.

Required Courses in the Liberal Arts and Sciences

All students must take an ethics or bioethics course, such as PHIL 124C, PHIL 250C, REST 130, or REST 387D. Before beginning the clinical year as juniors, students must earn a “C” or higher in each of the required nursing prerequisite courses with a GPA of 2.40 or higher, and have an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher. The seven nursing prerequisite courses are: Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Nutrition, Statistics, and Development Across the Lifespan.

Licensure

Graduates of the baccalaureate program are prepared to take the Registered Nurse licensure examination (NCLEX-RN) and are able to assume beginning positions in all areas of nursing practice. Nursing graduates have enjoyed a high employment rate and an NCLEX pass rate greater than the state and national averages in recent years, and this situation is expected to continue in the future.

Admission Advisement

Due to prerequisites for nursing courses and the desire of the faculty to make career development an ongoing process, all accepted nursing students must contact the School of Nursing for advisement and course selection in order to register for the first semester of the junior clinical year.

Admission Criteria for the Traditional Nursing Program

All students admitted and enrolling as freshman nursing majors will be guaranteed a seat in the junior clinical semester if they meet the following criteria:

Submit a completed application by February 1 of the second semester sophomore year. A completed application includes:

1. Completed application form
2. Personal statement
3. Two references (one must be a college level academic reference from one of the prerequisite sciences)
4. Pass the SJFC Level A Math Screen with a grade of 84% or higher. If the student is unable to achieve a grade of 84% after four attempts, the student will not be considered for the nursing program.
5. At the time of application, have an overall GPA (all grades from every college attended) of 2.75 or higher and a prerequisite GPA of 2.4 or higher. This separate GPA includes all attempts at the seven prerequisite courses: anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, statistics, and development across the lifespan (psychology).
6. Health Status and Immunizations: Documentation of a complete physical examination and immunizations on the College Health History form submitted to the Wegmans School of Nursing by July 15 of each clinical year.
7. CPR Certification: A current Basic Life Support (including infant, child, and adult CPR) certification card from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association on file in the School of Nursing office by July 15 of each clinical year.
8. Documentation of an annual flu shot by November 15 of each year or completion of a medical waiver for each clinical year.
9. Documentation of health insurance coverage.
10. Date the complete application was received by the School of Nursing.

All students who declare a nursing major after enrolling at the college or transferring to the college will be put into a competitive pool of applicants for admission to the junior clinical year if they meet the following criteria:

Submit a completed application by the deadline the semester before they are seeking admission to the clinical year: fall admission deadline March 1st; spring admission deadline September 1st. A completed application includes:

1. Completed application form
2. Personal statement
3. Two references (one must be a college level academic reference from one of the prerequisite sciences)
4. Pass the SJFC Level A Math Screen with a grade of 84% or higher. If the student is unable to achieve a grade of 84% after four attempts, the student will not be considered for the nursing program.
5. At the time of application, have an overall GPA (all grades from every college attended) of 2.75 or higher and a prerequisite GPA of 2.4 or higher. This separate GPA includes all attempts at the seven prerequisite courses: anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, statistics, and development across the lifespan (psychology).
6. Health Status and Immunizations: Documentation of a complete physical examination and immunizations on the College Health History form submitted to the Wegmans School of Nursing by July 15 of each clinical year.
7. CPR Certification: A current Basic Life Support (including infant, child, and adult CPR) certification card from the American Red Cross or American Heart Association on file in the School of Nursing office by July 15 of each clinical year.
8. Documentation of an annual flu shot by November 15 of each year or completion of a medical waiver for each clinical year.
9. Documentation of health insurance coverage.
10. Date the complete application was received by the School of Nursing.

Students who want to declare a nursing major after they are enrolled at the college, must meet with the chair of the undergraduate nursing program.

If the student is a Fisher freshman, Freshman Admissions will check to see if the student meets the criteria for a nursing major based on the student’s grades in high school chemistry, algebra and over all GPA.

If the student is a Fisher sophomore or higher or a Transfer student, the criteria for a nursing major is a GPA of 2.75 or higher and grades of “C” or higher in: a) a lab science; b) math course at or above MATH 109 or ECON 221 Statistics (nursing prerequisite); and c) introduction to psychology (prerequisite for PSYC 231 Development Across the Lifespan).

Current students who meet the relevant criteria above will be allowed to declare a nursing major. These completed applications will be reviewed from a competitive pool for admission to the nursing clinical year under the criteria above for students who declare a nursing major after enrolling or transferring to the college.

Clinical Experience

Hospitals and community health and home care agencies in the greater Rochester region are utilized for clinical experiences.

Learning Outcomes

Program Outcomes

• Knowledge: Integrates knowledge of nursing and other supportive disciplines in the design, provision, and management of systematic, holistic outcomes for individuals, families, and communities at all points on the health care continuum.
• Communication: Uses communication appropriately and effectively to achieve desired health care outcomes.
• Holism: Provides and advocates for access to compassionate nursing care that recognizes biopsychosocial and spiritual dimensions.
• Praxis: Uses critical thinking and decision-making to systematically assess, analyze, plan, implement, and evaluate nursing and/or interdisciplinary strategies used to promote quality outcomes for individuals, families, or communities.
• Professional Values: Demonstrates the ethical and legal practice of professional nursing.
• Role: Demonstrates the knowledge, self-direction, and communication/collaboration skills essential to being a leader in the provision and management of health care and as a member of a profession.
• Diversity: Recognizes the uniqueness and rights of individuals, families, and communities by providing care to all ages, socioeconomic groups, and cultures.
• Lifelong Learning: Engages in self-directed collaborative learning, ongoing self-evaluation, and professional goal-setting.

Program Requirements

Traditional Undergraduate Program: Required Courses for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing

*CHEM 103C and CHEM 103L may be substituted.

**Students who begin the Traditional Nursing program as freshmen are required to take a one-credit Freshman Seminar (ITDY 101) in their first semester. As this course is NOT considered a Liberal Arts course, these students will end up with at least 121 credits at program completion.

For students majoring in Nursing in the Traditional Undergraduate Program, all courses listed above as Required Nursing Courses (NURS) are used in the determination of the grade point average in the major.

Note: If the optional NURS 498H and NURS 496 courses are taken, they will be included in the GPA calculation.

For purposes of determining whether the requirement to complete at least half of the major courses at St. John Fisher College has been met, all courses listed above as Required Nursing Courses are used.

Accelerated Program Opportunity:
B.S. to M.S. Fast Track Program

Petition for Graduate Study

Current St. John Fisher nursing students may petition to complete graduate-level coursework during their senior year of undergraduate study. This offers an accelerated approach for qualified traditional baccalaureate students who wish to pursue the Master of Science in Advanced Practice Nursing degree. The accelerated program allows specific graduate-level courses to be taken and for one course to fulfill a designated undergraduate requirement. This shortens graduate degree requirements without compromising didactic and clinical learning experiences.

Note: Approval to take graduate courses does not guarantee admission to the M.S. program in Advanced Practice Nursing. Students who wish to continue their graduate studies at Fisher must complete the application process for graduate admissions. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for more information.

Students beginning their study of Nursing at St. John Fisher follow the curriculum of the Traditional Nursing B.S. Program. They may petition to take courses in the graduate program after all 300-level undergraduate courses have been completed with a GPA in Nursing of 3.30 or higher, by submitting the Petition for Graduate Courses [pdf] form. Application deadline for graduate courses is July 1 for fall admission and January 1 for spring admission. Students interested in an accelerated program should consult with their advisors and the Graduate Program Director during their junior year at St. John Fisher College. Approved traditional baccalaureate students take:

• GNUR 512 Health Care, Economics, and Policy (4) –OR–
  GNUR 518 Advanced Practice in the Care of Families (3)

-AND-

• GNUR 529 Advanced Practice Nursing Roles and Leadership (2) in place of
  NURS 446 Nursing Leadership & Patient-Centered Care III (3)

Enrollment Status

Either GNUR 512 Health Care, Economics, and Policy (4) –OR– GNUR 518 Advanced Practice in the Care of Families (3) is taken along with other required undergraduate nursing courses during the senior year. This course is posted as graduate credit, and there is no additional charge for this course as long as the student is full-time in the undergraduate B.S. Nursing program.

GNUR 529 Advanced Practice Nursing Roles and Leadership (2) is taken during the senior year. Students who successfully complete GNUR 529 will not take NURS 446 Nursing Leadership and Patient-Centered Care III (3). The graduate course is posted as undergraduate credit, and there is no additional charge for this course as long as the student is full-time in the undergraduate B.S. Nursing program. The graduate course is added to the student’s graduate transcript at the end of the first semester of graduate study at the Wegmans School of Nursing.

Recommended Progression

B.S. Nursing

Recommended progression of courses required for the Traditional B.S. Nursing major. Students should consult Core Requirements for a complete description of the College’s Core.

Note that this program of study results in a total of 60 Nursing credits.The notation CL next to a Nursing course indicates a course with a clinical component.

*Either BIOL 107C or BIOL 108C could also be taken in the spring semester of the sophomore year.

**Students may substitute CHEM 103C and 103L for this requirement.

Note: Students must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in all courses in the nursing major. Only courses designated as nursing (NURS) are included in the determination of the grade point average in the major.