Nov 23, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing


View Programs and Courses  

 

Associate Dean: Linda Frontiero

Director, Nursing Resource Center and Clinical Placements: Shawna Farnsworth

Faculty

Associate Professor: Joanne Carlson, Chairperson

Professors: Anne M. DeFelippo, Robin Leger

Associate Professors: Margaret Ackerman, Mercy Bashir, Kathleen K. Adee, Nancy W. Ebersole, Marion Frost, Carol Gawrys, Cheryl Williams

 Instructors: Jennifer Limongiello, Sheila Perrault, Efi Polisson-Wilkins, Amy Wachsmuth


Faculty Emeriti

Professors: Susan E. Anderson, Maureen Arakelian, Charlene A Campbell, Ellen Eaton, Joanne H. Evans, Mary E. Farrell, Joy B.J. Garland, Marie Jensen, Janice King, Mary Ann P. McGovern, Maureen J. McRae, Barbara A. Poremba, Leah Sak, Kathleen L. Skrabut, Joanne M. Turco, Beverly A. White

Associate Professors: Clara W. Boyle, Paula Burnett, Dale K. DeFort, Barbara D. Heggestad, Marie J. Kelleher, Martha A. Lombard, Maureen McMullen, Caroline S. Stone, Ruth T. Sweeney, Mary June Walmsley

Assistant Professor: Jeanne E. McCarthy

 

Programs Offered

Bachelor of Science in Nursing 
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, RN to BSN  
Bachelor of Science Nursing, LPN to BSN  
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Accelerated Second Bachelor Degree  

 

Image of nursing students in clinical setting with patient

The Nursing Major (BSN)

 

The baccalaureate program in nursing prepares graduates for entry level professional nursing practice. The sciences, arts, humanities, and foundations of the profession are all integral parts of the curriculum.

Graduates are well-prepared for advanced study in graduate level courses. The BSN degree and the LPN to BSN degree require 120 credits, with 55 credits earned in nursing.  

Following the successful completion of NUR 200, the LPN student moves to full-time day status starting in the first semester of junior year.

The RN to BSN post-licensure program requires 120 credits, with 65 credits in nursing. Applicants are awarded 35 advanced placement credits upon the receipt of an unencumbered RN license.

The Accelerated Second Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a 16-month full-time program. The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing (ABSN) program is designed for those who have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing discipline and wish to pursue a career in nursing. The program is designed as a cohort model with a new cohort beginning each May. Students must complete required prerequisite courses to be eligible to apply.

The faculty is committed to integrating classroom knowledge with diverse clinical experiences. Students provide nursing care and develop leadership skills in acute, chronic and long-term care settings as well as in the local community health agencies. All prelicensure nursing students begin their clinical preparation in the nursing skills lab, and students build upon these skills in an on-campus simulation laboratory and externally in clinical agencies.

The Mission of the Salem State University School of Nursing is to educate students to become professional nurse leaders in practice, scholarship, and service. Grounded in patient-centered quality care, the program fosters a spirit of inquiry based upon ethical principles to lead in a diverse and dynamic global environment.

At the completion of the undergraduate nursing program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate cultural competency in the provision of patient centered care to individuals, families and populations in diverse environments.

2. Develop an evolving professional identity grounded in honesty, integrity, respect, accountability.

3. Evaluate and integrate evidence into the delivery of safe and effective nursing care.

4. Apply principles of ethical, legal, regulatory, and clinical reasoning in professional nursing practice.

5. Measure and evaluate healthcare systems and patient outcomes to promote continuous quality improvement.

6. Communicate and collaborate within nursing and inter-professional teams to foster shared decision making and improve outcomes.

7. Manage information and technology to minimize errors, promote safety, and support the delivery of high quality and cost-effective health care.

8. Lead within diverse care environments and influence health policy to improve healthcare outcomes and promote the reduction of health disparities.

Pre-licensure graduates who complete the program are eligible to take the national licensure examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Eligibility for the exam requires compliance with the “Good Moral Character” clause of the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 112, Section 74 (Board of Registration Policy (00-01). This includes evaluation by the Board of Registration in Nursing of all misdemeanor and felony convictions, and discipline by a licensure/certification body. Individuals convicted of certain crimes are permanently excluded from nurse licensure in Massachusetts. Applicants are advised to call the Board of Registration in Nursing at 617.973.0900 for further clarification.

The nursing program at Salem State University holds full accreditation from:

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
655 K Street, NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 887-6791

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program has full regulatory approval from:  

MA Board of Registration in Nursing
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
239 Causeway Street, Suite 200, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA  02114
(617) 727-9961
 

image of nursing student in clinical setting with patientSchool of Nursing Policies

Policies for nursing students are congruent with those of the governing organization, publicly accessible, non-discriminatory, and consistently applied; differences are justified by the student learning outcomes and program outcomes. Both Salem State University and the School of Nursing policies are publicly accessible, non-discriminatory, and consistently applied. All School of Nursing Undergraduate Policies may be found here: School of Nursing Policies .

 

Additional Requirements

Nursing students are expected to obtain and maintain health insurance while enrolled in the program. Additionally, students are required to purchase liability insurance. Liability insurance is purchased through the Salem State University for approximately $15.00 per year.

Prior to enrolling in any course with a clinical component, students must purchase certain required items such as a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. The approximate cost is $100.00 dollars. Prelicensure nursing students are responsible for securing their own transportation to clinical sites beginning in the second semester of sophomore year for the generic undergraduate program and in May of each year for the accelerated BSN program. Uniforms must be worn in the clinical area and are purchased by students through the Salem State University bookstore

Throughout the program, students are required to take ATI® (Assessment Technologies Institute) standardized tests. During the final semester students must take the ATI comprehensive predictor examinations as well as attend an onsite intensive ATI review course in preparation for the NCLEX-RN examination for licensure. Students are assessed an additional nursing resource center fee while enrolled in the undergraduate nursing program. The fee covers both ATI testing and laboratory supplies.

Please see the School of Nursing Undergraduate Handbook for more detailed information related to additional program requirements, including clinical placement requirements of cooperating agencies, and resources for students: School of Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook