Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

The philosophy of the Baccalaureate Program of the Division of Nursing is reflective of the beliefs from which the NMC Mission and Core Values were formulated.

Human Being

The nursing faculty believe that human beings are holistic and diverse. Each human being has dignity and lives within a cultural context of values, religious/spiritual beliefs and social support systems. Human beings interact with the environment in which they reside through language, lifestyle and individual responsibilities. Human beings function in independent, interdependent, and/or dependent roles and may seek or receive nursing care related to disease prevention, illness care, health promotion and/or maintenance through the continuum of life.

Environment

Environment is viewed as the place where people live, grow, work, play, and experience optimal wellness of self and personal wholeness. The caring environment encompasses an obligation to both the local and global communities. The focus of the environment is also the cultivation of healing relationships, diversity, social justice, financial awareness and stewardship of resources for an ecologically healthy planet.

Health

Health is a human right and nurses promote equitable health care to maximize positive health outcomes and minimize health disparities. Overall well-being of individuals encompasses the mind, body, and spirit. Health enables human beings to live in and interface with global communities.  

Nursing

Nursing is a learned and specialized profession built on applied knowledge that reflects both art and science and the culture of health. Nursing is a creative, collaborative, and interactive process steeped in the art and science of caring that require sound judgement and skills based on principles of biological, physical, behavioral, and social sciences while respecting individual views, philosophies, and spirituality. The focus of nursing is to perform preventative, supportive, and restorative actions while helping individuals, families, and communities achieve health and wellbeing. Nursing respects inherent dignity, worth and unique attributes of all people. The profession of nursing integrates knowledge gained from assessments, uses critical thinking to provide care and continually evaluates the effectiveness of nursing practice, seeking optimal outcomes.

Nurses advocate for the well-being, comfort, dignity, and humanity of all individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Nurses minister to human beings’ universal needs and intentional care of the spirit, by providing preventative healthcare, educating for self-care, facilitating adaptation or recovery from illness, or creating an environment supportive of a dignified death. Nurses deliver holistic individualized care throughout the lifespan and across the health illness continuum within the human’s environmental context. Nurses use interdisciplinary collaboration, technology, and scientific evidence to advance the field of nursing. Nurses advocate for social justice through creating equitable health care policies that protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities. Nurses have an ethical and social responsibility to sustain human caring where it is threatened and to be the guardians of human compassion, respect, dignity, and advocacy for the marginalized and vulnerable.

Education

The educational process is an active, collaborative partnership promoting teamwork among learners, educators, health care systems, and the broader community. The nursing faculty serve as role models in mentoring students in the role of professionalism and ethical practice. Students develop attributes of the Educated Citizen and the NMC Core Values through focused and meaningfully applied learning experiences.

Nursing Education

The nursing faculty view teaching as an interactive process empowering students to see human needs manifested in diverse beliefs, values, resources, and environments. The nursing faculty believe nursing education should nurture the students’ ability to think critically and creatively. As the world of nursing is continually evolving and rapidly changing, it is important to the nursing faculty that students learn to transfer knowledge from theory into clinical practice from one situation to another while making decisions based on critical thinking and sound clinical judgement specific to each human being.

The nursing faculty believe the curriculum is inclusive in developing students who are culturally respectful and competent practitioners able to address the health care needs of a diverse world through civic engagement. The nursing faculty emphasize excellence in integrity, accountability, courage, respect, and professional communication. As accomplished practitioners, educators, learners, researchers, and specialized professionals, nursing faculty serve as role models of self- reflection and life-long learning. The curricular framework incorporates a population-based approach that prepares students to build connections between knowledge and action in an increasingly interdependent world.

Graduates of the BSN program will:

1. Integrate culturally respectful and compassionate professional nursing care with human beings while incorporating mindful practice to promote autonomy, altruism, human dignity, integrity, and social justice (BSN Essential VIII).
2. Analyze holistic care solutions based on scientific and humanistic rationale for diverse situations encountered in professional nursing practice (BSN Essential III).
3. Employ effective and professional communication in interactions with individuals, families and community members (BSN Essential VI, IX).
4. Synthesize scientific evidence and technological information derived from theory and research to improve health outcomes and advance professional nursing practice. (BSN Essential III, IV).
5. Evaluate evidence based practice for patient centered care using clinical judgment and the nursing process to meet the diverse health needs of human beings (BSN Essential III, VII, IX).
6. Collaborate with human beings and community partners as an agent of change to facilitate a culture of quality, safety, and inclusiveness within a population based health care environment (BSN Essential I, II, VI, VII, IX).
7. Advocate for socially just health care policies, including financial awareness which protect human rights and promote health diplomacy to eliminate health inequities and disparities (BSN Essential I, V).
8. Implement leadership concepts and skills grounded in accountability within ethical and professional standards (BSN Essential II, V, VIII, IX).
9. Commit to self-reflection for life-long learning to enhance personal and professional growth (BSN Essential I, VIII).

Philosophy and New Program Outcomes Incorporate:

• NMC Educated Citizen and NMC Core Values (2018)
• Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008)
• NE State Board of Nursing Regulations (2011)
• CCNE Standards for Accreditation (2013) 
• ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2015)
• Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice (2015)
• QSEN Competencies (2018)

Please develop a thoughtful and organized response to the questions below. Your response should be approximately two paragraphs for each question. The admissions committee is looking for responses that are not only well supported but that also use appropriate style and grammar. Be sure to include your name and program on the document itself. You may attach the responses to an email sent to the Admissions office at admissions@methodistcollege.edu.

When drafting your written statement, please cite any sources using APA format if applicable.  Also know that instances of plagiarism within an applicant's written statement will disqualify them for acceptance to Nebraska Methodist College due to the College's commitment to academic integrity and stringent plagiarism policies.

If you send your responses through the mail, please type your responses and send them to:
NMC Admissions
Nebraska Methodist College - The Josie Harper Campus
720 N. 87th Street
Omaha, NE 68114

1. An NMC graduate is an educated citizen who exhibits breadth of learning through the liberal arts and sciences traditions in concert with professional education. Our goal as an institution is that graduates of NMC will be able to articulate and demonstrate growth in the following areas: as reflective individuals, as effective communicators, and as change agents.

   Please first address what or who has influenced your decision to pursue a career in healthcare?

2. Reflective Individual: A reflective individual consistently uses logic and critical thinking in all aspects of life. Select one of the following classes that you have taken: English Composition, Literature, History, Government, Psychology, or Sociology.

   Share what was most interesting to you in this class. How might you apply what you learned to the healthcare field? If you do not have recent classes to reflect upon, you may reflect on a personal experience that you had and how what you learned from the experience can be applied to healthcare.

3. Effective Communicator: Effective communicators express their ideas through talking, non-verbal communication, writing, and sometimes speaking languages other than English.

   Describe the type of communication listed above you feel most comfortable using. Give a specific example of a time when you exhibited strong communication skills and what the result was of this communication. For example, did you resolve a problem, put someone at ease, or help someone understand a complicated situation?

4. Change Agent: One of the goals of our undergraduate education is to assist students in becoming agents of change. We create positive change when we work effectively in groups and bring individuals together for a common purpose. These skills are challenging and require patience and practice.

   Describe an experience you have had as a member of a group. Select a particular situation when a problem arose in that group and write about how you responded to it. You may select an experience that went well or one that you wish you could "do over."

5. Please address any grades of D's or F's listed on your transcripts.  Also, please address withdrawals or other discrepancies on your transcripts. If you do not have any D's, F's or W's please respond: Not Applicable.  

In preparation for professional nursing roles nursing students are expected to demonstrate the ability to meet the demands of a professional nursing career. Certain functional abilities are essential for the delivery of safe, effective nursing care. An applicant to the Bachelors of Science in Nursing program must meet the following technical standards and maintain satisfactory demonstration of these standards for progression throughout the program. Students unable to meet these technical standards will not be able to complete the program. Students shall notify faculty of any change in their ability to meet technical standards. The technical standards include but are not necessarily limited to the following:

General Ability

The student is expected to possess functional use of the senses of vision, touch, hearing, and smell so that data received by the senses is integrated, analyzed and synthesized in a consistent and accurate manner. The student is expected to possess the ability to perceive pain, pressure, temperature, position, vibration, and movement in order to effectively evaluate patients. A student must be able to respond promptly to urgent situations.

Observational Ability

The student must have the ability to make accurate visual observations and interpret them in the context of clinical/laboratory activities and patient care experiences. The student must be able to document these observations accurately.

Communication Ability

The student must communicate effectively verbally and non-verbally to obtain information and explain that information to others. Each student must have the ability to read, write, comprehend and speak the English language to facilitate communication with patients, family members, and other members of the healthcare team. The student must be able to document and maintain accurate records, present information in a professional manner and provide patient instruction to effectively care for patients and their families.

Motor Ability

The student must be able to perform gross and fine motor movements with sufficient coordination needed to provide complete physical assessments and provide safe effective care for patients. The student is expected to have psychomotor skills necessary to perform or assist with procedures, treatments, administration of medications, and emergency interventions including CPR if necessary. The student must have sufficient levels of neuromuscular control and eye-to-hand coordination as well as possess the physical and mental stamina to meet the demands associated with extended periods of sitting, standing, moving, and physical exertion required for safe patient care. Students must be able to bend, squat, reach, kneel or balance. Clinical settings may require that students have the ability to carry and lift loads from the floor, from 12 inches from the floor, to shoulder height and overhead. The student must be able to occasionally lift 50 pounds, frequently lift 25 pounds, and constantly lift 10 pounds. The student is expected to be able to maintain consciousness and equilibrium and have the physical strength and stamina to perform satisfactorily in clinical settings.

Intellectual—Conceptual Ability

The student must have the ability to develop problem-solving skills essential to professional nursing practice. Problem solving skills include the ability to measure, calculate reason, analyze, and synthesize objective and subjective data, and to make decisions, in a timely manner that reflect thoughtful deliberation and sound clinical judgment. The student must demonstrate application of these skills and possess the ability to incorporate new information from peers, instructors, and the nursing and healthcare literature to formulate sound judgment to establish care plans and priorities in patient care activities.

Behavioral and Social Attributes

The student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, and complete assessment and intervention activities. Compassion, integrity, motivation, and concern for others are personal attributes required of those in the nursing program. The student must fully utilize intellectual capacities that facilitate prompt completion of all responsibilities in the classroom and clinical settings; the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and other members of the healthcare team. The ability to establish rapport and maintain interpersonal relationships with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds is critical for practice as a nurse. Each student must be able to adapt to changing environments; display flexibility; accept and integrate constructive criticism given in the classroom and clinical settings; and effectively collaborate in the clinical setting with other members of the healthcare team.

Ability to Manage Stressful Situations

The student must be able to adapt to and function effectively in relation to stressful situations encountered in both the classroom and clinical settings, including emergency situations. Students will encounter multiple stressors while in the nursing program. These stressors may be (but are not limited to) personal, patient care/family, faculty/peer, and or program related.

Background Check/Drug Screening

Clinical facilities require that Nebraska Methodist College perform drug testing and background checks on all students before they are allowed to participate in clinical experiences. Therefore, students will be required to have a background check performed and submit to drug screening before being allowed into clinical practice.

Learn more about Transfer Student Admissions

• What Makes a Good Nurse? 6 Key Traits
• ADN or BSN? The Benefits Of Becoming A BSN-Prepared Nurse
• Survey Says Nurses Most Trusted Professionals
• Demand Continues to Rise for BSN Educated Nurses
• Watson's Theory of Human Caring: Foundation of Nursing Program

• American Nurses Association 
• National Student Nurses Association 
• Listing of National & International Nursing Organizations

• Spanish for Healthcare Professionals
• Healthcare Sign Language