College of Nursing
Goals
The College of Nursing is committed to the formation of professional nurses who assume leadership for providing quality health care, integrate evidence and ethics for sound decision making, and collaborate inter-professionally for advocacy of patients, families and communities in a contemporary health care environment. NU’s RN-BS Completion Program builds upon the nurse’s foundation of knowledge acquired in the associate degree entry level program and professional experiences. The Pre-Licensure (accelerated and four-year) programs provide the foundation of professional nursing knowledge and clinical reasoning experiences to enable students to enter the profession of nursing with the necessary education to deliver comprehensive quality health care expected of a baccalaureate prepared nurse.
Mission
The mission of Niagara University's College of Nursing is to deliver quality nursing education that prepares individuals to provide socially just care through innovative instruction, research, practice, and service.
Program
The courses in Niagara University’s Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing are focused upon nursing science, and are organized sequentially in clinical and professional tracks. A bachelor’s degree in nursing at Niagara University combines liberal arts and sciences with courses in the major.
R.N. to B.S. Program
Niagara University policies for admission as a transfer student apply to the BS Completion program. In addition, a minimum GPA of 2.5 from the associate degree program is required. Transcripts from all prior programs are used to determine transfer credits. Progression through the program is dependent upon successful completion of the required courses, with a grade of C+ or better in the major courses.
Pre-Licensure Program — (Four-Year and Accelerated) Nursing
Accelerated Admission Criteria
- 3.0 Minimum Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) from prior degree (BS/BA).
- Two letters of reference
- Seven prerequisite courses must be completed with a C+ grade or higher prior to starting the accelerated program and include:
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II; w/ lab (2 semesters)
- Microbiology (with lab)
- Developmental Psychology
- Chemistry
- Statistics
- Pathophysiology
Four Year Admission Criteria
- Three years of regents science in high school or equivalent
- Overall average of 90 percent or better in high school
- 1000 minimum for the overall SAT scores or ACT score of 24 or higher
- Personal essay
Courses
Multidimensionality of professional nursing is explored. Personal vision, values, philosophy, and goals are examined. Contemporary issues are related to scope of practice, standards of care, and legal and ethical guidelines. King's Theory of Goal Attainment exemplifies theory based practice. Other health related theories are compared to build a personal framework for practice. Evidence based practice is introduced. (formerly NUR 376)
This 1st level course introduces students to beginning generalist nursing practice. Concepts and skills basic to nursing will be integrated using traditional classroom and skills laboratory methods. A theoretical component will include scope of practice, communication, decision making, and nursing process. Generic nursing intervention skills that support planning, managing, and delivering patient care will include assessment of patients in their environment, safety and asepsis, comfort and hygiene, activities of daily living, and supportive care for mobility, respiration, nutrition, elimination, and other body functions. (Formerly NUR 350)
Companion lab for Nursing Concepts I (formerly NUR 350L)
Knowledge and skills are developed to perform and document a comprehensive health examination (physical, psychosocial, and spiritual) of a child and an adult, including unique assessment of elderly adults, using contemporary technological assessment tools. The student will identify health needs of individuals for promotion, risk reduction, and nursing intervention. (formerly NUR 354)
Companion Lab for NUR 200 Health Assessment & Promotion (formerly NRS 354L)
This online course is designed to correlate basic knowledge of normal physiology with dysfunctional body mechanisms. Students will gain understanding of disease processes through the study of causative mechanisms, and the signs and symptoms which reflect disease processed and disturbances in homeostasis at the cellular, tissue, and major organ level. (formerly NUR 315)
This course provides an overall view of drugs used for treatment of clinical disorders of patients at all levels of the age continuum. Pertinent information about specific drug classifications, dosage, interactions, and nursing implications will be discussed. This course will cover essential content pertinent to the role of the nurse in safe pharmacological treatment of patients. (formerly NUR 356)
Nursing science and knowledge related to the developing family, including child bearing, labor and delivery, and post-partum health and deviations will be addressed. Acute and chronic health problems of children and adolescents will be integrated with developmental needs, as related to nursing practice. Gynecological health and respective nursing practice will also be incorporated.
This clinical based course combines theoretical knowledge gained in NUR 352 and 466 with clinical practice. The student will apply principles of nursing science and evidence based care in the specialty areas of obstetrical, gynecological, and pediatric nursing. Inter-professional collaboration in planning and implementing care will be addressed. The role of nurse as advocate and educator in support of the family system will be addressed.
Epidemiological concepts are applied to health of populations. Role of nurse in planning, delivering, and evaluating programs to communities is addressed. The trans-theoretical model of stages of readiness to change is contrasted with King's Interactive system theory. Public health mandates and research-based nursing interventions are applied to population based health.
In this second level course, deviations from health are contrasted with healthy states of individuals. The influence of genetics and the bio-psycho-social and spiritual components of health and related threats are discussed. Therapeutic interventions, both immediate and long term are discussed, and the role of the professional nurse examined. Therapeutic, diagnostics, and nutritional interventions for collaborative care are included.
This lab course addresses skill-based competencies that are evidence based and associated with the theoretical course, NUR 372. This course will introduce skill-based competencies, grounded in evidence to inform practice. The lab skills are specific to the health needs and health deviations of individuals. The clinical skills introduced in this course include: . Parenteral Medication Administration . Medication Reconstitution . Oxygen Therapy . Intravenous infusions, both Primary and Secondary . Advanced Wound Care . Insertion of Nasogastric Tubes and Tube Feedings . Colostomy/Ileostomy Care . Bladder Catheterization and Catheter Care . Tracheostomy Care & Suctioning
In this clinical course, the student applies principles of nursing care management, knowledge, and skills associated with the delivery of professional nursing care appropriate to patient health needs that is based on mutual goal setting with patients, inter-professional collaboration with colleagues and research based evidence in health care delivery settings.
This course focuses on nursing science and knowledge applicable to the client with psychiatric mental health disorders. The course will focus on the role of the professional nurse in various psychiatric treatment settings as well as current treatment modalities. The client population includes children, adolescents, and adults. The course will also include an experiential learning experience to provide the student with an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to clinical practice.
Emphasis is on accessing, analyzing, and critiquing research in scientific literature to determine implications for practice. The scientific process to conduct research is examined. Ethical considerations are discussed. The professional nurse's role in identifying potential research problems, participating in research, evaluating its content, and synthesizing findings for evidence-based practice is examined.
This course focuses on nursing science and knowledge applicable to persons with imbalances of health in complex conditions. Bio/psycho/social threats and genetic implications in relation to complex health imbalances will be examined. Unique aspects of age and developmentally appropriate communication, therapeutics, and nutritional interventions will be related to specific complex health imbalances. Nursing implications will be discussed.
This lab course addresses skill-based competencies that are evidence based and associated with the theoretical course, NUR 460. Skills are related to nursing care of persons with imbalances of health in complex conditions. The lab will prepare students for complex clinical skills. The clinical skills introduced in this course include: . Care and Maintenance of Central Venous Catheters/PICC lines . Total Parenteral Nutrition Administration . Administration of Blood/Blood Products . Venipuncture & Initiation of an Intravenous Catheter . Cardiac Monitoring/Code Cart Orientation . Care of Chest Drainage Systems/Chest Tubes
This clinical course combines knowledge gained in NUR 460 with clinical practice in the care of the maturing individual and family. Contemporary evidence based nursing interventions are used to design and deliver patient focused care to persons with imbalances of health due to complex conditions. Skill in providing developmentally appropriate communication, therapeutics, pharmacological, and nutritional nursing interventions will be a major focus.
This upper level clinical course combines theoretical knowledge gained in NUR 355 with clinical care of the community. The student utilizes the nursing process, research findings, and multi-disciplinary collaboration for health promotion, restoration, and maintenance of health of populations. The role of the nurse in community and public health is emphasized.
This course focuses upon knowledge and skills to apply nursing science and process to families across the life span. Emphasis is on family as a social system and includes mental health and psychological concerns. The nurse assumes role of advocate, collaborator, case manager and change partner to maintain health, treat deficiencies, facilitate restoration, support end of life.
This online course familiarizes the nurse with terminology, standards, and rationale for health system information technology. Computer systems to access, enter, and manage information are demonstrated. Students employ search and retrieval of scientific literature to support evidence-based practice. Ethics regarding privacy, information storing, sharing, and security are discussed.
System thinking is applied to health care. The role of mission and vision in creating a values-driven organizational culture is discussed. Strategic planning, corporate ethics, leadership styles, and theories of change are related to health systems. Trends in public policy are applied to health care, and interdisciplinary relationships are described.
Principles of leadership, administration, and management are explored in relation to nursing practice and health care delivery. Styles of leadership, dynamics of administration, and tools of management are examined and applied to the unique business and service of the health care industry and nursing.
The focus of this seminar is to integrate and apply knowledge, skills, and understanding of complex concepts required for transition into professional nursing. Case based scenarios and analysis of NCLEX concepts and strategies will prepare the student for successful transition into practice.
This capstone course provides experiences to synthesize and apply baccalaureate nursing knowledge and skills in the professional nurse role. A concentrated clinical will be coordinated with a prepared clinical agency preceptor and the student in selected areas of nursing. Experiences that enhance the newly defined professional role are emphasized.