School of Nursing

Academic Complex, E.H. Canon Wing
Office 104
Phone: (270) 745-3391/6351
Fax: (270)745-3392
Website: www.wku.edu/nursing

Director: Dr. Mary Bennett

Professors: M. Bennett, D. Blackburn, S. Jones, B. Siegrist, D. Williams
Associate Professors: C. Abell, R. Kinder
Assistant Professors:   C. Briggs, A. Cornell,  D. Garrett, D. Goodrich,  S. House,   S. Lovan, E. Main, L. Sturgeon
Instructors: K. Botner, L. Diehl, D. Hanson, T. Jepson, M. Wilson
Optional Retiree: F. Embry
Professional Staff: L. Bormann, R. Kilgore

Program Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Kentucky State Board of Nursing, Member of the National League for Nursing

The School of Nursing offers the following programs: a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (prelicensure and Post-RN) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). The baccalaureate and MSN programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

The graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is prepared to be a professional nurse who is a generalist and who has the knowledge base for graduate study in nursing. The baccalaureate degree nurse is prepared to practice nursing in a variety of health care settings with emphasis on comprehensive nursing care including prevention of illness, health promotion, restoration and rehabilitation. The graduate is prepared to function in the leadership roles of the professional nurse.

Enrollment in the nursing program is limited and based on student qualifications. There are no restrictions regarding age, sex, race or religious persuasion. Additional information on admission requirements and school policies are located on the School website.  When planning a program of study in the School of Nursing, each student should be aware of the University’s academic requirements contained in this catalog in the chapter “Academic Information.” Specific attention should be given to the subsections regarding (a) Academic Programs, (b) General Education Requirements and (c) Academic Requirements and Regulations. For the most current curriculum requirements, please review the program curriculum information located on the School of Nursing website at www.wku.edu/nursing.

Upon acceptance into the BSN program, students will be required to provide the following information/documentation:

• Professional Liability Insurance
• Immunization records
• Annual Tuberculin (TB) skin test
• Completed medical exam
• Current medical history
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR)

All students will be required to have a criminal background check and drug screen upon acceptance into the program. In addition, the Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) requires a criminal background check when applying for a Registered Nurse (RN) license at the completion of the BSN program. Therefore, students are required to disclose to KBN any felony or misdemeanor convictions at the time of application for licensure.

Additionally, there may be certifications, training seminars, or other requirements specified by the program, facility, or agency that students must meet in order to be eligible for a clinical experience. Students will be responsible for purchasing uniforms as described in the student handbook and any necessary supplies. Students are responsible for program, testing and course fees each semester in addition to the regular tuition. See the School of Nursing website for most current fee information. Students are responsible for providing transportation to and from off-campus experiences. It is expected that prospective students review the School of Nursing Student Handbook for additional information on policies, regulations, and requirements.  A link to the student handbook is located on the School of Nursing website at www.wku.edu/nursing.

Pre-Nursing (586P)
Prior to admission into the nursing program, students are required to meet the university general education requirements and a set of prerequisite courses required of all nursing students. Students who want to declare as a nursing major prior to admission into the nursing program are designated as Pre-Nursing students (reference 586P) and are assigned an advisor in CHHS.  Pre-Nursing students will meet during orientation to discuss their academic preparation and determine the appropriate courses for registration.   Pre-Nursing students must maintain a GPA of 2.75 or above to remain in the pre-nursing program. For more details and frequently asked questions about preparation for admission into nursing, please see the School of Nursing website.  Support services in CHHS Academic Center for Excellence are available to students who decide to change from Pre-Nursing to another health related career. 

Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Prelicensure Program (586)
The Bachelor of Science in nursing program (reference 586) is designed to prepare the student to write the National Council Licensure Exam to become a registered nurse. The program consists of eight semesters of course work in sciences, general education and nursing totaling 122 credit hours. Clinical hours are scheduled to meet clinical agency needs.  Therefore, to avoid scheduling issues, it is highly advised that students complete all non-nursing courses prior to entry into the nursing program.  Students must progress as a cohort once admitted to the nursing program. Part-time progression is not currently available in the BSN program.

Admission to the nursing program is limited and based on selection of the most qualified applicants who meet all admission requirements. The program can be completed in 4 years if the student completes all prerequisite courses, is admitted to the nursing program in the junior year and successfully completes all nursing courses in sequence. 

Applicants seeking admission to the prelicensure baccalaureate program must:

1. Be admitted to Western Kentucky University.
2. Complete all designated prerequisite courses.
3. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or above for college level courses.
4. Have attained a minimum of a “C” in all required science courses. Anatomy and Physiology must have been completed no more than 5 years prior to application to the nursing program.  Students who have obtained a minimum grade of “C” in Anatomy and Physiology more than 5 years prior to application to the nursing program must either retake the courses, or demonstrate current competency by passing a challenge exam prior to application to the nursing program.
5. Submit application to the School of Nursing by January 15 for fall semester admission or July 15 for spring semester admission.
6. Students may be asked to participate in a preadmission interview and/or testing.

Recommended Sequence of Required Courses for Pre Nursing Students
(586P – Seeking Admission)

Required Sequence of Courses for BSN Students (586 Officially Admitted)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Post-RN Program (596)
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (reference 596) is designed for students who are registered nurses (RN). RNs seeking admission to the Post-RN program must:

1. Be admitted to Western Kentucky University.
2. Have RN licensure or have applied for RN licensure. Students admitted pending NCLEX will be permitted to enroll in N323 and any nursing course allowed to be challenged (N300, N309, & N315) and/or the nursing elective. If unsuccessful on the NCLEX, the student will not be allowed to take any additional nursing courses other than those previously noted.
3. Have an associate degree in Nursing or if the applicant is a diploma graduate, he/she is required to pass the NLN Acceleration Challenge Exams (ACE) or PEP exam to validate prior course work. Students who successfully pass the exams will have 31 lower division nursing credits accepted toward a baccalaureate degree.
4. Have a minimum of “C” in all science courses.
5. Documentation on transcript of completion of the following courses or equivalent courses: CHEM 109; BIOL 131, 207, 208; PSY 199; and CFS 111.

Curriculum requirements for the Post-RN program include completion of:

1. Basic nursing credit (a minimum of 31 lower division nursing credits)
2. The designated University general education credits or transfer of equivalent courses.
3. A 3-credit hour statistics course.
4. 36 credit hours in upper-division nursing courses.

School Nurse Certification (15 hours)
This program leads to certification for school nurses issued by the Kentucky Department of Education. For information, see the  School of Nursing website at www.wku.edu/nursing.

Complementary Health Care Certificate (9 hours)
Provides theory and nursing skills related to the five domains of complementary therapies recognized by the National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institute of Health (NIH) including manipulative methods, alternative medical systems, mind/body interventions, biologically based treatments, and energy therapies. Regional and cultural influences related to the use of folk medicine are explored and opportunities are provided to interact with complementary healthcare practitioners.

Public Health Nursing Certificate (15 hours)
Provides theory and nursing skills related to essential competencies for public health nurses as identified by the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations. The courses selected will facilitate advancement in the baccalaureate degree in nursing for those students who elect to continue their education.

Associate Degree in Nursing

Room C109, South Campus
Phone: (270) 780-2506
Fax: (270) 780-9419

The nursing program has been accredited since 1966 by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 61 Broadway 33rd floor, New York, NY 10006, 1.800.669.1656 ext 153, www.nlnac.org. The program also has full approval from the Kentucky Board of Nursing. The Kentucky Board of Nursing determines eligibility for licensure. Applicants for licensure must provide necessary information regarding drug, alcohol, or conviction history for determination of licensure eligibility. The Kentucky Board of Nursing has the power to deny a nursing graduate the right to take the NCLEX-RN.

Admission Information
Admission to the program is competitive and requires a separate application. Enrollment in the program is limited and based on the availability of faculty and clinical resources. There are no restrictions regarding age, sex, race, religious persuasion, marital status, or qualified person with disability. Application deadlines are February 1 for admission into the fall and September 1 for admission into the spring semester. Students are admitted to the South Campus program in both the fall and spring semesters. Students are admitted to the program on the Glasgow campus in the fall semester only

The Associate Degree in Nursing Program consists of course work in nursing, supportive sciences and general education. The program requires a minimum of 72 semester hours including 42 semester hours in Nursing plus 30 hours in general education courses which include BIO 131C, BIO 207C, BIO 208C, CHM 109C, MA 109C or MA 116C, PSYC 199C, ENGL 100C, SOC 100C, CFSC 111C and one 3 hour Category B – Humanities course. Admission to the program is limited and admission is selective and competitive. Persons desiring to enter the Associate Degree in Nursing Program must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Applications must be completed for admission to Bowling Green Community College of Western Kentucky University and the Associate Degree Nursing Program. (Applications must be obtained from the Bowling Green Community College and the Associate Degree in Nursing Program.)
2. Applicants must be accepted by Bowling Green Community College before enrolling in Nursing courses.
3. Nursing Program application must be received by February 1 for fall semester and September for spring admission
4. The applicant must achieve a minimum score of 72 on the Educational Resources Incorporated’s Nurse Entrance Test (NET) in order to be considered for admission. The following courses must be completed or in progress in order to be considered for admission: BIO 131C, MA 109C or MA 116C and CFSC 111C.
5. The applicant must have 10 or more earned university credits and must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 in order to be considered for admission.
6. The applicant with 10 or less earned university credits must submit ACT examination results with application. Consideration for admission cannot be given until these scores are available in the department.

Grade point average for the applicant with an earned bachelor’s degree or higher will be calculated using only the nursing program’s required non-nursing courses. The program’s required science courses must have been taken within the last 5 years.

Admission Information: Licensed Practical Nurses Application
Upon admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program and after successful completion of BIO 131C, CFSC 111C, MA 109C or MA 116C, PSYC 199C, CHM 109C and NUR 110C, the Licensed Practical Nurse will submit proof of current LPN license to the Program Director for the awarding of six hours of credit for NUR 100C.

Information regarding nursing student responsibilities after acceptance into the program and other rules, regulations and requirements are found in the Associate Degree Nursing Student Handbook that will be given to students the first day of class and is available on the program’s website www.BGCC.wku.edu/ADN-Home.htm

Required Curriculum For Associate of Science Degree in Nursing

The supporting courses listed in each semester must be taken prior to or concurrent with the Nursing courses listed in the same semester. Students MUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE all courses listed in each semester before enrolling in the next nursing course.

Any deviation from the above must be approved by the ADN Academic Standards Committee.