Columbia College of Nursing

Upper Division Curriculum

Are you interested in a wide variety of clinical experiences and immersing yourself as a student in the practice of professional nursing? If so, then the new upper division curriculum would be a great choice.

The principle objective of the Upper Division Curriculum is to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of professional nursing. To accomplish this, nursing courses build on the knowledge gained from the humanities, fine arts, and social and natural sciences. Typically, students complete all nursing and non-nursing requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree within a four year time period. Students complete the liberal arts core, support courses, and electives through Mount Mary College in the first two years (lower division). Upper division nursing courses and clinical experiences are completed through Columbia College of Nursing in the last two years. As a result, Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College nursing students spend their freshman and sophomore years on the Mount Mary College campus, and their junior and senior years on the Columbia College of Nursing campus.

Please view the 2009-2010 Upper Division Curriculum for information on admission requirements, course descriptions, and other information on the new upper division curriculum.

Admission: Registered Nurses

Registered nurses who have graduated from accredited diploma or associate degree nursing programs are admitted to the Nursing Program as transfer students. These students may receive transfer credit for applicable college courses provided they were completed in
an accredited junior or senior college and an official transcript from the institution(s) is submitted upon application. Registered nurses who wish to enter the Nursing Program to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree must meet the following requirements:

♦ Admission to Mount Mary College by submitting the following:

1. A completed Mount Mary College Application
2. Official high school transcript
3. Official transcripts of coursework completed at all post-secondary institutions
4. Official transcripts from school of
nursing
5. Current RN license, state of
Wisconsin

♦ Graduation from an accredited associate degree or diploma program.
♦ Current RN license, or eligibility for license, in Wisconsin.
♦ Overall grade point average of 2.80 on a 4.0 scale
♦ Grades of C or better in all required support courses or their equivalents
♦ Ability to meet the Technical Standards for Admission to and Progression in the Nursing Program

There are a total of 62 nursing credits. BSN completion students may earn 37 nursing credits from previous nursing coursework, upon successful completion of Columbia College of Nursing courses including: NUR 322, Altered Health Processes, and successful completion of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Examination, with a SP or better. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in Columbia College of Nursing and Mount Mary College coursework to remain in the nursing program to graduate.

For information on challenging a course and to make arrangements to take the examinations, contact the Columbia College of Nursing Registrar in the Academic Affairs office. For more information on other challenge exams, the student needs to contact the Office of the Registrar at Mount Mary College.

Final acceptance into the nursing program is contingent upon the positive evaluation of the applicant's ability to fulfill the Technical Standards of the nursing program. Successful participation in the Columbia College-Mount Mary College nursing degree program requires that a candidate possess the ability to meet the requirements of the program. Though Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College may modify certain course requirements in order to provide a handicapped person with an equivalent opportunity to achieve success equal to that of a non-handicapped person, there are no substitutes for the following essential skills. The applicant/ candidate must initially meet these requirements to gain admission to the program, and must continue to meet them throughout participation in the program.

The Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College Nursing Program is committed to the utilization of technological advances, which provide opportunities for disabled persons to perform the essential skills outlined above. A disabled applicant/ candidate shall not, on the basis of his or her disability (except those which would preclude performance of the essential skills outlined above) be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, nor be subjected to discrimination at the Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College Nursing Program.

Physical requirements: The applicant/candidate must be willing to
and capable of performing physical examinations and venipuncture, administer medications and demonstrate an understanding of and an ability to use sundry kinds of medical equipment. The applicant/candidate must also be able to differentiate among the full spectrum of colors. All applicants/candidates are expected to successfully complete and maintain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Communication: An applicant/candidate must be able to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture. An applicant/candidate must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and members of the health care team using oral, written and non-verbal modalities.
Intellectual abilities: Problem solving, an essential skill demanded of nurses, requires abilities in measurement and calculation as well as the capability to synthesize, categorize, and apply data based on conclusions arrived at through critical thinking.
Behavioral and social attributes: An applicant/candidate must possess the emotional health, maturity and self-discipline for successful participation and completion of the program. The applicant/candidate must exercise good judgment in caring for patients. The applicant/candidate must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. Lastly, the applicant/candidate must possess and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and concern for others.
Evaluation: The Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College Nursing Program may require that an applicant/student undergo a physical examination and/or an occupational skill evaluation and drug screening. Columbia College will endeavor to evaluate the applicant/ candidate in a manner that accurately reflects aptitude and/or or level of achievement.
Criminal Background Check: The applicant/candidate/student must be willing to complete a Background Information Disclosure Form, prior to enrollment in the program or prior to clinical placement in the program. The Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College Nursing Program intends to fully comply with the requirements of the Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check Law which requires hospitals and other health care and treatment entities to perform background checks on all persons who have direct, regular contact with patients. Certain convictions may prevent or significantly limit the ability of the College to place a student in a particular clinical setting. This may result in the inability of the student to meet the College's graduation requirements. The Columbia College of Nursing - Mount Mary College Nursing Program reserves the right to reject the application of a candidate or remove a student from the program if the College determines that the results of the criminal background check demonstrate that the applicant/student does not exhibit behavior and social attributes consistent with the College's Technical Standards.

See our online 2009-2010 Academic Catalog for more details.