Nursing

Professor M. Molewyk Doornbos (chair)
Associate Professors A. Ayoola, J. Lubbers, J. Moes, G. Zandee
Assistant Professors E. Byma, D. Frambes, K. Kunnen, K. Miller, L. Schipper

The Calvin Department of Nursing, in sharing the mission of Calvin, seeks to engage in professional nursing education that promotes lifelong Christian service. Students will be prepared to be entry-level professional nurses. The objectives of the nursing curriculum are to assist the student to acquire the knowledge, the competencies and abilities, and the commitments necessary to practice as a Christian professional nurse. The context for nursing education includes the learning community of the university as well as the health care community, the professional nursing community, and the world community in which Christian service takes place. Health promotion and health protection with individuals, families and communities will be the major focus of the program. Challenging practicum experiences will occur in a variety of settings such as communities, clinics, schools, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Graduates of the program will receive a BSN and be prepared to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Satisfactory scores on the NCLEX-RN will enable a student to become a Registered Nurse (RN). The Department of Nursing is approved by the Michigan State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

International students: US BSN programs prepare students for NCLEX-RN and practice in the US. This may not meet all requirements for practicing as a nurse internationally. Prior to choosing the nursing program, please be aware of the educational requirements for nursing in the country in which you wish practice.

The Nursing Program

The two-year pre-nursing curriculum requires nine courses in the natural and social sciences that provide the foundation for professional nursing. These courses include BIOL 141 , BIOL 205 , BIOL 206 , BIOL 207 , CHEM 115 , HE 254 , PSYC 151 , PSYC 201 , and SOC 151 . In addition, twelve to fourteen liberal arts courses are required. Foreign language is a component of the liberal arts core. Students are required to have either two years of high school foreign language with grades of C or better or one year of college level foreign language. If a student needs to take a foreign language at Calvin, it should be taken during the first or second year.

The upper division nursing major is a two-year sequence normally taken in the junior and senior years. It consists of thirteen courses distributed over four semesters with 12 semester hours of course work required each semester for nursing.

Early Admission

A high school graduate interested in nursing is eligible for early admission to the nursing major at Calvin University. The student must meet the following criteria:

A composite ACT of equal to or greater than 28; or
an SAT score of 1320 or greater; or
average marks of 91% or higher from a Canadian high school.
Students must specify a nursing major on their Calvin University application and submit their final Early Admission qualifying ACT, SAT, or marks from a Canadian high school on or before September 1 prior to Calvin admission for their freshman year.

In order to maintain early admission status, a student, at the Calvin University Department of Nursing application deadline, must have:

A 3.5 GPA in the nursing prerequisite courses at Calvin
A 3.3 cumulative GPA at Calvin
Submit an application to nursing by Jan. 1 of the year entering the nursing program to reserve your seat.
Completed admission requirements (i.e., criminal background check, disciplinary check, drug screen) as specified in the Calvin catalog of the year of the student’s admission to Calvin.

Since early admission status recognizes high school achievement, a student’s early admission status may be deferred for one year if the student chooses to delay university enrollment.

Regular Admission Process

Application to the upper division nursing major normally occurs during the second semester of the sophomore year. Applications are due on January 1 for the class beginning the following September. Applicants who submit after the deadline will be considered on a space available basis only. Application forms are available in the Nursing Department office or on the departmental website.

In order to apply to the nursing program, students must have the following:

At least sophomore standing (greater than or equal to 27 hours) at the application due date.
Completed six nursing prerequisite courses at the application due date.
A minimum overall Calvin cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 at the application due date.
A minimum pre-nursing Calvin GPA (GPA acquired from the nine pre-nursing courses) of 2.8 at the application due date.
A minimum grade of C in each of the prerequisite courses at the application due date.
No more than one repeat per required nursing prerequisite course. No more than two of the nursing prerequisite courses may be repeated.
No more than one withdrawal across the nine prerequisite courses except for documented extenuating circumstances.
Be 18 years of age or older by September 1 of application year.

Students should also take note of the following policies:

Prerequisite natural science courses must have been completed within the last seven years.
Preference will be given to applicants who have completed or will complete all nine nursing prerequisite courses at Calvin by the end of Spring semester prior to entering the nursing program. (Dual-enrollment and AP courses from high school deemed equivalent are exempted from this rule.)
Preference will be given to applicants who have completed more than six prerequisite courses at the time of application.
Preference will be given to students who have not repeated nursing prerequisite courses.
Consideration will be given to applicants who have made repeated applications to the nursing major.
Applicants who submit applications after the due date will be considered on a space available basis.
Prerequisite courses in progress must be completed by the end of Calvin University’s second summer session with a minimum grade of a C.
All admissions are contingent on maintaining admission criteria up to beginning the nursing program
All transcript grades at the time of application are final and alterations will not be accepted after the time of application
Enrollment in the upper division nursing major is also contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check, and drug screen.

It is important to note that completion of the pre-nursing courses and achievement of the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission into the nursing major. Enrollment in the final two years is limited and thus the admission process is selective.

Transfer Students

Students who transferred to Calvin from another college or university will be considered Calvin students (rather than as transfer students) if they will have completed a minimum of 12 credits by time of application to the program and 24 credits of academic work at Calvin by the time they begin the upper division major.

Students desiring to transfer to Calvin for the upper division major, who have completed course work judged by the department to be equivalent to the nine required pre-nursing courses, will be considered for admission to the nursing program after qualified students from Calvin have been accepted into the program as space is available.

Applicants for admission, who are graduates of Calvin, will be given equal consideration for admission with current Calvin students.

Transportation

Classroom and laboratory experiences take place on the Calvin campus. Practicum experiences during the final two years occur at a variety of sites in the greater Grand Rapids area. Students are responsible for their own transportation to those settings. While students may be able to carpool with others for some practicum experiences, there will be occasions throughout the junior and senior years when personal transportation will be necessary.

Costs

Nursing students will be charged Calvin tuition. In addition, a fee will be assessed for each nursing practicum course. The fee for 2019-2020 will be $1,300 per practicum course. Students normally take one practicum course in each semester of the two-year upper division major.

Prior to beginning the nursing practicum courses, students will need to buy uniforms, name tags, a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and complete an American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR course. Additional costs will be incurred for health related items such as immunizations and titers as required by the practicum agencies.

Additional Requirement

Students will participate in a departmental program entitled Promoting All Student Success (PASS). As a component of PASS, students will take a series of standardized tests during the four semesters of the upper division nursing major. These tests are designed to prepare students to take the NCLEX-RN upon graduation. Each test must be passed at the prescribed level. In the event a student does not achieve the necessary score, individual assistance for remediation is given. The department will issue the required “Certification of Completion” to the State Board of Nursing upon completion of all required courses and completion of all PASS program requirements.

Programs

Major

Nursing, BSN

Courses

Nursing