Nursing (BSN)

The Nursing curriculum at Commonwealth University includes a strong background in the sciences and algebra. It will also allow you to develop very high reading comprehension skills and a strong work ethic. You'll enjoy high success on the NCLEX examination, a strong placement rate and opportunity for continuation of graduate studies after initial work experiences.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) recipients are eligible to take the NCLEX licensure examination administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

As a nursing major, you'll take courses in psychology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, physiological chemistry, statistics, composition, communication, and choose from sociology or cultural anthropology. Professional courses for "generic students" include professional nursing, nutrition, pharmacology, foundations of nursing practice, health assessment, pathophysiology for nursing practice, nursing research, pediatric nursing, adult health, obstetrics and newborn nursing, population health nursing, mental health nursing, and leadership principles in nursing practice. You'll work with your adviser to complete the B.S.N. curriculum with elective courses that support your personal interests and career goals.

*Students must assume responsibility for their own travel to both inpatient and outpatient/community clinical agencies at the beginning of the sophomore year through senior year. Travel may vary from one mile to approximately 60 miles, depending on the nature of clinical experiences.

BSN - Bloomsburg Degree Requirements

BSN - Mansfield Degree Requirements

Accelerated BSN - Bloomsburg Degree Requirements

Degree Works

Note: Degree requirements effective for enrolled students beginning Fall 2023. All enrolled students, including matriculating students prior to Fall 2023, can review their degree program requirements and track progress to degree completion with our degree audit and advisement tool, Degree Works.

Students spend their first two years at the Mansfield main campus completing general education and introductory nursing courses. The last two years of the program are completed in Sayre, Pennsylvania at the Guthrie-Mansfield Education Center. Students have the opportunity to learn in regional medical centers and community settings, such as long-term care facilities, public schools, correctional facilities, and occupational, mental health, pediatric, and other outpatient clinics. Students also have clinical experiences in home health, hospice, and public health agencies. 

Deadlines for Applicants and Transfers (BL)

Freshman Applicants — To ensure there's an available spot and you're meeting any program-specific deadlines, applications must be received by Nov. 15.

Internal Transfers — Deadline for transfer is Nov. 15. To be considered, students must complete the Internal Transfer Student Application. The applications are available in the department office. Transfers are based on seat availability, pre-requisites met and GPA.

External Transfers — Deadline for transfer is Nov. 15. If you're currently attending, or you have earned credits after high school, at a regionally accredited college or university, you can apply to the BSN program. Transfer application. Final decisions will be made around mid-May by the Department of Nursing. The nursing program is very competitive, so space is limited.

All deadlines are based on the qualifications of the candidate. Our nursing major is highly competitive; this deadline must be met. Decisions are not made on a rolling basis for nursing, unlike other undergraduate programs.

The Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Breiner School of Nursing mission is to promote excellence, value diversity, and provide education to meet the various and changing health care needs. The educational process which integrates the concepts from the liberal arts and sciences prepares professional nurses at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels emphasizing critical thinking, clinical judgment, and disparate experiences and perspectives.

Approved: 12/13/22 Faculty Assembly

The philosophy of the Breiner School of Nursing at Commonwealth University reflects the values and beliefs of faculty which provide a strong foundation for each nursing program, associate to doctoral, and contributes to excellence in professional nursing practice. Our program will prepare the graduate to be proficient in nursing competencies for clinical practice. Our philosophy is based on the belief that nursing is a unique and valuable profession that requires a commitment to caring, career-lifelong learning, innovation, and professional development. We believe that nurses should be competent, compassionate, and provide person-centered holistic care. Faculty believe in fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment that equips students with the necessary cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills, critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgement, and commitment to the values of the profession to function as effective nurse leaders. The faculty recognize diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning experiences based on the students’ individual learning needs, learning styles, and readiness. Learning is a continuous, career-life-long process that occurs throughout domains enhanced by an environment that encompasses critical thinking, clinical reasoning, clinical judgment, evidence-based practice, clinical simulation, and person-centered holistic care. In a developmental manner, students will progress from knowledge to proficiency in the eight core concepts. We are committed to providing our students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to succeed as competent, compassionate, and person-centered professional nurses.

Core Concepts:

• Clinical Judgment
• Communication
• Compassionate Care
• Diversity, equity, inclusion
• Evidence-based practice
• Ethics
• Health policy
• Social determinates of Health

Your support of the academic community is critical for its continued success. Gifts from our alumni and friends allow our faculty to mentor students in their research projects throughout the year and put our students in the best position to succeed by helping provide availability of the latest technology, research and teaching methods.

Your support makes a difference

Everyone needs a nurse at some point in their life, so please consider supporting the Commonwealth University Breiner School of Nursing with a monetary gift to help ensure that high quality nurses are there when you need them. Our nursing program is recognized as a leading accredited

program, and it is also ranked as one of the most affordable in PA. Your donation can help increase funding for equipment, supplies, educational trips, and research opportunities that will enhance the critical thinking and technical skills of our students.

The Simulated Learning Labs (SLL) provide a learning environment for students to practice skills and critical thinking. The SLL contains numerous medium and high-fidelity adult and pediatric simulation manikins that allow students to critically assess and respond to varying patient situations they may not see in the clinical setting. The SLL also contains a simulated electronic patient record system for documentation practice and an automated medication dispensing system. The SLL is a vitally important environment for building confident nurses who can think critically.

Senior level students expand their political advocacy awareness by explaining the importance of being politically active and by demonstrating advocacy for patients and the profession in this ever-changing health care arena. Additionally, Commonwealth University nursing students participate in community and public health fairs and programs providing education to various population aggregates, and your donation can assist in obtaining the materials needed for these educational projects.

• Integrate, translate, and apply established and evolving theoretical and empirical professional nursing knowledge and ways of knowing, including a foundation in the arts, sciences, and humanities.
• Demonstrate and apply person- and family-centered, evidence-based, and respectful nursing care by employing clinical judgment and problem-solving skills that meet the needs of individuals, families, and communities using a compassionate, holistic approach across the lifespan.
• Integrate traditional and nontraditional community resources, including industry, academia, and local government entities to provide equitable and inclusive care across the healthcare delivery continuum to prevent disease and injury, account for social influences on health, improve health outcomes and promote wellness among individuals, families, groups, and communities to improve population health outcomes. 
• Critically appraise, translate, apply and disseminate nursing knowledge to improve health care outcomes for diverse patient populations.
• Incorporate established and emerging quality improvement and safety science that minimizes risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
• Apply core professional nursing values to intentionally collaborate and effectively communicate with patients, families, communities, other stakeholders, and the health care team to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.
• Coordinate resources effectively in complex health care systems (micro, meso, and macro) to provide safe, quality, and equitable care to diverse populations.
• Use information and communication technologies and informatics processes to manage and improve the delivery of safe, high-quality nursing care, gathering data and information related to health care services and evidence-based practice in accordance with best practice and professional and regulatory standards.
• Demonstrate accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition, and comportment in the development of a sustainable professional nursing identity that reflects the values and characteristics of nursing practice.
• Participates in activities and self-reflection that fosters professionalism, personal health, resilience, and well-being, contributes to lifelong learning, and supports the acquisition of nursing expertise and the assertion of leadership.

Commonwealth University’s Simulated Learning Lab’s (SLL) purpose is to provide our nursing students with a safe and controlled environment to learn and practice the skills necessary to excel not only during their clinical experiences at CU but throughout their nursing careers. The SLL, located on each campus, is equipped with hospital beds, various injection and task trainer models, numerous manikins of differing fidelities from newborn to adult, and computerized medication dispensing systems.

Students have access to a computer program that allows for practice in reading and documenting in an electronic medical record during simulated clinical scenarios. Students engage in skills demonstrations, practice sessions, and clinical simulations during their sophomore, junior, and senior years. 

Skills Testing

Demonstrations of select, course specific skills are provided at the sophomore and part of the junior years. As the student progresses in their junior and through their senior year, skills will transition to independent learning. Students are required to complete readings within their skills book, watch assigned videos, and take an online quiz prior to most skills demonstrations. Students will then have free time throughout the week to practice prior to a designated testing time.

Students are responsible for reviewing the BSN handbook and D2L Brightspace for specific requirements related to dress, lab coats, and nurse packs when coming to the SLL for practice or demonstration. While the SLL remains a safe place to learn and make mistakes, point reduction policies are in place in order to foster student accountability, professional behaviors, and efficient use of SLL resources.

Simulation

As part of the clinical curricular thread, undergraduate students complete simulated clinical scenarios during their sophomore, junior, and senior years.

Through the use of medium and high-fidelity manikins, and in some cases the use of standardized patients, pairs of students’ complete cases that include acute and chronic med-surg conditions, home health, school health, and prison or occupational nursing. Simulations are created around the psychomotor skills learned within the lab. The objective of simulation is to critically think about these acquired skills in order to safely apply them to their ‘patient’ in a safe and controlled setting. This process grows confidence in the nursing student as they continue and progress in a live clinical setting. Students will be provided with background information on their scenario prior to their simulation experience and will take part in a debriefing exercise following simulation.

SLL Resources

Nursing students may borrow various resources from the SLL including posters and models for health fairs, blood pressure cuffs, and various other client education materials for teaching projects. Additionally, nursing students have access to current course textbooks and small meeting rooms for group projects.