Additional Program Information
Program also offered online
Undergraduate Nursing Program Goals
The B.S. in nursing program is designed to prepare students to:
a) Be accountable for professional nursing care
b) Collaborate in leadership roles within the changing healthcare delivery system
c) Participate in the process of inquiry
d) Prepare for graduate study
Undergraduate Nursing Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Mercy College Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing will be expected to demonstrate the following program outcomes:
Technology
- Students will demonstrate proficiency with patient care technologies and information management systems to gather and manage data to communicate effectively with patients, families, health care professionals, and policy decision makers.
- Students will demonstrate skills in using patient care technologies, information systems, and communication skills, based on a foundation of the arts, sciences and humanities, that support patient outcomes and nursing practice.
Research
- Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of how evidence is developed including the research process, clinical judgment, inter-professional perspectives, and patient preferences as applied to practice.
Leadership
- Student will apply leadership concepts, skills, and decision making to the provision of nursing care and nursing practice in collaboration with organizations and communities.
- Students will demonstrate leadership and communication skills to participate in quality improvement initiatives with health care teams.
Quality
- Students will appraise principles of quality improvement, health care policy, and cost effectiveness to assist in the achievement of safe and quality outcomes of care for diverse populations.
Admission Criteria
Acceptance into the Nursing Major requires the following:
- Minimum High School GPA of 85%
- High School Science and Math grades ‘B’ or higher
- High School Transcript
- SAT or ACT scores
- Personal Statement (200-500 word statement about why you want to become a nurse)
Progression Criteria
Once accepted as a B.S. Nursing major, students are required to achieve a ‘B-’ or better in all clinical nursing courses and a grade of ‘C’ in prerequisite science courses and maintain an overall GPA as follows for non-nursing courses:
| First year |
GPA 2.2 or above |
| Second year |
GPA 2.4 or above |
| Third year |
GPA 2.4 or above |
| Fourth year |
GPA 2.4 or above |
| Nursing courses |
GPA must be at 2.67 or higher |
Students will not progress to the next level of the program if they do not meet the above criteria.
Organization of the Program
This program has been designed for the full-time student. A variety of schedule patterns and teaching and learning community methods are utilized. All nursing and requisite science courses are offered at the Dobbs Ferry campus only.
Non-cohort general education requirements other than above, may be taken at the Bronx, Yorktown, and Manhattan campuses. Student will be allowed to take general education courses online if they meet the following requirements: 1) completion of first semester of first year, and 2) GPA of 3.0 or above.
Upon acceptance to the nursing major, the student will be assigned a nursing faculty academic advisor. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
Admission Procedures
1. Applications to the Traditional BS in Nursing program are accepted once a year to begin in the Fall semester. Applications for Fall Semester entry will be accepted up until February 1st of the year the student plans to starting nursing courses in September. Applications received after February 1st will be considered only if there is space.
2. Students applying for acceptance to the Traditional Nursing program (BS in Nursing; 4-year program) applicants are able to apply with the Mercy College Undergraduate Application or the Common Application.
Clinical Requirements
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
- Health clearance approval
- Immunization titers - MMR, Hepatitis B, Varicella
- Flu vaccine
- PPD or Quantiferon or chest x-ray (if PPD positive)
- *Criminal background check - Depending on agency requirements
- *Drug screen - Depending on agency requirements
- *Fingerprints - Depending on agency requirements.
Program Dismissal Review
In cases which a student has been dismissed from the Generic 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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