Academic Catalog

Nursing (BSN)

The Benedictine College Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (BSN) is based on a framework of the The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (2021) from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The professional nurse who graduates from Benedictine College is educated through a four-year degree with a major in nursing. 

The candidate for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must complete all the general education degree requirements of the College. 

Additional School of Nursing information may be found in the current Benedictine College School of Nursing Student Handbook. Contact the School of Nursing to request more information.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in Nursing at Benedictine College is accredited by the:
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
655 K Street NW, Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
202-887-6791

Approval

The Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate of the Nursing Program is approved by the:
Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN)
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson Street, Suite 1051
Topeka, KS 66612-1230
785-296-4929

Student Enrollment Information

Admission Information

  • The School of Nursing is committed to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity in its admission process.
  • Student must be 18 years of age or older on the first day of enrollment in the Nursing Program.
  • Upon attainment of sophomore status (or the academic year prior to entering the Nursing Program), application by the student is to be submitted no later than January 15 prior to the anticipated start of the Nursing Program. Applications submitted after this date will be considered on a space available basis.
  • Notification of acceptance of admission to the Nursing Program will be sent to students from the School of Nursing.

Benedictine College Education Requirement for Nursing Applicants

  • Minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 at the time of application.
  • Minimum completion of 64 hours at the start of Nursing Program.
  • Completion of all the general education Core requirements prior to starting the Nursing Program.
  • Nine (9) or fewer hours remaining for the Foundations and/or Skills and Perspectives requirements when starting the Nursing Program with an academic plan to complete these requirements before completing the Nursing Program.

Nursing Prerequisite Courses and Requirements for Nursing Applicants

BIOL-1121General Biology I (with lab)5
BIOL-2242Human Anatomy & Physiology I (with lab)4
BIOL-2243Human Anatomy & Physiology II (with lab)4
BIOL-2260Principles of Microbiology4
CHEM-1200
& CHEM-1201		General Chemistry I Lecture
and General Chemistry I Lab		4
EXSC-3303Basic Nutrition3
MATH-1220Introductory Statistics4
NURS-1100Introduction to Professional Nursing1
PSYC-1000General Psychology3
PSYC-2503Lifespan Development3
  • Minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all nursing prerequisite courses with no grade lower than a C in these courses.
  • All nursing prerequisite courses must by completed prior to starting the Nursing Program.
  • Up to two (2) different nursing prerequisite courses may be repeated one (1) time each.
  • All nursing prerequisite courses must have been completed within ten (10) years at the time of application.

Nursing Program Application

  • Complete the Benedictine College School of Nursing admission application.
  • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required of all applicants to the School of Nursing whose first language is not English. The minimum TOEFL scores for admission consideration are listed below. The test must be completed within one year of application to the School of Nursing.
    • Paper-Based: 577
    • Computer-Based: 233
    • Internet-Based: 90
    • Writing: 20
    • Speaking: 25
    • Reading: 20
    • Listening: 25

Additional Consideration

The School of Nursing will consider the following factors for admissions:

  • Overall GPA and GPA on nursing prerequisite courses;
  • Number of full-time semesters completed at Benedictine College;
  • Short personal essay or video;
  • Academic history with patterns and trends indicating potential for academic success (e.g., successful completion of a full-time semester);
  • Pre-admission test may be considered;
  • Eligibility for licensure. Refer to the Nurse Practice Act in the state in which you anticipate licensure. In Kansas refer to KSA 65–1120 of the Nurse Practice Act at www.ksbn.org. Graduation does not ensure licensure eligibility;

  • Admission preference is given to current Benedictine College students;

  • Transfer students will be considered on a space-available basis;

  • Transfer students who are accepted into the Nursing Program must complete a minimum of 60% of the required nursing courses at Benedictine College.

Core General Education Requirements

Students are required to have the following Core general education requirements completed before starting the Nursing Program.

ENGL-1010English Composition3
EXSC Fitness Course 11
Foreign Language requirement (both semesters)8
PHIL-2100Principles of Nature3
THEO-1100Introduction to Theology3
1

Students do not need to take EXSC-1115 Wellness for Life (NURS-3200 Foundations of Nursing will fulfill this requirement)

Students transferring into Benedictine College with 60 or more hours of approved credit and/or an Associates of Arts, or an Associates in Science may have different general education requirements. Review the College Catalog for further information.

When students are accepted into the Nursing Program, they are assigned to the College Catalog for the following year with the latest Nursing Program requirements. Students may elect to keep the general education requirements of the Catalog they started with when they matriculated to Benedictine College. If they wish to keep their original general education requirements, they must let the Registrar’s Office know as soon as possible so their degree audit will be corrected in Self Service > My Progress.  

General Biology Policy

Students are strongly encouraged to take BIOL-1121 General Biology I at Benedictine College. The School of Nursing MAY allow general biology (with a laboratory and genetics component) from another accredited college in place of Benedictine College’s BIOL-1121 General Biology I. 

  • A College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Biology exam with a score of 3, 4, or 5 WILL be accepted in place of BIOL-1121 General Biology I for nursing students. For non-nursing majors, AP Biology is NOT equivalent to BIOL-1121 General Biology.
  • Benedictine College's BIOL-1107 Principles of Biology WILL NOT be accepted for this requirement.
  • General Biology taken through a high school-college partnership Dual Enrollment or Dual Credit course WILL NOT be accepted for this requirement.

Technical Standards of Nursing Student

To enter and complete the Nursing Program, student nurses must be able to meet specific cognitive learning skills, psychomotor skills, communication, and affective social, and behavioral processes. 

I. Cognitive Learning Skills 
The students must be able to demonstrate the ability to:

i. Apply clinical judgement.
ii. Take a complete patient history.
iii. Plan, implement, and evaluate a nursing plan of care.
iv. Incorporate new information into previous learning as necessary.
v. Engage in mathematical skills necessary to accurately calculate dosages, IV flow rates, and other measures related to patient care. 

II. Psychomotor Skills
The student must be able to demonstrate the following skills: 

i. Perform gross and fine motor movements necessary for assessing patients and performing various nursing skills.
ii. Perform a thorough physical assessment.
iii. Manipulate various types of medical equipment.
iv. Sit, stand, move, and engage in physical exertion to satisfactorily and safely perform nursing care responsibilities in the clinical, simulation laboratory, skills laboratory, and classroom settings, including performing CPR.
v. Engage in physical exertion for up to 12 hours at a time.
vi. Safely lift, transfer, move, and/or ambulate a patient who has mobility limitations.

III. Communication
The student must be able to demonstrate the following skills: 

i. Effectively communicate verbally and non-verbally.
ii. Read, write, comprehend, and speak the English language to facilitate clear communication with patients, other members of the healthcare team, other students, and faculty. 

IV. Affective, Social, and Behavioral Processes
The student must be able to:

i. Demonstrate appropriate affective behavior and mental attitudes to support the emotional, mental, and behavioral safety of patients.
ii. Demonstrate compassion, integrity, empathy, and effective interpersonal skills.
iii. Respect all individuals encountered in the Nursing Program.
iv. Maintain adequate concentration and attention in patient care settings.
v. Maintain behavioral decorum in stressful situations and not engage in inappropriate behavior.
vi. Adapt to, and function effectively, in stressful situations. 

Clinical Requirements

The successful completion of the Nursing Program includes the completion of clinical activities at established Clinical Partner sites. Failure to complete clinical activities results in not meeting course and end-of-program outcomes and therefore renders the student unable to complete the program, graduate, and be eligible for NCLEX-RN testing.

Nursing students must meet requirements established by the Clinical Partner to attend clinical.  The student must remain compliant with all requirements throughout the duration of the Nursing Program. These are the requirements that are subject to change:

  • Annual Tuberculosis (TB) Screening
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Immunizations
  • Varicella (Chicken Pox) Vaccine or blood work showing immunity to Varicella
  • Tetanus-Diphtheria-Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) Immunizations
  • Annual Influenza Vaccine 
  • Positive Hepatitis B Titer (blood work) or Completed Hepatitis B Vaccine Waiver Form
  • Health Insurance
  • Acceptable clinical background check
  • Acceptable drug screen
  • Current Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers