Trinity Washington University’s pre-licensure B.S.N. program combines the academic structure and clinical preparation necessary for a career in nursing. Our students focus initially on liberal arts courses that provide a framework for their chosen major in nursing. The rigorous academic coursework in the nursing program then lays the foundation for a progressive mastery of the knowledge, skills, values, ethics and abilities required of a professional nurse. Toward the end of the program, students will have ample opportunities to experience firsthand the rewards of nursing in closely supervised clinical settings.
Pre-licensure students complete the general education core curriculum in the College of Arts and Sciences as well as their pre-nursing requirements before applying for formal acceptance into the nursing program in the School of Nursing and Health Professions. Requirements for admission include completion of the College of Arts and Sciences core curriculum and pre-nursing courses with a grade of “C” or higher, an overall G.P.A. of at least 2.5 and a satisfactory score on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (T.E.A.S.).
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Trinity is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Pre-Requisite Courses (See Academic Catalog for full list of required courses)
BIOL 121 Human Anatomy and Physiology IA systematic approach to the study of the human body. The first part of this year -long course emphasizes the tissues, the integumentary system, the bones and skeletal tissue, muscles and muscle tissue, and the nervous system. Students have the opportunity to apply concepts discussed during the lecture portion of the class to clinical questions presented throughout the semester. Three hours of laboratory per week. Does not fulfill Biology major requirement. There is an additional laboratory fee. 4 credits Pre-/Co-requisite: MATH 102, MATH 108 or MATH 109. Pre-requisite: BIOL 101 (SPS); pass BIOL 101 with a C or better or placement test score (CAS). General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area.BIOL 122 Human Anatomy and Physiology IIA systematic approach to the study of the human body. The second part of this year-long course emphasizes the endocrine, lymphatic, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems. Students have the opportunity to apply concepts discussed during the lecture portion of the class to clinical questions presented throughout the semester. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Does not fulfill Biology major requirement. Prerequisite: C or better in BIOL 121. There is an additional laboratory fee. 4 creditsBIOL 130 Microbiology for the Health ProfessionsAn introduction to the study of microorganisms with emphasis on disease-causing bacteria. Topics include the nature of microorganisms, their relationships with humans, infectious diseases, and immunity. Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week. Does not fulfill microbiology requirement for Biology major. There is an additional laboratory fee. 4 creditsCHEM 113 Chemistry for the Health SciencesIntroduces students to basic concepts in chemistry, including the nature of matter, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, solutions, principles of organic chemistry, and the chemistry of the most important biomolecules. The course also introduces students to the proper use of basic laboratory equipment as well as basic laboratory techniques. Lab experiments are designed to provide the student with the tools to understand connections between theory and results found in the lab. 4 creditsGeneral Education Requirements: Knowledge and Inquiry (Science and Mathematics)Prerequisites: MATH 108HPNU 120 Medical TerminologyThis course is designed for individuals interested in learning the language of medicine required to work within a variety of health care fields. The student will work independently to acquire word-building skills in the field of medicine and will have a solid understanding of basic medical language and a foundational start on basic medical science and health related concepts that will be useful for other courses within the health professions. 1 creditPrerequisites: NoneHPNU 200 Nutrition, Diet Therapy, and Health PromotionThis course provides the foundation for an understanding of the relationships of nutrition and diet therapy to optimum health. It includes physiological, psychosocial and cultural influences on nutritional status. Students will explore their own nutritional status and values as they relate to health and wellness.3 creditsHPNU 210 PathophysiologyThis course is designed to assist the student in applying knowledge from anatomy and physiology and developing the basic knowledge, skills, values, meanings and experiences associated with pathophysiology. Emphasis is placed on cellular, organ, and tissue concepts as they relate to and influence health and illness. 3 credits Prerequisites: BIOL 121, BIOL 122. Students must earn a grade of C or better in BIOL 121 and BIOL 122.MATH 110 Introduction to StatisticsThis course presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, graphical representations of data, normal probability distributions and the Central Limit Theorem, linear correlation and regression and probability theory. This course also offers an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics. 3 credits Prerequisites: MATH 102, MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course.
Nursing Specific Courses (See Academic Catalog for full list of required courses)
NURS 117 Foundations for Professional Nursing PracticeThis course introduces basic concepts, values and nursing skills required for nursing care across the life span. An emphasis is placed on critical thinking, communication skills and the nursing process as the underlying foundation for professional nursing practice in health care settings.This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of ?Satisfactory?) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course.6 credits (4/1/1) Prerequisites: Admission to the Nursing Program. General Education: Foundational Skills (Nursing students only).NURS 222 Health AssessmentThe focus of this course is the development and acquisition of professional nursing skills used in health assessment required for nursing practice across the life span. Application of the holistic health assessment to include assessment techniques, normal findings, and variations from normal with linkages to illness and disease will be discussed. This course contains a laboratory component, which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency in the performance of a complete health assessment in order to achieve a PASS grade for the laboratory portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 2 credits (1/1) Prerequisites: Admission to the Nursing Program.NURS 215 PharmacologyThis course is designed to assist the student in developing the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the professional nurse related to medication administration. Emphasis is placed on the safe administration of medications including: client education, drug classification, mechanism of action, drug interactions, adverse reactions, and therapeutic response.
3 credits
Prerequisites: Admission to the Nursing Program.NURS 220 Health Promotion, Policy and Politics in Nursing and Health CareThe focus of this course is the development and acquisition of professional nursing skills used in health assessment required for nursing practice across the life span. Requires two class hours and three hours of lab per week.
3 credits
Prerequisites: Admission to the Nursing ProgramNURS 330 Nursing Research and Evidence-Based PracticeResearch and Evidence-Based Practice focuses on relevant scientific and phenomenological information to assist the student to understanding the role of theory and research in nursing practice and health care. The course will provide an overview and analysis of theoretical approaches and research methodologies. Students will learn how to critically review and utilize research supporting common aspects of nursing practice. Formerly NURS 330 - Nursing Theory & Research. 3 credits Prerequisites: NURS 117, SNHP 220, NURS 222, and NURS 215, or Departmental Approval. General Education Capstone (Nursing students only).NURS 350 Medical-Surgical Nursing IThis course is the first component of a two semester sequence of Medical-Surgical Nursing with a focus on nursing science and knowledge applicable to the management of care for clients with complex conditions. Emphasis is placed on the expected outcomes and effects of nursing interventions with adult clients experiencing selected health conditions at multiple levels of care. Students will apply critical thinking to make clinical judgments in various healthcare settings. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 6 credits (4/2) Prerequisites: NURS 218 Pharmacology I Corequisites: NURS 219 Pharmacology IINURS 360 Psychiatric and Mental Health NursingThis course focuses on the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for nursing care of clients with mental health disorders. Using an integrative approach, course content is based on the biological, psychological, and ethnocultural aspects of behavior disorders. Emphasis is on the therapeutic use of self with individuals, families and groups. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 5 credits (3/2) Prerequisites: All Junior Level Nursing Courses, NURS 361, NURS 410, NURS 460, and NURS 480.NURS 361 Medical-Surgical Nursing IIThis course is the second component of a two semester sequence of Medical-Surgical Nursing with a focus on nursing science and knowledge applicable to the management of care for clients with complex conditions. Emphasis is placed on the expected outcomes and effects of nursing interventions with adult clients experiencing selected health conditions at multiple levels of care. Students will apply critical thinking to make clinical judgments in various healthcare settings. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 6 credits (4/2) Prerequisites: All Junior Level Nursing Courses.NURS 410 Leadership and Management of Health CareThis course incorporates the application of management principles and leadership, change, and administration theories in nursing practice and health care delivery in a hybrid format. Content focuses on delegation, prioritization, communication/collaboration, legal and ethical issues, resource management, quality improvement and risk management, evidence based practice, and the healthcare consumer in various healthcare markets. 3 credits Prerequisites: All Junior Level Nursing Courses or Departmental approval.General Education: Application Leadership (Nursing students only).NURS 420 Community and Public Health NursingThis course is designed to prepare students for community/population health practice in a changing health care system. Promoting and protecting the health of the public using health promotion, risk reduction and disease management and control strategies with vulnerable clients and populations. Community assessment, epidemiologic, environmental, change, community engagement and case management frameworks are used to guide evidence based nursing care. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 5 credits (3/2) Prerequisites: All Junior Level Nursing Courses, NURS 361, NURS 410, NURS 460, and NURS 480.NURS 460 Maternity and Women's Health NursingThis course focuses on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the professional nurse in health promotion, risk reduction, clinical judgement and management of women?s health issues, perinatal care of mothers and infants, gynecological health and men?s reproductive health. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 5 credits (3/2) Prerequisites: NURS 117, SNHP 220, NURS 222, and NURS 215.NURS 461 Pediatric NursingThis course focuses on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of the professional nurse for comprehensive nursing care of the pediatric client in the context of social justice, cultural competence and equity of healthcare. A family-centered approach is used with emphasis on developmental stages and health promotion strategies for the child and family unit. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course. 5 credits (3/2) Pre-requisites: All Junior Level Nursing Courses.NURS 491 Capstone: Transition to Professional Nursing PracticeThis course provides an experiential learning opportunity to apply and integrate previously learned knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop an evidence-based professional nursing practice. The course is also designed to prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) includes registration for the exam, test taking strategies, developing a study plan for review of core nursing content. Students will take a comprehensive assessment/readiness test and secured predictor tests for the NCLEX-RN at the end of the program. This course contains a clinical component which is PASS/FAIL. Students must demonstrate competency (delivery of safe and competent patient care with a score of Satisfactory) for clinical competencies to achieve a PASS grade for the clinical portion of the course. Failure to achieve a passing grade constitutes a failure of the course.4 credits (3/1) Prerequisites: This course must be taken in the last semester of nursing program prior to graduation.SNHP 405 Informatics and Data ManagementThe focus of this course is on the integration of nursing, computer, and information science for the support of professional nursing practice including critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Discussion and examination will be conducted of: ethical considerations in nursing informatics use of social networking tools, handheld computers and e-portfolios in health care environments.3 creditsPrerequisites: None
Trinity Washington University’s pre-licensure B.S.N. program combines the academic structure and clinical preparation necessary for a career in nursing. Our students focus initially on liberal arts courses that provide a framework for their chosen major in nursing. The rigorous academic coursework in the nursing program then lays the foundation for a progressive mastery of the knowledge, skills, values, ethics and abilities required of a professional nurse. Toward the end of the program, students will have ample opportunities to experience firsthand the rewards of nursing in closely supervised clinical settings.
