TBSN Expedited Admission

Faculty in the School of Nursing and Health Science (SONHS) are interested in recruiting and admitting interested and highly-qualified first-time freshmen to the Department of Traditional BSN Studies at MidAmerica Nazarene University.

 Eligibility Requirements: An eligible recruit:

• Will be an incoming first-time freshman at MNU planning on declaring nursing as his/her major; AND
• Has a weighted or unweighted high school GPA of ≥ 3.5 on a 0-4.0 scale (validation of official, complete high school transcript by admissions counselor required); AND
• Has an ACT (or correlated SAT) composite score of ≥ 25 (validation of official ACT/SAT form by admissions counselor required).

If you meet these requirements, contact an MNU Admissions Counselor, because you have an opportunity to be granted expedited admission to the nursing program for the fall of your junior year.  That means:

• No application
• No references
• No TEAS testing

Once you have been granted expedited admission, you must attain/maintain a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.00 by the end of the spring semester of your freshman year.  If your cumulative GPA falls below this benchmark, the expedited admission status will be rescinded, and you will need to apply for a spot in the fall junior nursing class, with other applicants, by October 1 of your sophomore year.  This process will include an application, references, admission testing, and any other application materials required of all applicants.

TBSN Course Sequence

Freshman/Sophomore Years:

• NURS 1003 Nursing Perspectives
• NURS 2182 Basic Nursing Skills I
• NURS 2083 Basic Nursing Skills II
• NURS 2002 Health Assessment
• NURS 2032 Gerontological Nursing

Junior Fall Semester:

• NURS 3088 Health Restoration I
• NURS 3202 Pathophysiology I
• NURS 3002 Pharmacology I

Junior Spring Semester:

• NURS 3188 Health Restoration II
• NURS 3302 Pathophysiology II
• NURS 3102 Pharmacology II
• NURS 3783 Pediatric Nursing

Senior Fall Semester:

• NURS 4083 Maternal & Women’s Health Nursing
• NURS 4283 Mental Health Nursing
• NURS 4383 Community Health Nursing
• NURS 4302 Patient Care Management
• NURS 4103 Nursing Research/Informatics

Senior Spring Semester:

• NURS 4403 Role Development
• NURS 4285 Nursing Internship
• NURS 4212 Senior Seminar:  Transition to Nursing Practice
• NURS 4912 Acute Complex Care Nursing
• NURS 4101 Special Topics in Nursing (elective)

TBSN Course Descriptions

Course Title:  NURS 1003 Nursing Perspectives

Course Description:  Designed to provide insight into the world of professional nursing through the seven outcomes of the nursing department. The outcomes include: spiritual development, self understanding, critical thinking, effective communication, social responsibility, scientific literacy, and aesthetic literacy. Various classroom experiences helps student understand how these outcomes are integral to what it means to be a nurse. In addition, each student develops a portfolio demonstrating his/her current degree of proficiency in each of these outcomes listed above. This portfolio is developed further in the upper division major and becomes a requirement for graduation.

Course Title:  NURS 2182 Basic Nursing Skills I

Course Description:  Designed to provide understanding and development of basic nursing skills necessary to provide health maintenance. Learning experiences are provided in the University's nursing lab.

Course Title:  NURS 2083 Basic Nursing Skills II

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based nursing care regarding fundamental nursing interventions and practice. The knowledge and skills necessary to perform procedures relating to therapeutic interventions are presented, and students demonstrate their understanding of these interventions through tests and graded return demonstrations. Special emphasis is given to the delivery of relationship-centered care within a holistic framework as it applies to proficient psychomotor skills of professional nursing practice, as well as competency with drug calculation and safe medication administration. This course builds on nursing interventions learned in Basic Nursing Skills I. Open only to students preparing to begin the clinical portion of the program in the current year's summer or fall class.

Course Title:  NURS 2002 Health Assessment

Course Description:  Provides an opportunity for students to develop clinical competence in health assessment of an individual client. Students will develop skills in history taking and holistic assessment, which includes: physical assessment, role assessment, developmental assessment, psycho-social assessment, spiritual assessment, and risk assessment (genetics, environment, nutrition, exercise, stress, economics, and abuse).

Course Title:  NURS 2032 Gerontological Nursing

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based nursing care of older adults. Major concepts include demographics of the aging population; common physiological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual issues affecting the health of older adults; health promotion interventions for older adults; options in the continuum of care of older adults; and death as a final developmental process.

Course Title:  NURS 3088 Health Restoration I

Course Description:  Part one of a two-part series that focuses on the care of individuals of all ages experiencing acute illness, exacerbation of a chronic condition, and/or surgery. Emphasis will be on development of students' knowledge and skills in dealing with problems related to pain, immune function, integument, dentition, nutrition, physical activity, hearing, vision, speech, language, digestion-hydration, bowel function, genitourinary function, sleep/rest patterns, spirituality, emotional needs, and learning needs. The health care system related to acute care will be introduced. Students will receive clinical experience in acute care facilities. This course is part one of a two-part course series, to run consecutively from the fall semester (part one) to the spring semester (part two) (or for accelerated students, the course runs consecutively during the summer).

Course Title:  NURS 3202 Pathophysiology I

Course Description:  Part one of a two-part series that is designed to help students understand disruptions in health (i.e., pathophysiological disease processes). With a thorough understanding of disease processes, students will be able to apply scientific rationale in their nursing practice. This course will explore the clinical presentation of selected diseases, i.e., symptoms, and diagnostic findings. Additionally, basic prevention and/or treatment measures will be presented. General content to be covered in this course includes pathophysiology related to: cellular adaptation, injury, death, and wound healing; fluid balance; genetics; inflammatory and immune responses; cancer; hematology and hemodynamic responses; and gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary function(s). This course is part one of a two-part course series, to run consecutively from the fall semester (part one) to the spring semester (part two).

Course Title:  NURS 3002 Pharmacology I

Course Description:  Part one of a two-part series that is designed to introduce basic pharmacology principles and how they relate to health and illness. Emphasis will be placed upon drugs for anesthesia, neuromuscular blockade, and pain; drugs for fluid and electrolyte imbalances; drugs for infectious diseases; drugs for anemia and hematopoietic and thrombopoietic growth factors; drugs that affect the gastrointestinal system; chemotherapeutic agents; anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and immunologic drugs. For these drugs, students will be challenged to investigate, process, and apply information, including: generic/trade names and clinical uses; basic mechanisms of action(s), side effects, contraindications, and interactions; parameters for safe administration, and evaluation of drug effectiveness and adverse/toxic effects. This course is part one of a two-part course series, to run consecutively from the fall semester (part one) to the spring semester (part two).

Course Title:  NURS 3188 Health Restoration II

Course Description:  Part two of a two-part series and builds upon knowledge gained in NURS 3088 Health Restoration I. Focuses on the care of individuals of all ages experiencing acute illness, exacerbation of a chronic condition, and/or surgery. Emphasis will be on development of students' knowledge and skills in caring for patients with problems related to cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, genitourinary, endocrine, integument, musculoskeletal, and neurologic functions. In addition to caring for the physical needs of the patient, students will be encouraged to consider the patient's spiritual, emotional, and learning needs. Students will continue to develop testing skills based upon the structure and format of the most recent NCLEX-RN® test plan. Health care delivery will occur in the acute care setting. This course is part two of a two-part course series, to run consecutively from the fall semester (part one) to the spring semester (part two) (or for accelerated students, the course runs consecutively during the summer).

Course Title:  NURS 3302 Pathophysiology II

Course Description:  Part two of a two-part series that is designed to help students understand disruptions in health (i.e., pathophysiological disease processes). This understanding will assist students in applying scientific rationale in the provision of quality healthcare. There will be exploration of the clinical presentation of selected diseases, i.e., signs, symptoms, and diagnostic findings. Additionally, basic prevention and/or treatment measures will be presented. This course will build upon the knowledge gained in NURS 3202 Pathophysiology I. General content to be covered in this course includes pathophysiology as related to alterations in: GI and hepatobiliary function, renal function; cardiovascular and respiratory functions; endocrinology; and neurology. This course is part two of a two-part series, to run consecutively from the fall semester (part one) to the spring semester (part two).

Course Title:  NURS 3102 Pharmacology II

Course Description:  Part two of a two-part series that is designed to extend and reinforce concepts introduced in NURS 3002 Pharmacology I and how they related to health and illness. Emphasis will be placed upon drugs that affect the following systems: cardiovascular (including critical care), renal, respiratory, endocrine, and central nervous system (including psychopharmacology drugs). For these drugs, students will be challenged to investigate, process, and apply information, including: generic/trade names and clinical uses; basic mechanisms of action(s), side effects, contraindications, and interactions; parameters for safe administration, and evaluation of drug effectiveness and adverse/toxic effects. This course is part two of a two-part course series, to run consecutively from the fall semester (part one) to the spring semester (part two).

Course Title:  NURS 3783 Pediatric Nursing

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based nursing care of children and their families. Special emphasis is given to the delivery of relationship-centered care within a holistic framework as it applies to health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of children. Cultural values and health needs specific to the pediatric lifespan are explored. Hospital and community-based settings provide theory to practice application.

Course Title:  NURS 4083 Maternal & Women’s Health Nursing

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based nursing care of childbearing families and women. Special emphasis is given to the delivery of relationship-centered care within a holistic framework as it applies to health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of child-bearing families and women. Cultural values and women's health needs specific to the lifespan are presented. Hospital and community-based settings provide theory to practice application.

Course Title:  NURS 4101:  Special Topics in Nursing

Course Description:  Offers advanced study in a specialized area of nursing. The special topic may be tied to the clinical setting utilized in NURS 4285. Students must take a minimum of one credit hour of special topics.

Course Title:  NURS 4103 Nursing Research/Informatics

Course Description:  Designed to develop students' knowledge of the research process; to increase their appreciation of the significance of nursing research in developing sound nursing practice; to help them develop skills to become astute consumers of nursing research; and to apply their knowledge of the research process in nursing practice. Students will be introduced to computer applications that facilitate the research process such as in literature reviews and data analysis.

Course Title:  NURS 4283 Mental Health Nursing

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based nursing care of patients with mental illness. Developmental, sociocultural, psychological, and situational aspects of life that impact the mental health of individuals, families, and communities are explored. Special emphasis is given to the delivery of relationship-centered care within a holistic framework as it applies to mental health promotion, maintenance, and restoration. Principles of communication as an intervention to develop therapeutic relationships are emphasized. Acute care and community-based settings provide theory to practice application.

Course Title:  NURS 4383 Community Health Nursing

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based nursing care of populations. Special emphasis is given to the delivery of relationship-centered care within a holistic framework as it applies to health promotion, maintenance, and restoration of complex systems and aggregates in the community, state, nation, and world. Included are concepts of epidemiology, health promotion (primary, secondary, and tertiary levels), disease prevention, health policy, healthcare delivery systems, and the Healthy People Initiatives. Selected environmental components affecting community health to be explored include historical, political, economic, social, and cultural influences. The role of the healthcare provider in advocating for healthy communities is presented. A community assessment is required.

Course Title:  NURS 4302 Patient Care Management

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based practices for patient care management via human patient simulators and clinical case scenarios. A safe environment is provided for students to practice critical thinking and decision-making skills, demonstrating competency through patient care management of selected scenarios. Emphasis is placed on the management of prototype scenarios that require effective clinical assessment, judgment, teamwork, interdisciplinary communication, and efficient resource management.

Course Title:  NURS 4403 Role Development

Course Description:  Focuses on students' development as leaders, designers/managers/coordinators of care, and as members of the nursing profession. The concepts of interdisciplinary team management and collaboration are also presented. Emphasis is on enabling students to shape a preferred future in health care situations.

Course Title:  NURS 4285 Nursing Internship

Course Description:  This clinical course is designed to help students develop skills of patient care management. Acute care settings will be used to provide coordination of care to an appropriate patient caseload. Additionally, students may be asked to participate in hospital unit meetings, projects, etc., as suggested by the student's clinical preceptor.

Course Title:  NURS 4212 Senior Seminar:  Transition to Nursing Practice

Course Description:  nursing education to the practice of professional nursing. Students will gain understanding of their relationship with the State Board of Nursing and professional licensure requirements. Additionally, students will be challenged to prepare for the NCLEX-RN® examination with a content review based upon the current NCLEX-RN® Test Plan. Classroom activities to develop critical thinking and successful test taking skills will be presented. Completion of the senior portfolio will be a product of this course.

Course Title:  NURS 4912 Acute Complex Care Nursing

Course Description:  A study of evidence-based practice and 'relationship-centered care' of patients who are at high risk for actual or potential life-threatening health problems. Students apply knowledge of systems, dysfunction, pathophysiology, diagnostic data, pharmacology, and treatment protocols in the process of providing, analyzing, and evaluating care processes of the acute-complex and/or critically-ill patient.