Nursing, B.S.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree completion program is designed for registered nurses looking to advance their professional role in today’s diverse healthcare field. This program expands the student’s current knowledge and experience with a strong emphasis on the science of nursing. Courses are designed to develop critical thinking, evidence-based nursing practices, and integrative scientific thought combined with an ethical patient-centered approach to nursing in diverse communities.  The Baccalaureate Degree Program in Nursing at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington DC 20036, (202) 887-6791.

Mission

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree completion program provides a quality, relevant, and rigorous nursing education based on Lasallian principles to prepare Registered Nurses for professional nursing practice and graduate study.

Program Goals

Core values upheld by all members of this community include academic excellence, professionalism and personal integrity, responsibility, and compassion.  A shared sense of responsibility exists between the faculty and the student to reach the goal of becoming a baccalaureate-prepared Registered Nurse.

• Synthesize concepts from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences into professional practice.
• Advance critical thinking skills.
• Communicate effectively.
• Demonstrate professionalism.
• Continue to learn throughout their careers.

Program Faculty Outcomes

The B.S. in Nursing faculty outcomes articulate teaching and professional/scholarly/service requirements aligned with the university and program missions.

Nursing faculty members are expected to do the following:

• Encourage diversity of thought and experience in teaching.
• Demonstrate current knowledge in the subject area taught.
• Develop effective teaching plans and assessments and updated and innovative classroom experiences.
• Maintain an area of expertise through continuing education, community service, and/or research production.
• Participate in program faculty meetings and faculty development workshops.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Apply concepts from federal, state, and institutional healthcare policy and regulatory systems to ensure the advancement of safe patient care and professional practice. (CCNE Essential IV)
2. Apply scientific and outcome based evidence to nursing practice. (CCNE Essential III)
3. Incorporate the concepts from the sciences of information management and patient care technology to improve the quality of patient care. (CCNE Essential IV)
4. Utilize critical thinking to integrate quality assurance, resource allocation, and financial management policies into professional nursing practice. (CCNE Essential II)
5. Apply principles of health promotion and wellness to diverse individuals, groups, and communities as identified through community health assessment techniques. (CCNE Essential VII)
6. Integrate professional values including integrity, autonomy, human dignity, and social justice into all aspects of professional nursing practice. (CCNE Essential VIII)
7. Collaborate and communicate, using a variety of modalities, with patients, families, and interdisciplinary team members to optimize healthcare system efficiency and patient wellness. (CCNE Essential VI)
8. Apply nursing process, knowledge, and skills to changes in population demographics, healthcare economics, and service across the lifespan and healthcare continuum. (CCNE Essential IX)