The College of Nursing offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in nursing. The undergraduate degree is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and the graduate degrees are the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing science.
The placement of the College of Nursing in the Health Science Center offers a unique opportunity to learn and work with students from other health profes-sions. The colleges of the Health Science Center and their associated health care delivery networks provide students access to an integrated system of community hospitals and clinics, statewide home health care, a veterans’ health system and quaternary care at Shands Hospital at UF. The College of Nursing maintains and participates in nursing and interdisciplinary clinics for women, children, adults and the elderly with special emphasis on under-served and rural populations.
The baccalaureate nursing degree prepares graduates to enter professional positions in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings with clients of all ages from diverse populations, or for advancement to a graduate degree program in nursing.
The college’s programs are accredited by the Florida State Board of Nursing, the National League for Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The college is a member of the Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing of the Southern Regional Educa-tion Board and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Student Nursing Associations
Sigma Theta Tau International
Sigma Theta Tau is the international honor society of nursing; the Alpha Theta Chapter at the University of Florida was established in 1964. Its purposes are to recognize leadership qualities, to foster high professional standards, to encourage creative work and to strengthen commitment to the profession of nursing. Students are chosen for this membership on the basis of scholastic achievement and leadership ability.
Nursing College Council
The Nursing College Council (NCC) works coopera-tively with the faculty and students to promote collegial-ity within the student body and to foster communication among faculty members and students. Council represen-tatives are elected annually from each class.
Florida Nursing Students Association
The Florida Nursing Students Association (FNSA) is a pre-professional organization designed to prepare nursing students for participation in their professional organization, the American Nurses Association.
Nursing Alumni Association
The Nursing Alumni Association
is composed of faculty members and graduates of the college. This
or-ganization promotes collegiality among graduates, ad-vances the interests
of the college and the university and promotes the professional and educational
advancement of nursing in
cooperation with local, state and national organizations.
Admission
All students majoring in nursing are encouraged to contact the college’s Office of Academic and Student Affairs for advising before submitting an application for admission.
Nursing majors are admitted to the college and must complete general education and pre-professional require-ments as freshmen and sophomores. Standards for con-tinuation are established for nursing majors and continu-ing students are monitored by the college. Universal tracking audits that identify progress toward the degree are mailed to students at the end of each fall and spring semester. Critical tracking criteria are outlined in the curriculum plan section that follows.
Students begin professional nursing studies in the fall semester of the junior year. All academic require-ments must be completed by the end of the spring semes-ter before enrolling in professional nursing (NUR) courses.
On-track and potential on-track students are sent the college’s BSN information form during the third semes-ter at the university. This form must be completed and returned to the address indicated on the form by February 1 preceding enrollment in NUR courses.
Application materials of off-track students are re-viewed individually. Admission evaluation factors in-clude academic record, cumulative grade point average, performance in pre-professional courses, extent to which the applicant exceeds minimum requirements, relevant achievements or experiences and career goals.
Transfer Students
For application information, all transfer students should refer to the Admissions section of the catalog, Admission as a Transfer Student. Within space and fiscal limitations, applicants from other institutions who have satisfied minimum requirements will be considered for admission at the junior level.
Florida community college applicants to the College of Nursing must complete an Associate of Arts degree and meet all other university and college-specific re-quirements. Upon receipt of transcripts and the completed BSN information form, application materials will be reviewed. Admission evaluation factors include aca-demic record, cumulative grade point average, perform-ance in pre-professional courses, extent to which appli-cant exceeds minimum requirements, relevant achievements or experiences and career goals.
Students attending four-year colleges in Florida or out-of-state institutions should complete 60 semester hours, taking courses similar to the pre-professional preparatory courses outlined in the first two years of the nursing curriculum plan. All other university and col-lege-specific requirements must also be met.
Minimum Requirements for Enrollment in NUR Courses
Financial aid information is available from the Office for Student Financial Affairs, P.O. Box 114025, 103 Criser Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-4025.
College Regulations
Health Policy
The college requires specified immunizations and health screenings periodically. Compliance with health policies is required for clinical course work. Students are expected to be physically and mentally able to perform the essential functions of the nursing curriculum, and they may be requested to provide appropriate medical documentation.
Expenditures
Expenditures specific to nursing courses include spe-cialized equipment, uniforms, laboratory fees for clinical courses and transportation for off-campus experiences. Pre-graduation achievement exams are required and are paid for by the student.
Computer Requirement
All students must have access
to a computer. Regis-tration can be done by computer and official
university and college correspondence is often sent via e-mail. Refer
to the University of Florida’s home page at http://www.ufl.edu, as well
as a link to the college’s web page at http://con.ufl.edu, for more detailed
requirements and information.
Universal Tracking Standards
Universal tracking is the tool used by the university to advise students on their progress toward graduation. Specific standards help students to determine their status each semester through a universal tracking audit. Stu-dents who are not maintaining satisfactory progress toward a degree, and are not approved for continuation by a college adviser, are considered off-track and will be advised to select another major.
Program of Study
The junior/senior level program in nursing studies is five semesters long and provides learning experience in a variety of clinical settings, including community health agencies, clinics, hospitals and homes. Nursing courses include classroom and laboratory activities correlated with supervised clinical experiences.
Courses in the first two semesters focus on various states of wellness and illness, including experiences with adult clients in hospital and community settings. Courses in health assessment, pharmacotherapeutics and pathophysiology provide theoretical content for the application of the nursing process. Students have the opportunity to analyze a variety of issues in professional nursing practice and health care.
The senior year courses focus on nursing in the areas of maternal-newborn, child health, mental health and family/community health. The conceptual courses for each area are accompanied by laboratory courses in a variety of clinical settings. Students are also introduced to the research process in nursing.
The final semester focuses on complex nursing care with clients across the life span. The practicum is the culminating laboratory experience in the program and provides opportunity for integration and synthesis of professional role behaviors. A course in the structure and finances of health care delivery systems supports the practicum.
Progress
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all required nursing courses. Students earning less than a C in any required nursing course may repeat that course only once and on a space-available basis. Students may repeat no more than four semester credits of required nursing courses. Students who receive below a C grade in the same required nursing course twice or who receive below a C grade in more than four semester credits of required nursing courses must withdraw from the program.
Students who withdraw may petition for readmission on a space-available basis upon completion of a pre-scribed remedial curriculum, provided they also meet the admission standards of the class to which they seek admission. The student’s academic adviser, department chair and the associate dean for academic and student affairs develop the remedial curriculum plan.
Students in the health professions are held to stan-dards of conduct that exceed those usually expected of university students. Consequently, nursing students are required to demonstrate safe practice in the care of pa-tients and to exercise appropriate judgment as beginning level professionals, including appropriate demeanor and appearance. Students must adhere to the standards of conduct outlined in the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics and the Florida Nurse Practice Act. Stu-dents can be removed from the nursing curriculum based on violation of professional conduct.
Curriculum Plan
The following recommended course list enables stu-dents to satisfy the university-wide general education requirement (refer to the Academic Advising section of this catalog) and required pre-professional courses. The plan includes the courses and academic standards (overall GPA and pre-professional GPA) required each semester for continuation in the nursing major.
The curriculum leading to
the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) follows. Critical tracking courses
ap-pear in bold and must be completed in the semester indicated. Pre-professional
courses are preceded by an asterisk (*) and require a C or better grade.
Nursing courses followed by a double asterisk (**) are offered S/U only.
| FRESHMAN YEAR | |
| Semester 1 - Fall | Credits |
| *CHM 1020 Chemistry (GE-P) | 3 |
| ENC 1101 Composition (GE-C) | 3 |
| *PSY 2013 Psychology (GE-S) | 3 |
| *SYG 2000 Sociology (GE-S) | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H, I) | 3 |
|
|
15 |
Critical Tracking Criteria:
• 3.0 overall GPA
• 3.0 pre-professional GPA
• Must complete chemistry course
| Semester 2 - Spring | Credits |
| *CHM 1021 Chemistry (GE-P) | 3 |
| *MCB 2000 and MCB 2000L Microbiology and Microbiology Lab (GE-B) | 4 |
| MGF 1202 Computation (GE-M) | 3 |
| *DEP 3053 Developmental Psychology
Or EDF 3110 Human Growth and Development (GE-S) |
3 |
| Humanities (GE-H, I) | 2 |
|
|
15 |
Critical Tracking Criteria:
• 3.2 overall GPA
• 3.2 pre-professional GPA
• Must complete chemistry and microbiol-ogy courses
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | |
| Semester 3 – Fall | Credits |
| *PET 2320 Anatomy (GE-P) | 4 |
| *STA 2122 Statistics (GE-M) | 3 |
| *HUN 2201 Nutrition (GE-B) | 3 |
| Electives | 5 |
|
|
15 |
Critical Tracking Criteria
• 3.2 overall GPA
• 3.2 pre-professional GPA
• Must complete anatomy course
| Semester 4 - Spring | Credits |
| *PET 2350C Physiology (GE-P) | 4 |
| Humanities | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) | 3 |
| Electives | 5 |
|
|
15 |
Critical Tracking Criteria:
• 3.2 overall GPA
• 3.2 pre-professional GPA
• All courses indicated in semesters 1-4 must be completed.
| JUNIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 5 - Fall | Credits |
| NUR 3065C Clinical Nursing: Fundamental Assessment and Skills | 4 |
| NUR 3115 Nursing Care Mgmt: Adults I | 3 |
| NUR 3125 Pathophysiology for Nursing I | 2 |
| NUR 3145 Pharmacology for Nursing I | 2 |
| NUR 3825 Foundations of the Nursing Profession | 3 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 6 - Spring | Credits |
| NUR 3126 Pathophysiology for Nursing II | 2 |
| NUR 3147 Pharmacology for Nursing II | 2 |
| NUR 3255 Nursing Care Mgmt: Adults II | 3 |
| NUR 3255L Clinical Nursing: Adult Health Care Application** | 5 |
| NUR 3826 Nursing in the Health Care System | 2 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 7 - Summer | Credits |
| NUR 3355 Nursing Care Management: Children | 3 |
| NUR 3355L Clinical Nursing: Child Health Care Application** | 2 |
| NUR 3455 Nursing Care Management: Women’s Health and Childbearing | 3 |
| NUR 3455L Clinical Nursing: Women’s Health
and Childbearing Health Care Application** |
2 |
| NUR 4197 Seminar in Family Dynamics | 1 |
|
|
11 |
| SENIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 8 - Fall | Credits |
| NUR 4165 Intro to the Research Process In Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 4535 Nursing Care Management: Mental Health Nursing | 4 |
| NUR 4535L Clinical Nursing: Mental Health Care Application** | 2 |
| NUR 4635 Nursing Care Mgmt: Community | 2 |
| NUR 4635L Clinical Nursing: Community Health Care Application | 2 |
|
|
13 |
| Semester 9 - Spring | Credits |
| NUR 4767 Nursing Care Management: Complex Health Problems | 3 |
| NUR 4767L Clinical Nursing: Health Care Apps
in Complex Health Problems ** |
2 |
| NUR 4827 Metasystems and Health Care Delivery for Nursing | 2 |
| NUR 4945L Clinical Nursing: Practicum** | 5 |
|
|
12 |
|
|
124 |
Programs of Study for Registered Nurses
The College of Nursing offers a course of study for registered nurses wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree (as well as those desiring a master’s degree). RN/BSN students meet college graduation requirements through credit by examination, classroom attendance and clinical experiences. A class schedule that considers the needs of working RNs is available.
Course work focuses on development of professional nursing practice and includes content that will broaden and strengthen the registered nurse student’s repertoire of knowledge and skills. Content includes health assess-ment, professional socialization, finance, health care delivery, research and family/community nursing. Clini-cal experiences are with individuals, families and groups in community settings.
The practicum is the culminating clinical experience and provides an opportunity for integration and synthesis of professional role behaviors. Electives permit students to pursue individual interests and to avail themselves of knowledge from other disciplines.
A current Florida registered nurse license and one year of nursing experience are required in addition to the criteria for enrollment in the college’s undergraduate nursing courses.
Graduation Requirements
Requirements for graduation from the BSN program include:
The college does not have a Dean’s List.
The purpose of the honors program is to provide unique and challenging experiences for selected students to develop creativity and skill in scientific inquiry. The honors program provides opportunity for research, service and other creative endeavors with professionals in various fields. Senior students with a GPA of 3.2 in NUR courses and a grade of B in NUR 4165 may apply.
To graduate with honors, students must have a final GPA of 3.2; graduating with high honors requires a final GPA of 3.6; and graduating with highest honors requires a final GPA of 3.8. In addition, all students requesting to graduate with honors (honors, high honors or highest honors) must make an oral presentation on an honors project and submit an approved honors paper. Those students requesting to graduate with honors must submit a written abstract to the college’s Office of Academic and Student Affairs. Students requesting to graduate with high or highest honors must submit their written ab-stracts to the University of Florida Honors Office.
Licensure
Upon satisfactory completion of the baccalaureate curriculum, the graduate will be awarded the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is eligible to apply for the N-CLEX examination for state licensure as a registered nurse.
Graduate Studies
The College of Nursing offers the Master of Science in Nursing. Tracks of study are available for nurse mid-wifery, adult nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, neonatal nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner and women's health nurse practitioner. Options in oncol-ogy or geriatric nursing may be added to selected nurse practitioners tracks. A track of study in nursing/ health care management also is available.
The College of Nursing offers
the Doctor of Philoso-phy in nursing science. This program prepares nurses
for leadership roles as scholars and researchers.
The college offers accelerated programs of study for students who are
motivated to and capable of advanced placement in graduate programs. Inquiries
regarding such programs should be directed to the college's Office of Academic
and Student Affairs.