Nursing

College of Health and Human Services
Dean: Don Taylor

School of Nursing
BH 371
415-338-1802
Director: Shirley Girouard

Faculty

Professors—Baj, Ferretti, Girouard, Johnson-Brennan

Associate Professors—Boyle, Davis, Eaton, Fisher, Hardie, Nichols, vanDam

Assistant Professors—Alameida, Carabez, Chou, deLeon, Landry, Li, Orsi, Privé, Serber

Clinical Faculty/Full-time Lecturers—Bahr, Giarretto, Shea

Programs

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Master of Science in Nursing
Master of Science in Nursing: Concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate

Academic Nursing Programs Offered

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Generic: prelicensure for entry into the nursing profession
• Advanced placement: for RNs without a baccalaureate degree

Master of Science in Nursing

• Generic: entry level into the profession for students with a baccalaureate degree in another field; pre-licensure and graduate specialization components in administration, adult acute care, pediatrics, women’s health, and community health
• RNs with bachelor's degrees in nursing or other disciplines can specialize in administration, adult acute care, pediatrics, women's health, community health, or family nurse practitioner
• Post-masters certificate: family nurse practitioner for nurses with masters’ or doctoral degrees

The School
The mission of the School of Nursing is to: (1) provide baccalaureate and graduate nursing education to meet the needs of a diverse, complex and rapidly changing healthcare system; (2) prepare graduates to provide quality nursing care, leadership, and advocacy to meet the health care needs of culturally diverse people in urban environments; and, (3) prepare graduates to improve health care and nursing services through service to the community. The nursing profession is holistic in nature- providing services for individuals, families, groups and the community in a variety of settings including hospitals, community agencies, and schools—wherever health promotion, disease and illness prevention and nursing care are needed.The specific goals of the School of Nursing are to:

• Provide an environment that facilitates learning for students with diverse learning styles and needs;
• Develop clinicians, leaders, advocates and advanced practice nurses to function in evolving health care systems;
• Increase the numbers of nurses from groups underrepresented in nursing;
• Prepare nurses who integrate and apply research in clinical practice; and,
• Provide service to the community through faculty and student leadership, consultation, research, and clinical practice.

At the baccalaureate level, the program provides the basis for professional nursing practice, service and leadership and for pursuing life-ling learning including graduate education. Students in the masters program prepare for professional roles in practice, administration, education and research. The masters program is designed to meet the critical need for qualified nurse leaders and advanced practice nurses in primary care, acute and chronic care, long term care, home care, and community/public health. Per California State regulations, an LVN 30 unit option is available but only offered on a space available basis. As the program is impacted, we are not often able to accommodate such students.

There are approximately 300 undergraduate students and 200 masters students enrolled in the School representing the diversity of the community we serve. The School of Nursing is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing and is accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. It is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National League for Nursing, the California Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Western Institute of Nursing Research.

Career Outlook

The Bachelor of Science degree prepares students for entry-level positions in professional nursing practice. Graduates are prepared to take a national licensure examination to become registered nurses and for positions in maternity, pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, gerontology, psychiatric/mental health, community health, long-term care and home-care. In addition, they are eligible for Public Health Nursing Certification in California upon licensure as a registered nurse.

Master of Science graduates provide leadership and expertise in a variety of settings as expert clinicians, administrators/managers, teachers and researchers assuring health and healthcare for people of all ages. Clinical nurse specialists, as expert clinicians, serve specific client/patient populations in acute, chronic, inpatient and outpatient settings. Graduates of the nursing administration emphasis hold positions in nursing management, administration, and as entrepreneurs across a variety of health care settings. Graduates of the community public health emphasis have positions as managers, program planners, and case managers for specific at-risk populations in community and public health settings. Graduates prepared as family nurse practitioners hold positions in a variety of primary care and hospital settings. Graduates of all emphases are eligible for positions in program planning and evaluation and serve as clinical faculty for schools of nursing. The master's curriculum meets the requirements for entry into nursing education at the doctoral level.

Notes for Prospective Applicants

In addition to the requirements listed for each educational level in the materials that follow, there are special considerations for all nursing students:

• Informational sessions about the School and application processes will be offered. Please check the web site for dates, times and locations.
• The School of Nursing reserves the right to make changes in the admissions process or curriculum to accommodate programmatic needs. Students will be advised and assisted in making adjustments to these changes.
• Students may apply to only one of the programs offered by the School in a given admission year.
• Course equivalency determinations are made through assist.org on the University web site.
• Students must have personal health insurance.
• Prior to the beginning of each semester, students must meet specific health requirements including immunizations, tuberculosis testing, etc.
• Background checks are required for all prelicensure students prior to starting clinical.
• Students are required to purchase specified equipment and pay laboratory fees for certain courses.
• Current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) for health care providers as offered by the American Heart Association is required.
• A State Board licensure examination preparation program is incorporated throughout the nursing program for an additional fee.
• Students must have use of an automobile for the community health nursing experience and to travel to clinical sites that may not be served by public transportation.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (Prelicensure)

The School of Nursing offers prelicensure (RN) bachelors degree programs at the San Francisco campus and in the Sequoia Health District (the Sequoia Hospital/SF State Baccalaureate Nursing Program at Canada College). The Sequoia/Canada program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Sequoia Health District with additional support from the San Mateo Community College Health District, the Sequoia Hospital and the CSU. The course of study is the same for each although admission requirements vary. Students are encouraged to explore the specific requirements on the web site as they vary for each site and from year to year.

Applicants to the baccalaureate nursing program may be current students at SF State or transfer students. As freshmen applicants are not admitted to the University as nursing majors, students can be admitted as undeclared, pre-nursing or to an alternate major. The pre-nursing major does not guarantee admission to the nursing major. All students applying to the nursing program must be accepted into the University and thus, meet University requirements (see earlier sections of the Bulletin). Students applying to the nursing program have specific prerequisites for the program (see details that follow).

Admission/Application Information

• Application period: is generally early October to late November
• Application materials and instructions will be posted on the web site
• Both School of Nursing and University applications must be submitted (for those not already SF State students)
• Optional supplemental criteria: foreign language proficiency, multi-cultural worker volunteer experience and health related work/volunteer experience are also used as admission criteria.
• Sequoia applicants must also verify their residency and completion of prerequisite course work in the San Mateo area.
• Applicants will be notified of the decision regarding acceptance into the program in the spring

Criteria for Admission to the Baccalaureate Nursing Program

Undergraduate students must be admissible to the University in accordance with existing criteria as stated in the undergraduate admission requirements section of the University Bulletin. In addition, students seeking to major in nursing must meet the following criteria and prerequisites.

Prospective students must:

• Be eligible for admission to the University;
• Be California residents;
• Have an all-college total GPA of 2.8 or higher at the time of application;
• Receive a minimum grade of C in all nursing prerequisites;
  (Students may repeat prerequisites to achieve a grade of C or better but only as outlined in the University repeat policy. However, repeats decrease overall competitiveness.)
• Complete University general education requirements.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Curriculum

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (RN Advanced Placement Option)

The Advanced Placement Option (APO) is designed for RNs with associate degrees or diplomas in nursing interested in obtaining a baccalaureate nursing degree. The APO curriculum allows credit for some previous course work and has flexible scheduling to accommodate the practicing nurse. Students have the option to study part-time or full-time. If a student meets University general education and other degree requirements, it is possible to complete the course of study in one to one and a half years through full time study.

Admission/Application Information

• Application period is generally early October to late November.
• Application materials and instructions will be posted on the web site.
• Both School of Nursing and University applications must be submitted for those who are not already SF State students.
• RNs may receive credit for previous nursing education.
• The maximum number of transferable units is 70.

Criteria for Admission to the APO

• Admitted to the University (University applications must be submitted at the same time as the application to the School).
• Successful completion of an associate degree or diploma in nursing.
• Licensure as an RN in the State of California by the start of the program.
• An all-college total GPA of 2.8 or higher at the time of the application.
• All nursing prerequisites completed with a minimum grade of C. Students may repeat prerequisites to achieve a grade of C or better as outlined in the University repeat policy.

The APO nursing program

• Completion of University general education requirements.
• Besides nursing course work, all APO students will need upper division coursework within the University to meet the requirements towards the degree.
• There are 120 units, minimum, to complete the nursing Bachelor of Science degree. (70 units of course work is transferable.)
• Graduates of diploma programs will be required to take additional units to satisfy the 120-unit minimum for a bachelor’s degree.

APO Challenge Procedures
APO students may receive credit for courses through challenge exams, previous course work and experiences. Each student will have an adviser who will work with them to determine what courses can be challenged and to plan an appropriate course of study. Students challenging courses by examination take the exam prior to the beginning of the semester when the course is offered, pay tuition and register for the course. Upon successfully completing the challenging exam and at the end of the semester when the course is given, the student will be given a grade for the course. If the student is not successful in challenging the course, they must take the course.

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

The School of Nursing provides masters level educational opportunities for both registered nurses and individuals with bachelor’s degree in other fields who wish to enter the nursing profession. Registered nurses with bachelor’s degrees in nursing can enter the master’s program by demonstrating they have met the nursing prerequisites and have nursing content comparable to that in the SF State baccalaureate program. RNs without a nursing bachelor’s degree may need nursing coursework such as community health and research. The School offers the nursing Master of Science degree for RNs in two locations: the SF State cohort has most classes at the San Francisco campus; and the second cohort has many classes in the Stanford/ Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital area. RN’s with master’s degrees may apply to the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certificate program. Individuals who are not nurses but have a bachelor’s degree may apply to the generic nursing Master of Science program. Students in this program spend their first five semesters completing theory and clinical course work with other pre-licensure students. Upon completion of these courses the students take a national licensing exam (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse in California. Students must be licensed to progress with graduate level studies.

The master’s level curriculum includes both core courses and specialty courses. The core courses, the portion of the program for all students, include nursing theory, advanced practice nursing roles, pathophysiology, research, leadership, health policy and ethics for advanced practice nurses. Units taken in addition to the core program are selected with graduate nursing faculty advisement. Students are engaged in clinical practice experiences throughout the curriculum and complete their studies with a thesis or field study.

Please note that the FNP certificate courses, the FNP specialty (non-core courses), and the Stanford/Packard cohort courses may be offered through the College of Extended Learning and thus, have fees higher than other courses.

Admission/Application Information and Requirements for the Masters Degree

• Application period is usually from mid-December to early February.
• Meet general requirements for admission to graduate study at San Francisco State University and must submit a separate application to the Division of Graduate Studies.
• Graduation from an accredited institution of higher learning with a baccalaureate or higher degree and a GPA of 3.0 or above in the last 60 units.
• California registered nursing license is required for graduate level course work
• Provide three references from a work colleague or supervisor. (only RN applicants).
• Provide a resume or curriculum vitae (only RN applicants).
• Include a written goal statement.
• Provide evidence of health related work or volunteer experience (non- nurse masters applicants only)
• Complete all nursing prerequisites.
• Submit one set of official transcripts to the Division of Graduate Studies.
• For registered nurse applicants, courses in inferential statistics and an undergraduate nursing research course are recommended.
• Some of the prerequisite courses may be challenged or waived for students who have extensive professional experience and have participated in mandatory continuing education programs for R.N. licensure.`
• Generic (non- RN students) must have oral communication/speech and sociology or anthropology on their transcripts as they are required by the Board of Registered Nursing for licensure.
• Generic (non- RN students) must have completed all prerequisites at the time of application to the program.
• Students whose primary language is not English must earn a minimum of 550 on the paper Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 213 on the computer-based TOEFL.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: requirement is satisfied by scoring a 5 or better on the Graduate Essay test or achieving a score of four or higher on the analytical writing portion of the GRE. Passing the GET or taking remedial courses is required prior to enrolling in NURS 794. Level Two: is satisfied by demonstration of English competency on the final paper for NURS 794.

Generic Nursing Master of Science Degree

RN-Master of Science in Nursing for Registered Nurses

Qualified applicants are conditionally accepted into the MSN program. Students convert to classified status in nursing upon a passing score on the Graduate Essay Test (GET) or GRE analytical writing component.

Emphases/Concentration

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
This emphasis offers the graduate student the opportunity to take additional courses for certification by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). The CNS is an advanced practice nurse holding a master’s degree with a concentration in a specific area of clinical nursing such as adult and critical or chronic care, women’s health or pediatrics. The role of the CNS is defined by the needs of a select client population and clinical expertise of the nurse. In addition to the core courses listed above, additional courses required for BRN certification include: NURS 730, NURS 731, NURS 711, and NURS 715.

Nursing Administration Emphasis
This emphasis enables students to combine the nursing perspective and principles of business to become effective and successful managers and administrators. Courses may also be taken in the College of Business with the advice and approval of the adviser.

Community Public Health Nursing Emphasis
This clinically-focused emphasis prepares nurses to develop, implement, manage, and evaluate health promotion programs and services for vulnerable populations in urban communities. Courses required in addition to the core include NURS 720, NURS 721, and/or elective units selected with approval of the adviser.

Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
The family nurse practitioner (FNP) concentration requires 46 units for a total of 600 clinical hours and is designed to prepare FNPs for primary care practice. The following courses are required in addition to the core program.

Advancement to Candidacy

The student must resolve any admission conditions as soon as possible after beginning the graduate program. The Graduate Approved Program (GAP) should be completed and filed in the Division of Graduate Studies after the student has completed 24 units. The Proposal for Culminating Experience form must be completed and filed before he/she enrolls in the culminating experience course, either NURS 895 or 898.

FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATE

The Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Certificate allows masters and doctorally prepared nurses to attain certification as an FNP in the State of California after completing 30 units of post-graduate work. Completion of the certificate verifies to the California Board of Registered Nursing that the students satisfy all requirements for licensure as family nurse practitioners. The program also provides documentation to professional organizations that all requirements for national certification examinations were completed. The certificate program includes the courses listed under the concentration in family nurse practitioner and additional courses selected in consultation with an adviser.

Admission/ Application Information for the FNP certificate Program

Admission Requirements

• Master’s or doctoral degree in nursing.
• One year or 2,000 hours of recent relevant clinical nursing experience prior to applying.
• Current RN licensure in California.