College 3 by 5: Nursing Programs

By Emily Standish

If your son or daughter is thinking about a nursing career, s/he has probably heard about the wide variety of paths to becoming a Registered Nurse. There is a two-year path available at Oregon community colleges and four-year programs that lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The BSN is a widely accepted standard for nurses and offers great flexibility for employment and advancement in the field of nursing. Some colleges and universities require two years of undergraduate education and then students apply into the nursing program for their last two years of college, earning the BSN in four years. Some colleges and universities offer direct admission into the nursing program so that incoming freshmen begin the path to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing right away and also complete the degree in four years, ready to take licensing exams. Here are five colleges that admit freshmen directly into their nursing schools.

Azuza Pacific University, Azuza, CA http://www.apu.edu 

• APU”s School of Nursing offers an Honors Program
• Nursing training utilizes a Christian worldview to integrate values, beliefs, and ethics in patient care
• International exchanges allow nursing students to participate in international health care settings via short-term missions or a semester abroad 

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH http://fpb.case.edu/ 

• Students at all levels can participate in research projects with nursing faculty
• Nursing school students participate in a partnership with the World Health Organization by completing courses of study or clinical and service learning projects abroad
• Case Western Reserve's location at University Circle comprises four medical centers for nursing training as well as home to the Cleveland Orchestra, Botanical Gardens, and the Cleveland Art Museum

Carroll College, Helena, MT http://www.carroll.edu

• The Holistic Health Lab and Learning Center teaches holistic healing modalities for self-care and wellness
• Clinical training begins with 200-level courses in Helena's hospitals, public health, assisted living, long-term care, psychiatric and school settings
• Army ROTC Nursing Scholarships are available and cover 100% of tuition and fees

Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA http://www.dominican.edu 

• Nursing students will complete 1200 hours of clinical training in the Bay Area in four years
• All nursing students benefit from training in clinical decision-making in the Nursing Simulation Lab with computerized manequins
• Nursing students also participate in Dominican's vibrant and diverse student body of 2,300 students (one-third of which study health professions) and Division II sports

Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH http://www.xavier.edu 

• The Hispanic Focus is an elective course of study within the four-year nursing program intended to promote understanding of and nursing practice within the Hispanic community
• The Clinical Nurse Leader Honors program enables participants to complete a Master of Science in Nursing in one additional year and one additional practicum experience
• The nursing program provides mentoring for all students from within Xavier University's alumni

There are hundreds of direct-admit nursing programs in the United States listed on the website of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing website athttp://www.aacn.nche.edu. Direct-admit nursing programs in the Pacific Northwest include George Fox University, Gonzaga University, Linfield College, University of Portland, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, and University of Seattle. Be sure to check each college's admission requirements, since admission standards usually include a high school transcript showing successful completion of higher-level science and math courses.