2003-2004 Undergraduate Catalog

Associate Professor Mary M. Hoke, department head

Professor Hales; Associate Professors Hess, Oderkirk, Pase, Ryberg; Assistant Professors Borges, Druck, Keele-Smith, Robbins, Sizemore, Williams

(505) 646-3812

DEGREE: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

NMSU's Department of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree. The degree plan provides two options to accommodate either the beginning nursing student or the returning registered nurse. The beginning student completing the four-year Bachelor of Science degree will be eligible to take the examination for licensure as a registered nurse. The second option is designed for the registered nurse who wishes to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program is approved by the New Mexico Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Approval by the New Mexico Board of Nursing is required for graduates to be eligible for the National Council Licensing Examination for licensure as a registered nurse. Accreditation by the CCNE assures prospective students and employers that the program has met national education standards.

Four-Year Program

Requirements and procedures to follow for admission to the four-year B.S.N. program are as follows:

1. Be accepted for admission to NMSU as a regular student.
2. Contact the nursing adviser in the College of Health and Social Services Dean's office for complete Nursing Program information and advisement.
3. Satisfy NMSU basic academic competency requirements in English and math.
4. Complete all course work in Semesters 1, 2, and 3 before final admission to the nursing major.
5. Prerequisite science courses must have been completed within the past seven years.
6. Achieve a grade of C or better in each nursing prerequisite course.
7. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.50 in the nursing prerequisite course work.
8. Applicants will be considered for admission to the nursing major during the fall or spring semester of anticipated completion of prerequisite course work or after prerequisite courses are completed. Applicants for fall semester admission may not finish prerequisites in the summer sessions immediately preceding the fall semester in which they wish to be admitted.
9. Submit an official application to the four-year B.S.N. program to the College of Health and Social Services Dean's office by
   March 1--for consideration for fall admission to the nursing major
   September 1--for consideration for spring admission to the nursing major

NOTE: Admission is competitive. Priority for admission will be given to applicants with the highest GPAs in the required prerequisite course work, to those applicants who have completed prerequisite course work at NMSU, and/or to those who have not repeated a prerequisite course or courses where a D or F was earned. Any applicant not admitted to the nursing major may reapply.

FOUR-YEAR CURRICULUM PLAN*

Math basic academic skills requirement must be satisfied.

Semester 1

CHEM 110G, Principles and Applications of Chemistry, or CHEM 111/112, General Chemistry I/II 4

ENGL 111G, Rhetoric and Composition 4

SOC 101G, Introduction to Sociology 3

Critical Thinking (one approved "G" course) 3

History (any of the approved "G" courses) 3

Semester 2

BIOL 211G, Cellular and Organismal Biology 3

BIOL 211L, Cellular and Organismal Biology Lab 1

MATH 210G, Mathematics Appreciation 3

PSY 201G, Introduction to Psychology 3

English (ENGL 203G, ENGL 211G, ENGL 218G, ENGL 311G, or ENGL 318G) 3

Literature/Fine Arts (any of the approved "G" courses) 3

Semester 3

BIOL 219, Principles of Public Health Microbiology 3

BIOL 253, Human Anatomy 4

BIOL 254, Human Physiology 3

BIOL 311L, Microbiology Lab 2

C EP 110G, Human Growth and Behavior 3

HNFS 251, Human Nutrition 3

Semester 4

E ST 311G, Statistical Applications 3

NURS 220, Introduction to Professional Nursing 2

NURS 223, Basic Terminology for Nursing 1

NURS 326, Pharmacology in Clinical Nursing Practice 3

NURS 327, Drug Dosage Calculations for Nursing 1

NURS 328, Human Pathophysiology Foundations for Nursing 4

Semester 5

NURS 301, Principles for Nursing Practice: Theoretical Foundations 5

NURS 302, Foundations of Health Assessments 3

NURS 324, Nursing Care of the Older Adult 2

NURS 375, Introduction to Nursing Research 3

Viewing a Wider World "G" Course 3

Semester 6

NURS 372, Adult Health Nursing I

8 NURS 373, Nursing the Psychiatric-Mental Health Client 6

Viewing a Wider World "G" Course 3

Semester 7

NURS 410, Adult Health Nursing II 4

NURS 411, Nursing Care of Children and Adolescents 6

NURS 412, Nursing Care of Childbearing Women and Their Families 6

Semester 8

NURS 472, Community- and Population-Focused Nursing 6

NURS 478, Nursing Care for Complex Patients 3

NURS 479, Nursing Management and Preceptorship 7

*A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the curriculum. Each student must also complete six (6) elective credits from the Part III Viewing a Wider World general education category.

NOTE: An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or who has been convicted of a felony is advised to contact the appropriate State Board of Nursing regarding eligibility for licensure.

RN­BSN Completion Program

Requirements and procedures to follow for admission to the RN-BSN completion program are as follows:

1. Obtain admission to NMSU as a regular student.
2. Contact the Department of Nursing for complete program information and application materials.
3. Satisfy NMSU basic academic competency requirements in English and math.
4. Demonstrate completion of all prerequisite course work as noted in the RN-BSN Completion Program Curriculum.
5. Submit official transcripts from all nursing schools, colleges, and universities attended to the Department of Nursing. These will be evaluated for allowable credit.
6. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for prerequisite course work and prior nursing course work.
7. Submit an official application to the Department of Nursing. 8. Provide evidence of current RN licensure.

NOTE: Nursing class sizes are limited. Students admitted to the RN-BSN completion program will be accommodated based on space availability in any given nursing course. All documentation must be submitted to the department by October 1 for initiation of nursing classes in January.

RN-BSN Completion Curriculum

Non-Nursing and General Education (or Equivalent) Courses

See "General Information" chapter earlier in this catalog for details of NMSU general education requirements. A grade of C or better is required in all of the following courses. (Prerequisite courses marked *.)

*Math basic competency must be attained.

MATH 210G, Math Appreciation

*ENGL 111G, Rhetoric and Composition

ENGL 218G, ENGL 311G, or ENGL 318G

*BIOL 253, Human Anatomy

*BIOL 254, Human Physiology

*CHEM 110G, or CHEM 111 and CHEM 112

*BIOL 219, Public Health Microbiology

*BIOL 311L, Microbiology Lab

*SOC 101G, Introductory Sociology Literature/Fine Arts G course

HIST G course

*PSY 201G, Introduction to Psychology

*HNFS 251, Human Nutrition

*C EP 110G, Human Growth and Behavior

Critical Thinking G course

E ST 311G, Statistical Applications

Two Viewing a Wider World G courses

Upper-division elective courses as required to satisfy NMSU's 55 upper-division credit requirement and general education requirements, completed prior or concurrently to completion of the last semester of nursing.

In addition, it is the student's responsibility to complete a minimum of 128 total credit hours including 55 upper-division credits.

The nursing course sequence for this degree starts in the spring semester. The core nursing courses required for the R.N. to B.S.N. completion are listed below.

Spring Semester Nursing Courses

NURS 315, Introduction to Professional Nursing for the RN 3

NURS 325, Human Pathophysiology for Nursing 3

NURS 375, Introduction to Nursing Research 3

NURS 420, Community Health Nursing 3

NURS 426, Community Health Nursing for the RN: Clinical 3

Summer Semester Nursing Course

NURS elective 3

Fall Semester Nursing Courses

NURS 322, Nursing Health Assessment 3

NURS 323, Nursing Health Assessment: Clinical 2

NURS 324, Nursing Care of the Older Adult 2

NURS 470, Nursing Organization and Management 3

NURS 475, Issues and Trends in Professional Nursing 3

NURS 476, Nursing Organization and Management for the RN: Clinical 3

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