Nursing: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Description

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is undergoing curricular revisions that require Ministry review and approval.

Admission information regarding the Health Foundation Certificate Program can be found online at kpu.ca/health/foundations

Students who successfully complete the HF program may, through a competitive declaration process, continue through the final three years of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. For further information, see kpu.ca/health/bscn  and kpu.ca/health/foundations

The program is recognized by the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) and is accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN).

The purpose of the program is to educate nurses to work with individuals, families, groups and communities from a health promotion perspective and with an ethic of caring.

The program will assist students to develop sensitivity to people's experiences with health and healing. Students will learn to work as partners with clients and with other health care providers. Through their understanding of and participation in the changing health care system, graduates will be active participants in creating health for all.

Students complete seven (7) academic semesters and two (2) consolidated nursing practice experiences over four years to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Graduates will be eligible to apply to write national examinations to obtain registration to practice as registered nurses in British Columbia.

The curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is based on the concepts of caring and health promotion and has been developed in consultation with nursing practitioners, theorists, professional associations, and various government ministries. The program includes non-nursing courses that complement nursing theory and practice. The curriculum considers the changing health care needs of our society. Caring is understood as the attitude and activity of nursing and is considered in every nursing course.

A health promotion perspective has been used to organize the curriculum. This shift in focus from illness to health represents a deliberative move away from a medical model to an understanding of nurses' work as focusing on people and their experiences with health and healing. Inherent in this orientation is the use of teaching methodologies that encourage the development of critical thinking and the discovery of personal meaning and personal power.

There is an emphasis on practice experiences as the foundation of nursing and the recognition that nurses' work requires thoughtful, reflective action as defined by the concept of praxis. To assist in actualizing the concept of praxis, nursing practice experiences have been integrated throughout the program of studies. The concept of praxis is used to guide students to critically reflect on their practice and on their application of nursing knowledge and clinical judgment within the practice setting.

Students who enrol in the program have access to an online student manual that provides information regarding program guidelines. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with University policies and Bachelor of Science in Nursing guidelines. The faculty are continually reviewing the program guidelines in order to offer the best program possible. Guidelines are updated on an annual basis. Therefore, the most current version of any guideline is the one that will apply to all students in that calendar year.

Nursing Practice Experiences

Nursing practice experiences are essential in the nursing program. Students will be directly involved with clients in their homes and in institutional and community settings in each semester. These experiences may involve evenings and weekends. Practice experiences occur throughout the Lower Mainland. Students are responsible for their own transportation and other expenses incurred as part of these experiences.

Some agencies may require students to take an Oath of Confidentiality, have an additional criminal record search, have required immunizations, or have a successful interview with their personnel prior to their agreement to accept the student. Failure to have documentation acceptable to the agency at the time of placement may result in denial of the experience, which in turn may prevent completion of the program of studies.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program will be prepared to function as team members in non-specialized/specialized acute care, intermediate and/or long term care hospitals, clinics, home care agencies, and community health agencies.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the Faculty's Admission Requirements, which consist of KPU's undergraduate English Proficiency Requirement, the following program admission requirements apply:

• English 12 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of B; or undergraduate equivalent with a minimum grade of C+; or ENGL 1100 level (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of C+
• Biology 12 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of B; or undergraduate equivalent with a minimum grade of C+
• Chemistry 11 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of B; or undergraduate equivalent with a minimum grade of C+
• Pre-calculus 11 or Foundations of Math 11 (or equivalent) with a minimum grade of B; or undergraduate equivalent with a minimum grade of C+

Once students have received a conditional offer of admission and before final admission to the program is granted, students must submit the following:

• Standard First Aid and Canadian CPR Level C courses that are current at the time of entering the program. CPR certification must be current throughout the program and may be required annually by some practice agencies. (All costs and associated updates are the responsibility of the student)
• An acceptable criminal record review issued by the BC Ministry of Justice, Criminal Records Review Program, completed within six months of enrolling in the program. The College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia requires a criminal record search prior to registration as a nurse and a criminal record search may also be a pre-practice requirement of some of the clinical agencies used during the program. (All costs related to this search are the responsibility of the student).
• Applicants who have lived outside of Canada as an adult are required to secure a Criminal Record Search with the Vulnerable Sector from their country of origin. Please contact the Office of Admissions for further direction on obtaining your criminal record check.
• An interview and/or letters of reference may be required
• Any other specified conditions of admission prior to the date specified in the offer of admission letter

Note: Immunization records are not required until placement in a clinical or practice course, and prior to registration. This will be enforced by the appropriate department prior to the time of registration.

Important Notice for Applicants

Students are encouraged to complete the non-nursing courses prior to admission or during the semester in which they are scheduled. The workload of the program makes it difficult to take these courses at any other time.

Please be advised that applications to this program will only be accepted from Canadian citizens and permanent residents / landed immigrants of Canada.

Selection of Qualified Applicants

Only students who meet all of the admission requirements as outlined above will be considered for admission. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee admission into the program; admissibility will be determined through an established process that identifies an equal number of high school applicants and transfer applicants to whom admission offers will be made.

High School Category

Applicants in the high school category will be selected using the highest cumulative percentages from the English, mathematics, chemistry and biology courses required for admission. One program seat will be reserved for a self-identified Aboriginal student with the highest cumulative percentage. Students currently attending high school will be offered conditional acceptance based on interim grades. Final grades must be equal to or greater than interim grades or acceptance may be withdrawn.

Transfer Category

Students who have a minimum of 24 eligible undergraduate post-secondary credits with a minimum GPA of 2.33 qualify under this category. Students with the highest CGPA from a recognized post-secondary institution will be selected for the number of available spaces.

Continuance Requirements

Students in the program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.33 with no grade lower than C in all required courses, including electives.

Curricular Requirements

Students are required to complete 141 credits of course requirements.

In accordance with the Indicators of Nursing Education Standards established by College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC), the maximum allowable time students enrolled in KPU's Bachelor of Science in Nursing program have to complete all program requirements for graduation is seven years.

Note: Students re-admitted to the program after an absence are not guaranteed equivalency of previous course-work. Course substitution will be considered only on a case-by-case basis.

Year 1

Semester 1: Personal Meaning of Health

All of:
	BIOL 1160	Anatomy and Physiology I	4 credits
	ENGL 1100	Introduction to University Writing (or any first year University transferable English course)	3 credits
	NRSG 1122	Professional Growth 1: Introduction to the Profession of Nursing	3 credits
	NRSG 1131	Self and Others 1: Self-Awareness and Interpersonal Communications	3 credits
	NRSG 1142	Nursing Practice 1	5 credits

Semester 2: Chronic Health Challenges

All of:
	BIOL 1260	Anatomy and Physiology II	4 credits
	ENGL 1202	Reading and Writing about Selected Topics: An Introduction to Literature (or any first year university transfer English course)	3 credits
	NRSG 1211	Health: Societal Perspectives, Health and Healing	3 credits
	NRSG 1243	Nursing Practice 2	11 credits

Year 2

Semester 3: Episodic Health Challenges

All of:
	NRSG 2112	Nursing Applications 1: Complex Episodic Health Challenges	2 credits
	NRSG 2142	Nursing Practice 3	12 credits
	NRSG 2160	Health Science 3: Pathophysiology 1	2 credits
	Elective		3 credits

Semester 4: Complex Episodic Health Challenges

All of:
	NRSG 2212	Nursing Applications 2: Complex Episodic Health Challenges	2 credits
	NRSG 2220	Professional Growth 2: The Nursing Profession	2 credits
	NRSG 2242	Nursing Practice 4	12 credits
	NRSG 2260	Health Science 4: Pathophysiology 2	2 credits

Year 3

Semester 5: Prevention

All of:
	NRSG 3130	Self and Others 2: Advanced Interpersonal Communications & Reflection on Practice	3 credits
	NRSG 3142	Nursing Practice 5: Mental Health	4 credits
	NRSG 3143	Nursing Practice 5: Child and Family Health	4 credits
	NRSG 3161	Health Sciences 5: Health Challenges for Children and Mental Health Issues Across the Lifespan	3 credits
	PHIL 3010	Health Care Ethics	3 credits

Semester 6: Health Promotion and Community Empowerment

All of:
	NRSG 3212	Health 2: Health Promotion and Community Empowerment	3 credits
	NRSG 3213	Public Health & Maternity Nursing Theory	3 credits
	NRSG 3242	Nursing Practice 6: Public Health	2 credits
	NRSG 3243	Nursing Practice 6: Maternal Child	3 credits
	NRSG 3244	Nursing Practice 6: Community Development	6 credits

Consolidated Nursing Practice Experiences (CPE) 1 occurs in the academic semester following Semester 6.

NRSG 3350

Consolidated Nursing Practice 1

4.5 credits

Year 4

Semester 7: Societal Health

All of:
	NRSG 4112	Health 4: Influencing Change	3 credits
	NRSG 4121	Professional Growth 3: Inquiry and Research Methods	3 credits
	NRSG 4122	Professional Growth 4: Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis	3 credits
	NRSG 4142	Nursing Practice 7: Change	6 credits
	Elective		3 credits

Semester 8: Transitions

All of:
	NRSG 4242	Consolidated Nursing Practice 2	8.5 credits

Credential Awarded

Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).