Additional Program Information
Undergraduate Nursing Program Goals
The nursing major is designed to prepare a professional registered nurse who is:
- A provider of safe care who evaluates client changes and progress over time.
- A designer/manager/coordinator of care who participates on the interprofessional team, identifies system issues, manages care transitions, and delegates, prioritizes and oversees care.
- A member of the nursing profession through the process of evaluating one’s practice and supporting the profession.
- Prepared for graduate study in nursing.
Undergraduate Nursing Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Mercy College Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing will be expected to demonstrate the following program outcomes:
Program Outcome I
Integrate concepts from liberal arts and sciences as the basis for nursing education and the practice of professional nursing.
Program Outcome II
Demonstrate leadership strategies that promote quality improvement, client safety, and organizational effectiveness that promotes health.
Program Outcome III
Evaluate the levels of evidence that guide scholarship and evidence based practice in professional nursing.
Program Outcome IV
Explore ethical management of data, information, knowledge, and technology to facilitate professional nursing care.
Program Outcome V
Investigate healthcare policies and practices, finances, costs, and regulations that influence professional nursing and the general population while promoting advocacy and social justice particularly for the vulnerable.
Admission Criteria
Students who choose the major concentration in nursing must have:
- An associate degree in nursing from an accredited Nursing Program or a diploma in nursing.
- Students who completed their nursing degree outside of the U.S. must complete a WES evaluation
- Passed the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
- A valid state license to practice as a registered nurse in the U.S.
- A GPA of 2.75
- Students will be considered for matriculation with GPAs 2.5-2.70.
Eligibility for Admission to Nursing Courses NURS 361 and above
To be admitted to these nursing courses, the student must have passed the NCLEX exam and hold a valid license to practice as a registered nurse in the U.S. Students who are in their senior year of their Associates Degree program are permitted to take up to 6 credits (NURS 361 , NURS 366 , or NURS 371 ) in one semester before they graduate. These students will not be permitted to take anymore nursing courses until they pass the NCLEX-RN exam and have a valid RN license.
Transfer Credit
Previously earned college credit in the liberal arts and sciences may be accepted in transfer by Mercy College. Additional academic credits can be earned by passing RCE or CLEP examinations.
Organization of the Program
This program has been designed for the part-time or full-time student. A student may enroll for 3-16 credits a semester. Courses are scheduled for a combination of evenings, days, weekends (general education classes) and/or online. A variety of schedule patterns and teaching and learning methods are utilized. Nursing courses are offered at the Dobbs Ferry and Online Campuses. General education courses can be taken at any of the branch campuses in the Bronx, Manhattan or Yorktown Heights.
Admissions Procedure
- Obtain an application form and general information regarding your eligibility for the nursing program from the Admissions Office at the main campus, any of the branch campuses or online.
- All applicants for the Nursing Program must submit the following to the Office of Admissions:
- An application for Admission, accompanied by the $40 application fee. (The application fee will be waived for students who are presently matriculated at Mercy College.)
- An official transcript of record from each diploma school, college, or university previously attended.
- Evidence of current licensure as a registered nurse.
- Qualified applicants will be admitted to the nursing major based upon available space in clinical nursing courses at the time of projected student’s eligibility.
Additional Nursing Science Requirements
- Anatomy and Physiology II (transfer credit or NYS Regents exam)*
- Microbiology (transfer credit, College Level Examination Program [CLEP], or National League of Nursing Achievement Exam [NLN]) *
Clinical Requirements for NURS 401 - (RN-BS Completion and RN-BS-MS Programs): Community Health Nursing: Advocacy for Population Health
Current RN License. Additionally, must have taken at least three of the following courses at Mercy College: NURS 361 , NURS 362 , NURS 363 , NURS 364 , NURS 365 , NURS 366 , NURS 367 , NURS 368 and/or NURS 371 .
All students must complete the following before starting clinical. Copies of these documents/clearances must be submitted electronically to the Clinical Placement Coordinator by the specified due date. No one is allowed to begin clinical without the following:
- Current CPR for Health Care Personnel
- Liability malpractice insurance
- Heath clearance approval
- Immunization titers - MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella
- Flu vaccine
- PPD or Quantiferon or chest x-ray (if PPD positive)
- Copy of current RN license
- *Criminal background check - Depending on agency requirements
- *Drug screen - Depending on agency requirements
- *Fingerprints - Depending on agency requirements.
Program Probation
If a student’s cumulative and/or major GPA falls below a 2.00, they will be placed on program probation and will have two semesters to raise their cumulative and/or major GPA to a 2.00 or higher.
RN-BS-MS
RNs with 3.0 GPAs from an associate degree program are eligible to apply for the accelerated R.N.-B.S.-M.S. program. In this program, up to nine graduate credits are substituted for undergraduate credits. After 123 credits, a student earns a bachelor’s degree in nursing and is able to enter either the Masters in Nursing Education or Masters in Nursing Administration track.
Requirements for progression in the RN-BS-MS courses:
- Undergraduate GPA 3.0.
- Completion of a minimum of 60 general education credits.
- Undergraduate nursing courses NURS 361 , NURS 363 , and NURS 371 .
- Meet with faculty advisor in the undergraduate program to activate program plan.
- Faculty advisor to notify the undergraduate coordinator for approval.
Upon completion of the above requirements, the student will take NURS 514 (Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Nursing) in lieu of NURS 361 . The student must receive a B or above to be considered for the progression into the master’s program and to progress to the additional two graduate courses (NURS 502 and NURS 503).
Substitution courses are as follows:
NURS 514 in lieu of NURS 361
NURS 503 in lieu of NURS 365
NURS 502 in lieu of NURS 364
Admission requirements for the RN-BS-MS Program:
Students admitted into the RN-BS-MS program must complete all of their undergraduate requirements. Pending undergraduate graduation, the graduate application is initiated. The following information must be in evidence:
- Undergraduate GPA 3.0.
- NURS 514 (Grade: B or above).
- Completed graduate application.
- Approval from Director and/or Associate Director of Nursing Program.
Before entering into the M.S. component of the RN-BS-MS program, the student must graduate from the R.N.-B.S. program.
Program Dismissal Review
In cases which a student has been dismissed from the Nursing Program, the student may request a dismissal review when he/she believes that extenuating circumstances effected his/her academic performance in the program. The student must follow the SHNS Program Dismissal Review Policy detailed at the beginning of the School of Health and Natural Sciences section.
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