Department of Nursing

Assistant Dean of Nursing; Chief Nursing Administrator Kimberly Fenstermacher
Assistant Undergraduate Coordinator:
 Nancy Frank
Administrative Assistant: Beth Aumen
Clinical Liaison and Placement Coordinator: Lisa Brubaker
Professor: W. Thuma-McDermond
Associate Professors: K. Fenstermacher, M. Gross, T. Jankouskas, S. Jones
Associate Professors (Clinical Track): M. Derr, K. Slabaugh, J. Stroup
Assistant Professor: B. Elliot, M. Seitz
Assistant Professor (Clinical Track): K. Barbato, N. Frank, C. Stein 

Majors

The Department of Nursing offers the Nursing (B.S.N.) major. The baccalaureate degree at Messiah University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). For information on Nursing graduate programs, see www.messiah.edu/info/20442/nursing_dnp.

Mission

The Mission of the Department of Nursing at Messiah University is to prepare baccalaureate and graduate professional nurses within the context of liberal arts and sciences from a Christian worldview for beginning and advanced professional nursing roles. The educational process facilitates the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to promote professional nursing excellence, interprofessional collaborative practice,  and lifelong learning. The distinctives of a Messiah University nurse include commitment to academic excellence, service to others with insight and creativity, compassion through cultural humility, caring leadership, and reconciliation from a Christian worldview.

Program Options

The major is open to all individuals who are seeking their initial or beginning education in professional nursing (BSN). Within the Adult Degree Program there  are options for individuals who are already registered nurses to continue their education through the RN to BSN track or the RN to MSN track. See the Adult Degree Program website for more information. 

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program Goals

  1. Prepare beginning professional nurses to engage in interprofessional collaborative practice and provide holistic nursing care to persons, families, and communities.
  2. Provide an environment in which students are encouraged to develop and integrate a dynamic Christian worldview into their personal and professional lives.
  3. Provide an educational foundation for graduate study for students.
  4. Provide student-centered, evidence-based teaching and learning for nursing practice, leadership, service, and reconciliation.

The philosophy of the Department of Nursing, stated as Foundational Beliefs, is consistent with the Mission, Foundational Values, and Undergraduate Learning Outcomes (ULOs), and Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) of Messiah University. Specifically, the philosophy reflects commitment to liberal education, leadership for quality care, patient safety, scholarship for evidence based practice, information management and patient care technology, health care policy, finance, and regulatory environments, interprofessional communication, health promotion, professionalism and professional values for the preparation of the baccalaureate generalist professional nurse as set forth by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2008) in The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. Concepts from Neuman Systems Model are an integral part of the process of care in the clinical nursing courses. Central to and informing both the nursing program and the curriculum is the Christian worldview with its affirmation about God, humanity, and culture as understood from scripture and throughout history. Consistent with the Messiah University philosophy, the nursing faculty and students seek to integrate the practice of nursing with the belief that God is the source of all truth and the One who created persons to glorify God within their environment and society. Clinical nursing courses include experiences in college laboratories, in acute and chronic care settings, and in the community at large in the South Central Pennsylvania area, as well as in some selected international settings for students meeting special application standards. Non-clinical nursing courses provide students the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills in preparation for their various professional roles and responsibilities.

Admission to the Nursing Major

Students are directly admitted to the nursing program but must meet progression criteria to advance in the nursing program and into clinical courses. Clinical courses are taught in a specific, progressive sequence and students must meet progression criteria to enroll in clinical courses according to that sequence. Clinical course size is limited and enrollment in clinical courses is competitive according to academic performance and other personal criteria. The following are necessary to enroll in the nursing clinical courses:

  1. The student must have an overall GPA of 3.00 and must have completed all stated prerequisites to NURS 210 and NURS 211 with an earned prerequisite GPA of 2.70. The achievement of a “C” or higher is required in all prerequisite and support courses to the major. One pre-requisite may be repeated if an earned grade is less than a “C”. Only one “C” is allowed in a science course (e.g. BIOL and CHEM courses). Prerequisite and support courses include:

    BIOL 185/BIOL 186 Anatomy and Physiology I and II*

    BIOL 189 Genetics for Health Professions

    BIOL 382 Microbiology for Health Professions

    CHEM 103 Chemical Science*

    NURS 203 Historical and Conceptual Basis for Nursing*

    NUTR 222 Nutrition Theory

    PSYC 209 Life Span Development*

    SOCI 101 Principles of Sociology and/or PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology and/or HDFS 101 Foundations of Marriage and Family*

    STAT 269 Introductory Statistics

    *Designates the prerequisite courses to NURS 210 and NURS 211 that must be completed prior to clinical courses.

    Transfer students’ decisions will be made on an individual basis. Preference for enrollment in clinical courses will be given to students who have taken the majority of their prerequisite courses at Messiah University.

  2. The student must receive satisfactory criminal history background checks. (See policy “Criminal History Background Checks” located in the Nursing Student Policy Handbook).
  3. The student is expected to perform the same “essential functions of the employment position” as licensed registered nurses (located in the Nursing Student Policy Handbook).
  4. The student’s moral and professional behavior must be consistent with the Pennsylvania Code of Professional and Vocational Standards, the National Student Nurses Association Code of Academic and Clinical Conduct and the Messiah University Department of Nursing’s Code of Conduct. Failure to demonstrate compliance with any of the aforementioned codes may result in denial of enrollment in clinical nursing courses (located in the Nursing Student Policy Handbook).
  5. Transfer students:

    Internal transfer students applying to the nursing major:

    1. The student must meet with the Assistant Dean of the Department of Nursing, the Assistant Undergraduate Coordinator, or a designated faculty member to review the Nursing Curriculum Plan of Study.
    2. The student must complete a change of major form through the Registrar’s Office.
    3. Upon enrollment in the nursing major, internal transfer students must meet the admission criteria as previously stated in Nos. 1 to 4 above.

    External transfer students applying to the nursing major:

    1. Students must apply to the University by April 15 (fall admission) and October 15 (spring admission) and meet all University admission criteria prior to the nursing admission review process.
    2. Students transferring from a college or university other than Messiah University must have an earned cumulative GPA of 3.30 to be admitted to Messiah University as a nursing major.
    3. Depending upon the student’s type and number of transferred courses, it may take up to an additional four years to complete the nursing program.
    4. The achievement of a “B” or higher is required in all equivalent prerequisite courses in the major. Prerequisite courses include:

      BIOL 185/BIOL 186 Anatomy and Physiology I and II

      BIOL 189 Genetics for Health Professions

      BIOL 382 Microbiology for Health Professions

      CHEM 103 Chemical Science

      NURS 203 Historical and Conceptual Basis for Nursing

      NUTR 222 Nutrition Theory

      PSYC 209 Life Span Development

      SOCI 101 Principles of Sociology and/or PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology and/or HDFS 101 Foundations of Marriage and Family

      STAT 269 Introductory Statistics

    5. Transfer students applying to the nursing major are notified of acceptance upon completion of the application review process. Notification of acceptance into the nursing major will occur on an ongoing basis.
    6. Upon enrollment in clinical courses transfer students must meet the criteria as previously stated in Nos. 1 to 4 above.

    External transfer students who have completed any courses with a nursing designation at another college or university:

    1. Students must apply to the University by April 15 (fall admission) and October 15 (spring admission) and meet all University admission criteria prior to the nursing admission review process.
    2. Students transferring from a college or university other than Messiah University must have an earned cumulative GPA of 3.30 to be admitted to Messiah University as a nursing major.
    3. The achievement of a “B” or higher is required in all equivalent prerequisite courses to the major. Prerequisite courses include:

      BIOL 185/BIOL 186 Anatomy and Physiology I and II

      BIOL 189 Genetics for Health Professions

      BIOL 382 Microbiology for Health Professions

      CHEM 103 Chemical Science

      NURS 203 Historical and Conceptual Basis for Nursing

      NUTR 222 Nutrition Theory

      PSYC 209 Life Span Development

      SOCI 101 Principles of Sociology and/or PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology and/or HDFS 101 Foundations of Marriage and Family

      STAT 269 Introductory Statistics

    4. Students applying directly to the first clinical nursing course must have transcripts and descriptions of previous course content submitted to the Department of Nursing Admission and Progression Committee by November 15. A reference letter from the current college/university Dean/Director is also required. Admission decisions are made on an individual basis upon review of college course work and space available in clinical nursing courses. Students interested in NURS 210 and NURS 211 placement must have completed at least 42 college credits prior to enrollment. The following prerequisite courses or their equivalents must be included in these credits:

      CHEM 103 Chemical Science

      BIOL 185/BIOL 186 Anatomy and Physiology I & II

      NURS 203 Historical and Conceptual Basis for Nursing

      PSYC 209 Life Span Development

      SOCI 101 Principles of Sociology and/or PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology and/or HDFS 101 Foundations of Marriage and Family

    5. Admission decisions for junior and senior placement are made on an individual basis upon review of college course work and space available in clinical nursing courses. Students applying to the nursing major at junior or senior levels must have transcripts and descriptions of previous nursing course content submitted to the Department of Nursing Admission and Progression Committee by May 15 (fall admission) and November 15 (spring admission). A reference letter from the current college/university Dean/Director is also required.

Applicants to the first clinical nursing course are given written notification of the admission decision in January.

Prior to enrollment in clinical nursing courses, all students are required to obtain and maintain the following:

  1. A physical examination
  2. Specified immunizations
  3. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from American Heart Association Health Care Provider course. CPR certification from any other organization WILL NOT be accepted.
  4. Annual criminal history background checks
  5. Drug screening
  6. Health insurance coverage

Students must provide their own transportation for clinical experiences beginning with the first clinical nursing courses.

Upon graduation, employment opportunities are varied. Graduates are prepared to be employed as entry-level professional nurses in acute care hospitals, long-term or extended-care nursing homes, community home health agencies, international Christian missions, and public health and government agencies.

The program is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Registered Nurse Licensure

Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and upon passing the examination may be a registered nurse in any state or territory in the United States.

It is the graduate’s obligation and responsibility to take and pass the NCLEX-RN® following the completion of the nursing program. The Department of Nursing administers practice examinations for the NCLEX-RN® in the senior year of the program. Students are counseled regarding preparation for the NCLEX-RN® on the basis of the results of the practice examinations and their total academic performance. Students must ultimately take the responsibility for and make their own decisions regarding their methods of preparation for the NCLEX-RN®.

The Professional Nursing Law for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (P.L. 409, No. 109, Section 6) states the following:

“The Board (State Board of Nursing) shall not issue a license or certificate to an applicant who has been convicted of a felonious act prohibited by the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L. 233, No. 64), known as “The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act,” or convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance in a court of law of the United States or any other state, territory or country unless:

  1. at least ten (10) years have elapsed from the date of the conviction;
  2. the applicant satisfactorily demonstrates to the Board that she/he has made significant progress in personal rehabilitation since the conviction such that licensure of the applicant should not be expected to create a substantial risk of harm to the health and safety of patients or the public or a substantial risk of further criminal violations; and
  3. the applicant otherwise satisfies the qualifications contained in or authorized by this act.

As used in this subsection the term “convicted” shall include a judgment, an admission of guilt or a plea of “nolo contendere.” An applicant's statement on the application declaring the absence of a conviction shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of the absence of a conviction, unless the Board has some evidence to the contrary (6 amended June 29, 2002, P.L.651, No.99).