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    GSW Nursing offers:
    Traditional  BSN Track
    Accelerated BSN Track
    RN-BSN Program Track
    LPN-BSN Track

    Application deadlines

      Summer 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2012
    Traditional & LPN-BSN   Feb. 15 Aug. 22
    Accelerated   April 1  
    RN-BSN March. 15 July 1 Nov. 20

    About GSW Nursing

    About the BSN Program
    The School of Nursing (SON) offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program. Baccalaureate graduates are prepared for a variety of beginning positions - in hospitals, community health care agencies, private offices, the military, industry, and schools. A baccalaureate education also establishes the basis for further learning in graduate programs and career advancement.. see more

    Philosophy and Guiding Concepts
    The philosophy, affirmed by the faculty, is consistent with the Georgia Southwestern State University mission, which is to cultivate excellence in learning and teaching that encourages intellectual, personal, and social growth for students, faculty, staff, and the community. Through this philosophy, the faculty expresses its commitment to excellence in the profession of nursing and quality education. The academic program(s) is based on the faculty’s beliefs about  see more

    Clinical Experiences of Students
    Georgia Southwestern School of Nursing offers students an extensive range of clinical experiences across Georgia. These experiences include  see more

    Mission Statement
    The mission of the School of Nursing is to prepare safe and competent professional nurses, who in collaboration with others, provide or facilitate high quality patient-centered care in a global society.

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    About the BSN Program
     The BSN program accommodates students in four pathways of study :  traditional prelicensure ,  accelerated BSN , RN-BSN, and LPN-BSN. The traditional track is for students without an earned degree in nursing. The accelerated BSN track for non-nurse college graduates with a prior bachelor’s or higher degree. The RN-BSN track is for individuals educated at the diploma or associate level and already licensed as registered nurses. The RN-BSN track is in ONLINE format. The SON supports the Georgia Articulation plan to facilitate educational mobility for registered nurses.

    The BSN program has full approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing. The School of Nursing is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting

    National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
    3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500
    Atlanta, GA 30326

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    Philosophy and Guiding Concepts
     The philosophy, affirmed by the faculty, is consistent with the Georgia Southwestern State University mission, which is to cultivate excellence in learning and teaching that encourages intellectual, personal, and social growth for students, faculty, staff, and the community. Through this philosophy, the faculty expresses its commitment to excellence in the profession of nursing and quality education. The academic program(s) is based on the faculty’s beliefs about PATIENT CENTERED CARE, EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, SAFETY, COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, and COMPASSION. We believe that all nursing care should be patient-centered. Patient-centered care recognizes the patient or designee as the source of control and a full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for the patient’s preferences, values, and needs (QSEN, 2011). The patient’s own values and preferences should be considered and reflected in the plan of care. We believe that in order to deliver patient-centered care, nursing practice should be evidence-based. Evidence-based practice integrates best research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient/family preferences and values in making decisions about the care of individual patients (QSEN, 2011). We believe that the application of quality improvement methods and principles is essential in achieving desired health outcomes for individuals and populations. Quality improvement uses data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and uses improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems (QSEN, 2011). We believe that safety is an essential component of all nursing care. Safe nursing care minimizes the risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance (QSEN, 2011). Creating a culture of safety within the clinical environment is essential in providing quality patient care.

    We believe that nurses deliver patient-centered care as members of an interdisciplinary team. Collaboration involves functioning effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making with patients and families to achieve quality patient care (QSEN, 2011). We further believe that innovation is a key component of nursing care. Innovation is the acceptance of change and is part of a dynamic and challenging nursing practice. Innovation includes informatics, which is the use of information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making (QSEN, 2011). We believe that compassion, which is at the heart of the nursing profession, involves the development of a committed, nurturing relationship, characterized by responsiveness to others and respect for their dignity, values, and culture. We believe that nursing practice must reflect an understanding of and respect for each individual and for human diversity. We believe that nursing education promotes the intellectual, personal and social growth of the learner. Knowledge is achieved through a collaborative process that involves a shared responsibility between the teacher and learner. The goal is to assist the learner towards the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to meet the challenges of a dynamic and evolving profession (QSEN, 2011). Nursing education is designed to foster the development of professional nursing roles which includes provider of care, manager of care, and member of the profession. The learner will be prepared to practice comprehensive nursing care that includes health promotion, disease prevention, health restoration and health teaching to individuals, families and communities. Nursing education at Georgia Southwestern State University fosters an attitude that values lifelong learning in order to maintain high quality, patient centered care in a global society.

     

    Conclusion

    The conceptual model of the School of Nursing as illustrated above serves as the guiding framework for curriculum development and supports the provision of didactic and clinical education in nursing, the preparation of nursing leaders, and the testing of innovative educational models. Nursing education is depicted as a process that involves the seven constructs of patient centered care, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, collaboration, innovation, and compassion. The pivotal and key construct in the model that provides the energy source and foundation for nursing education is patient-centered care. The arrows in the model reflect the interdependent relationship or integration of the other constructs with the key construct. The implied circular motion of all the constructs reflects that nursing education is a field of dynamic changes and is an ongoing process in which faculty strive to assist students in developing the know ledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to ensure excellence.

    BSN Program Student Learning Outcomes

    1. Provide patient-centered care / with sensitivity & respect for the diversity of human experience. (QSEN & Essential IX).

    2. Utilize inter- and intraprofessional collaboration skills / to provide holistic nursing care. (QSEN & Essential VI)

    3. Integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise. (QSEN & Essential III)

    4. Create a safe care environment that results in high quality patient outcomes. (QSEN & Essential II)

    5. Employ emerging technology & information management tools / to inform decision-making in the delivery of care. (QSEN & Essential IV)

    6. Utilize critical thinking / to provide care for individual & communities. (Essential VII)

    7. Analyze the effects of healthcare policy / on the quality & safety in the practice environment. (Essential V)

    8. Assume responsibility for personal & professional behaviors. (Essential VIII)

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    Clinical Experiences of Students
    Georgia Southwestern School of Nursing offers students an extensive range of clinical experiences across Georgia. These experiences include community, clinics, hospitals, and school settings.  The clinical location will vary depending on course taken. Students must have their own transportation for travel to and from the clinical sites.

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    Message from Dean

    Welcome to the School of Nursing.  Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) School of Nursing.  Whether you are a student preparing to launch a new career in nursing or a nurse seeking further education, you will receive an excellent nursing education at GSW. You will have the opportunity to learn from exceptional faculty, experts in their field, who strive diligently to provide the highest level of nursing education. We combine traditional classroom instruction with online and state of the art simulation technology to enhance your learning. Graduates of the program will be prepared to practice in a wide variety of health care settings located in rural and urban areas. As a graduate, you will be actively recruited by the best hospitals and health care agencies in the state.  We welcome you and look forward to the opportunity to educate you as a professional nurse..

    Sandra Daniel, PhD, RN, CPNP
    Dean and Professor