Fact Sheet 07: Nursing

Revised June 2007

Nursing

The Department of Nursing believes that quality health care is a basic right. Health care needs can be met through the practice of the professional nurse who has completed a systematic program of courses in the social and natural sciences, humanities, and nursing.

As a nursing graduate, you are expected to have the following desired characteristics:

1) an awareness and sense of responsibility for contemporary social issues;

2) concern for improvement of health care within society;

3) competency in providing nursing care;

4) a willingness and ability to collaborate with, or coordinate the activities of, an interdisciplinary health team;

5) a commitment to learning as a life-long process;

6) the ability to apply the scientific method when making decisions about health care;

7) the skills to participate in the advancement of the practice of nursing through data gathering and studies that examine the profession in theory and practice.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities in nursing vary. Employment opportunities are available to you as a graduate with a bachelor's degree, including positions in hospitals, schools, community health centers, and in the industrial sector. You also have graduate study as an option.

Graduates have accepted positions at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Jefferson Medical Center, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, among others.

Nursing graduates from West Chester University have entered a number of advanced degree programs, including those offered by:

University of Delaware
University of Maryland
University of Pennsylvania
Villanova University
West Chester University
Widener University

Undergraduate Degree

Bachelor of Science in Nursing. As a student graduating with this degree, you should be able to function as a self-directing professional, have the knowledge and skills necessary to begin a career as a professional nurse, and have an educational foundation that will allow you to hold leadership positions in the health care community.

?The department also offers a fast track for registered nurses who wish to complete the bachelor’s degree.
In addition, the Department of Nursing offers an accelerated second degree track (BSN 2 Advance) for students with an existing baccalaureate degree.

The Department of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Typical Courses

In addition to required core courses in biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, nursing, psychology, and sociology, you may take courses such as the following:

Care of the Inner Self
Concepts in Caring
Coping with Cancer
Health Issues of Women
Healthy Aging in the New Millenium
Skills for Professional Success
Transcultural Health: Principles and Practices

Special Study Opportunities

The department offers nursing electives in the summer, providing you with the opportunity to enhance both theoretical and clinical skills. You also have the opportunity to participate in a credit-bearing summer international program, Mexican culture and health, that includes a visit to Guanajuato, Mexico.

Special Entrance Requirements

In addition to meeting West Chester University entrance requirements, you must have completed work equal to a standard high school curriculum, consisting of a minimum of 16 units. Specifically, you should have four units of English, three units of social studies, two units of mathematics (one of which must be algebra), and two units of science with a related laboratory or the equivalent. A combined score of at least 1000 is recommended on the SAT.

Related Student Activities

Mary Kline Lecture Series
Sigma Theta Tau, Xi Delta Chapter, International Nursing Honor Society
Student Nurse Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP)

Facilities

The Department of Nursing, housed in the Sturzebecker Health Science Center, includes classrooms, seminar rooms, faculty offices, and the nursing skills laboratory.

The nursing skills laboratory is available as a resource to help you in the learning process. There are four sections of the laboratory. One area, used for the teaching and learning of nursing skills, contains hospital beds, examination tables, and other equipment found in clinical care settings. The second area is a separate computer laboratory for students to study and review nursing theoretical and clinical skills, and to complete required computer software programs. The third area is a conference room for student and faculty meetings and seminars. The fourth section of the lab is a student-centered gathering and study area.

Advanced Degree

The master of science in nursing allows you to focus on your unique specialty area and apply that clinical practice to the community setting. You can specialize in nursing education, nursing administration, or integrative health.

Certificate Programs

School Nurse Certification
Nursing Education Certificate
Parish Nurse Certificate

Faculty

You can obtain a complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications for this program from the contact persons listed below.

For More Information

Ann Coghlan Stowe, R.N., D.N.Sc., Chairperson
OR
Ms. Linda Morrow, Department Secretary
Sturzebecker Health Science Center
South New Street, Room 222
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2219

For information about the M.S.N. degree, Ann Coghlan Stowe, R.N., D.N.Sc., graduate coordinator.

For information about the R.N.-B.S.N. fast track, contact Kathy Devlin-Kelly, R.N., M.S.N.

For information about the school nurse program, and the acce;erated second degree program, contact Charlotte Mackey, R.N., Ed.D.