Nursing Major

The educational program for professional nursing is based on an integration of liberal arts and sciences, nursing knowledge, and clinical practice which prepares the professional nurse to practice from a caring, holistic, and scientific foundation and to adhere to the American Nurses’ Association Standards of Practice. Professional nurses become prepared to maximize the quality of nursing care through the application of theory and research to practice and to function in a variety of roles to assist individuals, families, groups, and communities to attain, maintain, and restore health. Faculty emphasize the importance of self-assessment, as well as self-directed lifelong learning. The faculty’s dedication to excellence in teaching, to individual teacher/learner encounters, to the use of technology, and to role modeling of professional behaviors contributes to a broad range of individual and group learning experiences which establish a solid foundation for beginning nursing practice and graduate study.

Professional nurses serve to effect positive change in the delivery of health care and in the health of individuals, families, groups, and communities. Through progressive development of curricular concepts, students become increasingly independent in using critical thinking skills, nursing interventions, and communication skills. The goals of the Lynchburg College nursing program are to prepare graduates to:

1. Make appropriate nursing practice decisions for persons of various ages and health states;
2. Provide nursing care to promote optimum health responses in individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations representing a variety of ages, cultural backgrounds, and health states;
3. Effectively communicate orally and in writing;
4. Partner with others to accomplish health care goals;
5. Use research to support nursing practice to improve health care outcomes;
6. Demonstrate management skills useful for planning and coordinating care; and
7. Demonstrate professional behaviors and values.

Students participate in clinical learning experiences in various hospital and community health agencies. Hospital experience is obtained at Virginia Baptist Hospital and Lynchburg General Hospital. Ambulatory and home care experiences with families, the convalescing, and the chronically ill are directed from hospitals and community agencies.

During the first two years of the program, students take General Education courses and pre-requisite courses for the nursing major.

During the first two years of the program, students take General Education courses and prerequisite courses for the nursing major. Nursing prerequisite courses for the major include Chemistry 127; Biology222 and Biology 222L; Biology 223 and Biology 223L; Psychology 241; Health Promotion 270(Nutrition); Math 103, or Math 105, or Math 106; Nursing 223 and Nursing 223L; Nursing 224 and Nursing224L; and Nursing 232 and Nursing 232L. Progression to the upper division major is competitive. All who apply may not progress.

Student selection into the sophomore class is based on:

1. Score on a Pre-Nursing Assessment Test
2. Overall quality point average
3. Grade in Chemistry 127 (must achieve a C to pass)

Student selection into the junior class is based on:

1. Completion of all nursing and required prerequisite courses with a minimum of C+ (NRSG 223, 223L, 224, 224L, 232, 232L)
2. Completion of all non-nursing prerequisite courses with a minimum of C (CHEM 127, BIOL 222, 222L, 223, 223L, H P 270, MATH 103, 105 or 106, PSYC 241)
3. Achievement of a minimum QPA of 2.5 in nursing and non-nursing prerequisite courses as listed above
4. Overall quality point average
5. Average grade for Biology 222 and 223 and their associated labs

Preference will be given to:

1. Students who have not retaken nursing or non-nursing prerequisite courses
2. Students who entered Lynchburg College as freshman nursing majors
3. Students who have taken at least two semesters at LC 
4. Students who are not selected will be put on a waiting list.

To continue to progress in the nursing major, students must maintain a C+ or better in all nursing courses. If a student is not successful in obtaining the required grade, he or she may repeat the course once space is available. If a nursing major fails to earn a grade of C+ on any two required nursing courses (NRSG or HLTH 300/300L) the student must withdraw from the nursing major. If a student feels that he/she has not completed a nursing course with a C+ or better due to an extenuating circumstance, he or she may file a written appeal documenting these circumstances to the school dean.

Specific policies and regulations for nursing majors and clinical practice are published in the course syllabi and /or the nursing student handbook. Policies include having on file or in the Office of Health and Counseling Services a complete list of immunizations, including hepatitis, prior to beginning the first clinical course, NRSG 224/224L, and a Criminal History Records Check. Students are also responsible for their own transportation to clinical sites. A one time skills lab fee for sophomores and a professional fee, charged upon entry to the major, covers some supplies and standardized testing. There may be additional charges related to equipment or testing; these are listed in the Nursing Student Handbook.

During the junior and senior years, students will take a variety of tests in the nursing specialties and at program completion to prepare for the NCLEX RN exam required for practice. The Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) exit exam is given in the senior year and is a prerequisite for the NRSG 416 Synthesis Practicum course. There is a charge for this test of $35 (as of May 2006) or more if the student is required to take the HESI exit exam more than once to succeed. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Virginia State Board of Nursing.