Nursing

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Admissions: 1-877-UMA-1234 ext. 3465 or (207) 621-3465
Advising Center: 1-877-UMA-1234 ext. 3149 or (207) 621-3149
Coordinator: Dr. Shannon Gauvin, Website: www.uma.edu/academics/programs/nursing/

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Accreditation

The nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326. Phone 404-975-5000.

For more information, please visit http://acenursing.org/

Intro/Overview

The University of Maine at Augusta Nursing program is dedicated to educating students in the practice of nursing.

Through its excellent faculty and programs on the Augusta campus, courses are delivered on-site, at various sites and centers, and through distance learning modalities. The baccalaureate nursing program prepares nurses for safe, holistic, evidence based practice, leadership, and community service.

Mission Statement

The University of Maine at Augusta Nursing Education Program fulfills nursing care needs of diverse populations by educating traditional and post traditional students to transform professional nursing roles and grow holistic caring nursing practices. The Nursing Education Program is delivered using contemporary technology thereby providing quality education to nurses in Maine and beyond. The program is supportive of student success while promoting civic engagement.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Nursing Education Program the learner will:

• Demonstrate holistic-relationship centered nursing care in diverse health care settings.
• Use best current evidence to provide safe and effective holistic nursing care.
• Use critical thinking skills to assess cultural, ethical, legal, and safety concerns with diverse client populations across the lifespan.
• Utilize technology and information to monitor outcomes of holistic care and to improve the quality and safety of healthcare systems.
• Develop one’s professional identity with an ability to partner within an interdisciplinary team in order to continuously improve care.
• Effectively communicate through technological, written, and verbal modalities.
• Demonstrate transformative leadership skills in influencing healthcare care delivery systems.
• Demonstrate competency with self-care-healing modalities in order to create sustainable caring-healing practices.
• Create a plan for continued professional development and commitment to lifelong learning.
• Develop health promotion and illness prevention skills for patients and communities via contemporary approaches to wellness through the coaching role of the nurse.

One Degree Two Options

UMA offers the Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Nursing with two pathways (options) to degree completion.

The goals of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are to:

• provide quality baccalaureate level education,
• enhance nurses’ abilities to sustain caring practice within the complex and dynamic healthcare environment,
• develop the leadership and management skills necessary to promote growth within the profession of nursing,
• provide nurses with the educational foundation for graduate level education.

BSN 4-Year (Pre-licensure)

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an academically rigorous four-year professional program. Baccalaureate education facilitates an expanding awareness of self and others, personal and social consciousness, and a greater breadth and depth of understanding of the human condition through holistic nursing practice.

During the first four semesters, students build a foundation of knowledge in science, humanities and related professional disciplines. The student begins the process of knowledge application from theory to actual holistic nursing practice utilizing the sciences and experiential learning in the fifth semester. Upon successful completion of the curriculum, the University of Maine at Augusta awards a Bachelor of Science with a major in nursing degree and students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Admissions Requirements (see UMA general requirements)  

Admisssions Criteria for Prelicensure BSN Applicants Effective 2020

Pre-Requisites for program eligibility:

• High School or College Biology with Lab with a grade of B (not B-) or higher
• High School or College-Level Chemistry with a grade of B (not B-) or higher
• Completion of ENG 100 (grade of C or higher) or appropriate placement scores
• Completion of MAT 015 or 030 (grade of C or higher) or appropriate placement scores
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Applicants who previously attended a school of nursing must be in good standing and eligible for readmission at their current/former school of nursing. Any student who was dismissed from a school of nursing must submit an essay with their application explaining the dismissal and the corrective action taken to ensure future academic success. An interview with nursing faculty will also be required for admission eligibility.

All applicants are ranked utilizing the below scale and the highest ranked applicants are offered admission. All attempted credits are taken into consideration

*NOTE: Science and Math courses completed within the previous 10 years will not be considered for admission review. Science and math courses must be completed within the previous 10 years to be considered for application to the nursing program.

*Grades of “W” on official transcripts for current college students/transfer applicants will be taken into consideration in the review process. Excessive withdrawals could result in a lower ranking.

** Grades of “L” or “AF” or “WF” on official transcripts for current college students will count as an “F” in the ranking.

***Only courses accepted for credit will be rated. Courses taken at non-regionally accredited institutions will not be given consideration in the review process.

****Applicants who do not meet the minimum published requirements for admission will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee for consideration based on a holistic review of academic and non-academic factors.

RN-BSN Completion

Nurses require a broader base of knowledge than was needed in the past to plan and implement care for patients in today’s complex health care system. The BSN Completion option prepares the registered nurse to plan and implement change, opens the door to leadership positions, increases earning potential, and provides the opportunity to practice in a broader range of settings.

The RN completion program is designed to enable students to build on previous learning, as well as to gain the knowledge, skills and professional behaviors needed to practice at a higher level of nursing.

The University of Maine at Augusta Nursing Program is pleased to receive an endorsement from the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC). UMA’s Nursing Program may now provide graduates with an opportunity to sit for the Holistic Nursing Board Certification exam, a desired credential for holistic nurses.

Admissions Requirements (see UMA general requirements)

Applicants for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Completion (RN-BSN) degree option must meet the following prerequisites in addition to UMA’s general admission standards:

• Student must hold an Associate of Science degree in Nursing (A.S.) from a regionally accredited institution.
• Must hold an active RN license.
• Minimum GPA of 2.50 is required.

Students matriculating in the final semester of an AS in Nursing Program can apply for admission to the RN-BS in Nursing program. Students may take one semester of nursing courses without the RN licensure. After completing their first semester, non-licensed students will not be permitted to take NUR designated course however may still continue taking the general education courses required.

Advanced Standing

Transfer of credit: See http://www.uma.edu/academics/pla/ for transfer of credit policy and all of the avenues by which UMA accepts credit for prior learning. RN-BSN students who transfer or are readmitted into the nursing program may be given credit for comparable nursing courses that have been completed within the previous 10 years. For nursing course work completed over 10 years, students may elect to request a course substitution/waiver or complete a portfolio assessment per UMA guidelines.

Students admitted to the 4-year BSN option may be awarded transfer credit for comparable non-clinical baccalaureate level nursing courses per UMA guidelines and have been completed with the previous 10 years.

Prior Learning Assessment:

In addition to accepting equivalent course transfer credits, nursing course credits can be earned in the following ways:

Credit by Examination - Nursing course credit can be earned by taking the National League for Nursing (NLN) test for the following:

• Normal Nutrition (meets UMA’s RN-BSN BIO 104 requirement)
• Physical Assessment (meets UMA’s RN-BSN NUR 301 requirement)

Portfolio Review - Portfolio Assessment is a standardized process through which students can demonstrate knowledge and experience in a particular field in order to gain credit for specific UMA courses. (Contact your Nursing Faculty Advisor for more information). For further details about the portfolio review process see https://www.uma.edu/academics/pla/

External Training Review - Students in the BSN program can be awarded up to 3 NUR elective credits for current national certification in several nursing specialty areas. For more detailed information about specific national certifications see https://www.uma.edu/academics/pla/externaltraining/

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation, students in both options must have successfully completed all requirements, have a minimum of 120 credit hours and a grade point average of at least a 2.50. This G.P.A. includes having a minimum G.P.A of 2.50 in the major. Students must also meet UMA residency requirements (see check sheet). A minimum grade of “C” is required in: MAT and BIO. In the 4-Year BSN pathway NUR courses require a C+ minimum grade. A minimum grade of C is required in all NUR courses in the RN-BSN Completion option

Career Opportunities

Completion of a BSN degree may afford registered nurses a variety of advancement in their current practice setting and/or help the nurse to pursue new career opportunities.

More and more, hospitals and health care providers prefer to hire nurses with a bachelor’s degree. UMA’s program will equip you with knowledge and skills to be successful in expanded nursing roles. A high percentage of those enrolled in UMA’s program go on to graduate school.

Graduate School Opportunities and Advanced Practice Roles:

• Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Manager
• Nurse Anesthetist
• Nurse Leader (CNL)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
• PhD in nursing research or nursing science

Settings for career opportunities include:

Acute Care:

• Advancement in level of clinical practice in a variety of inpatient settings:
  • Medical Surgical
  • Critical Care
  • Pediatrics
  • Obstetrics
  • Emergency or Trauma Nursing
  • Behavioral Health
• Nurse Educator (in some settings)
• Nurse Manager (in some settings)

Community:

• Public Health Nurse
• School Nurse
• Home Health or Hospice Nursing
• Care Manager
• Wellness Coach

Programs

• Nursing (4-Year), BSN
• Nursing (RN-BSN Completion), BSN

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