Online RN – BSN

Conceptual Framework and Threads

Person:

Persons are viewed as developing across the life span and are holistic, dynamic, complex and autonomous. As citizens of the world and members of a larger network of families, groups and communities, individuals strive to meet their basic human needs. Individuals are in constant interaction with other open systems and interpret the world according to their own contextual reality. In doing so, persons create their own subjective meanings about health, illness and well-being. As a result, they have the right to fully participate in health care decisions that affect their quality of life.

Environment:

Environment is the arena for life span development and provides the conditions for persons to grow, change and meet (or not meet) their basic human needs. Additionally, the environment exerts social, cultural, political and religious norms that influence the behavior of individuals, families, groups and communities. Reciprocally, individuals, families, groups and communities influence the nature of the environment.

Nursing:

Central to the practice of professional nursing is respect for the autonomy and dignity of all individuals without regard to gender, ethnicity, religion or class. The values of the profession are rooted in a caring philosophy and encompass ethical standards, a commitment to advocacy and social justice, scientific theory, intuitive ways of knowing, aesthetic ways of knowing and tradition.

The context of nursing is health promotion, health maintenance, health restoration and palliation. The practice of nursing should be person centered and exert significant influence on the safety, health and welfare of individuals, families, groups and communities. This is accomplished by utilizing the nursing process and critical thinking to provide holistic interventions based on a unique body of knowledge that assists individuals to meet their physiological, safety and security, self-esteem, love and belonging, and self actualization needs and by promoting the health and welfare of families, groups and communities. The process by which this is achieved is through the implementation of an evidence based practice model that utilizes the best available international evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preference, within the context of available resources.

Professional nurses are educated to employ expert communication skills in order to influence health policy, provide professional leadership in resource management, utilize information technology effectively, and to motivate and supervise others. Through a process of collaboration with the interprofessional team nurses maintain standards of care, focus on professional team improvement, act as a change agent, implement evidence based models for practice, and influence the profession through political awareness and activity.

Health:

Health is a subjective state, rooted in experiences, values, and beliefs and is culturally defined and practiced. Health is reflected in a person’s ability to pursue their goals and desires, meet their basic human needs and achieve quality of life as defined by the person.

Teaching-Learning Process:

The faculty believe that teaching-learning is a dynamic, mutual, constantly evolving process that provides the opportunity to both inspire and empower nursing students. Through this process, nursing students are inspired to value change through the role modeling of faculty and empowered through didactic and clinical instruction to create their visions regarding the role of the nurse. More notably, through the critical thinking process students should be empowered to challenge traditional nursing practices that are void of research or evidence based support. Further, the teaching-learning process is viewed as the linking of nursing faculty expertise with evidence based teaching strategies that enhance student learning, promote effective communication and cultivate a value for life long learning. Accountability of the educational process is demonstrated by evaluation of student learning outcomes.

Conceptual Threads of the College of Nursing:

H= Horizontal thread: provide the elements of the framework that are foundational and gain breadth as students progress throughout the curriculum while being exposed to various experiences.

• Communication (H): The activity of conveying information therapeutically and effectively with all stakeholders of the healthcare team.
• Person-Centered Care (H): Holistic care that encompasses individuals, families and communities with respect for the uniqueness and complexity of all as open systems. It includes science theory, advocacy, caring, ethical standards and attention to social, cultural, racial, political, and religious diversity.
• Basic Human Needs (H): A hierarchy of human needs that includes physiologic needs, safety and security needs, love and belonging needs, self-esteem needs and self-actualization needs.
• Nursing Process (H): An organized method of planning and delivering care that is composed of five steps: assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, implementation and evaluation.
• Evidence Based Nursing Practice (H): A practice model that utilizes the best available international evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preference within the context of available resources.
• Professional Values (H): Application of legal and ethical standards that guide the profession of nursing to include accountability for practice and principles of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, social justice, and ethics.
• Critical Thinking (H): The process of conceptualizing, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information that facilitates a healthy skepticism and results in a willingness to act on new information.

V=Vertical Thread: consists of those concepts, which progress from the simple to the complex as students gain increasing sophistication in their understanding of professional nursing. Helps students gain breadth and depth.

• Professional Leadership (V): The ability to manage resources, influence, motivate and supervise others, collaborate with an inter-professional team, maintain standards in the provision of care, focus on quality improvement, act as a leader, change agent and educator in order to implement evidence based models of practice in a fiscally responsible way.
• Quality and Safety (V): Knowledge and skills to minimize risk and to improve structure processes and outcomes.
• Heath Care informatics (V): The use of information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, gather data, mitigate error, and support decision-making.
• Health Policy (V): Decisions, plans, and actions, that are undertaken to achieve specific healthcare goals in a society.
• Collaboration (V): The process whereby nurses work jointly and cooperatively with patients, families, groups, and intra-professional and inter-professional teams for the purpose of improving quality healthcare.
• Levels of Prevention (V): Providing primary, secondary and tertiary nursing care to individuals, families, groups and communities in the context of health promotion, screenings, restoration, maintenance, and palliation.
• Life Span Development (V): A dynamic process that occurs from conception to death in which there is an orderly pattern of growth and change affecting structure, cognition, socio-emotional, moral and spiritual dimensions.

Nursing Standards:

The faculty developed the curriculum, student learning outcomes/program objectives and program outcomes based on the following standards and guidelines: Indiana Nurse Practice Act, the American Nurses Association (ANA) Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice (2015), the ANA Social Policy Statement (2010), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) (2017), Healthy People 2020, the institute of Medicine (IOM) report on Health Professions Education (2003), the IOM report on the Future of Nursing (2011), the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (2008) and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Competencies (2007).

Student Learning Outcomes of Undergraduate Degree Nursing Program Options

1. Utilize the nursing process to implement principles of person centered care within the framework of basic human needs and life span development.
2. Demonstrate effective communication while collaborating therapeutically and effectively with healthcare system stakeholders.
3. Demonstrate professional leadership in the coordination of healthcare that minimizes risk, promotes safety, and manages resources by creating a culture of continuous quality improvement.
4. Implement the principles of evidence based nursing practice in policy development and the provision of person centered care in an evolving healthcare environment.
5. Utilize information technology to coordinate and support decision-making in the provision of person centered care.
6. Implement critical thinking strategies in the context of health promotion, health maintenance, health restoration and palliation to maximize optimal person centered health outcomes.
7. Exemplify professional values to include accountability for practice, and principles of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, social justice and ethics.

Welcome to Purdue University Northwest College of Nursing Online RN-BSN Baccalaureate Completion Program! The baccalaureate program maintains a commitment to quality, evidence-based nursing education and has a reputation for nursing excellence. The program keeps pace with the ever-changing healthcare delivery systems and technological advances while being rooted in fundamental humanistic philosophies. We are excited you are here and have chosen PNW to complete your baccalaureate degree.

The Undergraduate Online RN-BSN Nursing Handbook is intended to provide students information regarding programs of study, requirements, policies and procedures that pertain to students while enrolled in the College of Nursing.  Students are responsible for the information contained in this Handbook; please use it as a reference.  Purdue University Northwest College of Nursing reserves the right to make changes to the Undergraduate Nursing Handbook.  Changes made to the Undergraduate Online RN-BSN Handbook will be communicated via student’s Purdue University Northwest email. It is therefore each student’s responsibility to routinely check his/her PNW email.  The Faculty and Staff of Purdue University Northwest College of Nursing would like to welcome you and are here to assist in your journey.

Establishing your PNW Account

• MyPNW is the hub of Purdue Northwest’s online content. It is a web portal enabling you to access many of the university’s online resources from a central location by entering a single username and password.
• A user name and 10-digit PUID number are assigned to you when admitted to the University and can be found on your Letter of Admission.
• To activate, choose Account Activation (New Students Only)
• The Office of Instructional Technology provides resources for all PNW supported technology as well as troubleshooting.
• Students experiencing technical difficulties with their PNW username and/or password can contact the Customer Service Center for assistance.

PNW Gmail account

• All PNW students are provided with a student Gmail account
• Student e-mail addresses are set to your PNW account username@pnw.edu.
• The College of Nursing at Purdue University Northwest requires that all RN-BSN students use only their student Gmail accounts when contacting university personnel.
• All official University information will be sent to this account. Check for messages frequently.
• You can access Gmail through the myPNW portal. This is your personal e-mail box and should be treated as such.
• Do not share your login information or password with anyone.
• Students experiencing technical difficulties with their PNW username and/or password can contact the Customer Service Center for assistance.

Access Brightspace

• Brightspace is the learning management system for courses in the RNBSN program
  • RN-BSN Nursing Courses
  • RN-BSN Non-nursing Courses
  • Orientation for the Online RNBSN Nursing Program
    • Your Brightspace orientation course is titled (Semester)-(Year)-ZNRS-10100-100
• There are multiple ways to access Brightspace
  • myPNW portal
  • Directly into Brightspace
• The Office of Instructional Technology is an excellent resource. Please visit their website as it provides tutorials on using Brightspace.
• Please note that course instructors are not required to open the course in PNW Brightspace until the Sunday before the start date of the course.
• Students experiencing technical difficulties with Brightspace can contact the Customer Service Center for assistance

The following is a checklist of minimum computer hardware/software requirements and basic computing skills that are necessary for all students.

Hardware

• 4 GB of RAM
• Windows 8 or higher operating system for a PC
• OSX 10.9 or higher for a MAC
• At least one USB port
• WiFi capability
• High speed internet connection (preferred)
• 250 GB or larger of storage (either internal, external or cloud)

*Chromebooks/iPads are not recommended as students may experience software incompatibility issues.

 Software

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
• Anti-Virus software
• Mozilla Firefox – for either PC or Mac
• Google Chrome – for either PC or Mac
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.x or later

*PNW students may be eligible for discounted software. More details are available at the Customer Service Center.

Required Computer Skills

• Keyboard and use a mouse
• Basic windows functions (maximize, minimize, move windows)
• Word processing
• Create text
• Cut, copy, paste
• Manipulate fonts
• Name, rename and save files to a variety of storage devices
• Create tables
• Insert an object
• Create a PowerPoint presentation
• Create directories/folders, manage files
• Attach files, send e-mail
• Use “help”
• Install an application
• Access the Internet
• Search the Internet
• Identify the type of Internet source
• Download a file/application
• Install a downloaded application

RNBSN Online Technical Support Hours

Hammond Campus Online Nursing Brightspace Support

Office Of Instructional Technology

Hours (CST):
Monday-Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Saturday/Sunday: Closed

Phone (219) 989-2873
Email: oit@pnw.edu

Customer Support Center

Hours (CST):
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Phone (219) 989-2888
Email: csc@pnw.edu

• Information Services for Students
• Student Brightspace Resources

We want you to feel connected to the faculty and staff at Purdue University Northwest and the College of Nursing. Contact information for commonly contacted staff and departments are listed below. The PNW CON faculty and staff will respond to emails within 48 hours during the business week. If you are unsure who to contact, please start with the RN-BSN Office Secretary, Paulette Renfus. She will help direct your question to the appropriate person or department. Your academic advisor is another great resource in your journey through the program.

College of Nursing

• College of Nursing
• RN-BSN Office: 219-989-8450

Business hours for the RN-BSN program are Monday thru Friday 8am – 4pm CST

• Cheryl Moredich: Director, Online Programs 219-989-2834
• Patricia Mellon: Academic Advisor: Last names A-G 219-989-2110
• Rosie Murphy: Academic Advisor: Last names H-O 219-989-2051
• Nicole Hartford: Academic Advisor: Last names P-Z 219-989-2245
• Paulette Renfus: RN-BSN Program Secretary 219-989-8450
• Joe Verble: Coordinator of Instructional Design/Technology 219-989-2841

Office of the Registrar

• Cindy Jones: Registration Coordinator – Last Name A-K   219-989-8352
• Mary Martinez: Registration Coordinator – Last Name L-Z  219-989-2315

Office of Financial Aid

• Mark Montella: 219-989-2018
• Josephine Blockson: 219-989-3236

Office of Admissions

• Diane Sullivan: – 219-989-2289

Course Related Support

• Customer Service Center– (PNW Gmail / MyPNW): 219-989-2888
• Office of Instructional Technology:  219-989-2873

Tuition and Payment

• Office of the Bursar (Pay Online or in Person only)
• Donna Gonzalez – Billing Information: 219-989-2735

Library

• Library Hammond: 219-989-2224, Westville: 219-785-5248
• Marcia Keith – Reference Librarian for AP Program 219-989-2523

Dean of Students

• Dean of Students

Disability Access Center

• Disability Access Center

Admissions Requirements

Only applicants from Indiana, Illinois or Wisconsin, or Purdue Northwest alumni are authorized to enroll in the online RN-to-BSN program.
Applicants must have:

• Graduated from a regionally accredited institution
• Completed a nursing program that had national nursing accreditation at the time of attendance and graduation (ACEN, CNEA or CCNE)
  • Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing: ACEN (formerly NLNAC) is a national accrediting body that provides accreditation to diploma and associate’s degree programs. A list of ACEN-accredited nursing programs can be found on the ACEN website (http://www.acenursing.org).
  • National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation: CNEA is a national accrediting body that provides accreditation to LPN/LVN, diploma, and associate’s degree programs. A list of CNEA-accredited nursing programs can be found on the CNEA website (http://www.nln.org/accreditation-services)
• Active licensure as a registered nurse
• A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.3 from an accredited associate’s degree or diploma program in nursing. Applicants with a GPA between 2.0 and 2.29 may submit a petition letter to the director of the online program that will be reviewed by the RN-to-BSN Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee and documents the following:
  • What circumstances caused the low GPA?
  • What is different now to control those issues?
  • What mechanisms are in place to ensure academic success?
  • A list of career/employment accomplishments
• In addition to meeting the RN-to-BSN admissions requirements stated above, an applicant transferring from another college must submit:
  • A completed application for admission
  • $30 transcript evaluation fee
  • $25 application fee
  • Official college/university transcripts from each institution attended
  • Copy of RN license number

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores may apply if applicant’s native/first language is not English and the applicant does not hold a bachelor’s degree or higher degree.

Registered Nurse License

• All students enrolled in the program must keep their RN license current/active.

Communication

• The College of Nursing requires that current students only use their PNW student email accounts to contact university personnel.
• Email is the preferred and quickest method of communication for the RN-BSN program as it provides a written record, time stamp, and can be sent directly to the people that can best assist in a particular situation. Additional communications between students and university personnel may be arranged directly.
• Faculty and staff in the College of Nursing asks for a minimum of 48 business hours in order to receive an email reply.
• Students in the Online RNBSN Completion Program may not enroll in traditional 16 week classes offered at PNW while taking courses in the Carousel of Classes. Likewise, students who are not admitted into the RNBSN Completion program are unable to enroll in online courses offered in the Carousel of Classes, including non-nursing coursework.

Who is my Academic Advisor?

The academic advisors for the RN/BSN Completion Program are Patricia Mellon, Rosie Murphy and Nicole Hartford.

Students are assigned their advisor based on the first letter of their last name.

A—G Patricia Mellon

H—O Rosie Murphy

P—Z  Nicole Hartford

The Role of the Academic Advisor

• Guide you through your program and help you along your educational pathway.
• Direct you to the appropriate people and resources for help
• Make sure you are getting the answers about the different areas relating to school and the program.
• Conduct admissions/graduation/periodic audits
• Confirm the application of transfer credit toward program requirements
• Track and monitor student progress and progression

Contacting your Academic Advisor

Contact your advisor for additional help when you have questions. Again, email is the best and quickest method for the RN-BSN program as it provides a written record and time stamp. Additional communications may be arranged directly between advisors and students as needed.

The RN-BSN program is designed for students to be able to be self-sufficient and actively engaged in their education with guidance as needed. Therefore, it is essential that students are familiar with and understand all the provided materials and resources.

Contact your advisor periodically. Since the program moves at such a fast pace, it is recommended at least once a semester. It is important that it is noted in your file how you are doing and that you are making progress. You should also let your advisor know if you will be stepping out of the program at anytime or make any changes to your plan.

Faculty

Faculty teaching in the RNBSN Completion Program are rated as excellent instructors and expert practitioners. The faculty teaching you hold advanced degrees, many are active in nursing practice and research, as well as certified as advanced practice nurses.

• College of Nursing Faculty and Staff

Academic Coaches

Academic Coaches play a crucial role in creating support for the student and connecting students with faculty. All hold advanced degrees, many are active in nursing practice and research, and certified as advanced practice nurses. Academic coaches:

• track student participation and monitor student progress.
• reach out to students to determine if and when help is needed.
• direct students to resources in the course (or outside the course).

Contact your Academic Coach or Faculty

In an accelerated, online learning environment, strong communication is essential to successful course/program completion.  Contact your academic coach or faculty with course specific questions. They are the best qualified to assist you with questions related to course content, course progress, or the award of final grades. Likewise, if you are struggling in class, your academic coach and faculty provide strategies for success.

Your faculty and academic coaches may be a resource for when seeking letters of recommendation for graduate education.

Email is the preferred and quickest method of communication for the RN-BSN program as it provides a written record, time stamp, and can be sent directly to the people that can best assist in a particular situation. Additional communications between students and university personnel may be arranged directly. Please see your syllabus for contact information. If you cannot reach your academic coach or faculty, please contact the Director of Online Programs for assistance.

RNBSN Textbook List

RN-BSN students are strongly encouraged to review this list prior to purchasing or renting textbooks as textbook editions will change from time to time. Students should make every effort to purchase books and have them delivered prior to the first day of class. This is especially important in a five-week course. Textbooks may be purchased directly from the publisher’s website or from third-party vendors such as efollett.com, Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble Online. The efollett.com site also offers textbook rentals at a significant savings.

When purchasing or renting textbooks, students are encouraged to search for textbooks using the ISBN number and not the author name, textbook title, or textbook edition.

Note: This list was last updated March 26, 2021.

NUR 18200 – Conceptual and Theoretical Thinking in Nursing 
Alligood, M.R. (2018). Nursing theorists and their work (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. ISBN: 9780323402248

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 9781433832178 (Spiral), 9781433832154 (Hardcover) 9781433832161 (Paperback)

Hopp, L., & Rittenmeyer, L. (2021) Introduction to evidence-based practice: A practical guide for nursing (2^nd ed.). Philadelphia: PA: F. A. Davis. ISBN: 9780803666634

NUR 45200 – Quality and Safety in Professional Nursing Leadership
Kelly, P., Vottero, B., & McAuliffe-Christie, C. (2018). Introduction to Quality and Safety Education for Nurses: Core Competencies ( 2nd Ed.). New York: Springer. ISBN: 9780826123411

**New for Fall 2021** American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 9781433832178 (Spiral), 9781433832154 (Hardcover) 9781433832161 (Paperback)

**New for Fall 2021** Hopp, L., & Rittenmeyer, L. (2021) Introduction to evidence-based practice: A practical guide for nursing (2^nd ed.). Philadelphia: PA: F. A. Davis. ISBN: 9780803666634

NUR 39000 – Nursing Research
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 9781433832178 (Spiral), 9781433832154 (Hardcover) 9781433832161 (Paperback)

Hopp, L., & Rittenmeyer, L. (2021) Introduction to evidence-based practice: A practical guide for nursing (2^nd ed.). Philadelphia: PA: F. A. Davis. ISBN: 9780803666634

LoBiondo-Wood, G., & Haber. J. (2018).
Nursing research: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice (9th Ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
ISBN: 9780323431316

**New for OL2 (Replacing the 9th Edition)** LoBiondo-Wood, G., & Haber. J. (2021).
Nursing research: Methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice (10th Ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
ISBN: 9780323762915

NUR 39100 – Professional Ethics
Butts, J., & Rich, K., (2020). Nursing Ethics: Across the Curriculum and Into Practice (5th ed.) Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning
ISBN: 9781284170221

**New for Fall 2021**American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 9781433832178 (Spiral), 9781433832154 (Hardcover) 9781433832161 (Paperback)

NUR 39401 – Health Promotion and Education
Miller, M., and Stoeckel, P. (2019). Client Education: Theory and Practice (3^rd Ed). Burlington MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. ISBN: 9781284142631

NUR 39700 – Nursing Care of the Aged, Disabled and Chronically Ill
Touhy, T.A., & Jett, K. (2019). Ebersole & Hess’ toward healthy aging: Human needs & nursing response (10^th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Mosby. ISBN: 9780323554220

NUR 48200 – Nursing Leadership and Management
Kelly, P. & Tazbir, J. (2014) Essentials of Nursing Leadership & Management (3^rd ed)
Clifton Park, NY:  Delmar  ISBN: 9781133935582

NUR 41500 – Pathophysiology
Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2020). Understanding pathophysiology (7th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby. ISBN: 9780323639088

NUR 38801 – Health Assessment for the Nursing Professional
Shadow Health Virtual Patient Software (REQUIRED)

• Online purchase from Shadow Health: Health Assessment DCE HA-DCE-16 https://app.shadowhealth.com

  Shadow Health information

• Student Account Setup Guide
• Technical Requirements
• Shadow Health Student Support Center
• Create your account by visiting Shadow Health and enrolling in your course using the following course-specific PIN: TBD

Lippincott RN to BSN Online Health Assessment (REQUIRED)
Online Purchase from LWW Health Assessment: RN to BSN OLC Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Edition: eCommerce. https://lippincottdirect.lww.com

NUR 48300 – Community Health Nursing
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 9781433832178 (Spiral), 9781433832154 (Hardcover) 9781433832161 (Paperback)

Sentinel City https://healthcarelearninginnovations.com/sentinel-city/ Instructors will send out purchase and registration instructions prior to the course start date. Cost is $84.15

NUR 45100 – Nursing Informatics
American Nurses Association (2014). Scope and Standards for Nursing Informatics Practice. 2nd Ed. ISBN: 9781558105799

NUR 49800 – Capstone Course In Nursing
No text required.

Are there clinical requirements for the RNBSN degree?

Clinical requirements are satisfied in several ways. You will be assessing virtual patients in NUR 38801 Health Assessment for the Professional Nurse with a product called Shadow Health. Likewise, in NUR 48300 Community Health Nursing, you will use Sentinel City to virtually assess the needs of a community. Your NUR 49800 Capstone Course in Nursing will require that your perform an evidence-based project with an identified local community need. The purpose of this experiential learning course is to provide you with the opportunity to apply and integrate knowledge from previous coursework in the development of an evidence-based practice proposal.

Can I take more than one nursing course in the Carousel of Nursing Courses at a time?

Students are only allowed to take only one (1) nursing course during a 5-week session. The only exception is NUR 39100 & 39401, which are offered concurrently. The curriculum was designed with this in mind. If you feel you would like to take a heavier load, students may add non-nursing courses while taking their nursing core.

What if I have to take a temporary break from the program?
We hope that the flexibility of the coursework will allow you to finish the course you are currently taking. If you cannot continue and you withdraw from the course, you can re-take the course you dropped when it is offered. The last day to withdraw from a course is the Friday during the 4th week of the course. However, in order to receive a full refund for the course tuition you must withdraw before the course starts.  Students who need to take an Interruption in the Plan of Study should consult that section of the handbook.

Must I be connected to the Internet to complete the coursework?
Yes. You will need Internet access to download your individual course and online readings onto your computer and to periodically submit and receive feedback on assignments and assessments as well as participate in online discussions.

Are refunds given for courses?

Effective spring 2021, the refund policy in the online RN-BSN program is as follows:

• Refunds are offered to students who to officially withdrawal from the course no later than Tuesday of the start of classes by 4:00pm CT. Students who receive financial aid should check with the financial aid department to determine the effect withdrawing has on their financial aid obligation.
• If you withdrawal later than Tuesday of the start of classes, and feel that you have extraordinary circumstances, you may contact a student advocate in the Office of the Dean of Students to provide documentation and ask for a refund.

How much preparation time should I expect to commit to my courses?
Please plan on allocating 3 – 4 hours per week per credit hour to complete the didactic coursework. For example, if you are enrolled in a 3-credit hour course, you should anticipate spending approximately 9 – 12 hours per week completing coursework. This time will be spent completing readings, viewing lectures, participating in discussion boards and accessing information in the online library. This does not include the time needed to complete and submit assignments in the course.

Can I take the capstone course when I have completed the nursing credits, but not the non-nursing courses?
All nursing courses must be completed prior to the capstone course. However, students may take up to 6 hours of non-nursing coursework after completion of the capstone course.

Can I submit transcripts after I have already been admitted?
The full disclosure policy at Purdue University Northwest – College of Nursing requires that upon admission to the university, students must submit all official transcripts from all previous schools attended. For students enrolled in the RN-BSN Completion program, these transcripts are factored into a cumulative GPA, which must be a 2.30 or higher in order to gain admission to the program.

Transcripts that were not presented at the time of admission to the online RN-BSN Completion program may not be accepted by the College of Nursing and may not be applied toward transfer credit. In addition, students enrolled in the online RN-BSN Completion program prior to the academic year who have withheld transcripts may not be permitted to apply them as transfer credit towards graduation.

Can I complete non-nursing course work at another school after I have been admitted to PNW?
Yes. Students may look into taking non-nursing courses at another school, perhaps a local community college. Students who chose this option must confirm with their academic advisor that the course will satisfy the requirements. Students can email their advisor the name of the school, course number, and a course description prior to enrollment in order to confirm the course will satisfy the requirements.

Can I use my personal email address for communications related to the RN/BSN Completion program?
The PNW online RN/BS Completion Program requires that all students enrolled must communicate through their PNW student Gmail accounts. This is the method that instructors, coaches, advisors and other university personnel will be using to contact you. In addition, please include your full name and PNW ID number as this information can facilitate the process of retrieving information.

How do I know what the rules and program policies are or who to call about anything in my program?

The Online RNBSN Student Handbook. Should be used as your source for program policies and information throughout your time in the program. There is also a mandatory orientation that you must complete in Brightspace before taking your first nursing course. This orientation will answer many of your program questions. If you still have questions, please contact your academic advisor.

Where can I find a list of the nursing courses that I am supposed to take?

The online RNBSN Student Handbook and module 2 in your Orientation reviews the courses in the program and the order that they must be taken. Please review the links in the handbook that refer to the Curriculum and Choosing Courses.

Where can I find non-nursing courses or elective classes to take for my program?

These non-nursing and elective courses are designed to fit with your program. They run on the same session dates as your nursing core courses. These courses are all completely online. Please refer to the Handbook Non-Nursing Courses.

Where can I find text books for my nursing core courses or my non-nursing courses?

Where can I find textbooks for courses in the online RN-BSN Program?

• Nursing Textbooks can be found updated regularly here from this link  Online RN-BSN Text Book List
• Non-nursing Textbooks can be found each semester by going to the following link:

o    Go to the Calumet Campus Bookstore

o    Select the appropriate term

o    Select the Department that your course is being offered – i.e., English 10500 (Department – ENGL)

o    Select the Section for your class – You will need to look at your schedule to make sure you know the section numbers for your classes.

NON-NURSING TEXT BOOKS:
A link for all textbooks for each non-nursing course can be found by visiting the link to the Campus Bookstore

Nursing Coursework

The nursing core consists of twelve, 5-week, accelerated, online upper division nursing courses.

NUR 18200 Conceptual and Theoretical Thinking in Nursing (2 credits)
NUR 45200 Quality and Safety for Professional Nursing Practice (3 credits)
NUR 39000 Nursing Research (3 credits)
NUR 38801 Heath Assessment for Nursing Professionals (3 credits)
NUR 39401 Health Promotion and Education (2 credits)**
NUR 39700 Nursing Care of the Aged, Disabled and Chronically Ill (3 credits)
NUR 41500 Pathophysiology (3 credits)
NUR 48300 Community and Public Health Nursing (4 credits)
NUR 39100 Professional Ethics (2 credits) **
NUR 48200 Nursing Leadership and Management (3 credits)
NUR 45100 Nursing Informatics (3 credits)
NUR 49800 Capstone Course in Nursing (3 credits)

Order of Nursing Courses

Beginning for the Fall 2019 semester, students take classes in the following order:

Phase I Nursing Courses

• Phase I Nursing Courses: NUR 18200, NUR 39401, NUR 39700, NUR 41500, NUR 39100 & NUR 48200
  • Students begin the program with NUR 18200. It is a pre-requisite to all subsequent NUR courses.
  • Students may then complete the following Phase I courses in any order.
    • NUR 48200
    • NUR 39700
    • NUR 41500
    • NUR 39100 & NUR 39401**
  • Phase I nursing courses, Statistics and English Composition II are pre-requisites to NUR 39000 Nursing Research
  • **NUR 39100 and NUR 39401 are taken simultaneously in the same 5 week session. Students must register for both in the same session to remain on track.

Milestone Course

NUR 39000 Nursing Research is considered the milestone course

Phase II Nursing Courses

• Phase II Nursing Courses are: NUR 38801, NUR 45100, NUR 45200, NUR 48300, NUR 49800

• Upon the successful completion of NUR 39000 Nursing Research, students will then complete the following Phase II nursing courses in any order:
  • NUR 48300
  • NUR 45200
  • NUR 45100
  • NUR 38801
  • NUR 49800*

• NUR 49800* Capstone Course in Nursing is the last nursing course you will take. All prior nursing courses are pre-requisites to NUR 49800 (Capstone).
• Students can enroll in NUR 49800 with up to 6 outstanding credit hours remaining in non-nursing requirements.

General Information

• In most cases, lower division nursing courses are not transfer equivalents to PNW upper division nursing classes.
• NUR course descriptions are available on the RN-BSN program website .
• A semester-by-semester breakdown of nursing course offerings is available by reviewing the Carousel of Nursing Courses

Non-Nursing Coursework

In addition to the upper division nursing courses, students admitted to the RN-BSN program are required to complete the following non-nursing requirements.

• 17 credit hours in Math/Science
• 6 credit hours in English Composition
• 3 credit hours in general psychology
• 6 credit hours in Social Science electives
• 30 credit hours in Lower division nursing courses**
• 3 credit hours in Statistics
• 3 credit hours in Communications electives
• 6 credit hours in Humanities elective
• 12 credit hours in general electives

**In most cases, Lower division nursing courses are not transfer equivalents to PNW upper division nursing classes.

General Information for Non-Nursing Courses

• Statistics and English Composition II are pre-requisites to NUR 39000
• Additional elective program requirements are not pre-requisites to NUR courses. They can be completed at any time while enrolled in the program and taken simultaneously with NUR courses.
• Please email your academic advisor with questions regarding the program requirements.
• Students may satisfy some/ most of these requirements with transfer credit upon admission.
• All non-nursing courses are 5 weeks unless noted by * which indicates it is a 10 week accelerated course.
• All non-nursing courses are 3 credit hours – with the exception of NUR 39900 which is 1 credit hour

Choosing your Non-Nursing Courses

Purdue University Northwest non-nursing courses can be found on the Registration/Course Offerings for RN-BSN Program

• AD 25500 – Art Appreciation- Communication/Humanities/ Elective – 5 weeks
• COM 11400 – Fundamentals of Speech Communication- Communication/Humanities/ Elective – 5 weeks
• COM 21400 – Theories of Interpersonal Communication – Communication/Humanities/ Elective – 5 weeks
• COM 32500— Principles of Interviewing – Communication/Humanities/ Elective – 5 weeks
• ECON 46200 —Economics for Health Care -Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• ENGL 10500 —English Composition II — 10 weeks *
• ENGL 39600 — Pandemic as Apocalypse in Film- Communication/Humanities/ Elective – 5 weeks
• FN 30300 – Essentials of Nutrition – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• HDFS 21000—Human Growth & Development  – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• HIST 36500 — Women in America– Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• HIST 39000— History of Reproductive Rights – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• MUS 25000 Music Appreciation – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• PHIL 29300—Religious Faiths and Patient Care – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• PHIL 32500 – Ethics and Public Health – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• POL 39000— Healthcare and the Constitution – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• PSY25200— Health Psychology for Practicing Nurses – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective—5 weeks
• SOC 38200—Introduction to Statistics in Sociology— 10 weeks *
• SPAN 11000 – Spanish Healthcare Providers 1 – Humanities/Social Science/ Elective – 5 weeks
• SPAN 11100 – Spanish Healthcare Providers 2 – Humanities / Social Science/ Elective – 5 weeks

Transferring in Non-nursing Courses

Students may choose courses from other schools to transfer toward non-nursing program requirements. Once courses have been chosen, students may email their academic advisor with the following information to review that the course would fulfill program requirements:

• name of the school
• course number and title
• course description (including credit hours) from college catalog

Reading the Carousel

Students can use this colorful Carousel of Nursing Courses (pictured below) when choosing courses per start date

• Begin by finding your start date; the start date for each five week session can be found in RED at the top of the page
• Move to the bottom of the column. This will be the first course (NUR 18200 Conceptual and Theoretical Thinking in Nursing)
• Determine the rest of your courses by reading from left to right based on the start date
• Please make sure you are viewing the carousel that corresponds with your admission date in order to correctly map out your progression of courses

• Click the video above to watch How to Read the Carousel of Courses
• Video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0LDLTaeeo8&feature=youtu.be

Order of Classes: Phase I and Phase II

• NUR 18200 Conceptual and Theoretical Thinking in Nursing is the first nursing course in the carousel and NUR 49800 is the last course in the nursing program.
• Students are only allowed to take only one (1) nursing course during a 5-week session. The only exception is NUR 39100 & 39401, which are offered concurrently. The curriculum was designed with this in mind. If you feel you would like to take a heavier load, students may add non-nursing courses while taking their nursing core.
• Progression in nursing course is dependent on whether the course is considered a Phase I, milestone or Phase II courses. Phase I courses must be taken before being allowed to register for NUR 39000 Nursing Research. NUR 39000 Nursing Research is considered a Milestone Course. Phase II courses can only be taken after completing NUR 39000 Nursing Research.
  • Phase One Courses: NUR 18200, NUR 39401, NUR 39700, NUR 41500, NUR 39100 & NUR 48200
  • Milestone Course: NUR 39000
  • Phase Two: NUR 38801, NUR 45100, NUR 45200, NUR 48300, NUR 49800
• Once you start Phase I or Phase II courses in the nursing carousel, it is highly recommended to NOT take a break during those phases. This may cause a delay in your progression due to courses being offered on a fixed rotational basis.

Your Academic Advisor can help you in reading the Carousel of Courses and determining the best courses to register.

Nursing Carousel 2020-2022

To enlarge the image, right click and select “open image in new tab” or “open image in new page”. You can also save, download and print from the right click menu.

Rotation of Non-Nursing Courses

Students can use this Rotation of Non-Nursing Classes (pictured below) to choose available courses per start date.

• The start dates for each 5 week session are in RED at the top of the page.
• All courses are 5 weeks unless noted by * which indicates it is a 10 Week Course
• All courses are 3 credit hours – with the exception of NUR 39900 which is 1 credit hour
• Please Note:
  • Students in the Online RNBSN Completion Program may not enroll in traditional 16 week classes offered at PNW while taking courses in the Carousel of Classes.

Non-Nursing Courses

To enlarge the image, right click and select “open image in new tab” or “open image in new page”. You can also save, download and print from the right click menu.

• Registration/Course Offerings per start date can also be accessed here on the RN-BSN program information page.

Registration Scenarios

These scenarios are provided to assist you in developing your schedule.

• Scenario 1
  All non-nursing courses completed.

Only nursing courses are left to take.  Starting Course: NUR 18200

• Scenario 2
  You need social science and/or humanities electives, plus ENGL 10500 and SOC 38200, and the nursing core.

Starting Courses:  SOC 38200 and ENGL 10500 – both of these are 10 weeks long and are pre-requisite courses to NUR 39000.  Students also have the option of taking NUR 18200 while taking care of these pre-requisites.  Many students opt to take care of their non-nursing courses in the beginning rather than waiting until the end.

Session 1 – SOC 38200 or ENGL 10500 or Humanities / Soc. Sci. Elect. NUR 18200 or
Session 2 – ENGL 10500 or SOC 38200 or Humanities / Soc. Sci. Elect. NUR 18200
Session 3 – Humanities / Soc. Sci. Elective or NUR 18200

General Information

Nursing and non-nursing courses in the Online RNBSN Completion Program are listed in the Online RNBSN Handbook

Please view the Nursing Carousel to view upcoming nursing course offerings per start date available in the RNBSN program handbook.

Please email your academic advisor with specific questions regarding course options.

Students are encouraged to register for the entire semester in order to avoid missing registration deadlines.

Deadlines to register for Classes

Students must register on or prior to the Monday before classes begin by 3:00pm CST. There are no exceptions made to this deadline date. This deadline applies to both new and returning students (who have already successfully completed a course within the program).

Options to Register

Option 1: During periods of open registration, you can process your own registration by signing into the myPNW portal and selecting the registration tab. To self-register for classes, please follow the specific instructions on the Office of the Registrar website. The instructions are also available in the Online RNBSN Nursing Student Handbook Steps to Web Registration.

Option 2: When web registration is not available, you can directly email the RNBSN registration coordinators to register for classes. The CON registration coordinators are:

• Cindy Jones: Registration Coordinator – Last Name A-K   219-989-8352
• Mary Martinez: Registration Coordinator – Last Name L-Z  219-989-2315

Please email either Cindy or Mary with the following information to register for classes:

• Your Full name
• PNW Student ID number
• Courses and start dates

Step 1: Login to the myPNW Portal

• Click on the myPNW link
• Login using your username and password.

Step 2: Register for the Classes

• Select the Registration tab.
• Click on Add or Drop Classes. (This will open in a new browser tab.)
• Select the term (semester)
• Enter the CRN (course registration numbers)
• Click on Submit Changes to make sure that you are registered

Step 3: Review Your Completed Class Schedule

After you have registered for your classes,

• Click on Registration tab.
• Select either View Your Concise Schedule or View Your Schedule (for an expanded view) in the Registration Shortcuts box.

Students can email their registration coordinator for assistance with registration.

It is recommended that students map out the courses they plan to take from beginning to end before starting the program.  Students can see course offerings in the Nursing Carousel and the Non-nursing Course Rotation.

There are a number of ways students can roll out their course progression. Students may complete all non-nursing coursework in the beginning of the program or opt to take non-nursing courses as they are progressing through the nursing core. However, students may only have 6 credit hours of outstanding non-nursing credit left when registering for NUR 49800 Nursing Capstone course.

There are certain things to consider when choosing courses:

Nursing Courses:

• NUR 18200 Conceptual and Theoretical Thinking in Nursing is the first nursing course in the carousel and NUR 49800 is the last course in the nursing program.
• Students are only allowed to take only one (1) nursing course during a 5-week session. The only exception is NUR 39100 & 39401, which are offered concurrently. If you feel you would like to take a heavier load, students may add non-nursing courses while taking their nursing core.
• Progression in nursing course is dependent on whether the course is considered a Phase I, milestone or Phase II courses. Phase I courses must be taken before being allowed to register for NUR 39000 Nursing Research. NUR 39000 Nursing Research is considered a Milestone Course. Phase II courses can only be taken after completing NUR 39000 Nursing Research.
  • Phase One Courses: NUR 18200, NUR 39401, NUR 39700, NUR 41500, NUR 39100 & NUR 48200
  • Milestone: NUR 39000
  • Phase Two: NUR 38801, NUR 45100, NUR 45200, NUR 48300, NUR 49800
• Once you start Phase I or Phase II courses in the nursing carousel, it is highly recommended to NOT take a break during those phases. This may cause a delay in your progression due to courses being offered on a fixed rotational basis

Non-Nursing Courses:

• Students who still have non-nursing requirements, such as humanities, social science, English Composition 2, or Statistics, have a choice on how to roll out their coursework.  Students may take their non-nursing in the beginning of the program. You do not have to start with a nursing course.
• It is up to you if you wish to take the first nursing course (NUR 18200) at the same time as a non-nursing course.  It is best to weigh your work schedule and life other obligations to gauge whether it is feasible for you to take two classes at one time. It may be best to  “ease” yourself in with one course to get used to the format and the online experience.
• Please Note: ENGL 10500 (Composition 2) and/or SOC 38200 (Statistics) are pre-requisite courses to NUR 39000 (Research).

Time Frame of Courses in the Program:

All nursing courses are 5 weeks long in length.  A few of the non-nursing courses are longer being 10 weeks in length.  Those courses are SOC 38200, ENGL 10500.  When planning your schedule, please make note of the extended time for these courses.

If you think of the courses in terms of semesters, please consider the following:

• PNW Fall Semester: Three (3) five-week online sessions available
• PNW Spring Semester: Three (3) five-week online sessions available
• PNW Summer Semester: Two (2) five-week sessions available

Enrollment/Grade Verification

Enrollment verification services are provided for students who receive educational loans, good student auto insurance discounts, medical insurance, tuition reimbursement for employers and other situations in which official verification of enrollment status is needed.

Students can email their registration coordinator to receive a letter of grade verification or a letter of program completion prior to the end of the semester.

Feel free to browse the Office of the Registrar website for information on other services offered, such as:

• requesting a transcript
• changing your address or other contact information
• commencement

**Registration for Summer and Fall 2021 classes is available now for online RNBSN students

• Students may register via self-web registration
• Students may also email their registration coordinator  to register for classes

• Please remember:
  • You may register for the entire semester at one time (Meaning three 5 week sessions in Fall/Spring, two Five week sessions in summer)
  • All students receiving financial aid or loans must be registered for a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester.
  • Make sure to choose the correct courses based on your Nursing Carousel

Online Start Dates Calendar

**Courses for Start Date: May 17, 2021

Non-Nursing Courses

**Courses for Start Date: June 28, 2021

Non-Nursing Courses

**Courses for Start Date: August 16, 2021

Non-Nursing Courses

**Courses for Start Date: September 27, 2021

Non-Nursing Courses

**Courses for Start Date: November 8, 2021

Non-Nursing Courses

Making Payments for Classes

• Tuition payments are due on or before the Friday before the start of class by 3pm CST.
• Missed payment deadlines will result in being dropped from the class.
• Invoices and periodic reminders regarding payment amounts due and payment deadlines are sent via email.

Payments for Tuition and Fees

• Can be made online
• Can be made in person at the Bursar’s Office
• Can be made by mail
• PNW Bursar’s Office no longer accepts payments by phone

View your Student Account in myPNW

• Select RN-BSN tab
• Click Financial Aid Awards
• Select Student Tab
• Click Student Account
• Select MyAccount
• Click View Account Activity

Make a Payment in myPNW

• Please pay the exact amount due as shown and do not round your payment up.
• Once you enter your credit card or check information, you can enter the amount you wish to pay
• Tutorial for paying online
• Log into myPNW

Types of Financial Aid

• Federal Pell Grant: The federal government offers Pell Grants to undergraduate students in need, which is the foundation of a student’s financial aid package. Eligible students must be enrolled in a minimum of 1 credit hour.
• Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan: For students with financial need based on the results of your FAFSA. Recipients must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours). Recipients are not charged interest while in school at least half-time and during grace or deferment periods.
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan: You are not required to demonstrate financial need to receive this loan. Interest accrues (accumulates) from the time it is first paid out. Recipients must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours for the entire semester).

How enrollment is determined for Financial Aid

Enrollment, for financial aid purposes, is based on the total number of credit hours for the entire semester.

Students must be enrolled in a minimum 6 credit hours for the entire semester at PNW to qualify for part-time financial aid status.

• Federal Pell Grant awards will be based on your enrollment as of the first day of each five week class in the semester/term and will be adjusted for subsequent increases or decreases in enrollment on the first day of each subsequent five week class.

• Stafford Loans will be adjusted for changes in enrollment. If you fall below 6 credit hours your eligibility may change. If refunds have been issued, you may have to return funds to the university. Contact Michelle Short if you are considering withdrawing from any classes to discuss how this might affect your financial aid eligibility.

Please see the Important Contact Information for the RN-BSN Program page for Financial Aid contact information.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Please visit the website for Financial Aid for the RN-BSN Online Partnership Program to learn how to apply for financial aid.

All financial aid documentation must be submitted 10 days prior to the start of classes.

Financial Aid Contact Information

Josephine Blockson
Mark Montella

Please carefully read the NUR 49800 Nursing Capstone Course letter from the nursing faculty. The letter is intended to assist you prepare for the final course in the online RN-BSN program. Please review this information 2-3 months prior to the start of your NUR 49800 Nursing Capstone Course in order to assist you in your course preparation.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft711faB46U&feature=youtu.be

The following information may answer questions you may have about your last course in the RN-BSN online course of study—NUR 498000 Capstone Course in Nursing. It is our hope to clarify the role of a RN Facilitator (previously termed a Clinical Liaison) and provide examples of course content.

Please note: Capstone Course in Nursing does not require direct patient care, access to individual patient information, or any clinical hours under the direct supervision of a traditional preceptor.

• What is a RN Facilitator?

A facilitator is a professional RN who helps to bring about an outcome (develop an evidence-based practice proposal) by providing indirect assistance and guidance. A facilitator in the Capstone Course in Nursing is a RN resource person with knowledge of evidence-based practice (EBP). The RN Facilitator can assist the student identify a question of inquiry (generally a quality improvement concern), and can offer expertise in designing a future implementation plan for the EBP proposal post-graduation. Essentially, a RN Facilitator knows the organization and provides guidance related to assisting with the plan for implementation and evaluation (how long it takes for a solution to be implemented and who plays specific roles in this process). He or she also provides a channel for communication for EBP proposal development.

• How do I choose a RN Facilitator?

Your RN Facilitator should be chosen at least 12 weeks prior to the course start. Your RN Facilitator should possess a minimum of a BSN. Generally, a professional RN with a background in quality improvement, education, or management/administration can be selected from your place of employment. In some instances students are not currently employed. If that is the case, extended care facilities, schools, community healthcare agencies, health departments, etc. may be selected if a RN facilitator is secured.

• Once I have my RN Facilitator, who should receive this information?

The name, academic credentials, and professional title of your RN Facilitator will be submitted with your first assignment during the first week of NUR 49800 course.

Please do not provide your advisor with this information. Course instructors do not need this information prior to course start.

• Are there a required number of hours that must be documented with my RN Facilitator?

The amount of time you spend with your RN Facilitator varies depending on the scope of your evidence-based practice proposal. Please note this is not a “hands-on” clinical experience that involves direct patient care activities under the direct supervision of a preceptor with a specified number of hours. Some students may spend 3-5 hours communicating with their RN Facilitator over the entire course while other proposals are more in depth and require more hours for a well-developed EBP proposal. A minimum number of hours is not a course requirement

• Where do I meet with my RN Facilitator?

The location of meetings is your preference and should be arranged at a convenient location for you and your RN Facilitator. Generally, most students schedule meetings at the healthcare agency.

• Do I need a Contract or Letter of Agreement for Capstone?

Generally, a contract is not necessary since Capstone does not require direct clinical hours. In rare instances, an agency may require a contract. You will need to verify with your selected clinical agency if a contract is required. If a contract is required, please contact the Director of Online Programs to begin the process of securing the contract.

• Once I have identified a RN Facilitator, is there anything I need to do prior to the start of the course?

Capstone Course in Nursing is fast-paced. Please review prior course readings and text books with emphasis on evidence-based practice and research. The library guide for NUR 49800, including the EBP tab, is an excellent review prior to course start.

• Do I need to be currently employed in a healthcare facility?

No, current employment is not a requirement. Sometimes, students may have difficulty identifying a RN Facilitator if not currently employed in a facility.

• Am I going to need access to patient information?

No, you may be reviewing aggregate data related to quality improvement, but will not be accessing individual patient data.

• What types of assignments are there in the course?

There is one major written assignment, the Evidence Based Project Proposal that is divided into 5 weekly writing assignments:

• Week 1: Introduction and Rationale (including PICO question)
• Week 2: Literature Review and Appraisal of Evidence
• Week 3: Plan for Implementation of Best Practice(s)
• Week 4: Plan for Evaluation
• Week 5: Conclusions, Recommendations, Abstract

Knowledge and skills related to evidence-based practice and project management are developed by writing this proposal. You will not implement this EBP project proposal during the course. However, you certainly can implement it after graduation!

Additionally, in the first week, there is a required assignment related to writing the PICO question associated with your topic and submitting information related to your RN facilitator and where the proposal will take place. Finally, in week 5, three additional assignments include writing a self-reflective paper, developing a PowerPoint presentation of your EBP proposal for future sharing with your agency, and uploading your PowerPoint to a class discussion to share with classmates.

There are required course readings related to Evidence-Based Practice and the course that you can access within the Brightspace course or in advance via the NUR 49800 library guide http://guides.pnw.edu/Nurs498. In addition, there is information related to EBP, critical appraisal, hierarchy levels of evidence, and research designs found in the lib guide for your review.

• How many hours each week do I need to commit to the course?

This course is intensive. Each week, you are required to read the course readings, view the videos, review the course resources (sample papers, PowerPoints, Lecture Notes, helpful hints, etc.), synthesize all the material, and finally, complete the weekly assignment(s). Students find Week 1 and 2 are the most time consuming. During this time, you will begin your literature search for evidence and critically appraise this evidence.

We advise against taking a vacation, or working many overtime hours while taking this course.

• What skills do I need to bring to the course?

Time management and organizational skills are essential! All the knowledge related to the concept of evidence-based practice, and skills related to critical thinking, searching the literature, identifying research designs, appraising evidence, and writing. The faculty provide many resources for you to review in the NUR 49800 lib guide.

EM/GW final 8/18

Final Nursing Course: NUR 49800 Capstone Course in Nursing

Being enrolled in NUR 498 triggers RNBSN students for graduation candidacy. With the approval of the graduation audit by the academic advisor, students are invited to participate in graduation.

• RNBSN students are not required to declare their intent to graduate. Again Enrollment in NUR 498 triggers students for candidacy.
• Degrees are awarded at the end of each semester (Spring, Summer, Fall)
• Students can email their registration coordinator to request a letter of completion prior to the award of the degree.
• Once degrees have been awarded, students can order official transcripts through the Office of the Registrar.
• Diplomas may be picked up at the campus or mailed to students.
• Students can email their registration coordinator with question regarding the specific timeframe in which diplomas will be mailed per semester.

Important items to check on in order to prepare for graduation:

• Review your unofficial transcript and current course schedule and confirm that the information is correct. Students can access both of these items anytime in the My PNW portal.
• Email your academic advisor if you have questions. Your academic advisor will complete your final audit at the end of the semester, which is then sent to the office of the registrar for processing the award of the degree. If credits are missing for whatever reason, email your advisor to see that your audit is successfully approved.
• In order to receive transfer credit for non-nursing coursework completed at other institutions, students must send the official transcripts to their RNBS Admissions Coordinator  in PNW Admissions after the course has successfully been completed the and a final grade has been awarded.
• Students planning to graduate must be registered for a course at PNW during that current semester. Students who intend on graduating but are not registered for any courses at PNW or are completing courses at another school to transfer back in must register for candidate status (CAND) in order to receive your diploma. Students may register for CAND status by emailing their Registration Coordinator. [link to RNBSN Contact Page] Please note CAND 99200 does have a small fee attached to the course. If you have specific questions about this, please follow up with the Office of the Registrar at 219-989-2210.

Commencement -Purdue University Northwest

• Purdue University Northwest has graduation twice a year. One commencement ceremony in the Spring (May) and one in the Fall (December). All students who are graduating in those semesters may participate in the commencement ceremony if they choose.
• Information regarding the commencement ceremony of Purdue University Northwest will come from the Office of the Registrar and any questions about this should be addressed to them at 219-989-2210. PNW graduation coordinator, Noemi Elizalde may also be able to assist students with questions regarding graduation.
• Updated information about graduation can be found on the PNW website, from the Office of the Registrar’s on the Graduation and Commencement page.

Nursing Pins

Pins can be purchased individually through Herff Jones College

To order a pin, please contact:
Janet Pritchett
ACD Cavazos, LLC
Office Phone: 317-578-8130
Office Fax: 317-578-8140

Herff Jones College
A Varsity ACHIEVEMENT Brand
10412 Allisonville Road, Suite 213
Fishers, IN 46038

The College of Nursing has established a grading scale to be used for all NUR courses taught in the Undergraduate Program. Grades will be assigned according to the following scale:

Students in the CON are expected to adhere to the ANA Code of Ethics.  The Code of Ethics for Nurses is a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession. Students are responsible for acquainting themselves and adhering to the policies outlined in the document.

Students in the CON are also expected to adhere to the PNW Civility Code as stated below:

Purdue University Northwest places a priority on student learning. We value the inherent worth and dignity of every person, thereby fostering a community of mutual respect. We believe that in order to achieve these ideals, all Purdue University Northwest students are expected, while in the role as student or representative of the university, to exhibit and practice civil behaviors, defined as behaviors that:

1. Respect faculty, staff, fellow students, guests, and all  university property, policies, rules and regulations
2. Take responsibility for one’s choices and actions
3. Accept consequences of one’s inappropriate choices and actions
4. Communicate in a professional and courteous manner in all forms, and at all times, whether verbal, non- verbal or written.

Students Rights and Responsibilities
Students have the right to a learning environment free of disruptive behaviors.  Students are expected to comply with regulations regarding civility, attendance, and appropriate classroom and clinical behavior.  Please refer to the Purdue University Bill of Student Rights for details.

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
Faculty has the right and responsibility to define expected classroom behavior consistent with University policy, as well as address and manage disruptive student behavior.

Students are subject to the Purdue University Northwest Honor Code. Students are responsible for acquainting themselves and adhering to the policies outlined in the document. Students must be aware that academic dishonesty in any form may result in a failure in the course and a referral to the Dean of Students. A letter describing the incident will be placed in the student’s file. Further disciplinary action will be pursued according to the policies of the university.

The College of Nursing has a zero tolerance policy on plagiarism.  Plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty, in any assignment or discussion may result in a failure in the course and referral to the Dean of Students.

The responsibility for assessing student achievement and assigning grades rests with the Faculty, and except for unusual circumstances, the course grade given is final. If a student has concerns or complaints about grading or clinical evaluations, he/she should discuss these concerns with the faculty member responsible for teaching the course. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of this discussion, he/she should bring the concerns to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator or Associate Dean. If the situation is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction after discussing the concern with the Associate Dean, the student will be directed to the university’s grade appeal procedures.

It is the belief of the faculty and administration of the College of Nursing that if a student has a problem with or a complaint about a nursing course, clinical laboratory, or faculty member, the student should first attempt to resolve the problem by discussing it with:

1. Academic advisor; and if no resolution
2. Faculty member involved; and if no resolution
3. Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs, College of Nursing; if no resolution
4. Dean of the College of Nursing; if no resolution
5. Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs or Dean of Students

Interruption in Plan of Study

• Students who need to withdraw from nursing courses due to medical, military, or catastrophic life events should notify their academic advisor at the time of withdrawal for review by the RN-BSN Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee.
• Students interrupting their progression due to course withdrawal, failure or  part-time study are subject to policy changes as they progress
• Students who decide to interrupt their enrollment in nursing classes should inform their academic advisor
• Student status will remain active for one year from the last course taken.
• If the interruption extends over one year, then the student must re-apply through PNW admissions in order to resume.
• Students who are absent from the RNBSN program for more than one year, and subsequently readmitted, are subject to any curricular changes made to the plan of study at the time of their readmission. This may require the student to take additional NUR courses. Please speak with your academic advisor.
• Interruption from classes may prolong the duration of the program dependent on the availability of courses in the Carousel of Classes.
• Tuition rates are subject to change based on decisions made by the Purdue Board of Trustees.

• All students must meet the University requirement for graduation
• Students enrolled in the nursing curriculum must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA
• All course prerequisites and co-requisites must be met for progression in the nursing curriculum.
• All students must receive a “C” (2.0) or higher in both non-nursing pre-requisite courses and nursing courses in the major.
• Students who receive a grade less than “C” (2.0) in a nursing course must successfully repeat the course with a grade of “C” or better.
• Students who receive a second fail (grade less than “C” (2.0) in the same nursing course will be dismissed from the program.

• The faculty reserves the right to dismiss students who violate the Purdue University Northwest Honor Code and Student Code of Conduct.
• Students who receive a second fail (grade less than “C” (2.0)) in the same nursing course will be dismissed from the program.
• Students wishing to appeal the decision of a course grade are encouraged to follow the grade appeals procedure outlined in the Dean of Students web page
• Students who wish to appeal program dismissal should write a letter explaining the specific reasons that they believe warrants an overturn of the decision. The appeal letter should be submitted to the Director of Online Programs within 30 days of the notification of dismissal letter. The appeal, along with applicants’ academic transcripts, will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Admission, Progression and Graduation Committee. Students will be notified in writing the results of the Committee’s decision within 15 days of the committee meeting. If the decision to deny readmission is upheld by the Committee, applicants may submit a written appeal to the Dean of the College of Nursing. If applicants are not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal they may write to the Dean of the College of Nursing, or send a written appeal to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

If you choose to withdraw from a course, please email your registration coordinator for assistance. In addition, your academic advisor should be notified so that she can adjust your plan of study in accordance with the carousel of classes.

Refunds are offered to students who to officially withdrawal from the course no later than Tuesday of the start of classes by 4:00pm CT. Students who receive financial aid should check with the financial aid department to determine the effect withdrawing has on their financial aid obligation.

If you withdrawal later than Tuesday of the start of classes, and feel that you have extraordinary circumstances, you may contact a student advocate in the Office of the Dean of Students to provide documentation and ask for a refund.

Withdrawing from a course will impact your transcripts as demonstrated below: