The requirement for specialized nursing staff in the U.S.
has never been higher than present. There are presently more than 2 million
Authorized Nurses in the nation currently and that amount is predicted to
increase by 30 percent in the following five years. This clearly indicates that
if you are considering of a profession in nursing and healthcare, you are
guaranteed of better career prospects and plenty of pay rewards as well.
The route to a prosperous nursing job career is set in
the right schooling choices. All U.S. states demand an accredited and approved
nursing diploma or degree and most colleges and universities customize their
courses to get their students ready for the NLE (National Licensing Exam). This
exam will enable you to practice nursing career in one or several states and
give you the versatility and chance for job growth.
The curriculum designed for nursing and health
professions majors at the University of San Francisco is based on a conceptual
framework and reflects the philosophy that a professional nurse needs a liberal
background for professional development and personal growth. The program
prepares men and women for beginning positions in nursing, provides the means
for personal and professional advancement, and qualifies them for progression
into programs that offer advanced degrees.
The curriculum combines a foundation in general education
and sciences with theory, practice and clinical laboratory experiences. Helping
students to learn to think critically, communicate effectively, and provide
therapeutic intervention are the goals that underlay the entire nursing
program. Through hands-on use of health related equipment in the Learning
Resource Center and Simulation Lab Center, students learn to strengthen their
clinical skills, evaluation techniques and priority setting: all essential
elements of professional nursing practice.
Nursing and Health Professions course work starts during
freshman year and clinical experiences linked to didactic courses start in the
sophomore semester.
The BSN curriculum requires that students become more
active learners. It will also prepare graduates for professional practice in
the community as the number of community based opportunities increase.
The ADN program- This program prepares graduate students
to sit for the National Council of Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses
(NCLEX). Those who successfully pass the NCLEX are entitled to submit an
application for license to practice as an authorized nurse in any of the 50
U.S. states. A lot of universities also provide this course as a quicker degree
in order that you can proceed on to the next stage of qualification earlier.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) - To be
eligible for a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, students need to have a valid
Authorized Nurse permit. Bachelor degrees targets to educate RNs in the growing
field of health-related career and broadening their education. With a graduate
degree in Nursing, you will be geared up to apply for private practices,
employment roles in hospitals, patient care facilities and community health
care centers.
Master of Science Degree in Nursing(MSN) - If you want to
proceed to the more challenging and demanding opportunities in the medical care
field, a Masters degree in Nursing will help. Most Master's degrees are
designed to polish skills and educate nurses in specific career fields and
sophisticated concepts. Administration, Management and leadership jobs are attainable
after finishing with a Masters degree. As technology evolves and universities
face volume shortages in regard to the demand for nursing programs, many
schools and educational institutions provide their nursing degree programs
online and on-campus as well.
Education for the practice of professional nursing
demands a substantial knowledge of nursing, drawing from foundation knowledge
of the behavioral and biological sciences. Three components comprise the
baccalaureate curriculum: liberal arts education, nursing practice, and
electives.
The liberal arts education component includes courses in
the sciences, humanities, social sciences and social studies. The majority of
these requirements are met in the first two years and are completed either at one
of our partner schools or at another college or university.
The nursing component includes lectures, laboratory, and
clinical courses concentrated in the last four semesters of the program. The
nursing courses include coursework relevant to professional practice, delivery
of nursing care, systems for care delivery, and leadership skill development
appropriate to current dynamic and diverse health care settings. Clinical
courses, offered in both hospital settings and the community, provide students
with the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to practice.
Clinical Education
Students are prepared for the professional practice of
nursing in a variety of settings such as hospitals, home care agencies, and
community-based health care facilities. In addition to clinical laboratories
which are located on campus, we maintain contracts with over 100 institutions
in the greater Bay Area for our clinical rotations, which provide students with
a broad and diverse exposure to nursing, multicultural health practices, and
state-of-the-art research. Close supervision of students is maintained, usually
with a maximum of 8 or 9 students in a clinical group - based on agency
regulations and professional standards.
During the last term of the program students are assigned
a clinical nurse preceptor, with whom they work on a 1:1 basis. Clinical
preceptors are carefully selected for their experience in the clinical
management of patients and for their teaching excellence. The preceptors work
closely with the program to ensure that students achieve their clinical
objectives and course requirements. Clinical rotations take place in a variety
of settings to meet the learning needs of students.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (2+2 Option) Degree
Requirements
The 2+2 Pre-Nursing program is offered in cooperation
with Holy Names University, Oakland, Mills College, Oakland, and Saint Mary's
College of California, Moraga. This new program allows students multiple
options to secure the liberal learning and science courses required as the
foundation for professional nursing education. Admission to the Samuel Merritt
University BSN program (2+2 option) is dependent upon successful completion of
the previous course work with a "B" average (3.0 GPA) or better, the
attainment of a score at or above the national average on the Nurse Entrance
Test (NET), and successfully completing a criminal background check.
Prospective students should consult the catalogs of these respective colleges
for admission requirements and courses to be taken.
