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The School of Nursing offers an undergraduate major leading to the BS degree. There are 120 credits required for graduation, of which 54 are in the Nursing major.
Prerequisites for Admission
Admission to the Traditional BS program requires a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all courses that satisfy Edgewood College degree requirements and a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all required math and science courses. Required science course must have been taken within 5 years of admission to the first nursing course for credit in the nursing major unless it was part of a degree earned within the past 5 years. Required math course must have been taken within 8 years of admission to the first nursing course for credit in the nursing major unless it was part of a degree earned within the past 8 years. A grade of “C” or better is necessary in each required science and math course.
Students are admitted to the Traditional BS program in both Fall and Spring semesters. Students anticipating admission to the Traditional BS program for the Spring semester must complete their application between August 25 and October 1. Students anticipating admission to the Traditional BS program for the Fall semester must complete their application between November 15 and February 1. Candidates for admission are required to submit applications through the Nursing Centralized Application Services (NursingCAS) at http://nursingcas.org/. Students must submit all official transcripts and reference information to NursingCAS directly.
Applicants must have either completed or be in the process of completing at least 45 college credits in the semester they apply to the Traditional BS program.
These 45 credits must include the following courses (or their transfer equivalent):
Students who possess a baccalaureate degree in another field from a regionally-accredited institution are considered to have fulfilled all of Edgewood College’s General Education requirements, except religious studies, COR 2, and COR 3. Post-baccalaureate students entering the Traditional BS program must meet all of the School of Nursing requirements for support courses in the major.
For students transferring into nursing, BIO 155 is not a prerequisite for admission into the program if Anatomy and Physiology I, Anatomy and Physiology II, and Microbiology have been successfully completed and approved for transfer. Students who have met those specified requirements should contact their advisor to request a special arrangement waiver.
Policies for Admission
Students apply for full admission to the School of Nursing’s Traditional BS program following the completion of certain prerequisite courses. Admission to the College does not imply or guarantee admission to the Traditional BS program.
The Nursing Admission Committee will review student records after applications are received. The Committee will admit the most qualified students based on cumulative GPA, science/math GPA, previous academic records, personal written statement, and credits completed at Edgewood College.
Students may be disqualified from entering the Traditional BS program if their cumulative or science/math GPA drops below the required minimum in the semester before admission.
All students who are admitted to the Traditional BS program must have successfully completed a certified nursing assistant (CNA) course, passed the certification examination, and hold a current CNA license in order to begin nursing courses. Students must also hold CPR/AED certification, first aid certification, complete a Certified Background Check, and meet health requirements prior to beginning nursing courses.
Admission to the Traditional BS program is competitive; even students who meet the minimum requirements may not be admitted. Because of enrollment limits in the major, the School of Nursing may deny admission to qualified students.
Applicants who are not admitted may reapply in a subsequent semester or pursue a major in another field of study. Students who have applied in the past are not given special consideration and their records will be reviewed as a member of the current applicant pool.
Admission to the Traditional BS Program in Nursing for Students Admitted to Edgewood College as Freshmen
Students who are admitted as freshman nursing majors will be given priority for full admission to the Traditional BS program if they meet the following criteria:
- Maintain at least a 2.75 GPA in college courses
- Maintain at least a 2.75 GPA in required math and science courses. A minimum grade of “C” is required in all requisite Math and Science courses
- Complete Certified Nursing Assistant requirements
- Apply for full admission to the Traditional BS program the semester before they are eligible to begin nursing studies. Students are admitted to the Traditional BS program in both Fall and Spring semesters. Students anticipating admission to the Traditional BS program for the Spring semester must complete their application between August 25 and October 1. Students anticipating admission to the Traditional BS program for the Fall semester must complete their application between November 15 and February 1. Candidates for admission are required to submit applications through the Nursing Centralized Application Services (NursingCAS) at http://nursingcas.org/. Students must submit all official transcripts and reference information to NursingCAS directly.
Admission to the Traditional BS Program in Nursing for Students Admitted to Edgewood College as Transfer Students
Students apply for full admission to the Traditional BS program the semester before they intend to begin nursing studies. Students are admitted to the Traditional BS program in both Fall and Spring semesters. Students anticipating admission to the Traditional BS program for the Spring semester must complete their application between August 25 and October 1. Students anticipating admission to the Traditional BS program for the Fall semester must complete their application between November 15 and February 1. Candidates for admission are required to submit applications through the Nursing Centralized Application Services (NursingCAS) at http://nursingcas.org/. Students must submit all official college transcripts and reference information to NursingCAS directly. Admitted transfer students must submit high school transcripts to Edgewood College Admissions in order to register for courses.
Progression in the Traditional BS Program
In order to progress in the Traditional BS program, students must maintain an academic cumulative GPA of 2.5, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all nursing courses, and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in the required science and math courses. A grade of “C” or better is required in each nursing, math, and science course. A grade of “Pass” in each clinical course is required for progression into the next nursing course. If these requirements are not met, the student is not eligible to progress in the Traditional BS program.
Current CPR/AED certification, first aid certification, physical exam, and health data are required before entering any clinical course. A number of clinical agencies require drug screening as part of the routine health data requirement. COVID vaccination and boosters are required by all clinical agencies. Students are responsible for costs associated with obtaining necessary health data or testing. Students are responsible for their own transportation to clinical sites. See the Nursing Student Handbook for specific health requirements.
The School of Nursing and all clinical agencies under contract to the School require that every student and faculty member have a background check completed by the Criminal Justice Department of Wisconsin. Background Information Disclosure forms must be completed by students before entry into the Traditional BS program. Students are responsible for notifying the School of Nursing of any criminal charges or convictions that occur while they are progressing through the Traditional BS program. Students who have been convicted of certain types of offenses may not be able to participate in clinical placements and therefore will not be eligible to earn a degree in nursing. It is also possible that a student may not be eligible for licensure by the State of Wisconsin or another state licensing authority if certain types of criminal offenses are identified in the background check.
Random alcohol and drug checks may be done in clinical agencies at the discretion of the faculty members throughout the duration of a student’s clinical experiences.
Policies for Repeating Courses
In accordance with College policy, a student may choose to repeat a course taken at Edgewood College to improve a poor or failing grade. Most courses cannot be repeated for additional credit. If a course is repeated, the highest earned grade will be included in the GPA calculation. The credits for a course are earned only once, provided at least one of the attempts results in a passing grade. All repeated courses and their grades will appear on the transcript in the terms they were taken and repeated courses will be notes as “R” (Repeated).
In accordance with College policy, if a student repeats a course at Edgewood College that was previously accepted for credit at the time of transfer, the transferred credits are removed from the student’s record. The repeated course grade is used to compute the GPA for the Traditional BS program. A course required for the Traditional BS program may be repeated only once for GPA calculation in the nursing GPA.
Individuals may appeal to the School of Nursing any decisions affecting their progression in the Traditional BS program.
Assessment
The School of Nursing participates in an assessment process that compares Edgewood College nursing students with other nursing students across the country using a standardized exam. The computerized examinations, completed at regular intervals throughout the curriculum, provide benchmarks for student performance in critical thinking, nursing process, and therapeutic communication. The results are useful in preparing students to take the national licensing examination after graduation. An additional fee for the assessments is added to the tuition bill for each nursing theory course. Student abilities in meeting other program objectives are evaluated throughout the program of study.
Goals for the Nursing Major
Upon completion of the program, graduates will:
- Integrate the liberal arts into the practice of nursing.
- Apply skills in leadership, quality improvement, and patient safety to provide high quality health care in a systems environment.
- Translate current evidence into the practice of nursing.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills in information management and patient care technology.
- Integrate knowledge of health care policies, including financial and regulatory influences, on the health care system as they relate to quality care.
- Perform communication and collaboration skills consistent with professional standards when working in inter-professional settings to improve health services.
- Assimilate health promotion and disease prevention strategies at the individual and population level.
- Integrate professional standards or moral, ethical, and legal conduct in nursing practice.
- Formulate a personal professional practice model that addresses accountability, continuous professional engagement, and lifelong learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills in the care of patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across the continuum of health care environments.
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