Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Baccalaureate Nursing Program is based on the belief that caring is the essence of nursing. Students are unique individuals with differing backgrounds, needs, and interests, and have the freedom and responsibility to make considered choices. Nursing faculty subscribe to the belief that professional nurses must have a solid foundation in the arts, sciences, and humanities that provides a reservoir of knowledge from which to draw when making critical clinical decisions in the roles of care provider or care coordinator.

Program Options and Tracks of Study

The Nursing Program provides a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree through two options:

• Pre-licensure option (i.e., Traditional/eLine/eLine military tracks) for the individual who wishes to earn the BSN degree while preparing to become a Registered Nurse (RN).
• RN-BSN option for individuals who have completed an associated degree or diploma program in nursing, already possess an RN license, and wish to build upon previous education and earn their BSN degree. This track is offered online.

Student Learning Outcomes

The expected outcomes of the pre-licensure and RN-degree-completion tracks of the BSN are as follows:

• Graduates of this program will incorporate the philosophy, "Caring is the Essence of Nursing" into nursing practice.
• Practice nursing utilizing the nursing process and other systematic approaches derived from the sciences and liberal arts to promote optimum health for individuals, families, and communities from diverse populations.
• Communicate and collaborate purposefully, using creative approaches that acknowledge interdependent roles and relationships.
• Demonstrate leadership through the application and utilization of theories for the improvement and enhancement of care and health status.
• Display critical thinking and independent decision-making that utilize and apply theory and research in practice.
• Show awareness of political, ethical, and social issues; accountability for professional practice and commitment for continuing professional development.
• Accept nursing leadership roles that respond to a changing society and health care delivery system.

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Please note that admission requirements and procedures are subject to change, and it is essential to consult the official university resources for the most up-to-date information.

Program Completion Requirements for All Undergraduate Students

Immunization Requirements

Students will be considered out of compliance if they fail to update the required immunizations or other necessary items in the CONHS-designated database by the specified deadlines during their clinical courses. Moreover, clinical facilities may have additional requirements that students must fulfill. Students who do not comply may be subject to disenrollment from their classes.

Insurance Requirements

Students are required to purchase professional liability coverage through the University. Fees for this coverage are included in the fees paid at the time of registration at the beginning of each academic year.

Grading Policies: Progression, Retention, and Dismissal

A scholastic grade point average of 2.25 is a minimum requirement in the upper division nursing courses designated for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing. A minimum grade of C is required in all courses in the nursing major. If a student earns a grade of less than C (i.e., D, F, or W*) in a nursing course, that course must be repeated. Such a course may be repeated only once.

General Requirements

Pre-licensure Option

• Core Curriculum Program: 42 hours
• Nursing Support Courses: 15 hours
• Major in Nursing (Generic) section Requirements: 58 hours
• Electives (if needed to reach 120 hours): 5 hours
• Total Credit Hours: 120-122

RN-BSN Completion Option

• Core Curriculum Program: 42 hours
• Nursing Support Courses: 26 hours
• Articulation Coursework: 30 hours
• RN-BSN Courses: 30 hours
• Total Credit Hours: 128

Degree Requirements

Pre-licensure Option

Course List

• UNIV 1101: University Seminar I
• UNIV 1102: University Seminar II
• Core Curriculum Program: University Core Curriculum (42 hours)
• Nursing Support Courses:
  • BIOL 2420: Principles of Microbiology (4 hours)
  • CHEM 1406: Introductory Physiological Chemistry (4 hours)
  • PSYC 2301: General Psychology (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2401: Anatomy and Physiology I (4 hours)
  • BIOL 2402: Anatomy and Physiology II (4 hours)
  • NURS 4322: Health Alterations (3 hours)
  • PSYC 2314: Lifespan Developmental Psychology (3 hours)
  • MATH 1442: Statistics for Life (2 hours)
• Major in Nursing (Generic) section Requirements:
  • NURS 3150: Professional Nursing Issues I (1 hour)
  • NURS 3318: Nurse as Therapeutic Communicator (3 hours)
  • NURS 3435: Health Assessment (4 hours)
  • NURS 3614: Fundamentals of Nursing Care (6 hours)
  • NURS 3548: Nursing Care of Children and their Families (5 hours)
  • NURS 3550: Nursing Care of Parents
    ewborns (5 hours)
  • NURS 3628: Nursing Care of Adults I (6 hours)
  • NURS 4318: Nurse as Research Consumer (3 hours)
  • NURS 4564: Nursing Care of Psychiatric Clients (5 hours)
  • NURS 4628: Nursing Care of Adults II (6 hours)
  • NURS 4660: Nursing Care of Community Health Clients (6 hours)
  • NURS 4370: Nurse Coordinating Care (3 hours)
  • NURS 4470: Professional Transitions (4 hours)
  • NURS 4150: Professional Nursing Issues II (1 hour)

RN-BSN Completion Option

Course List

• Core Curriculum Program: University Core Curriculum (42 hours)
• Nursing Support Courses:
  • BIOL 2420: Principles of Microbiology (4 hours)
  • CHEM 1406: Introductory Physiological Chemistry (3-4 hours)
  • PSYC 2301: General Psychology (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2401: Anatomy and Physiology I (4 hours)
  • BIOL 2402: Anatomy and Physiology II (4 hours)
  • PSYC 2314: Lifespan Developmental Psychology (3 hours)
  • MATH 1442: Statistics for Life (2-4 hours)
• RN-BSN Courses:
  • NURS 3435: Health Assessment (4 hours)
  • NURS 4250: Professional Nursing Issues (2 hours)
  • NURS 4318: Nurse as Research Consumer (3 hours)
  • NURS 4320: Principles and Concepts of Patient Education - RN/BSN (3 hours)
  • NURS 4322: Health Alterations (3 hours)
  • NURS 4324: Nurse as Caregiver - RN/BSN (3 hours)
  • NURS 4365: Care of the Individual within a Family - RN/BSN (3 hours)
  • NURS 4471: Leadership/Management - RN/BSN (4 hours)
  • NURS 4560: Nursing Care of Community - RN/BSN (5 hours)

Course Sequencing

Pre-licensure Plan of Study Grid

• First Year:
  • Fall: UNIV 1101, ENGL 1301, BIOL 2401, MATH 1442, American History Core Requirement (15 hours)
  • Spring: UNIV 1102, ENGL 1302, BIOL 2402, PSYC 2301, American History Core Requirement (14 hours)
  • Summer: Language, Philosophy & Culture Core Requirement, Creative Arts Core Requirement (6 hours)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: CHEM 1406 or CHEM 1411, POLS 2305, PSYC 2314 (13 hours)
  • Spring: BIOL 2420, POLS 2306, NURS 4322 (13 hours)
  • Summer: NURS 3342 (3 hours)
• Third Year:
  • Fall: NURS 3614, NURS 3435, NURS 3318 (13 hours)
  • Spring: NURS 3550, NURS 3628, NURS 3150 (12 hours)
  • Summer: NURS 4628, NURS 4150 (7 hours)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: NURS 4318, NURS 4564, NURS 3548 (13 hours)
  • Spring: NURS 4660, NURS 4370, NURS 4470 (13 hours)

RN to BSN Plan of Study Grid

• First Year:
  • Fall: Nursing Support Courses (15 hours)
  • Spring: NURS 4322 (3 hours)
• Second Year:
  • Fall: NURS 4324, NURS 3435, NURS 4365 (10 hours)
  • Spring: NURS 4320, NURS 4250 (5 hours)
  • Summer: NURS 4318, NURS 4560 (8 hours)
• Third Year:
  • Fall: NURS 4471 (4 hours)

Courses

NURS 0015: Nursing Lab Safety Seminar

• 0 Semester Credit Hours

NURS 3150: Professional Nursing Issues I

• 1 Semester Credit Hour (1 Lecture Hour)
• Concentrates on legal and ethical issues affecting the nurse as an individual and a professional, and health care delivery to clients, groups, and aggregates.

NURS 3318: Nurse as Therapeutic Communicator

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Emphasis is on caring communication as an essential dimension of professional nursing.

NURS 3342: Use of Pharmacology Principles

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Focuses on the basic drug classifications, concepts, and principles of pharmacology, with special consideration for the nursing role in developing a comprehensive approach to the clinical application of drug therapy through the use of the nursing process.

NURS 3435: Health Assessment

• 4 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 4 Lab Hours)
• Focuses on health assessment skills and application of the nursing process in selected pathophysiological disorders through analysis and synthesis of information obtained from subjective and objective data collection methodologies.

NURS 3548: Nursing Care of Children and their Families

• 5 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 2 Lab Hours)
• Applying a family-centered approach, this course focuses on health promotion, acute and chronic health conditions, and rehabilitative needs of children.

NURS 3550: Nursing Care of Parents
ewborns

• 5 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 2 Lab Hours)
• A study of the theoretical and empirical basis for nursing care of childbearing families using both nursing and developmental theories.

NURS 3614: Fundamentals of Nursing Care

• 6 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 3 Lab Hours)
• Developed for the incoming nursing student and introduces them to nursing practice and philosophies that underpin clinical practice.

NURS 3628: Nursing Care of Adults I

• 6 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 3 Lab Hours)
• Introduces the student to the use of the nursing process in the care of adults with chronic or non-complex illness.

NURS 4150: Professional Nursing Issues II

• 1 Semester Credit Hour (1 Lecture Hour)
• Concentrates on economic and political issues affecting the nurse as an individual and a professional, and health care delivery to clients, groups, and aggregates.

NURS 4250: Professional Nursing Issues

• 2 Semester Credit Hours (2 Lecture Hours)
• Concentrates on legal, ethical, economic, and political issues affecting the nurse as an individual and a professional, and health care delivery to clients, groups, and aggregates.

NURS 4318: Nurse as Research Consumer

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Study of theory and research as a base for nursing practice.

NURS 4320: Principles and Concepts of Patient Education - RN/BSN

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Provides opportunities for students to apply principles of teaching and learning with clients, families, and identified groups.

NURS 4322: Health Alterations

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Relates manifestations of disease, risk factors for disease, and the principles of pathology underlying illness and injury to therapeutic nursing interventions and outcomes.

NURS 4324: Nurse as Caregiver - RN/BSN

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Emphasis is on socialization into professional nursing.

NURS 4365: Care of the Individual within a Family - RN/BSN

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (2 Lecture Hours, 3 Lab Hours)
• Utilizes a health patterns framework with systematic nursing inquiry to examine the impact of illness on families.

NURS 4370: Nurse Coordinating Care

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (2 Lecture Hours, 1 Lab Hour)
• This class provides a theoretical and experiential approach to identifying the coordinating role of the professional nurse within health care and its delivery.

NURS 4390: Dimensions in Nursing

• 3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)
• Focuses on literature study and in-depth knowledge of selected topics relevant to the nurse as a professional provider of care or coordinator of care.

NURS 4396: Directed Independent Study

• 1-3 Semester Credit Hours
• The College offers courses in directed independent study.

NURS 4470: Professional Transitions

• 4 Semester Credit Hours (2 Lecture Hours, 2 Lab Hours)
• This capstone course focuses on the role of the developing professional nurse's ability to use evidence-based practice and quality standards to deliver safe holistic care to culturally diverse and complex clients and families.

NURS 4471: Leadership/Management - RN/BSN

• 4 Semester Credit Hours (4 Lecture Hours)
• Uses a systems framework and critical thinking strategies to study the coordinating role of the professional nurse within health care delivery.

NURS 4560: Nursing Care of Community - RN/BSN

• 5 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 6 Lab Hours)
• Explores community health nursing, focusing on historical development, philosophy, health care systems, epidemiology, and individuals, families, and specific aggregate groups.

NURS 4564: Nursing Care of Psychiatric Clients

• 5 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 2 Lab Hours)
• Focus is on the nurse as a provider of care to individuals, families, and groups experiencing psychiatric-mental health problems.

NURS 4628: Nursing Care of Adults II

• 6 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 3 Lab Hours)
• Presents to the senior student critical thinking and problem-solving strategies for care of adults with acute or complex illness and/or injury.

NURS 4660: Nursing Care of Community Health Clients

• 6 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours, 3 Lab Hours)
• Explores Community Health Nursing, focusing on historical development, philosophy, health care systems, epidemiology, and specific target groups.