Nursing Degrees Online

All applicants should check the College catalog for general
admission requirements and must complete the Black Hawk
College Application for Admission. The completed application
and an official transcript form high school and/or college most
recently attended are to be sent to the Office ofAdmissions and
Records. Students areAdmitted twice a year –August and January.
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements, the
student who wishes to enter the Associate Degree Nursing
Program must meet the following requirements and will be
evaluated on an individual basis. Such students must have:
1. Earned a high school diploma or the equivalent.
2. An individual conference with an advisor in the Advising
Center.
3. A 2.7 (C+) cumulative GPA.
4. Completed all prerequisites for required courses with a
grade of “C” or above.
5. Completed all developmental courses determined by the
Compass Test with a grade of “C” or above.
6. Completed Nurse Entrance Test (NET) with a score that
meets/exceeds the national standard or completes remediation
as defined by the Associate Degree Nursing Program.
7. Achieved an ACT composite score of 20 or greater if the
applicant graduated from high school within the past 5
years and has taken no college courses.
8. High school applicants who do not meet GPA, did not
graduate within 25% of high school class, and any
applicant with no college courses must take nine semester
hours of college level courses.
9. Physical ability to provide client care.
10. Preference will be given to Illinois residents.
• Students with chronic health problems or physical disabilities are
accepted unless the health problem or disability is such that the student
would be unable to complete the objectives of the program. For
more information, see Technical Abilities Required by the Health
Programs in the College catalog (page 60).
Admission into the Associate Degree Nursing Program is highly
competitive. Students should apply early in the priority filing period.
Not all eligible candidates will be able to be admitted regardless of
the date of submission of their application.
Only those students with the highest overall qualifications will be
accepted into the ADN Program.
Please Note:Any student not accepted for the current nursing class and
who desires to be considered for subsequent nursing classes, must repeat
the entire admission process.

The Associate Degree Nursing program is a concentrated two-year program that includes a combination of science, liberal arts,and focused nursing courses. The program prepares graduates for work in hospitals and long-term care facilities that focus on nursing care of individuals with common acute and chronic health problems.

After earning an associate degree, students are eligible to take the national examination for licensure NCLEX as registered nurses (RN). The licensing exam is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

This Master of Science in Nursing program prepares professional nurses to assume leadership roles at an advanced practice nurses who will be effective in assisting people across their lifespan to promote, maintain and regain an optimal level of health. Graduates are prepared for independent and collaborative decision making in physical and psychosocial assessment, health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention, and management of acute and chronic health problems in families. Emphasis is given to care of families in vulnerable populations.

The nurse-practitioner role focuses on diagnosis, treatment and the management of common acute conditions and stable chronic conditions in a primary-care setting. It also includes a strong emphasis on wellness and prevention.

This Master of Science in Nursing program prepares professional nurses to assume leadership roles at an advanced-practice level that will be effective in assisting people across their lifespan to promote, maintain and regain an optimal level of health. Graduates are prepared for independent and collaborative decision making in physical and psychosocial assessment, health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention and management of acute and chronic health problems in individuals and families. Emphasis is given to care of individuals and families in vulnerable populations.

Students in this major may choose between two role options: the C.N.S. role or the nurse-practitioner role. Each role blends practice, education, consultation and collaboration. While the education of the C.N.S. and A.N.P. overlaps in many areas, the C.N.S. is first and foremost a clinical expert who provides advanced practice to patients with complex health problems. This can be through direct care as well as indirect care involving staff education, case management or the management of system change in complex organizations. The nurse-practitioner role focuses on diagnosis, treatment and the management of common acute conditions and stable chronic conditions in a primary care setting. There is also a strong emphasis on wellness and prevention.

Coordinator: Susan Houde, (978) 934-4426, Susan_Houde@uml.edu

The Graduate Certificate in Gerontological Nursing is for post-baccalaureate nurses who want to expand their knowledge about issues related to nursing care of older adults.The certificate focuses on topics pertinent to the health care of well-older adults and those with chronic health problems. Content will include gerontological nursing theory, health promotion and preventive care, psychiatric and mental health issues in the older adult, palliative and end-of-life care, as well as pharmacological issues.

Students who complete this certificate are encouraged to apply for advanced practice role preparation as a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, or Adult Psychiatric/ Mental Health Nurse Practitioner/Clinical Nurse Specialist through the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Master’s Program in Nursing.

The courses, 33.610 Gerontological Nursing Theory I and 33.559 Advanced Pharmacology may be transferable to the Master’s Degree in Nursing Program with a grade of B or better. One course, either 33.554 Palliative and End-of-Life Nursing Care or 33.553 Geropsychiatric and Mental Health Nursing may also be transferred as an elective to the Master’s Degree in Nursing Program with a grade of B or better.

Degree obtained: Postgraduate Nursing at the pediatric hospital

Schedule Modules Credits
The human environment and therapeutic nursing 1.5
Growth & Development 1.5
Acute problems in child health 2.5
Chronic health problems of children 2
Nursing care of the newborn 4.5
Nursing in pediatric ICU 4
Methodology of health education 1.5
Exercises (90h) 1.5
Research Methodology in Health Sciences 1.5
Bioethics and Deontology 1.5

Organization
Duration: 295 credits horas/22
Start: October 2008
Final: June 2009
Calendar: October 16-18, November 13-15, 27-29 November 2008, 15-17 January, 5-7 February, 5-7 March, 26-28 March, 16-18 April, 14-16 May and 10-12 June 2009.
Hours: Thursdays and Fridays from 9 am to 19.15hy Saturday from 9am to 13.30.
Price: € 1878

Degree obtained: Postgraduate nursing pediatric primary care

Schedule Modules Credits
The human environment and therapeutic nursing 1.5
Growth & Development 1.5
Acute problems in child health 2.5
Chronic health problems of children 2
Children and Health 6.5
Adolescents and health 2
Methodology of health education 1.5
Exercises (90h) 1.5
Research Methodology in Health Sciences 1.5
Bioethics and ethics 1.5

Organization
Duration: 295 credits horas/22
Start: October 2008
Final: June 2009
Calendar: October 16-18, November 13-15, 27-29 November 2008, 15-17 January, 5-7 February, 5-7 March, 26-28 March, 16-18 April, 14-16 May and 10-12 June 2009.
Hours: Thursdays and Fridays, from 9am to 19.15hy Saturday from 9am to 13.30.
Price: € 1878

The Acute Care Nurse Practitioner acquires knowledge and experience to provide direct health care services to adults across the lifespan for purposes of health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, and management of common acute and chronic illnesses. The acute care nurse practitioner works in a variety of clinical settings that include, but are not limited to, acute care hospitals, long term care facilities, physician offices, urgent care centers, and ambulatory care centers. The population in acute care nurse practitioner practice consists of adults over the age of 18 years through the elderly. The acute care nurse practitioner focuses on adults across the lifespan experiencing acute and episodic chronic health problems. There are a total of 42 credit hours in the specialty with 705 clinical hours.

This program is a blend of the existing Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science–Nursing programs. The RN to BSN curriculum will be truncated by several courses whose content will be covered in the Master’s materials. After the third semester in the course of study below, students will be eligible to transfer into the existing MS-FNP concentration, which prepares the advanced professional nurse for advance practice as a primary care provider. The FNP makes independent critical judgments in all levels of prevention including health promotion, health promotion, health screening, illness prevention and restoration and rehabilitation for individuals, families, communities, and populations. The FNP performs comprehensive health assessments, diagnoses, prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments to manage acute and chronic health problems to achieve quality cost effective outcomes in a culturally sensitive context. The role of the nurse practitioner includes educating, consulting, collaborating, using research to make practice decisions, and influencing professional and public policies. Within various practice settings, the FNP provides health care throughout the life cycle emphasizing care of the older adult. In preparation for the future, the FNP role synthesizes elements of the clinical nurse specialist practice role of assessing and addressing the needs not only of clients, but health care personnel and systems. This expanded role includes case management, marketing, business management, reimbursement, quality improvement, teaching of professionals, and broad based consultation.

The MS-FNP concentration prepares the advanced professional nurse for advance practice as a primary care provider. The FNP makes independent critical judgments in all levels of prevention including health promotion, health promotion, health screening, illness prevention and restoration and rehabilitation for individuals, families, communities, and populations. The FNP performs comprehensive health assessments, diagnoses, prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments to manage acute and chronic health problems to achieve quality cost effective outcomes in a culturally sensitive context. The role of the nurse practitioner includes educating, consulting, collaborating, using research to make practice decisions, and influencing professional and public policies. Within various practice settings, the FNP provides health care throughout the life cycle emphasizing care of the older adult. In preparation for the future, the FNP role synthesizes elements of the clinical nurse specialist practice role of assessing and addressing the needs not only of clients, but health care personnel and systems. This expanded role includes case management, marketing, business management, reimbursement, quality improvement, teaching of professionals, and broad based consultation.