School of Nursing
Donna Bachand, Chair
department web page
Faculty
Donna Bachand, Denise Beck, Brenda Hulett, Pam Orebaugh, Lori Tochterman
Degree
Required courses in this program of study may have prerequisites. Reference the course description section for clarification.
Mission
The Eastern Washington University School of Nursing (SON) provides transformative educational experiences to create a culture of excellence in the art and science of nursing. Our graduates are life long learners prepared to practice with integrity and compassion as they care for people across the lifespan in various health care settings.
Vision
The Eastern Washington School of Nursing educates a diverse cadre of future nurse leaders who will transform health and health systems in the communities they serve.
Values
Nursing faculty and students embrace these values:
Person-centered care
Holistic care
Compassion
Advocacy
Diversity
Evidence-based practice
General Admissions Requirements for Nursing
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program starts in Fall 2023 and is a pre-licensure program designed to prepare graduates as generalist nurses ready to practice with diverse individuals, families, and communities in a variety of practice settings. The curriculum is designed to provide foundational knowledge in the liberal arts and nursing with coursework that emphasizes critical thinking, clinical reasoning, leadership, and professional role development. Graduates will be prepared to sit for the national licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) and to continue their education in graduate studies.
The program requires four years of full time study. The first two years focus on a broad spectrum of courses, including; university breadth area core (BACR) requirements, competencies, and proficiencies; as well as nursing pre-requisite courses that prepare students for upper division nursing courses. The final two years of nursing courses are completed on the Spokane campus, where students engage in classroom, laboratory, and clinical learning experiences that take place over 4 semesters.
Admission to Nursing is limited in capacity. Admission to the program will be limited to 40 students in fall semester and 40 students in spring semester. To be eligible to apply, students must complete all university core requirements (BACR) and nursing prerequisites and should have no more than 15 quarter credits in progress at the time of application.
Students should complete all Chemistry and Biology (Anatomy and Physiology) course series at the same institution for continuity of coursework.
Transfer Students
Transfer Students should consult with the EWU transfer guide to reference coursework equivalencies early on and periodically while completing prerequisite coursework.
BSN Admissions Criteria
- Minimum cumulative GPA ≥3.0 or higher for all Nursing prerequisite courses. Pass/Fail grades, AP or CLEP scores are not accepted.
- Minimum cumulative GPA ≥3.0 or higher in all college-level coursework from all schools attended with a minimum grade of ≥C in any individual course.
- Apply to EWU (if not already an EWU student).
- Pay Nursing Application fee.
- Apply to BSN- Nursing Program with supplemental application and documents required.
- Attend required in-person interview for all students invited to this stage of the admission process.
After admission and prior to starting the BSN program, students will need a current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider Certification (CPR), immunizations, TB tests and pass all background checks. The department will work with students to complete the requirements prior to starting clinical rotations.
Undergraduate Program
Please contact Center for Academic Advising and Retention (CAAR) for information on this major.
307 Monroe Hall
509.359.2345
Bachelor of Science (BSN)
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is completed at the Spokane campus, and is a semester based program. Typically, freshmen enrolling at EWU will need at least two years of coursework to complete before they are eligible to apply for the BSN program. Students must complete all university core requirements (BACR) and nursing prerequisites, and should have no more than 15 quarter credits in progress at the time of application. Students should meet with their CAAR advisor to assure all university core requirements are completed before entering the BSN-Nursing program.
EWU Nursing Prerequisite Courses
| BIOL 232 | HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS | 5 |
| BIOL 233 | HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS | 5 |
| BIOL 234 | HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY NON-BIOL MAJORS | 5 |
| BIOL 235 | ELEMENTARY MEDICAL MICROBIOLOG | 5 |
| CHEM 161 & 161L | GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES | 5 |
| CHEM 162 & 162L | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES | 5 |
| CHEM 163 & 163L | BIOCHEMISTRY FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES and BIOCHEMISTRY LAB FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES | 5 |
| CSBS 320 | STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES | 5 |
| FNDT 356 | NUTRITION | 5 |
| PSYC 100 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY | 5 |
| PSYC 201 | LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT | 5 |
| Total Credits | 55 | |
Nursing Courses
NURS 301S. PROFESSIONAL NURSE 1: ROLE DEVELOPMENT. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to the nursing program.
This course provides a foundation for nursing students to explore the historical, ethical, theoretical, regulatory, and political contexts of the nursing profession. Emphasis is on developing professional identity and a broad understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professional registered nurse.
NURS 302S. NURSING FOUNDATIONS 1: ADULTS AND OLDER ADULTS. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to the nursing program.
This course introduces the fundamental concepts of nursing practice. Emphasis is on applying the nursing process to develop clinical reasoning skills and to plan nursing care.
NURS 303S. HEALTH ASSESSMENT 1: ADULTS AND OLDER ADULTS. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to the nursing program.
This course provides students with the knowledge of techniques necessary to perform a comprehensive, holistic health assessment as well as system-focused physical examinations of adults and older adults. Emphasis is on normal assessment findings, common variations from normal, and cultural differences. Laboratory activities are incorporated.
NURS 304S. NURSING SKILLS LABORATORY. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to the nursing program.
This laboratory course provides students with opportunities to master the technical skills necessary to provide direct patient care in their first practicum experience.
NURS 305S. PHARMACOLOGY FOR NURSING PRACTICE. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to the nursing program.
This course examines the concepts of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenomics in the prevention and treatment of illness. Emphasis is on the nurse’s role in medication administration and monitoring patient responses to the effects of prototype drugs from selected classes.
NURS 306S. INTEGRATED PRACTICUM 1. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to the nursing program.
This course is the students’ first experiential learning course. The practicum provides students opportunities to integrate theoretical knowledge from all semester one courses and apply their learning to the care of adults and older adults in clinical, community, and simulation settings.
NURS 311S. PROFESSIONAL NURSE 2: HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 301S, NURS 302S, NURS 303S, NURS 304S, NURS 305S, NURS 306S.
This course provides a foundation for nursing students to critically examine the determinants of health, wellness, illness, and injury. Emphasis is on the social, environmental, behavioral, cultural, and economic factors that influence health as well as strategies of health promotion and primary prevention.
NURS 312S. NURSING FOUNDATIONS 2: ACUTE AND CHRONIC ILLNESS. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 301S, NURS 302S, NURS 303S, NURS 304S, NURS 305S, NURS 306S.
This course builds upon the concepts learned in Nursing Foundations 1. Students continue to refine application of the nursing process to the care of adults with acute and chronic illness. Emphasis is on managing complex symptoms, health teaching for self-management, and palliative care at the end of life.
NURS 313S. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NURSING. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 301S, NURS 302S, NURS 303S, NURS 304S, NURS 305S, NURS 306S.
This course provides students with the foundational concepts of mental health and behavioral health nursing that can be applied to patients across the continuum of care and in all health care settings. Emphasis is on planning nursing care aimed at promoting, maintaining, and restoring holistic health.
NURS 314S. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 301S, NURS 302S, NURS 303S, NURS 304S, NURS 305S, NURS 306S.
This course provides students with conceptual linkages between risk factors, pathologic processes, and clinical manifestations of common diseases. Emphasis is on understanding how disrupting normal body structures and functions leads to pathogenesis of disease from the cellular to the multi-system level.
NURS 315S. INTEGRATED PRACTICUM 2. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 301S, NURS 302S, NURS 303S, NURS 304S, NURS 305S, NURS 306S.
The practicum provides students opportunities to integrate theoretical knowledge from all semester two courses. Emphasis is on applying the nursing process to plan holistic care for persons experiencing acute and chronic physical and behavioral health problems. Clinical experiences occur in acute care, transitional settings, and the simulation laboratory.
NURS 401S. PROFESSIONAL NURSE 3: HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND POLICY. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 311S, NURS 312S, NURS 313S, NURS 314S, NURS 315S.
This course provides a foundation for understanding the US healthcare system. Emphasis is on the economic, political, and organizational factors that influence nursing practice and healthcare delivery to individuals and the public.
NURS 402S. NURSING FOUNDATIONS 3: CARE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 311S, NURS 312S, NURS 313S, NURS 314S, NURS 315S.
This course provides students with concepts related to care of childbearing and childrearing families. Emphasis is on the role of the nurse in health promotion, maintenance, and restoration during the perinatal period and throughout childhood.
NURS 403S. HEALTH ASSESSMENT 2: MOTHERS, INFANTS, CHILDREN. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 311S, NURS 312S, NURS 313S, NURS 314S, NURS 315S.
This course builds upon the knowledge and skills gained in Health Assessment 1 to focus on the holistic health assessment and physical examination of pregnant women, newborns, and children. Emphasis is on the expected anatomic and physiologic changes of pregnancy and comparison of normal to abnormal findings in child development. Laboratory activities are incorporated.
NURS 404S. COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 311S, NURS 312S, NURS 313S, NURS 314S, NURS 315S.
This course builds upon the knowledge and skills learned in the Health Promotion & Disease Prevention course to provide students with the concepts of community and public health nursing. Emphasis is on the nurse’s role in community health planning.
NURS 405S. INTEGRATED PRACTICUM 3. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 311S, NURS 312S, NURS 313S, NURS 314S, NURS 315S.
The practicum provides students opportunities to integrate and apply theoretical knowledge from all semester three courses. Clinical experiences occur in clinics, birthing centers, community settings, and the simulation laboratory.
NURS 411S. PROFESSIONAL NURSE 4: TRANSITION TO PRACTICE. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 401S, NURS 402S, NURS 403S, NURS 404S, NURS 405S.
This course provides students with skills to facilitate successful transition from nursing student to professional nurse. Emphasis is on launching and building a career in nursing.
NURS 412S. NURSING FOUNDATIONS 4: COMPLEX CARE. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 401S, NURS 402S, NURS 403S, NURS 404S, NURS 405S.
This course builds upon previous courses in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and care of acute and chronically ill persons across the lifespan. Emphasis is on using an evidence base to plan care for patients with complex, multisystem, or unstable conditions.
NURS 413S. LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT. 3 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 401S, NURS 402S, NURS 403S, NURS 404S, NURS 405S.
This course provides students with the concepts and skills needed to lead and manage within the context of a dynamic health care system. Emphasis is on developing and managing teams and leading change to promote a culture of safety and quality care.
NURS 414S. NCLEX-RN PREPARATION. 2 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 401S, NURS 402S, NURS 403S, NURS 404S, NURS 405S.
This course provides a comprehensive review of essential nursing content aligned with the most recent NCLEX-RN exam blueprint. Students practice test-taking strategies and critical thinking with computer adaptive tests.
NURS 490S. CAPSTONE PRACTICUM. 5 Credits.
Pre-requisites: NURS 401S, NURS 402S, NURS 403S, NURS 404S, NURS 405S.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–senior capstone.
The practicum provides students opportunities to integrate theoretical knowledge from all nursing courses. Emphasis is on increasing responsibility and autonomy for patient care in preparation for practice as an entry-level nurse. Clinical practice will occur in a wide variety of settings and the simulation laboratory.