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Department of Nursing

Nursing (BSN)


 

About the Major


Our innovative 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, gives you the best of both worlds: critical hands-on learning experiences within the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing plus a transformational educational experience at Westminster that includes coursework with faculty members who have deep nursing experience, plus coursework in a wide variety of disciplines.

The result of this collaborative agreement is a program of study that prepares you to be an excellent nurse and for future leadership opportunities and a wide variety of careers beyond traditional nursing. As a nursing student at Westminster, you’ll also have access to the full college experience, including living with friends on campus, participating in athletics, performing in music ensembles, and belonging to student clubs.

NCLEX-RN Pass Rates Class of 2023: First time attempt pass rate 9/13 (69%).
NOTE: 3 students completed a retake and passed by 12-31-22= 92% pass rate for all attempts.

NCLEX-RN Pass Rates Class of 2024: First time attempt pass rate 8/8 (100%).

 Major Requirements & Courses

 

Real Experiences. Real Success.


  • 100% of nursing students complete a capstone experience in a community-based hospital setting. During this experience, the student is supervised by a Westminster faculty member and works alongside a Registered Nurse (RN) to research a current clinical practice problem on a nursing unit.

     

  • For the past two years, 90% of students were employed as RNs within three months of graduation. UPMC has been the largest employer of our BSN graduates.

     

  • Westminster graduates are working in many healthcare settings, including medical-surgical units, emergency rooms, oncology units, operating rooms, and maternal-newborn care units.

 

 

 

Sample Nursing Schedule, 4-Year Collaborative Program


This sample schedule for Nursing majors is offered for illustrative purposes. Please note that an individual student's schedule will vary based on interests and the schedule of course offerings.

Courses with a three-letter prefix (for example, SCI 135) are Westminster courses. Courses with an N prefix (for example, N 102) are Nursing Diploma Program courses held at the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing.

Courses with the UPMC designation are Westminster courses required by the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing and must be completed with an earned grade of C or better by the end of Year Three. First-Year Program (FYP) courses, Intellectual Perspectives (IP) courses, the Cluster Course (CC), which are Westminster graduation requirements, are indicated in italics.

Year One (Fall)
Year One (Spring)
Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology I (SCI 135; UPMC)
Introduction to Psychology (PSY 101; ST IP)
Inquiry (INQ 101; FYP)
Speech or Writing (SPE 111 or WRI 111; FYP)
Westminster 101 (WST 101; FYP)
Introduction to Healthcare (SCI 101)
Foundations of Anatomy and Physiology II (SCI 136; UPMC)
Foundations of Microbiology (SCI 137; SD IP & UPMC)
Speech or Writing (SPE 111 or WRI 111; FYP & UPMC)
Visual or Performing Arts Elective (VP IP)

Year Two (Fall)
Year Two (Spring)
Professional Concepts of Nursing (N 101)
Foundational Concepts of Nursing (N 102)
Nursing Student Success Seminar (N 103)
Physiological Concepts of Nursing (N 201)
Lifespan Development (PSY 225 & UPMC)
Intermediate Spanish I- Medical (SPA 201; FL IP)

Year Three (Fall)
Year Three (Spring)
Complex Individual and Family Nursing Concepts (N 301)
Nursing Student Success Seminar (N 303)
Advanced Nursing Concepts (N 320)
Transition into Nursing Practice (N 340)
NCLEX Preparation Course (N 360)
Biomedical Ethics (PHI 240; RP IP & UPMC)

Year Four (Fall)
Year Four (Spring)
Community and Public Health Nursing (NUR 401; CC)
Diseases in U.S. History (HIS 228; CC and HC IP)
Nursing Research for Evidence Based Practice (NUR 402)
Concepts of Statistics (MTH 135; QR IP)
Advanced Health Assessment (NUR 403)
Nursing Care of Vulnerable Populations (NUR 404)
Nursing Leadership (NUR 405)
Nursing Capstone (NUR 601)

 

NOTE: Students in Year Three may need personal transportation to and from clinical experiences. Students graduate from the UPMC Jameson School of Nursing at the end of Year Three and are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN Exam to earn licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). Active RN license is required to begin the RN-BSN/Post-licensure Program in Year Four.

 

For More Information

Please contact the Chair of the Nursing Department.

Maria A. Sapienza

Assistant Professor/Chair
Maria A. Sapienza