BSN Course Requirements
Read course descriptions and degree requirements here.
BSN Program Purpose
The purpose of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is to provide basic professional education. Graduates are prepared to function independently or in collaboration with other health care providers to serve individuals and families in hospitals and community settings. The program is designed to encourage students’ active participation in achieving program outcomes. Upon completion of the program, the graduates will have a recognition of and desire for continuing professional development and a sound foundation for pursuing graduate education in nursing.
BSN Program Objectives
Graduates of the BSN program will be able to:
- Synthesize knowledge of the liberal arts and sciences, and the discipline of nursing, in the provision of professional nursing care.
- Demonstrate leadership skills to ensure patient safety and enhance quality of care, within the context of the interprofessional team.
- Integrate evidence-based practice in the planning of care for individuals, families, groups, and populations.
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of healthcare policy, finance, and regulatory environments in healthcare delivery and practice.
- Implement population-focused nursing interventions across the lifespan.
- Function as a professional nurse in accordance with standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct.
- Incorporate information systems and patient-care technologies in the delivery of quality nursing care.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Early Admission Option
Early Admission Option
The Lansing School of Nursing & Clinical Sciences Undergraduate Nursing Early Option recognizes outstanding high school seniors who are interested in the nursing profession. The program guarantees eligible high school seniors who are admitted into Bellarmine University, a place in our nursing program, contingent upon fulfilling certain requirements.
Key Program Features
- Early and guaranteed admission. High school students can find out in their senior year if they are conditionally admitted into Bellarmine’s undergraduate nursing program.
- Enjoy more benefits. Early admission students enjoy the benefits of Bellarmine’s resources and the Bellarmine Association of Nursing Students (BANS) organization.
- Receive personalized assistance. Early admission students are assigned a designated advisor, who assists them in achieving their educational goals and provides career guidance for entering the nursing workforce.
- Travel abroad opportunities. Early admission students who maintain a strong GPA are eligible for travel abroad opportunities while also earning nursing course credits during their junior or senior years.
Admission and Eligibility
If you have a minimum ACT of 28 and a GPA of 3.75, you will be conditionally admitted to the nursing program.
Requirements
Students who earn early conditional admission into the Nursing Program are expected to meet all nursing major admission criteria as stated in the catalog. In addition, students must pass a criminal background check prior to starting nursing courses.
Admission to the Nursing Major
Admission to Bellarmine University does not automatically admit a student to the BSN program. Students must make a formal application and be accepted into the nursing major by the BSN Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee. Admission to the nursing major grants the student the right to take nursing courses in the professional sequence.
Admission Requirements to the BSN 4-Year Traditional Program Track
- Accepted to Bellarmine University.
- A completed application for admission to the nursing major on file in the Lansing School of Nursing Department.
- Completion of all courses designated in the BSN curriculum for the freshman year.
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. The GPA is based on all earned academic credits earned at Bellarmine and other colleges and/or universities.
- A minimum grade of B- in prerequisite natural science courses (BIOL 108 and BIOL 109).
- A minimum grade of B- in the freshman level nursing courses (NURS 110 and NURS 200).
- A student is not eligible for admission to the nursing major if he/she earns three or more unsatisfactory grades in the same course or any combination of these 4 courses: BIOL 108, BIOL 109, NURS 110, and NURS 200. An unsatisfactory grade is defined as one grade lower than B minus; or two withdrawals from any single course or combination of the four courses listed. The policy refers to the final course grade, not a grade on a specific assignment.
- Personal interview if requested.
- Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to the first day of class in the nursing major. Official transcripts validating grades must be received within 30 days of course completion.
- The Nursing Program requires an official TOEFL iBT (Test of English as Foreign Language internet based test) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score for verification of language proficiency for applicants who possess any of these criteria:
a.
Born outside the US
b. English is not primary language
c. Obtained a degree or required admission pre-requisites from a non-US institution
For consideration of admission, the Nursing Department requires the following evidence of language proficiency:
- TOEFL-iBT total score of 83 or higher AND a speaking score of 26 or higher OR
- IELTS total band score of 7 or higher AND a speaking band score of 8 or higher
Only official score reports will be accepted, and score reports must be sent directly to Bellarmine University Admissions.
The Nursing Program reserves the right to require a TOEFL or IELTS from any applicant.
Alternatively, students may petition to use one of the following requirements to document English-language proficiency:
- Degree completion from a TOEFL exempt country OR
- Successful completion of Language training at an approved center
Bellarmine University recognizes the following standards and centers:
Immunization Requirements
In 2018 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported healthcare facilities across the United States are increasingly requiring healthcare workers be vaccinated for vaccine-preventable diseases to reduce disease outbreaks. Therefore, those who choose not to be vaccinated including, but not limited to, personal, religious, or medical reasons, are not eligible for admission to the Nursing programs.
https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/vaccinationlaws.html
KBN Regulation on Mandatory Reporting of Criminal Convictions
Kentucky Board of Nursing Regulatory Requirements for Mandatory Reporting of Criminal Convictions with Application for RN Licensure
An applicant for an RN license in Kentucky must report and submit documentation of felonies and/or misdemeanors. The applicant is required to report and submit the following documentation on the RN license application under CRIMINAL HISTORY:
- All Felonies: Certified court documents and a detailed letter of explanation
- All Misdemeanors received within 5 years of the date of application: Certified court documents and a detailed letter of explanation
- ALL DUIs (Driving Under the Influence): Certified court documents and a detailed letter of explanation
- All Misdemeanors received prior to 5 years of the date of application: No documentation required
- Traffic offenses, OTHER THAN DUIs, do not have to be reported.
"The statute [KRS 314.091(1)(b)] states that the Kentucky Board of Nursing may take action on any felony or a misdemeanor that involved drugs, alcohol, fraud, deceit, falsification of records, a breach of trust, physical harm or endangerment to others, dishonesty, or sexual offenses. The Kentucky Board of Nursing can deny an application for a license for criminal convictions(s). Denial of licensure is a formal disciplinary action."
Contact
For admission information contact:
Office of Admission
2001 Newburg Road
Louisville, KY 40205
502.272.7100
800.274.4723 x8131
Miles Hall