The College of Nursing
Elizabeth G. Nichols, Dean
HISTORY AND MISSION
Baccalaureate education in nursing began at UND in 1949 with the College of Nursing being
founded in 1959. In 1996 the
programs in dietetics and nutrition joined the College. The College of Nursing now offers
professional programs in
nursing and nutrition and dietetics.
Undergraduate degrees are offered in nursing (R.N.), community nutrition, and dietetics (R.D.).
Graduate specialties
within the masters program include: adult health, parent child, rural health, anesthesia nursing,
and family nurse
practitioner preparation.
The baccalaureate program in nursing provides students a sound background of liberal education,
preparation in all basic
areas of clinical nursing practice, and a solid foundation for graduate education. Graduates of the
program are eligible
to sit for the national licensing examination (NCLEX-RN).
The baccalaureate program in dietetics offered as a coordinated program, combines academic
preparation with clinical
experiences for students who wish to become Registered Dietitians. Upon completion of this
degree, students are eligible
to take the examination for professional registration (RD).
The mission of the College of Nursing is to serve society through teaching, scholarship, research,
and service in
nursing and health care. Within a comprehensive university environment, the College provides
education for beginning
professional nursing practice at the baccalaureate level and for advanced nursing practice at the
master's degree level.
The College is committed to fostering critical thinking and intellectual inquiry in a caring
environment which assumes a
positive regard for others and which affirmatively supports and promotes diversity. Students are
encouraged to be self
directed and participatory learners and to commit themselves to learning as a life-long process
which is essential to
meeting the needs of society in a constantly changing environment. Education in nursing at the
baccalaureate level
prepares nurse generalists for the provision of comprehensive nursing and health care
characterized by a holistic,
caring, collaborative, professional approach. Education in nursing at the master's degree level
builds upon the
baccalaureate and prepares advanced nurse clinicians in specialized areas of nursing for
leadership roles in nursing
practice, education, and administration. As the only state assisted institution in North Dakota
authorized to offer
graduate education in nursing, the College has a distinctive responsibility to provide distance
learning opportunities
for access to the master's degree program.
The college promotes improvement of nursing and health care through the conduct and
dissemination of research and
scholarship regionally, nationally, and internationally. The College further contributes to the well
being of society
through the participation of faculty, students, and graduates in service activities concerned with
the quality of
nursing and health care. The College of Nursing has a particular commitment to advancing the
quality of health care in
North Dakota.
ACCREDITATION
The graduate and undergraduate nursing programs are approved by the State Board of Nursing
and accredited by the
National League for Nursing.
The Coordinated Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Commission on
Accreditation/Approval for Dietetics Education
of the American Dietetic Association.
NURSING PROGRAM
Admission to Nursing
Students who wish to pursue a degree in Nursing should apply to the University to be
admitted as Pre-Nursing majors in
the College of Nursing. All persons who wish to apply for admission to the Nursing major are
advised to follow the
suggested curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Since the College of
Nursing strives
to reflect current trends in the nursing profession, there may be on-going changes in the
curriculum.
Admission to the Nursing Program.
Students must complete a formal application to the
College of Nursing and be approved
for admission by the College before enrolling in the Nursing curriculum. To be eligible for
consideration for admission
to the Nursing Program, the student must have: completed 24 semester hours of credit, including
general chemistry,
organic biochemistry, human anatomy, introduction to psychology, introduction to sociology
(cultural anthropology or
social problems may be taken in place of introduction to sociology), and a course in English
composition; have earned at
least a 2.50 overall and UND GPA; have earned a grade of "C" or better on English
composition, organic and
biochemistry, psychology, sociology (or cultural anthropology or social problems), and anatomy.
The College also
requires a personal essay designed to provide the Admissions Committee with additional
information. The College will
award additional points for a student who previously qualified for admission within the last two
years. College Level
Examination Program (CLEP) subject exam results will be accepted according to the current
University policy.
The Nursing program admits students once a year to fill the fall and spring classes. In the event
of vacancies for the
spring classes, a December/January review will be held. The application deadline is April 1 for
Fall admission and
November 1 for Spring admission (only if vacancies exist).
The number of students admitted is determined by the availability of faculty and clinical
facilities. Selection is made
on the basis of academic record and submission of the required essay. Contact the College of
Nursing Director of Student
Affairs or your adviser for the specifics of the selection process and procedures.
Students may petition to establish credit through special examinations according to University
policy.
Equivalency of courses (e.g., sciences) on other campuses with those at UND should be verified
by contacting the College
of Nursing as early as possible.
Admission of Transfer Students. Students seeking to transfer to the College of Nursing from
other accredited
institutions are advised to correspond with the College of Nursing before applying for admission
to the University of
North Dakota. Because of the number of applicants, students cannot be guaranteed admission to
the Nursing Program. All
qualified students are considered on merit.
Transfer students who plan to enter the Nursing Program must fulfill the same minimum
prerequisite requirements as
students seeking admission from other units of the University of North Dakota. The dates for
submission of the
application and consideration of applicants are the same for all students.
Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). RNs and LPNs interested in
pursuing a bachelors degree are
considered for admission as transfer students. An upper division RN/BSN completion track
which builds upon previous
learning is available for part-time or full-time students. Further information concerning the
progression of the RN/LPN
student can be obtained by contacting the College of Nursing. Transcripts of previous academic
work must be submitted as
part of the application to the University and to the Nursing Program.
The University of North Dakota College of Nursing is a member of the Agassiz Region Nursing
Education Consortium (ARNEC)
along with other regional institutions.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
All candidates for the degree, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, must fulfill the following
requirements:
1. Completion of all University graduation requirements, including residence, as well as the
required courses in the
College of Nursing.
2. A minimum of 129 semester hours.
3. A minimum grade point average of 2.50 overall.
PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS
1. A 2.50 overall is required each semester for progression to the next semester of sophomore,
junior, or senior nursing
courses.
2. A student must attain a letter grade of at least a "C" in each of the courses required in the
undergraduate nursing
curriculum, including all the nursing, science and support courses, to progress to the next
semester of nursing courses
and for graduation within the College of Nursing.
3. The following verifications are required of sophomore, junior, and senior students for
admission to nursing classes, labs, and clinicals:
a. current CPR certification by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association to
include adult, child and
infant.;
b.negative annual tuberculin skin tests or, if positive, a negative chest x-ray; and
c. current medical/hospitalization insurance or certify assumption of full responsibility for health
costs incurred.
d. A hepatitis B vaccine series.
e. proof of immunity to measles (Rubeola)
f. documentation of attendance at OSHA Inservice.
4. A student repeating a "D" or an "F" in a clinical nursing course may repeat it only once.
5. A student may not repeat more than two clinical nursing courses.
Students who do not meet these progression criteria will be placed on probation. The nursing
program also reserves the
right to place students on probation, to suspend, or to dismiss any student in nursing whose
performance in relation to
client care is unsatisfactory. Additional details and any modifications in policies may be obtained
from the Office of
the Dean of the college, and are available in the College of Nursing Student handbook.
Students should note that nursing courses are sequenced to build on one another over six
semesters. Careful attention
should be paid to pre- and co-requisites. Each semester is to be completed in its entirety before
progressing to the
next semester.
ADDITIONAL EXPENSES
In addition to the regular university tuition and fees, nursing students are charged a nursing
program fee each
semester. Costs of laboratory tests and immunizations required for the protection of the student
and client, e.g. TB
skin test, hepatitis vaccination, etc. are the responsibility of the student. There are additional
expenses related to
uniforms and clinical equipment, graduation, and licensure. An estimated expense sheet is
available at the College of
Nursing.
Students are responsible for transportation related to clinical experience. Use of a car, especially
for parent-child
and community health nursing is necessary. Students should note that the clinical affiliation for
mental health nursing
is with the Statewide Psychiatric Nursing Education Program in Jamestown. Students may also
complete the practicum
course at a distant site. There are travel and housing costs associated with these affiliations.
Students in the nursing program are eligible to apply for federal nursing student loans and/or
North Dakota State
Nursing Scholarship/Loans and institutional grants.
AWARDS
Each year Nursing majors may apply for College of Nursing Memorial awards. Awards and
criteria are listed in the College
of Nursing Student Handbook. Selection is based on a variety of factors including GPA, financial
aid, interest, and
nursing ability. Additional information is available in the College.
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
Cooperative education experiences are offered through the College to students who have
completed sophomore level nursing
courses. Students have the opportunity to perform skills learned in prior and concurrent nursing
courses while under the
guidance of agency staff. Students can increase their understanding of specific specialty areas
within nursing. Each
learning/working experience is individualized according to the student's prior academic and work
experiences and the
needs of the employing agencies.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Student Societies: NSA is the nursing student's pre-professional organization. UND-NSA is
affiliated with the North
Dakota Student Nurses Association and the National NSA.
Student Council: The College of Nursing supports a student council that represents the students
within the university
student organization.
Honor Society: Eta Upsilon is the UND chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor
society for nursing. Sigma
Theta Tau fosters excellence, scholarship, and leadership in nursing to improve health care
worldwide.
GRADUATE STUDIES
The College of Nursing offers graduate coursework leading to a Master of Science degree in
Nursing. Students interested
in graduate study may contact the director of graduate studies in the College of Nursing or
consult the Graduate School
section of this Catalog for further information.
NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
Admission to the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics may occur at the time a student is
admitted to the University if
the student has declared a Pre-Dietetics or Community Nutrition major. Majors within the
Department are advised to
follow the appropriate suggested curriculum leading to either a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics
or a Bachelor of
Science in Community Nutrition. There may be on-going changes in the curriculum since the
Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics strives to reflect current trends in the profession.
Coordinated Program in Dietetics
Admission to the professional phase of the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. Application to the
professional component of Dietetics occurs annually in the spring semester for admission in the
following fall semester.
The application deadline is the last class day on the academic calendar prior to the break for
spring semester recess.
To be considered a candidate for admission, the student must have already completed, be
currently enrolled in or plan
completion through summer school enrollment of all preprofessional courses. Criteria for
admission
include a grade of "C" or better in all nutrition, food and science courses with a minimum GPA
of 2.6 and a
demonstrated interest in the field of dietetics.
To be eligible for consideration, the student must submit the application form with a letter stating
professional goals
and describing personal qualities which would assist in attaining these goals, request references
from two individuals
and complete a personal interview with each selection committee member. After all applicants
have completed the steps in
the admission procedure, the selection committee determines the members of the class entering
in the fall. The number of
students admitted is determined by the availability of faculty and clinical facilities.
Admission of transfer students to the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. Transfer students
seeking admission to the
professional phase of Dietetics must fulfill the same prerequisite requirements as students
currently enrolled in
Pre-Dietetics at the University of North Dakota. Students planning to transfer from another
accredited institution to
UND are advised to contact the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics to verify equivalency of
courses on other campuses
with those offered at UND prior to applying for admission. All qualified students, whether
currently enrolled at or
planning to transfer to UND, are considered on merit.
Progression Requirements. Students in the professional component of the Coordinated Program
in Dietetics will be placed
on probation if performance evaluations are unsatisfactory, if the grade point average drops
below 2.6 or if a grade of
less than a "C" is earned in any course. Dietetic program faculty will meet with the student to
discuss the probationary
status and develop plans to correct the deficiency. All deficiencies must be removed before
advancing to the next
semester of the program. If deficiencies remain more than one year, the student must complete a
reacceptance
application. Reacceptance into the program will be on the basis of space available.
Additional expenses. The professional phase of the program has additional expenses due to
clinical/community
experiences, travel and professional activities. Additionally, the schedule of classes and
supervised practice
experiences must have precedence in planning other time commitments, thus limiting
employment opportunities. Definite
plans for financing the costs of the two years of the professional phase should be arranged prior
to application. An
estimate of expenses is available from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. Financial aid
and scholarships are
available from various sources. The UND Financial Aid Office can assist in determining which
resources are available to
individual students.
Community Nutrition
The Community Nutrition curriculum is designed to allow students to develop an in-depth
understanding of nutrition based
on the biological and social sciences; the ability to communicate nutrition principles effectively
and accurately to the
public; and the ability to participate as a team member with other community and health care
professionals. Graduates
will be skilled in conducting community nutrition assessments, identifying problems, developing
and conducting effective
interventions and collaborating with other professionals involved to improve the overall health of
individuals and
communities.
Students majoring in Community Nutrition select from two options. Graduates completing
Option A are
eligible to become Licensed Nutritionists (L.N.) in the state of North Dakota.
Progression requirements. The student must earn a grade of "C" or better in all nutrition, food
and science courses
taken to fulfill requirements of the Community Nutrition major and must maintain an overall
grade point average of at
least 2.2.
Minor in Nutrition
Students in other majors may elect to earn a minor in nutrition. The requirements of the minor
are the completion of 20
semester hours of credit in nutrition-related courses. To develop the program of study, students
must consult an advisor
in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Awards
Students may apply annually for awards and scholarships offered within the Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics.
Various professional organizations also offer competitive scholarships. Information regarding
eligibility and
application guidelines may be obtained from the department.
Cooperative Education
The opportunity to develop individualized cooperative education experiences is offered to
students in the Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics. This experience allows students to integrate learning from didactic
courses with professional
work experiences in nutrition and dietetics.
Student Organizations
Student Association of Nutrition and Dietetics (SAND). SAND is the student association for all
majors within the
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. Information regarding SAND may be obtained from its
officers or from the
department office.
College of Nursing Student Council.
The College of Nursing supports a student council
that represents the students
within the university student organization, including students with majors in the Department of
Nutrition and Dietetics.