Nursing RN to BSN Certification (B.S.N.)

The Teague School of Nursing offers a baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing. A strong liberal arts general education rich in natural and social sciences provides the foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary for successful completion of the upper level nursing curriculum and as a beginning generalist in the field of professional nursing. The program prepares graduates to assume entry level nursing positions in nursing practice in a variety of healthcare settings within a culturally diverse environment and provides a foundation for advanced study in nursing. Graduates are eligible to apply to take the examination for licensure as registered nurses as set forth in the Texas Occupation Code and Statutes Regulating the Practice of Professional Nursing.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Synthesize and incorporate external evidence (i.e. research/empirical knowledge) from nursing, religion, science, humanities and other disciplines into nursing practice. 
2. Integrate holistic nursing care with knowledge derived from theory, practice, and research. 
3. Exhibit competent clinical reasoning and judgment to deliver evidence-based care in structured and unstructured settings. 
4. Demonstrate accountability for incorporating independent and self-directed learning as a prerequisite for professional growth.   
5. Demonstrate accountability for incorporating professional, ethical, moral, and legal aspects of nursing into nursing practice.   
6. Demonstrate the ability to implement appropriate Christian leadership strategies and management competencies as generalists in professional nursing. 

The profession of nursing requires practice and application of theoretical concepts. This is accomplished in learning laboratories on campus as well as in various community, primary, secondary, and tertiary health care facilities. Faculty and/or approved registered nurse preceptors employed in these agencies provide supervision. Students will be required to complete background checks and drug screens as required by various clinical agencies. The School of Nursing does not guarantee that each person admitted to the nursing program will pass all elements of the program or that those graduated from the program with the BSN degree will pass nursing board examinations and/or secure employment as a nurse. Attaining these goals depends upon the degree to which students diligently apply themselves to their studies and upon the economic forces influencing the health care industry.

DEVELOPMENTAL STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION AND RETENTION
A candidate for the BSN degree must have the following abilities and skills: observation, communication, motor, and behavioral. Reasonable accommodations may be made for some disabilities; however, a candidate is expected to perform in an independent manner.

1. Observation: A candidate must be able to observe a patient/client accurately. Examples of observation include, but are not limited to, listening to heart and breath sounds, visualizing the appearance of a surgical wound, detecting the presence of a foul odor, and palpating an abdomen.
2. Communication: A candidate must be able to communicate/interact effectively with patients/clients and other members of the health care team to obtain information, describe patient situations, and perceive nonverbal communication.
3. Motor: A candidate must have adequate motor function to work effectively with nursing problems and issues and carry out related nursing care. Examples of nursing care include, but are not limited to, ambulating and positioning clients, cardiopulmonary resuscitation;  administration of intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and oral medications; application of pressure to stop bleeding; opening an obstructed airway; and provision of client daily hygiene care.
4. Behavioral: A candidate must possess the emotional health required for total utilization of his or her intellectual abilities. Candidates need to be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively during stressful situations. They must be capable of adapting to ever-changing environments, displaying flexibility, appropriately interacting with others, and learning to function in situations of uncertainty that are inherent in clinical situations involving clients. 

STATE STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION AND RETENTION
The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has identified certain circumstances that may render a potential candidate ineligible for licensure as a registered nurse in the State of Texas. These circumstances are found on the BON website (www.bon.state.tx.us) under the section entitled
Verification and Licensure / Candidates for Licensure / Declaratory Order. 
Any student seeking admission to the nursing program will be required to complete the required criminal background check and initiate the Petition for Declaratory Order process if applicable. This process does require a fee payable to the BON if it is determined that a thorough investigation is necessary. Students who are deemed ineligible for licensure by the BON will not be granted admission to the nursing program.