Faculty of the BSN program believe that:

Baccalaureate nursing education is a basic preparation for professional nursing practice and establishes the foundation for life-long learning. The faculty members believe that the baccalaureate graduate is a generalist, prepared to provide clinical leadership in the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of health care for individuals, families and communities.
The curriculum is structured to enable the student to demonstrate that they have developed an understanding and mastery of baccalaureate-level nursing and related concepts as they progress through their educational experience. Related concepts emphasized in the nursing curriculum include ethical decision-making, critical thinking, effective communication, leadership and management.

As envisioned by the faculty members, the nursing paradigm includes:

*Person*	Each person is a unique being with basic rights and choices who experiences multiple stressors from their continually changing internal and external environments with varying degrees of adaptation. The ultimate goal that a person has is to find, establish and maintain balance with health. Clients of nursing care are composed of individuals, families, groups, and communities with diverse backgrounds, sharing common goals and values. Perceptions, attitudes, values, and goals are influenced by culture, race, spirituality, age, gender, and abilities.
*Environment*	The environment is a complex, open system existing in a dynamic state of change. Economic, political, environmental, and technological factors exert their effects on society. The nurse promotes an environment in which the person’s needs may be met, while respecting individual differences related to values, customs, and responses to life experiences.
*Health*	Health is regarded as dynamic and multidimensional, with physical, mental, spiritual and social components that are all interrelated on the wellness-illness continuum, varying from a high level of wellness to varying degrees of illness. Health is influenced by both internal and external factors to the individuals’ optimal level of functioning. When adaptive abilities are inadequate or stressed, the individual moves on the wellness-illness continuum toward a lower level of functioning. All people have the inherent right to make informed decisions regarding their health care, including self-determination.
*Nursing*	Nursing is both an art and a science. Professional nursing provides comprehensive health care services to clients in an effort to support them in attaining their optimal level of independence and wellness through the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health. The role of the nurse is multifaceted, conceptualized in three primary categories: provider of care, coordinator of care and member of the profession. Nursing education is an interactive process, allowing the adult learner to incorporate previously learned knowledge, building a foundation for providing holistic, outcomes-oriented care. The profession works collaboratively with other members of the health care interdisciplinary team to facilitate optimal client outcomes. The faculty believes that the baccalaureate degree is the professional degree for nursing, providing the groundwork for the graduate degree.
*Learning*	Faculty members of the University believe baccalaureate education in nursing is the basis for professional practice as a nurse generalist and offers preparation for professional development and life-long learning. Baccalaureate nursing education, based upon a liberal arts education, is the synthesis of knowledge from a variety of disciplines, including humanities, social, behavioral, and natural sciences. Learning is a collaborative partnership between the student and the faculty member, promoted by critical thinking, problem-solving and effective decision-making. Learning occurs in a variety of settings, with each student responsible for maximizing his or her own experiences. Each student has unique life, educational and work experiences and therefore, has individual learning needs. Outcome assessments quantitatively and qualitatively measure achievement of programmatic goals.

Nursing (BSN)

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