Nursing

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Program Overview:  

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Pre-Licensure Program.  The BSN Program is designed as a four-year residential cohort model with direct-entry for qualified incoming freshmen students.  The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Saint Mary’s received approval by the Minnesota Board of Nursing for its Bachelor of Science in Nursing program on June 3, 2021.  Board approval of the program is required for graduates to be eligible for professional nursing licensure as a registered nurse in Minnesota.

Through the Licensure by Examination process, BSN graduates who pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) obtain an unrestricted RN license. The NCLEX-RN is a national exam administered by individual states and jurisdictions throughout the United States and its territories and Canada. Each individual governing body issues authorization to test based on specific requirements which
allows a student to take the NCLEX-RN.

Mission   

Enriched by the Lasallian Catholic heritage, the mission of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is to prepare compassionate, competent, and professional nurses through a transformative and holistic curriculum.  

Vision    

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program prepares professional nurses committed to respect for inherent human dignity, empathy, compassion, social justice, lifelong personal formation, and ethical practice.  Saint Mary’s nurses will protect from harm, promote optimal healing, and advocate for a peaceful end of life while meeting the evolving healthcare needs of an increasingly diverse society.   

Philosophy    

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota delivers a transformative, holistic curriculum that prepares professional nurses to competently and compassionately practice within a complex and evolving health care system while embracing lifelong learning, reflective practice, and personal growth. The BSN program at Saint Mary’s is influenced by the Careful Nursing Philosophy and Professional Practice Model©.  In the Lasallian Catholic tradition, students learn to practice care for self and others, as part of a cohort community that focuses on the nature and inherent dignity of every person.  We believe our purpose is to prepare nurses who are leaders in the transformation of healthcare, actively promoting health and well-being for diverse individuals, families, and communities, locally, nationally, and globally.  

Program Learning Outcomes 

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to: 

• Program Outcome 1: Integrate liberal arts foundation rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition with the fundamental knowledge base necessary to practice as a professional nurse.  (Domain 1:  Knowledge for Nursing Practice) 

• Program Outcome 2: Demonstrate providing holistic care focused on the bodily and spiritual reality of a person rooted in seeing each person as created in God’s image and likeness and existing in a community.  (Domain 2: PersonCentered Care) 

• Program Outcome 3: Participate in community health assessment, advocacy, and planning to influence equitable population health outcomes by integrating principles of Catholic social teaching.  (Domain 3: Population Health) 

• Program Outcome 4: Engage in professional nursing scholarly inquiry that supports the integration of the best evidence into clinical practice.   (Domain 4: Scholarship for the Nursing Discipline) 

• Program Outcome 5:  Enhance quality and minimize risk of harm to patients and healthcare workers through attention to safety in environment, practices, and processes on an individual and system wide level. (Domain 5: Quality and Safety) 

• Program Outcome 6: Demonstrate professional nursing knowledge, skills, and perspective as a member of an interprofessional team communicating, collaborating, and coordinating to meet healthcare goals. (Domain 6: Interprofessional Partnerships) 

• Program Outcome 7: Apply knowledge of systems-based practice structures, organizations, and policy to evaluate metrics and mission to deliver care that is equitable, economical, and efficient. (Domain 7: Systems-Based Practice) 

• Program Outcome 8: Evaluate critical elements necessary to the selection and professional use of healthcare technology and informatics. (Domain 8: Informatics and Healthcare Technologies) 

• Program Outcome 9: Integrate Lasallian Catholic values as an emerging nursing professional exhibiting virtuous character, ethical leadership, and lifelong learning. (Domain 9:  Professionalism & Domain 10:  Personal, Professional, & Leadership Development) 

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