Nursing, Pre-Licensure, B.S.

• Nurse Advocate
• Nurse Case Manager
• Clinical Nurse Leader
• Nurse Consultant
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Informatics Specialist
• Nurse Manager or Nurse Administrator
• Public Health Nurse
• Nurse Researcher
• Registered Nurse

• Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH)
• Baptist Health
• Cabell Huntington Hospital
• CHI St. Joseph Health
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital
• Clark Regional Medical Center
• Frankfort Regional Medical Center
• Georgetown Community Hospital
• Norton Healthcare
• UK Eastern State Hospital
• UK HealthCare
• UK King's Daughters Medical Center
• UK St. Claire
• Norton Healthcare
• Southern Ohio Medical Center
• St. Elizabeth Healthcare
• St. Mary's Medical Center
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Forms

• Application Checklist
• Nursing Application

Application/Admission Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree Program has a selective admission procedure. Enrollment in the program is limited. Students with the highest GPA will be accepted if there are more qualified applicants than available positions. Applicants to the BSN Program are selected based on the following criteria:

1. Completion of the 30 credit hours of the required pre-nursing courses listed in the curriculum sequence for the program's first year.

2. Minimum grade point average of 3.0 or above (with no rounding) based on the required 30 credits with no grade being less than a “C.”

3. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 or above for BIOL 234, Human Anatomy and Physiology I; BIOL 235, Human Anatomy and Physiology II; and MATH 135, Math for Technical Students (or equivalent).

4. Submission of American College Test (ACT) score with a mandatory minimum composite score of 20 or higher or ATI Test for Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) Examination with a minimum score of 80% or higher. Tests are to be proctored and taken at an institutional testing center. Morehead State University Testing Center offers both tests.

5. More than two failures of any two required courses within three (3) years of application to the program will result in ineligibility for admission. Students with course failures before the 3 years will be considered for admission if the student has demonstrated satisfactory academic progress (C or above in required courses) since the course failures. Full-time study for two consecutive semesters will be required to evaluate academic status. At least two-thirds (2/3) of these credits must be in program-required general education or support courses. This policy also applies to transfer students.

6. Applicants currently enrolled but have not yet completed the required 15 semester hours of the second semester at the time of application are eligible for conditional acceptance based on mid-term grades. Final approval will depend on maintaining course grades and grade point averages as outlined in the above criteria.

7. Possess current certification by the American Heart Association in Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers (CPR).

8. Documentation of compliance with all health requirements.

9. Compliance with the Technical Performance Standards.

10. Documentation of required criminal background check.

11. Documentation of drug testing (dates scheduled by program).

12. Final acceptance to the program will depend on maintaining course grades and grade point averages and meeting CPR, health, and drug testing requirements by established dates.

NOTE: Admission criteria and procedures are reviewed annually. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify prior to the application deadline that they have not been revised.

• Students may be assigned to a clinical practicum area other than those in the immediate vicinity requiring traveling some distance. Transportation to and from these settings is the responsibility of the student.
• Clinical experiences and formal lectures may be required during various hours of the day, evening and night.
• Students have the responsibility for the cost incurred by enrollment in the nursing program. This cost includes clothing, equipment, malpractice insurance and academic materials.
• Students will be required to adhere to all policies of the health care agency to which they are assigned for clinical experiences.

Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program is to provide excellence in baccalaureate nursing education, preparing graduates to promote health and well-being among the people of eastern Kentucky, the greater Commonwealth, and those whom our graduates serve in the global community.

Goals/Objectives

• Excellence in Education: Provide a high-quality baccalaureate nursing education that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to meet the complex healthcare needs of individuals and communities.
• Health Promotion & Wellbeing: Prepare graduates to promote health and well-being among individuals, families, and communities in eastern Kentucky, the greater Commonwealth, and globally, addressing social determinants of health and reducing health disparities.
• Comprehensive Nursing Practice: Foster the development of critical thinking, clinical judgment, and clinical reasoning skills to enable graduates to deliver safe, effective, evidence-based, client-centered care.
• Holistic Understanding of Nursing: Integrate the core concepts of the nursing metaparadigm—encompassing person, health, nursing, and environment—into the curriculum, reflecting the faculty's underlying beliefs and values as central to nursing practice and education.
• Community Engagement: Prepare graduates to engage with and serve diverse populations, address health disparities, promote health equity and disparities, and contribute to improving health outcomes in various settings.
• Lifelong Learning: Promote a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development, encouraging graduates to stay current with advances in nursing science and practice.
• Ethical and Professional Standards: Uphold ethical and professional standards, ensuring graduates practice with integrity, compassion, and respect for all individuals.
• Collaboration and Leadership: Develop leadership and collaborative skills to effectively work within interprofessional teams and influence positive change in healthcare settings.
• Cultural Competence: Cultivate cultural competence, enabling graduates to provide culturally sensitive care and address the needs of diverse populations.
• Evidence-Based Practice: Emphasize the importance of evidence-based practice and continuous quality improvement, ensuring graduates are prepared to apply research findings to clinical practice to improve client outcomes.

Expected Program Outcomes

1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills and clinical judgment in the planning and provision of person-centered care across diverse populations. 
2. Communicate effectively in various spoken, written, and technological formats to facilitate safe, effective, quality care. 
3. Demonstrate competence, initiative, and commitment to the nursing profession by refining a nursing identity, accountability, and application of nursing knowledge to improve health and transform health care.   
4. Integrate knowledge from nursing, evidence-based practice, arts and sciences to deliver safe, quality, person-centered care by the ANA Standards of Care and the Code of Ethics for Nurses across diverse populations.    
5. Engage in self-reflection to promote personal well-being, leadership capacity, accountability, and lifelong professional development to support the acquisition of nursing expertise and asserting leadership.
6. Provide compassionate, sensitive, spiritual, person-centered care for clients across diverse populations at any stage of their lifespan. 
7. Integrate information management and client care technologies to provide safe, equitable care for individuals and communities across diverse populations.    
8. Create a healthcare environment conducive to wellness and health promotion, chronic disease management, restoration of health, or supportive care of non-curative conditions across diverse populations.   
9. Facilitate coordination of care activities anticipating client needs and providing safe, quality, equitable care to diverse populations. 
10. Engage in collaborative efforts spanning professions, healthcare teams, clients, families, communities, and diverse stakeholders to optimize care and strengthen outcomes.

Pre-licensure BSN Employment Rates

Pre-licensure BSN 1st Time Test Takers NCLEX-RN Pass Rates

Pre-licensure BSN CCNE Formula Based 
Program Completion Rate