Nursing Major (BS)
College: College of Natural & Health Sciences
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Nursing offers a bachelor of science degree (B.S.) in nursing. Through a consortial program, initiated in June 1979, the undergraduate program is offered on the UW-Milwaukee and the UW-Parkside campus. Eligibility requirements for admission to the nursing major are the same for UW-Milwaukee students and UW-Parkside students. UW-Parkside students accepted into the program will complete the same curricular requirements as students enrolled on the UW-Milwaukee campus.
The program prepares students to begin positions of responsibility and leadership in providing professional care for clients and their families in their homes and in a variety of community health-care agencies. Students gain experience through a range of diverse programs in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings.
The Nursing Learning Resource Center (NLRC), Tallent Hall 181, which serves nursing students, faculty, and the community, is an integral component of the undergraduate curriculum. This college laboratory is a mediated and simulated learning environment in which students perform skills foundational to safe nursing practice in settings with clients. In addition, the NLRC provides a computer laboratory.
Students admitted to UW-Parkside, complete pre-nursing and nursing courses as UW-Parkside students, and earn their degree from UW-Milwaukee. For this reason, each consortial UW-Parkside nursing student is responsible for meeting all UW-Milwaukee graduation requirements. All course work required to complete the undergraduate degree in nursing is offered on the UW-Parkside campus, and all clinical courses utilize healthcare agencies in and around Racine, Kenosha, southern Milwaukee and Walworth counties. The UW-Parkside catalog states policies specific to the Consortial Nursing Program. Other UW-Milwaukee regulations, including academic policies, procedures, and requirements, are printed in the current UW-Milwaukee undergraduate bulletin. This bulletin and other UW-Milwaukee publications are available in the nursing advisor’s office on the UW-Parkside campus in Tallent Hall L-180.
The College of Nursing also offers a number of graduate degree programs, such as the master of nursing degree (M.N.) doctor of philosophy degree (Ph.D.) and doctor of nursing practice degree (DNP). For more information about our graduate programs, please see www.nursing.uwm.edu or call UWM College of Nursing 414-229-5047. These nursing programs are fully accredited through the state of Wisconsin Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Overview of Clinical Experiences
As part of the educational program, nursing students participate in a variety of clinical experiences. These experiences take place in hospitals and nursing homes, community health centers and clinics, medical centers and mental health units, birthing centers, hospice settings, homes and parishes. Students work with individuals and families from many cultures and across all age groups who are dealing with physical and/or mental health problems or seeking to remain healthy, including children, teens, adults and the elderly. The selection of clinical experiences is based on the objectives of courses and the learning that is expected. Upon completion of the program, students will have all experiences necessary to become licensed as a registered nurse and secure employment.
- Patient-centered Care: The graduate will provide holistic care that recognizes patients’ (individuals, families, groups, and communities) preferences, values, and needs and respects patients or their designees as full partners in providing compassionate, coordinated, age and culturally appropriate, safe and effective care.
- Professionalism: The graduate will demonstrate accountability for the delivery of standard-based nursing care that is consistent with moral, altruistic, legal, ethical, regulatory, and humanistic principles.
- Leadership: The graduate will influence the behavior of individuals or groups of individuals within the environment in a way that will facilitate the establishment and acquisition/achievement of shared goals.\\n
- Systems-based Practice: The graduate will demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context of the health care system, and will demonstrate the ability to effectively call on microsystem resources to provide care that is of optimal quality and value (Adapted from ACGME, n.d.).
- Informatics and Technology: The graduate will use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making (QSEN, 2007).
- Communication: The graduate will interact effectively with patients, families, and colleagues, fostering mutual respect and shared decision making, to enhance patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
- Teamwork and Collaboration: The graduate will function within nursing and interdisciplinary teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, shared decision making, team learning, and development (Adapted from QSEN, 2007).
- Safety: The graduate will minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance (QSEN, 2007).
- Quality Improvement: The graduate uses data to monitor the outcomes of care processes, and uses improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems (QSEN, 2007).
- Evidence-based Practice: The graduate will identify, evaluate, and use the best current evidence coupled with clinical expertise and consideration of patients’ preferences, experience and values to make practice decisions (Adapted from QSEN, 2007).
Minors
Students who desire to pursue a minor at UW-Parkside are required to follow UW-Parkside requirements to complete a minor. The UW-Parkside catalog lists the minors available and their course requirements for completing the minor.
Nursing students, who complete a UW-Parkside minor, will have the minor posted on the UW-Milwaukee transcript.
UW-Milwaukee faculty and administration reserve the right to make changes in these regulations after publication; some of these changes may affect students’ programs. Efforts will be made to publicize all changes, but it is the responsibility of students to ascertain the requirements of their program at all times. Admission to UW-Parkside does not imply or guarantee a student will be able to enter or complete a professional program within any specific time period.
Student Responsibilities in the Nursing Major
Students are expected to provide their own transportation, uniforms, books, supplies, equipment and other learning resources such as clients for practice experience as deemed necessary to meet course objectives.
Health
Good physical and mental health is essential for study and practice in professional nursing. The faculty of the College of Nursing reserves the responsibility for retaining only those students who demonstrate qualities of physical and mental health generally considered to be imperative for professional nursing practice.
A physical examination and specified immunizations are required of all students prior to enrollment in nursing practice courses. Expenses of this examination are the student’s responsibility. Evidence of a physical examination, to be completed by a nurse practitioner, university physician, or a physician of the student’s choice, must be submitted to Tallent Hall L180 on a date specified by the College of Nursing. The examination must be completed within one year before the date on which the student begins clinical nursing course work. Students who do not meet these health requirements may not be able continue in the nursing major.
After an offer of admission to the nursing major is made, admission is contingent upon demonstration of satisfactory health as evidenced by physical examination and fulfillment of the health and immunization requirements by the appropriate deadline. The College of Nursing reserves the right to require a student to seek advice of healthcare professionals where it is believed that a condition of health would impede his/her progress or jeopardize the health of others. The College of Nursing does not discriminate based on a disability and provides reasonable accommodation to qualified students on an individual basis.
Students are required to pass a 10 panel urine drug screen prior to continuing in a clinical nursing practicum course. The purposes of the drug screen are to comply with expectations of area health care agencies, to provide optimal healthcare, and to support professional nursing’s zero tolerance position related to the unlawful use of substances. Students must abide by the drug screen policies of each healthcare agency to which they are assigned for clinical practicums.
Illness or Prolonged Absence
Students are expected to be present at all scheduled classes and clinical laboratory experiences. Since space in nursing courses is assigned during the first week of the semester, students are expected to be present for all instructional periods during that week as well. Frequent or prolonged absences from scheduled classes and/or clinical experiences may necessitate that the student drop a nursing course. Any planned interruption in course work should be discussed with the student’s instructor(s), course coordinator and the nursing advisor.
CPR Certification
Students must be certified in CPR at the health professional level prior to the first day of classes for the first semester in the nursing major. Authorized program is offered by the American Heart Association. Local community groups offer programs sponsored by this agency.
Students admitted to the major must provide clinical instructors with a copy of their CPR card at the first meeting of their clinical lab group. Evidence of continued certification in CPR will be required throughout the program.
Background Check
Upon admission to the nursing major, successful completion of a criminal background check is required. Should a background check reveal that a student has a history of a criminal charge and/ or conviction, they will be asked to make an appointment with the Academic Affairs Coordinator to discuss the implications of this finding on their educational plan. For all criminal background findings, the decision to accept a student for clinical placement will be made by the clinical agency, not the College of Nursing. More information on the Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check Law is available at http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/caregiver/index.htm. Consult with the College of Nursing Office of Academic Affairs at 414-229-2310 with questions specific to this area.
A processing fee will be charged for the background check. Additional fees will be charged for students who have resided outside of Wisconsin in the past three years.
Requirements for Employment, Licensing and Professional Practice
Students should be aware that some professions, occupations, and employers are subject to licensing and/or bonding requirements. When a course of study includes clinical or field training, practice teaching, internships, or the like, students may be subjected to a check of criminal conviction records prior to acceptance of a student by the placement site. Students are responsible for obtaining the information necessary for them to become knowledgeable about these requirements and plan their studies accordingly.
Professional Credentials
Wisconsin state law requires nurses to be licensed to practice nursing within the state. Licensure is obtained by endorsement or by passing an examination. Students graduating from the College of Nursing are eligible to write the examination if they:
- are at least 18 years of age,
- are graduates of a high school or its equivalent,
- are able to speak, read, and write English,
- can attest they are U.S. Citizens, and
- pay the fee for licensure.
Applicants for registration/licensure in the state of Wisconsin will be asked to state if they have ever been convicted of a criminal offense, excluding minor traffic violations. When individuals have such a conviction, an explanation is requested. An investigation may follow depending upon the circumstances and all the facts related to the situation.
Safe Professional Practice in Clinical Settings
Students are expected to demonstrate patterns of professional behaviors which follow the legal and ethical codes of nursing; promote the actual or potential well-being of clients, health-care workers, and self in the biological, psychological, sociological, and cultural realms; demonstrate accountability in preparation, documentation, communication, and continuity of care; and show respect for the human rights of individuals. A student whose pattern of behavior is found to be unsafe may be terminated from a clinical practicum for reason of unsafe practice at any time during the semester. If the behavior is identified before the drop date, the student will be directed to drop. If the drop date has passed, the student will receive a grade of F for the course. In order to continue in the nursing program, a student who is terminated from a clinical practicum must appeal to the Undergraduate Program Committee for readmission to the nursing program.
Travel
Students in nursing are responsible for arranging transportation to and from all agencies or clients’ homes used to provide clinical experience for the program. They are also responsible for any related liability. Students are expected to carry insurance on their vehicles.
Uniforms
Information about the uniform is shared at the nursing orientation and again in NURS 353 Clinical Practicum 1: Foundations courses. Students purchase their uniforms after acceptance.
College of Nursing Academic Regulations
Required Grade Point Average
Every nursing student is required to maintain a minimum of a C average (cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale) on all work attempted in each semester or summer session. Failure to meet this minimum GPA will automatically result in a status of academic probation.
In addition to maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.0, a student must earn at least a C (2.0) in each required nursing course. (In a practicum course, a student must earn at least a C in both the clinical and theoretical components in order to receive a C as the final course grade.) Any student who earns a grade below C (2.0) in a required nursing course is automatically dropped from the nursing major. Such a student must appeal to the Undergraduate Program Committee for readmission and permission to repeat the course in which a minimum grade of C was not earned. In a nursing course with limited enrollment or a waiting list, qualified students who have not taken the course previously will have enrollment priority. Progression to the next level of courses is not permitted until all courses of the previous level have been successfully completed.
Dropping Courses
Students should refer to a current class schedule for information concerning existing UW-Parkside drop policy guidelines and any exceptions for individual courses.
A student who wishes to drop from a required or elective clinical nursing course or to withdraw from the nursing program must discuss the matter with the instructor, coordinator of the Consortial Nursing Program, and, as advised, the director of the undergraduate program and the associate dean for academic affairs. In addition, the student may wish to discuss the matter with an academic advisor in the Consortial Nursing Program. Written approval to drop must be secured from the instructor and the director of the undergraduate program irrespective of the week of the semester. Any such interruption in the sequence of courses following acceptance into the major requires readmission to the nursing major. Information about the procedure for applying for re-admission is available in the Consortial Nursing Office. For additional information please refer to the College of Nursing Student Handbook which is available in the Consortial Nursing Office (Tallent Hall L180).
Grievance Procedure
The College of Nursing has a formal written grievance procedure, available in the Consortial Nursing Office (Tallent Hall 288). A grievance is defined as any situation affecting the status of a student in which the student believes his/her rights have been compromised or denied because of an erroneous or arbitrary interpretation or application of rules. Student grievances are reviewed by the College of Nursing Undergraduate Program Committee, which recommends the disposition of the grievance to the associate dean for academic affairs. In addition, this committee reviews and acts upon all cases of academic misconduct as described in Chapter UWS 17, UW-Milwaukee Student Disciplinary Procedures.
Requirements for the Nursing Major
Students must earn a minimum of 124 semester credits to complete requirements for the undergraduate UW-Milwaukee degree. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all credits earned for UW-Milwaukee is required for graduation. The last 30 semester credits must be completed on the UW-Parkside campus (through the Consortial Nursing Program); at least 20 of these credits must be earned in nursing.
The required courses are listed below. Students who pursue nursing through the Consortial Nursing Program must follow UW-Milwaukee general education requirements for graduation. See below for general education requirements (GER). If a student decides to change his/her major from nursing to a UW-Parkside major, the student must then follow UW-Parkside general education requirements for graduation.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| UW-Milwaukee General Education Requirements (GER) for Nursing Major 1 | ||
| Humanities | ||
| Consult nursing advisor for approved GER | 6 | |
| The Arts | ||
| Consult nursing advisor for approved GER arts | 3 | |
| History | ||
| Select any course offered by History Department | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | ||
| Two semesters of the same language | 0-8 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select eight credits of electives | 8 | |
| UW-Milwaukee General Education Requirements (GER) for Nursing Major Subtotal | 20-28 | |
| College of Natural and Health Sciences Requirement | ||
| New entering students, and transfer students with less than 30 college credits, choosing a major in the College of Natural and Health Science are required to take this course. | ||
| UWP 101 | First Year Seminar: Natural and Health Sciences | 1 |
| Pre-Nursing Prerequisites | ||
| ENGL 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| SOCA | Sociology Course (Any for three credits) | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 3 |
| PSYC 210 | Introduction to Human Development | 3 |
| SOCA | Social Science Elective 2 | 3 |
| CHEM 115 | Chemical Science | 4 |
| CHEM 215 | Organic and Biochemistry | 4 |
| BIOS 105 | Human Physiology and Anatomy I | 5 |
| BIOS 106 | Human Physiology and Anatomy II | 5 |
| BIOS 190 | Fundamentals of Human Nutrition | 2 |
| BIOS 202 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| NURS 101 | Cultural Diversity in Health Care | 3 |
| NURS 102 | Perspectives on Health Care Systems | 2 |
| NURS 251 | Genetics and Genomics in Healthcare | 2 |
| Pre-Nursing Prerequisites Subtotal | 47 | |
| Required Nursing Courses for the Major 3 | ||
| NURS 351 | Professional Role I: Foundations of Professional Practice | 2 |
| NURS 352 | Health and Illness Concepts 1: Introduction | 3 |
| NURS 353 | Clinical Practicum 1: Foundations 4 | 3 |
| NURS 354 | Clinical Nursing Skills 1 | 1 |
| NURS 398 | Health Assessment and Promotion in Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 399 | Concepts of Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics | 4 |
| NURS 400 | Concepts of Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics II | 4 |
| NURS 419 | Concepts of Evidence-Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 420 | Professional Role 2: Provider of Care | 2 |
| NURS 421 | Health and Illness Concepts 2: Acute and Chronic Conditions | 3 |
| NURS 422 | Clinical Practicum 2: Acute and Chronic Conditions | 3 |
| NURS 423 | Clinical Nursing Skills 2 | 1 |
| NURS 431 | Health and Illness Concepts IV: Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 432 | Health and Illness III: Population Health | 3 |
| NURS 433 | Clinical Practicum 3: Population Health | 3 |
| NURS 434 | Nursing Informatics and Technology | 3 |
| NURS 435 | Concepts of Pathophysiology and Pharmacotherapeutics III | 3 |
| NURS 476 | Professional Role IV: Leading in Complex Systems | 3 |
| NURS 477 | Health and Illness Concepts V: Complex | 3 |
| NURS 478 | Clinical Practicum IV: Complex Care | 6 |
| NURS 480 | Transition Into Professional Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Required Nursing Courses for the Major Subtotal | 62 | |
| Total Credits | 129-137 | |
- 1
All nursing students are responsible for checking whether they meet the UW-Milwaukee general education requirements (written above).
- 2
See nursing advisor for list.
- 3
Students must be admitted to the nursing major. See nursing advisor, Tallent Hall L-180.
- 4
Prior to enrolling in the first clinical practice course, NURS 353 Clinical Practicum 1: Foundations, students must complete a level 3 CPR certification program for health professionals. Students will be required to upload a copy of their CPR card to Castle Branch.
Admission to UW-Parkside
Students intending to pursue study in nursing are advised to complete the following units (one unit equals one year) in high school:
- 1/2 unit of speech (if available)
- 2-4 units of a foreign language (at least two years/units of the SAME foreign language)
- 3 units of college preparatory mathematics at or above algebra level
- 1/2 unit of computer science
- 1 unit of biology
- 1 unit of chemistry
- 1 unit of physics
- 1 unit of history
- 3 units of social studies
- 4 units of English
Pre-nursing students are admitted to UW-Parkside as matriculates and are classified as pre-nursing. Admission to the pre-nursing classification does not guarantee later admission to the nursing major. This subsequent admission occurs after a student has successfully completed the pre-professional requirements outlined in this catalog. Admission does not imply or guarantee that a student will be able to enter or complete the professional program within any specific time period. For policies and procedures of the College of Nursing, see College of Nursing Student Handbook for more information.
The policies and procedures of the College of Nursing apply to all students even though the student may be enrolled in courses in another college or school within the university. The general regulations governing UW-Milwaukee presented in this catalog apply to all consortial nursing students; therefore, these students do not need to fulfill UW-Parkside degree requirements.
Requirements for Admission to Nursing Major
The College of Nursing requires a minimum GPA of 2.75 as calculated on the prerequisite courses completed prior to the nursing major and a minimum science GPA of 2.75. For admission to the professional major, an application consists of a review of your academics, volunteer/work/leaderships experiences, an on-campus essay, and a series of mini interviews. Admission to the major is competitive. The minimum GPA required for admission can be significantly higher when there is a large applicant pool. Pre-nursing students who seek to enter the major and meet eligibility criteria (see below) are required to file an application with the nursing advisor in Tallent Hall L-180. The College of Nursing Undergraduate Program Committee reviews the applications and makes recommendations for admission.
Application Deadline
Pre-nursing students who seek to enter the nursing major in September must submit applications by January 2 of the current academic year. Applications received after this date will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
Eligibility Criteria
Students are required to meet the following criteria to be reviewed for selection into the nursing major:
- Satisfactorily complete or be enrolled in the following courses:
Course List Code Title Credits CHEM 115 Chemical Science 4 CHEM 215 Organic and Biochemistry 4 SOCA Sociology Course (any for 3 credits) ENGL 201 Advanced Composition 3 ENGL 168 Introduction to Professional Writing 3 BIOS 105 Human Physiology and Anatomy I 5 BIOS 106 Human Physiology and Anatomy II 5 BIOS 190 Fundamentals of Human Nutrition 2 BIOS 202 General Microbiology 4 PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychological Science 3 PSYC 210 Introduction to Human Development 3 Social Science Elective (see advisor for list) NURS 101 Cultural Diversity in Health Care 3 NURS 102 Perspectives on Health Care Systems 2 NURS 251 Genetics and Genomics in Healthcare 2
- Courses may be repeated only once. No more than two required courses may be repeated. All credit for required courses must have been earned in the 10 years preceding progression into the nursing major. Grades of less than 2.0 (C) must be replaced by grades greater than 2.0 (C) no later than August for fall applicants.
- Achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. This GPA is computed on the courses listed above. Achieve a minimum science grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. This GPA is computed within the required sciences.
- Achieve a minimum grade of 2.0 (C) in each of the required nursing and non-nursing courses as listed under part A.
- Remove all incompletes and replace with acceptable grades before beginning the nursing major.
- In addition to the satisfactory completion of courses listed in part A, applicants must demonstrate competency in math and English. Competencies must be fulfilled through testing or course work by the date of entry into the nursing major. Information about competency testing is available through the Consortial Nursing Office. Refer to the UW-Parkside Advising and Career Center for definition of competencies.
- A statement written by the applicant.
- Meet application deadlines.
- A letter of recommendation is required if an applicant has been enrolled in clinical nursing courses at another school of nursing. This reference must be from the director of that College of Nursing. The letter should reflect a positive recommendation for the student’s progression into the nursing major.
- An interview with the student making application may be requested at the discretion of the Undergraduate Program Committee.
- Following a review of the student’s record and the progression of the student into the nursing major, the Undergraduate Program Committee may make recommendations intended to assist the student. These recommendations will be communicated to the student.
Enrollment in freshman-level courses is based on ACT scores and in some cases, placement testing. As a result of ACT scores or placement testing, one or more preparatory courses may be required before enrollment in higher-level courses is permitted. Credits earned at the Academic Skill course/ASCK level in preparatory courses and English 100 do not apply to the 124 credits required for graduation.