NURSING

The mission of the Department of Nursing is to prepare academically and clinically excellent professional nurses for a lifetime of Christ-like service to others, integrating the values of a liberal arts education with professional preparation. This mission is evident and integrated throughout the courses required for the nursing major and developed as electives by the department. As clinical competence is a critical component for the nursing major course-work, all clinical evaluation tools reflect the mission by evaluating the student’s ability to ‘Practice nursing in an ethical, professional, and Christian manner.’

Operating from the common frameworks in nursing of caring, self-care, and care management, the department prepares generalists at the baccalaureate level for beginning practice in all areas of clinical nursing. The department adheres to the Essentials for Baccalaureate Nursing of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the accreditation standards of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (www.idfpr.com) and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036-1120; 202-887- 6791; www.aacn.nche.edu/Accreditation). The program leads to a bachelor of science in nursing degree (B.S.N.). Upon completion of all degree requirements, the graduate is eligible to apply to take the Nursing Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become a registered professional nurse.

Clinical portions of the program are held in area hospitals, intermediate care and rehabilitation facilities, community health agencies, home health agencies, schools, and clinics. Three clock-hours of clinical or laboratory experience is equivalent to one semester-hour of credit. The communication requirement of the general education curriculum is met across the nursing curriculum. The capstone requirement is met through Nursing 413 and Nursing 425. The field experience and cross-cultural requirements are met through the clinical component of the nursing curriculum. Students interested in nursing may contact the chairperson of the nursing department for further information.