Nursing
Baccalaureate preparation in nursing is the basic educational level for entry into professional nursing practice, building on knowledge acquired from the humanities, biological, physical, social and behavioral sciences. The Lees-91探花 Nursing program provides foundational education through both academic and professional nursing courses that support the provision of patient-centered, safe, quality care in today’s health care industry settings.
Under the guidance of expert nursing faculty, you will be provided opportunities to gain relevant, hands-on experience and challenged to develop understanding and critical thinking that will support your success as a professional nurse. Our smaller class sizes facilitate close student-faculty relationships where students and faculty know each other by name. Clinical student-faculty ratios of 8:1 facilitate quality engagement and support in the 1,100 hours spent in the clinical setting.
You will have lab experiences in the Hart Simulation Center, which has 3G wireless human simulators and a simulated inpatient hospital unit complete with a replicated efficiency apartment, exam tables, and hospital beds. Students will complete 25% of their clinical time in the center, which has been designated as a Gaumard premier site, one of only 33 in the country. Our dedication to experiential learning and our excellent faculty are why we have been named one of the best nursing colleges in North Carolina.
Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse (RN). The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at 91探花 is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ().
What You'll Study
During the first two years at Lees-91探花, you will develop a well-rounded educational foundation in liberal arts and basic science. In the junior and senior years, you will be immersed in nursing-focused courses. You will learn about patient-centered care, interdisciplinary collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, informatics, patient education, professionalism, leadership and systems-based practice. Your educational activities will include learning through the use of state-of-the-art technologies like the Anatomage Table that permits interactive visualization of hidden body organs with realistic size and perspective.
In the Hart Simulation Center, you will provide care to high-fidelity human patient simulators who will respond to your nursing care, either by getting better—or by getting worse. This safe environment will allow you to grow in nursing skill, critical thinking, and prioritization without endangering a “live” patient, learning skills from the beginning foundational level to advanced critical care. Simulated scenarios include bed baths and personal care to the more advanced levels such as starting IVs, administering medications, reading cardiac rhythm strips, and even facilitating childbirth.
Additionally, you will have clinical experiences in local hospitals and community-based centers and provide care for clients of all ages in a wide variety of health/wellness states. Interactive learning with real-time feedback is integrated throughout the curriculum through the use of various online learning systems designed to prepare you to take the licensure examination. These include practice tests, case studies, step-by-step skills instruction, and video clips of disease processes or nursing procedures—all of which may be repeated until you gain an understanding of content and mastery of the skill.
Department of Education Mandate for RN Licensure
The Nursing program provides a well-rounded and established curriculum approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing and accredited by the Credentialing Center on Nurse Education–American Association of Colleges of Nursing (CCNE–AACN). The curriculum meets all registered nurse (RN) licensure requirements of all U.S. states and territories, with two exceptions. Upon graduation and with eligibility for NCLEX-RN testing, if a student desires to be licensed as a RN in either Michigan or Virginia, they must meet the requirements of the exception as mandated by the Boards of Nursing of those states.
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Michigan
Beginning in January 2022, an additional Human Trafficking course is required. To fufill this requirement, Lees-91探花 will offer a course in either Criminal Justice or Human Services. -
Virginia
The total number of clinical hours is required to be listed on the student's final transcript. The Office of the Registrar will provide this documentation upon request.
Beyond the Classroom
You will be invited to participate in student-centered organizations such as the Student Nurses Organization. Networking with your peers will support leadership perspectives, community service, and participation in legislative processes.
You will participate in a variety of clinical settings which may include specific units in local and regional hospitals but also in homeless shelters, therapeutic riding centers, out-patient substance-rehabilitation clinics, nursing homes, pediatric clinics, and schools for students with special needs.
Sigma Theta Tau International
Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) is a nursing honor society founded in 1922 by six nurses in Indianapolis, Indiana. STTI now has over 500 chapters with more than 135,000 active members residing in 90 countries around the world. The mission of STTI is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service.
The STTI Omega Tau Chapter invites nurses with a BSN or higher to become members of the Omega Tau Chapter as Community Nurse Leaders. Graduating nursing students are invited to join based upon GPA in the baccalaureate program.
The Omega Tau Chapter offers opportunities to network and discuss how to increase nursing effectiveness using evidence-based practice. For further information about the Omega Tau Chapter, please contact Kimberley Priode, chapter president, at priodek@lmc.edu or Danielle Moore, chapter secretary, at mooree@lmc.edu.
After Graduation
As a graduate of the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences, you may choose to work in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, public schools, physician offices, health departments, communities, prisons, rehabilitation centers, hospice agencies, and research laboratories. Baccalaureate-prepared nurses may also choose to pursue further education as , , clinical nurse specialists (, , , , , etc.) or .
Career information is provided through Vault and O'Net. Current Lees-91探花 students can see the full results on Vault using their student email and password.
The application process to join the Nursing program begins the February of your sophomore year. To be considered, students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have earned a B- or better in all courses designated BIO, MAT, and CHM. Students applying to the pre-licensure program will submit a letter of intent, three letters of recommendation, and unofficial transcripts. Applicants will also participate in a panel interview.
Meet the Faculty
Barbara Leduc, MSN
Director of the May School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Clinical Director of Hart Simulation Lab, Assistant Professor
Evelyn Brewer, MSN, RN, CNN
Assistant Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences, Director of the Pre-licensure Nursing Program, Program Coordinator of Undergraduate BSN, Assistant Professor