Nursing (BSN)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Major: Nursing
Total Hours: 120
Undergraduate pre-licensure nursing students meet course requirements through didactic courses, laboratory and simulation activities, and clinical experience in healthcare facilities under the supervision of university faculty. Licensed Registered Nurses (RNs) in the articulation tracks and graduate program meets course requirements through didactic courses, laboratory activities, practicum and projects.
Pre-licensure graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses® (NCLEX-RN®) in order to obtain a license to practice as a Registered Nurse. Graduates are required to meet criteria established by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) in order to take the NCLEX-RN® examination.
Program Goals and Outcomes
- Goal: Provide excellent learning opportunities to prepare graduates to meet national standards for entry into practice as competent, professional registered nurses.
Outcome:
Performance on Licensure Exam: 88% or more of the pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates will pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first attempt. - Goal: Provide relevant education and resources for students to graduate in a timely manner.
Outcomes:
Program Completion (100%): 40% or more of the students entering the BSN program will earn the BSN degree within 100% of the time of the published program length
Program Completion (150%): 70% or more of the students entering the BSN program will earn the BSN degree within 150% of the time of the published program length. - Goal: Prepare graduates to function in role-related nursing employment.
Outcome:
Job Placement: 90% or more of BSN graduates contacted report employment in nursing 9-12 months post-graduation.
BSN End of Program Student Learning Outcomes
- Practices safe, compassionate, and effective holistic/multidimensional patient-centered care to diverse patients/clients* in multiple settings from a global perspective by incorporating theories and evidence-based findings.
- Supports patients/clients in preventing disease, maintaining wellness, promoting and restoring health and advocating for death with dignity.
- Evaluates patient-centered care for patients/clients across the lifespan based on common and complex health needs and compromised multiple health states when considering multiple determinants of health.
- Synthesizes clinical reasoning and judgment in nursing practice utilizing critical thinking, nursing process, informatics, research, and evidence-based findings.
- Employs safe, effective, compassionate patient-centered care in collaboration with patients/clients and members of the interprofessional and intraprofessional healthcare team.
- Differentiates multiple role dimensions and practices within ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks when caring for diverse patients/clients as a member of the interprofessional and intraprofessional healthcare team.
- Demonstrates professional integrity, effective communication, active inquiry and service to the community.
Students seeking admission to the pre-licensure baccalaureate (BSN) nursing program must apply for admission to the nursing program. Admission to the nursing program is very competitive. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in pre-requisite courses and in required science courses, and be in good standing in the university with an overall career GPA of no less than 2.0.
Students not enrolled at Lamar University must submit two separate applications: one for admission to Lamar (ApplyTexas), and a separate application for admission to the nursing program (obtained from the Forms page of the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing website).
Applications for admission to the nursing programs must be received by February 15 for fall semester admission and September 1 for spring semester admission (if the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the due date will be the next business day). The following items must be submitted in addition to the application:
- Receipt for payment of application fee (payment made online)
- Unofficial transcripts from Lamar University, if attended
- Official transcripts from all other colleges and universities previously attended
- Pre-admission test scores (HESI™ A2)
Applicants are encouraged to follow application instructions carefully to ensure processing by the Admissions Committee. Students are responsible for assuring that their applications are complete; incomplete applications will not be considered. Admission is limited by available space.
All core and pre-requisite courses, with the exception of Political Science, must be completed prior to entering the BSN program.
An official transcript evaluation by Lamar University is required for all transfer credits. Transfer credits that are not equivalent to Lamar credits must be evaluated on an individual basis by the appropriate department chair. Technical credits will not be accepted by the Dishman School of Nursing. Students should monitor Degree Audit and contact their pre-nursing advisor regarding course equivalency questions.
Applications for admission to the pre-licensure BSN program are evaluated competitively. To be considered for admission to the BSN program, the following is required:
- Admission to Lamar University (See Undergraduate Admissions section of this catalog.)
- Completion of all pre-requisite courses and science courses with a minimum grade of "C".
- Minimum 2.5 GPA in pre-requisite courses and a minimum science GPA of 2.5.
- Overall academic career GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Have a minimum grade of "C" in Nursing Pathophysiology from an accredited university that was earned no more than 3 years prior to admission. Students will be allowed a maximum of three attempts to pass Nursing Pathophysiology within a 3-year period prior to admission. Course equivalency must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Nursing Studies.
- To be considered eligible to apply for admission to the School of Nursing, students may have no more than 6 unsuccessful prerequisite course attempts. An unsuccessful course attempt is defined as not meeting the minimum required grade “C” or “D” as required by the nursing program. Failure in courses not required by the nursing program do not count toward this eligibility criteria.
- Pre-admission exam scores (HESI™ A2). A minimum score of 79 is required on the Reading Comprehension section of the admission exam (Contact the Nursing Information Center for information). The HESI™ A2 scores must be less than two years old from entrance to the program.
As part of the admission process, students are required to complete a criminal background screening and drug screening. Students admitted to the nursing program are required to obtain cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification, submit proof of immunizations and other health essentials requirements, and obtain liability insurance. Details about these additional requirements will be provided to students upon admission to the nursing program.
Students accepting admission into the pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing program (BSN) must meet the Standards for Nursing Students. The Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) requires students to report significant mental health diagnoses and treatment to TBON, as well as any involvement in criminal activities, including convictions.
Curriculum
The Dishman School of Nursing admits students twice a year - in the fall and spring semesters. The degree plan progression may vary per entrance semester.
For progression in the program, a minimum grade of "C" must be earned in all nursing courses, and an overall academic GPA of 2.0 must be maintained in all coursework.
The grading scale for nursing didactic and lab courses is as follows:
- A= 100-90 Excellent
- B = 89-80 Good
- C = 79-75 Satisfactory
- D = 74-60 Failure
- F = 59-0 Failure
The grading scale for nursing practicum courses is as follows:
- S = Satisfactory (Pass)
- U = Unsatisfactory (Fail)
Students are required to earn a passing grade in each nursing course while following the sequence identified in the program of study. A BSN student who earns a “D” or “F” in one nursing course must submit a readmission application for approval to continue in the program. Re-admission to the program is not guaranteed and is based on space availability.
If re-admitted, the BSN student must repeat all designated co-requisite courses. BSN students may be readmitted only one time. Failing two nursing courses results in program failure and the student will be ineligible for readmission for four years.
See the Baccalaureate Nursing Student Handbook for specific policies. The handbook is available on the School of Nursing website.
Students seeking to transfer from another nursing program are admitted on a space-available basis. Students who have been unsuccessful ("D" or lower) in one or more nursing course(s) at another nursing program are not eligible for transfer.
Additional costs above tuition and fees are involved in nursing programs. Uniforms, equipment, instruments, liability insurance, health examinations, immunization costs, CPR certification, special testing fees, course packet fees, additional laboratory/clinical fees and transportation to clinical facilities are the student's responsibility. Financial aid is available for eligible students (see the Financial Aid and Awards section of this catalog).
Liability insurance, CPR certification, health examinations and immunizations must be renewed each year of the nursing program. Students may be assigned to clinical experiences during the day, evening, night or weekend hours. Clinical agencies may require additional health examinations, dress codes or conformity with other policies. Students will be informed in advance of such requirements.
Eligibility for Graduation: The courses of the final semester of the program constitute the capstone experience. The School of Nursing requires that all other course requirements are completed prior to entry into the final capstone semester. Further explanation is provided in the Baccalaureate Nursing Student Handbook.