Nursing (A.A.S., B.S.N.)

The Marymount A.A.S. and B.S.N. Nursing programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC). The NLNAC is located at 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006 (212) 363-5555, ext. 153.

The Marymount Department of Nursing offers several approaches to the baccalaureate Nursing degree:

a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program. After successfully completing four years of coursework, the B.S.N. student takes state board examinations (NCLEX-RN) to work as a registered nurse.
an associate degree in Nursing (A.A.S.) program, in which students take state board examinations following successful completion of sophomore requirements. These students have the option of interrupting study to work as registered nurses after receiving the A.A.S. or continuing to the B.S.N. completion program after passing the state boards (NCLEX-RN).
accelerated A.A.S./B.S.N. programs for students with a previous bachelor's degree in another field.

Legal Limitations of Licensure

The practice of nursing is regulated by state laws. Questions concerning licensure in a specific state should be directed to that state's Board of Nursing. Applicants for nursing licensure in Virginia are required to notify the State Board of Nursing if they have:

been convicted of (or pled Nolo Contendere to) a violation of any federal or state law;
been hospitalized or received treatment for chemical dependence during the two years preceding application to complete the licensing examination; or n a mental or physical condition that could interfere with their ability to practice.

A.A.S. Requirements

The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing is a four- to five-semester program that offers an entry-level degree in Nursing to those who do not have a previous college degree. Admission to this program is competitive. To be eligible to be reviewed for admission to the A.A.S. Nursing program, students must achieve a competitive score on the ATI Preadmission Examination.

Liberal Arts Core requirements: EN 101-102 Composition I & II, 3 credits of Mathematics numbered above 100, BIO 161-162 Anatomy and Physiology I & II, SOC 100 Introduction to the Social Sciences or SOC 131 Principles of Sociology, PSY 101 General Psychology, 3 credits each from EN and PH or RST/TH. A grade of C or better is required in BIO 161 and BIO 162. See Liberal Arts Core for more details.

Major requirements: BIO 260 Microbiology, NU 110 Introduction to Professional Nursing, NU 111 Medical/Surgical Nursing I, NU 113 Health Assessment and Nursing Clinical Skills I, NU 112 Medical/Surgical Nursing II, NU 114 Health Assessment and Nursing Clinical Skills II, NU 221 Maternal Newborn Nursing, NU 220 Nursing Care of Children, NU 222 Medical/Surgical Nursing III, and NU 223 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. A grade of C or better is required in BIO 260. A grade of C+ or better is required in all Nursing courses.

B.S.N. Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program prepares students to practice as professional nurses. A GPA of 2.5 or better or permission of the chair is required prior to registering for the first Nursing course.

Liberal Arts Core requirements: EN 101-102 Composition I & II, 15 credits of Humanities (PH ethics course is required), MA 132 Statistics, BIO 161-162 Anatomy and Physiology I & II, SOC 131 Principles of Sociology, PSY 210 Human Growth and Development, and POL 100. A grade of C or better is required in BIO 161 & 162. See page 46 for more details.

Major requirements: CHM 125 Life Chemistry, BIO 260 Microbiology, HPR 340 Nutrition, Science elective, NU 230 Theoretical Foundations of Professional Nursing, NU 231 Principles and Applications of Nursing Technologies, NU 234 Health Across the Life Span, NU 302 Health Assessment, NU 331 Clinical Nursing I: Adult Health, NU 332 Clinical Nursing II: Adult Health, NU 333 Clinical Nursing III: Childbearing Family, NU 360 Advanced Therapeutics, NU 362 Pathophysiology, NU 400 Community Health Nursing, NU 403 Research and Critical Inquiry, NU 410 Leadership and Management in Nursing Practice, NU 411 Social and Political Issues in Nursing, NU 430 Clinical Nursing IV: Psychiatric-Mental Health, NU 432 Clinical Nursing V: Child Health, NU 490 Nursing Internship. A grade of C or better is required in CHM 125, BIO 260, and all Nursing courses.

B.S.N. Completion Program

Students who have completed the A.A.S. may go on to the B.S.N. Completion Program. R.N. licensure is required for all clinical courses. Students who have less than 1,200 hours of work experience as an R.N. are required to take NU 490 Nursing Internship as an elective.

Liberal Arts Core requirements: EN 101-102 Composition I & II; 15 credits of Humanities (PH ethics course is required); MA 132 Statistics; BIO 161-162 Anatomy and Physiology I & II; SOC 131 Principles of Sociology, PSY 210 Human Growth and Development or PSY 101 General Psychology; and one course from ECO or POL. A grade of C or better is required in BIO 161 and 162.

Major requirements: CHM 125 Life Chemistry; BIO 260 Microbiology; Science elective (other than Introduction to Biology); NU 302 Health Assessment; NU 310 The Nurse, the Client, and the Health Care System; NU 360 Advanced Therapeutics; NU 362 Pathophysiology; NU 400 Community Health Nursing; NU 403 Research and Critical Inquiry; NU 410 Leadership and Management in Nursing Practice; NU 411 Social and Political Issues in Nursing; NU 490 Nursing Internship or Nursing elective. A grade of C or better is required in CHM 125 and BIO 260. A grade of C+ or better is required for all clinical Nursing courses.

Accelerated A.A.S./B.S.N. for Second-Degree Students

The A.A.S. may be completed in three semesters and the B.S.N. in two additional semesters by students who have earned a non-Nursing bachelor's degree. Admission to this program is competitive. To be eligible to be reviewed for admission, students must either achieve a competitive score on the ATI Preadmission Examination or be exempted from the exam. Exemption is automatically granted for students having a GPA of 2.8 or greater.

Program prerequisites: Sociology, General Psychology, Anatomy & Physiology I & II with lab (8 credits).

Major requirements for Accelerated A.A.S.: BIO 260 Microbiology, NU 110 Introduction to Professional Nursing, NU 111 Medical/Surgical Nursing I, NU 113 Health Assessment and Nursing Clinical Skills I, NU 112 Medical/Surgical Nursing II, NU 114 Health Assessment and Nursing Clinical Skills II, NU 221 Maternal Newborn Nursing, NU 220 Nursing Care of Children, NU 222 Medical/Surgical Nursing III, NU 223 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing. A grade of C or better is required in BIO 260. A grade of C+ or better is required in all Nursing courses.

Major requirements for Accelerated B.S.N.: CHM 125 Life Chemistry; Science elective (other than Introduction to Biology); NU 302 Health Assessment; NU 310 The Nurse, the Client, and the Health Care System; NU 360 Advanced Therapeutics; NU 362 Pathophysiology; NU 400 Community Health Nursing; NU 403 Research and Critical Inquiry; NU 410 Leadership and Management in Nursing Practice; NU 411 Social and Political Issues in Nursing; NU 490 Nursing Internship or Nursing elective. A grade of C or better is required in CHM 125. A grade of C+ or better is required for all clinical Nursing courses.

R.N. to B.S.N. Program

This program is designed for the entering student who is already a registered nurse with diploma or associate degree credentials. Applicants to this program are not required to take the ATI Preadmission Examination.

Applicants who have received the associate degree from a program accredited by the NLN may begin taking upper-division Nursing classes. Those who graduated from a diploma program or a program that is not NLN accredited but have R.N. licensure in the U.S. are eligible to receive 30 transfer credits in Nursing that will be placed in an escrow account. These credits will be granted upon successful completion of all 300-level Nursing courses.

Applicants may also establish Liberal Arts Core credits by passing validation examinations in any or all of the following subject areas: anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and microbiology. Students who wish to take Liberal Arts Core validation exams may register for them in the Learning Resource Center, which also administers these exams. Study guides can be purchased in the Learning Resource Center as well.

L.P.N. to R.N. Program

Licensed Practical Nurses (L.P.N.s) who are admitted to the University and pass the ATI Preadmission Examination may challenge NU 111 Medical/Surgical Nursing I and NU 113 Health Assessment and Nursing Clinical Skills I. Contact the School of Health Professions for fees. L.P.N.s may receive up to 12 credits by successfully completing validation examinations in anatomy and physiology (8 credits) and microbiology (4 credits). Registration for all validation examinations is in the Learning Resource Center, which also administers these exams. Study guides can be purchased in the Learning Resource Center as well.

R.N. to M.S.N. Program

Students in this program who do not have a bachelor's degree will enter as an undergraduate transfer student. Refer here for information on this program.

Undergraduate Clinical Requirements

A copy of each student's medical examination record is required upon admission.
Students must provide written verification of testing for tuberculosis and the following immunizations: Hepatitus B, MMR, Chicken Pox, Tetanus/Diphtheria, and Influenza prior to registering for classes.
Written verification of accident and health insurance coverage must be submitted to the clinical agency coordinator.
Written verification of CPR certification (adult, child, and infant) is required prior to registration for the first clinical Nursing course. Current CPR certification must be provided to the clinical agency coordinator each semester.
Students will not be permitted to register for classes until all requirements are met.
A criminal background check is a federal requirement for all persons working with vulnerable populations.

Transportation

Students provide their own transportation to and from clinical experiences. The University's free shuttle service runs between the Main Campus, the Ballston Campus, and the Ballston-MU Metro station.

Academic Progression Requirements

Nursing students must achieve satisfactory performance each semester and satisfactory progress toward graduation. Failure to meet requirements outlined below will result in review by the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standards and may result in academic dismissal.

Satisfactory performance each semester is defined as achieving a grade point average of 2.0 and a grade of C+ or better in all 100- and 200-level Nursing subjects. Nursing students must receive a grade of C or better (not including C-) in anatomy and physiology, and microbiology courses. Failure in any Nursing course that requires clinical experience necessitates repetition of both the lecture and clinical portion of the course. All A.A.S. Nursing courses must be taken in sequence. A.A.S. students who fail a clinical course are not guaranteed a space in that course the following semester.
Students should maintain continuous enrollment in Nursing courses. If enrollment is interrupted, skill competency testing may be required prior to enrollment in the subsequent Nursing course.
Baccalaureate Nursing students must receive a grade point average of 2.0 or better and a grade of C or better in life chemistry and baccalaureate Nursing courses.
Satisfactory progress toward graduation is defined as successful regular matriculation unless sufficient requirements have been fulfilled by acceptance of transfer credit. No Nursing course may be repeated more than once. Failure of 9 credits in the A.A.S. or B.S.N. level results in automatic dismissal from the respective Nursing program.
Passing scores on Nursing comprehensive examinations are required for graduation from the A.A.S. and B.S.N. programs.