January 2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Dec 27, 2024  
January 2024 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Bachelor of Science in Nursing


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Herzing University is approved to offer programs in an online learning modality through association with the main campus in Madison, Wisconsin. ​

Program Description

The BSN program prepares the graduate to practice as a nurse generalist as a member of the healthcare team in a variety of settings. The program focuses on patient-centered care, teamwork, and collaboration, evidence based practice, safety, quality improvement, and informatics. The program emphasizes the use of innovative technologies and preparation for assuming leadership roles.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of their program, the student should be able to:

  1. Prioritize patient-centered care using clinical judgment and the nursing process.
  2. Collaborate with patients, families and team members to provide safe and culturally competent care.
  3. Integrate evidence-based practice within diverse clinical settings to deliver optimal care.
  4. Minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both systems effectiveness and individual performance.
  5. Use informational technology to communicate, mitigate error, support decision making, and manage patient care.
  6. Evaluate quality improvement processes to enhance patient outcomes.
  7. Integrate professionalism and advanced leadership skills within the interdisciplinary healthcare environment.
  8. Analyze national and global policies, legislative concepts, and economics to address population outcomes.

Special Admissions Requirements – Online BSN

Acceptance into the Bachelor of Science program is on a selective basis. Students who meet the minimum criteria for admission to the University will be further evaluated on a competitive basis through entrance test scores and prior academic performance as well as other criteria determined by the University. In addition, all students must pass a background check, provide fingerprints (if required by state of residency), pass a drug screening, and provide evidence of health screening including required vaccines.

Program Content

A minimum of 120.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Third Party Testing

Assessment and remediation are critical components of nursing education. Students in the nursing program may be required to take third-party, standardized, proctored exams in an electronic format throughout the curriculum. Students may be required to go to a third-party testing site to complete exams. These standardized tests are valid and reliable predictors of success on the NCLEX examination and provide valuable feedback concerning student strengths and weaknesses. Student learning outcome data identifies content areas that require remediation, allowing faculty to personalize student support and intervention. Courses that utilize third-party exams will incorporate the points earned on the test as a percentage of the final grade earned for the course as specified in the course syllabus.

BSN Nursing Curriculum Progression Milestone Exams and Policy

The purpose of the nursing progression milestone exams and policy is to ensure preparation of the student for the NCLEX exam. This process validates knowledge acquisition and application through standardized, third-party exams. Students will be required to complete three progression milestone exams at key points in the curriculum as well as an exit exam during the final semester.  Each progression milestone exam is a comprehensive assessment of all content covered in the program up to exam administration. 

Progression Milestone exam #1 is administered after or while completing NSG 121 NSG 122 , and NSG 124 

Progression Milestone exam #2 is administered after or while completing NSG 123 NSG 221 NSG 222 , and NSG 223 .

Progression Milestone exam #3 is a Pharmacology exam and will be administered during the term prior to NSG 426 

If the *benchmark score on the first formal attempt is not attained, a plan for remediation will be developed in collaboration with the faculty/program chair/NCLEX coach and a second attempt will be provided. 

If the benchmark score is not achieved on the second attempt, the student cannot be registered for any subsequent clinical courses. The student will be registered for outstanding general education requirements and a mandatory nursing remediation course. Students who are registered for the nursing remediation course must actively participate in the course, post attendance, and complete course requirements to be eligible for a milestone retake.  Students who fail to actively participate, post attendance, and complete remediation course requirements will be withdrawn from the program and ineligible to take a milestone retake. The final milestone retake is administered to eligible students at the conclusion of the 8-week remediation course. It is important to note that this may impact the anticipated graduation date by a minimum of one semester.

In the event a student fails a nursing course but passes the milestone exam, the student will re-take the milestone exam upon successful completion of the failed course. This will demonstrate retention of knowledge and preparation for the NCLEX exam. 

If the student is unsuccessful on the final attempt to demonstrate competency, the student will be dismissed from the ASN/AASN or BSN program and will not be eligible to re-enter into either program. A student who is dismissed may appeal to transfer into the Practical Nursing (PN) program or any other non-nursing program offered at Herzing University. Note: the PN program is not offered at all locations.

Students who are successful on the final retake exam will be rescheduled by Registrar Services

Students who are unsuccessful on the final retake exam will be dismissed from the nursing program and provided advisement on alternative program pathways. 

RN Exit Exam
The exit exam will cover content from all nursing courses, is reflective of NCLEX readiness and is administered in the final semester. Students will take practice assessments during the NSG426 course, in conjunction with individualized remediation and completion of assignments focused on NCLEX readiness.  This is followed by a final exit exam. 

Students who are unable to reach the *benchmark score on the exit exam will receive an Incomplete (I) grade for their NSG 426 course and will be required to successfully reach this benchmark on the final exit exam by the second week of the subsequent semester to resolve the (I) grade.  

If they are unable to resolve the (I) grade by the second week of the subsequent semester, the grade will convert to an (F) grade and the student will be placed on “Approved Break” for the remainder of the semester, during which time they must remain actively engaged in formal remediation.  This will cause a delay in program completion and graduation.  Students should discuss the implications of being on “Approved Break” with their financial aid advisor. 

*Threshold benchmark scores required to pass the milestone or exit exams are based upon national student performance data and may be changed at any time by the university. 

DOSAGE CALCULATION EXAMS
Dosage calculation exams are required at multiple points throughout the program. A student who is unable to pass any of the exams will not be allowed to progress without completion of remediation and demonstration of competency as evidenced by reaching the required score on a final dosage calculation exam attempt.  

Required Courses in Nursing


All courses, 66.00 semester credit hours, are required.

Dual Credit Option for Taking Graduate Level Courses


Dual Credit Options are not available for New Orleans students. See Academic Information for full requirements under title Earning Graduate Credits as an Undergraduate Student .

Undergraduate Course

Graduate Course Equivalency

NSG 321 Advanced Leadership and Management  

NU 530 Organizational Systems and Behaviors 

 

NSG 324 Evidence Based Practice in Nursing 

 

NU 560 Research Methods and Evidence-Based Practice 

 

NSG 421 Nursing Informatics 

 

NU 525 Technology and Nursing Informatics in Advanced Practice  

 

NSG 423 Policy, Trends, & Ethics in Nursing 

 

HA 610 Health Policy and Management  

 

Required Courses in General Education


Students enrolled in the BSN program must complete a minimum of 52.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. A minimum of 9.00 semester credit hours must be upper level (300- to 400-level courses). The Herzing University General Education offerings are listed below. Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for additional information on general education requirement.

12.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communications

  • EN 104 – English Composition I
  • EN 111 – Information Literacy
  • EN 116 – Speech
  • EN 304 – English Composition II

16.00 Semester Credit Hours in in Science

  • SC 154 – Anatomy and Physiology I for Nurses
  • SC 254 – Anatomy and Physiology II for Nurses
  • SC 150 – Principles of Nutrition
  • SC 166 – Microbiology
  • SC 186 – Chemistry

9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities

  • HU 140 – Cultural Diversity
  • HU 240 – Introduction to Humanities
  • HU 340 – Humanities and Contemporary Popular Culture

6.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics

  • MA 109 – College Algebra
  • MA 320 – Statistics

9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science  

  • PS 101 – Psychology
  • PS 105 – Developmental Psychology
  • SS 350 – Social Issues and Technology

Note: Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 52.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines. Science courses being transferred in from other institutions must meet the nursing program science requirements.

Special General Education Grading Requirements for Nursing Support Courses


The following science courses must be completed with a grade of “B” (80%) or better. Only two attempts are permitted for each course and a student who fails to successfully complete in the maximum attempts is subject to dismissal from the nursing program.

The following general education courses must be completed with a grade of “C” (70%) or better for a student to continue in the nursing program.

*BSN students enrolled in the Atlanta Campus require a “B” (80%) or better in SC 166 Microbiology  and SC 186 Chemistry .

A student who is dropped from the nursing program for failing to achieve the minimum grade specified in the courses listed above, but who otherwise meets the academic standards of the University may transfer to another Herzing degree program and/or may appeal to reapply to the BSN nursing program in a future semester.

Personal and Professional Development Courses


All courses, 2.00 semester credit hours, are required.

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