Nursing - Major (BSN)

Major: Nursing
Degree awarded: Bachelor of Science
Total credit hours: 66
Experiential learning opportunities: Clinical rotations

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Online Academic Catalog Details / Required Courses

About the Nursing Major

In the United States, registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree can earn twice as much as certified nursing assistants (CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and other non-degree nurses.

And where you get your degree matters. At Thiel College, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program provides more hands-on training and more one-on-one experience with patients.

Learn how to work through real-life scenarios in our state-of-the-art simulation lab, where you:

Engage in high-pressure environments such as emergency rooms, hospital rooms and operating theaters.
Listen to heart sounds through augmented reality simulations.
Use equipment like phototherapy units and incubators.
Analyze your personal performance through video recordings.
Participate in immersive experiences that put you in the middle of crisis scenarios.

But technology does not tell the whole story. The individual guidance you receive from our expert nursing major faculty is just as important. They will give you a foundation to build on as you work through our accelerated curriculum, allowing you to sit for the NCLEX-RN license even before you graduate.

BSN Program Curriculum

In the nursing major, you go beyond the technical skills and knowledge needed to provide patient care to also learn how to be a leader in your organization and in the field. In addition to science-focused classes like Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology for Nurses, you will develop care plans in courses such as Healthcare Informatics and Research and Evidence-Based Practice. Classes like Healthcare Policy, Medical Ethics and Vulnerable Populations help you understand the challenges faced by patients, families and providers.

Explore courses in the BSN program and review the latest Academic Catalog Information.

Applied Learning in Clinical Rotations

Nursing is the ultimate hands-on job. Earn the experience -- and confidence — you need to succeed at Thiel, where every BSN student participates in a practicum amounting to 108 clinical hours. It is ideal preparation for situations you may encounter as a nurse.

And while you absorb important lessons about patient care and medical techniques alongside skilled nurses, you also learn to work with colleagues, gauge success using standardized quality measures and exercise critical judgment.

You and your fellow nursing students will complete your clinical work at several area hospitals. Locations include:

Meadville Medical Center
St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital
St. Elizabeth Warren Hospital
St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital
St. Paul’s Senior Living Center
UPMC

Nursing Major Objectives

Every nurse needs technical skill, but the best nurses are also expert communicators, collaborators and problem-solvers. At Thiel, you learn to be a trusted resource not just to the patients in your care but also to their families and your colleagues.

By the time you graduate, you will be able to:

Integrate knowledge, skills, and values from the basic sciences to provide patient-centered nursing care.
Demonstrate leadership, responsibility, and accountability in addressing health care issues.
Apply a systematic process consistent with professional standards and evidence-based practice to prevent illness and injury; promote, maintain, and restore client health; or support clients toward a peaceful death.
Demonstrate skills in using patient care technologies, information systems, and communication devices that support safe and effective care.
Apply an understanding of healthcare policy, finance and regulatory environments to advocate for patient-centered care.
Communicate clearly and effectively orally and in written with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary health team.
Demonstrate caring, professionalism, and respect in providing nursing care to diverse populations in diverse settings.
Demonstrate the professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct.
Understand the scope of generalist nursing practice and applies its principles in clinical practice.
As an active member in the Health Professions Institute benefit from small classes, early application of classroom knowledge to human health and well-being, and guided tours of the unique contributions of literature. Additionally, philosophy, and the fine arts to the art and science of healing are all hallmarks of the HPI.

Alumni and Careers

As America’s population ages, the demand for healthcare professionals grows, with nearly 190,000 new nurses needed each year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Nurse” is not a one-size-fits-all job, though, and Thiel’s nursing major will prepare you to work in a range of positions and settings in Pennsylvania or across the country. Our graduates find roles in hospitals, doctors’ offices, outpatient care centers and in-home settings. They work as:

Case managers
Home health nurses
Psychiatric mental health nurses
School nurses
Geriatric nurses
Nutrition and fitness nurses

Thiel nursing alumni work for places including:

Duke University Health System
Encompass Home Health & Hospice
Kelsey-Seybold Clinic
New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Primary Health Network
Spears Group LLC
The Surgical Hospital at Southwoods
TeamHealth
UPMC Jameson/Horizon

Student Life Involvement

Classes are just part of the college story — community is just as important. Just ask the 96 percent of Thiel students involved in some of our 100 clubs, NCAA Div. III sports or other activities. These opportunities are a great way to meet friends, try new things and make important career connections.

As a nursing student, you can participate in our Nursing Club or Health Professions Institute, which offers seminars and career symposiums, interview coaching and mock interviews.

Or get an entirely different perspective on healthcare in the United States, and around the world. Opportunities include studying abroad, joining a field excursion to an Amish birthing center, participating in an international mission trip to provide medical outreach or touring a MedEvac operation.

Read the latest news on what Thiel students are up to.

Nursing Scholarship Opportunities

The world needs more skilled caregivers. That is why we do everything possible to bring a Thiel education within reach. We provide financial assistance to 99 percent of our students, including through scholarships like these that recognize good grades, community service, leadership and more.

Marion G. Resch Science Scholarship at Thiel College
Dr. Florence West Tribute to Dr. Bly
Carlem Scholarship Endowment
The Dr. Judith A Crissman '64 Endowed Scholarship Fund
The Maenpa Family Biotechnology Endowed Scholarship Fund at Thiel College
Elizabeth McElhaney Scholarship
J. Scott Morrison Endowment for Science and Religion
Arthur E. Smith Scholarship Fund
TWC Amelia Earhart Scholarship
Dr. Sonya M. Wilt Endowed Scholarship
Irene Wintersteen Memorial Science Scholarship

Learn More About Thiel College’s Nursing Major

When you’re a nurse, every day is different. Pursuing the nursing major at Thiel College prepares you for everything you will encounter on the job. Get in touch with us to learn more about starting the journey to a fulfilling career through the BSN degree program.