School of Nursing

Nursing has been one of the professional disciplines of the University of Virginia since a three-year diploma program was first offered to high school students in 1901 under the aegis of the University of Virginia Hospital and the Department of Medicine. Today the School is one of the eleven independent schools of the University with a faculty of 56 and a student body of approximately 300 undergraduate men and women, and a graduate student enrollment of 200. The School offers the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Nursing and, since 1972, the Master of Science in Nursing with specialties in Community and Home Health, Acute and Specialty Care, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, Primary Care, and Health Systems Management. The School of Nursing collaborates with the School of Medicine, School of Law and the Department of Religious Studies to offer a joint Master's Degree in Nursing and Bioethics. In addition, a combined MSN-MBA joint degree program with the Darden School is available, as are Post-Master's Primary Care and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Programs. A Doctoral program leading to a Ph.D. in nursing began in 1982.

The School occupies McLeod Hall, a modern five-story building with classrooms, laboratories, videotaping facilities, seminar rooms, and reading rooms. University housing is available for students in the School of Nursing. The School of Nursing, accredited by the National League for Nursing, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Virginia State Board of Nursing, is a member of the Council of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs of the National League for Nursing, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the Southern Regional Education Board. The school was first accredited by the National League of Nursing Education in 1941 and appeared on the first list of accredited nursing schools issued by the league.

The present baccalaureate program was established in 1977 as a four-year course, with a curriculum consisting of one year in pre-nursing and liberal arts courses followed by the three-year nursing major.

FACILITIES AND RESOURCES
The School of Nursing draws upon the resources of the twenty-five academic departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, on the instructional staff of the School of Education, and on the case materials available in the Health Sciences Center. The Health Sciences Library of more than 180,000 volumes, and the University's general collection containing approximately 4 million volumes, are all open for use by students in the School of Nursing.

In addition to these academic resources of the University, the nursing student receives clinical experience at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center and other area health care institutions.

THE MEDICAL CENTER
The hospital and its satellite agencies provide accommodations for over 800 beds and bassinets. The hospital is registered by the American Medical Association as meeting hospital standards, is on the approved list of the American College of Surgeons, and is approved by the Council of Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association as acceptable for the training of interns as well as for various residencies and fellowships. In addition, the hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Hospitals.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND HONORS
Nursing students are eligible for the special nursing organizations listed below. Furthermore, the School of Nursing is represented on the major student governmental bodies: the Student Council, the Honor Committee, and the University Judiciary Committee.

STUDENT NURSE ORGANIZATIONS
Students are eligible for membership in the National Student Nurses Association. The National Student Nurses Association and its regional chapter, the Student Nurses' Association of Virginia (SNAV), work to develop nursing students into concerned, knowledgeable professionals. All University of Virginia pre-nursing and nursing students are eligible for membership. The School of Nursing also has an active chapter of the Black Student Nurses Association.

DEGREE PROGRAM
The School of Nursing confers the degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing on candidates who successfully complete a four-year program of study. Students attending a Virginia community college must pursue a program of pre-nursing general education courses in order to be eligible for transfer. They may enter the School of Nursing at the end of an academic year in which the prerequisite requirements are completed. Students will normally complete one year of college level work before transfer. Completion of the program qualifies the graduate for beginning positions in hospital, clinic, office, school, public health and industrial nursing, for commissions in military service, and for graduate study in nursing.

PROGRAM COMPOSITION AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Courses in the School of Nursing are composed of two discrete but interrelated elements -- Interprofessional and Core. Interprofessional courses are designed to facilitate transition to the role of health care provider and include social science and natural science content with special application to health care. Selected interprofessional courses are open to all students within the University in addition to students of nursing.

The nursing core courses include basic knowledge and skills needed to practice professional nursing at a beginning level. Clinical and classroom experiences and academic work provide a broad basis for nursing practice related to both acute and chronic illness and health promotion. The emphasis is on individuals, families, and groups with varying levels of health and at all points in the life cycle. In addition, issues related to professional nursing are also included.

The degree of Bachelor of Science in Nursing is conferred by the General Faculty upon those candidates recommended by the faculty of the School of Nursing as having successfully completed a prescribed course of study, including not fewer than 120 semester hours of approved courses. A total of 53 semester hours is required in the natural and social sciences and the humanities; and 67 semester hours are required in nursing courses. In addition, the candidate must have earned a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 ("C") on prescribed work.

Two tracks are offered for non-traditional students interested in preparation for nursing practice. Registered nurses without baccalaureate degrees may progress through a modified undergraduate curriculum and obtain their nursing degree in one academic year. Students who have baccalaureate degrees in other fields may progress through a Master's Level degree program. Please see the Nursing School Web site (Offsite) for more information. Further progression in graduate study is encouraged and facilitated for interested, qualified individuals. For details, contact the School of Nursing.

ACADEMIC ADVISING
Academic advising is the responsibility of the Dean and the Associate Dean. The Office of Admissions and Student Services serves in a general advisory capacity for non-academic matters. Students are urged to avail themselves of the opportunities to discuss their class work and clinical experience with their instructors.

ADMISSION
PLEASE NOTE: Admission guidelines contained herein speak specifically to transfer applicants from the community college system and from other undergraduate programs. Registered Nurse applicants must contact the School of Nursing for specific admission requirements. In every case, an applicant for transfer admission must be in good academic and social standing at any college which he/she is currently attending or has previously attended, and must be eligible to return there. Selection of applicants to the School of Nursing is competitive, based primarily on scholastic ability demonstrated by academic records of pre-nursing study, secondary school records, and scores on the SAT I or the American College Test (ACT). Relevant volunteer or work experience in a clinical setting will be taken into consideration and will be a factor in the selection process. Students wishing to transfer after one year at a Virginia community college or another accredited college must have successfully completed a minimum of 30 semester hours of the following general education requirements:

School of Nursing Requirements
Recommended VCCS Courses

English Composition - 3 semester hours
ENG 111. You are exempt if you scored 720 or higher on the SAT II Writing Test or 4 or better on the AP English Test.

Second Writing Requirement - 3 semester hours
A course must have a minimum of 4,000 words (20 pages) written over at least two occasions. The Office of Admissions and Student Services in the School of Nursing can provide details about this requirement.

Natural Science and Mathematics - 12 semester hours
A full sequence of Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIO 141-142) is strongly recommended. Other acceptable courses include mathematics (except basic algebra and pre-calculus), chemistry, physics, environmental science, geology, and ecology.

Social Science and History - 9 semester hours
Acceptable courses include history, government, psychology, sociology, government, and anthropology.

Humanities and Fine Arts - 9 semester hours
Acceptable courses include philosophy, ethics, art, religion, music, drama, and foreign language.

Electives
12 or more semester hours to total 53 semester are necessary to complete the general education requirements for the School of Nursing. Liberal arts electives chosen from the above disciplines are acceptable. Up to 7 semester hours in physical education or skill courses such as studio art or music performance may be counted toward the requirement.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT
On presentation of an official transcript, students accepted for transfer to the School of Nursing will be granted transfer credit for academic course work taken at an accredited institution if the grade earned was at least one letter grade better than the minimum passing grade. Questions regarding acceptability of specific courses for transfer should be referred to the Office of Admissions and Student Services in the School of Nursing.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
Transfer students applying for admission after successfully completing a minimum of 30 semester hours of college-level work will enter the School of Nursing at the start of the regular academic session in the fall as second year nursing students.

The deadline for receipt of completed applications is March 1. In addition to the official application form, the applicant should submit official secondary school and collegiate transcripts, plus the results of the SAT I or American College Test (ACT). Particular attention should be paid to the instructions in the application pertaining to transfer students.