Nursing

Schaffner (Department Chair), Burnam, Butz, Carlson, Chavez, Cornett, Garrett, Haverkamp, Keane, McKelvey, Mikolaj, Pryor-McCann, Seibert, Shoemaker, Ribar, Teske, Vogt.

Mission and Programs

The Department of Nursing is committed to quality nursing education which fosters critical thinking within the context of a caring framework. Our mission encourages the personal and professional development of faculty, staff and students. An appreciation for diverse perspectives and humane values is central to this mission. Building on a liberal arts education and a strong science foundation, the goal of the Nursing Program is to prepare lifelong learners who are committed to the profession, the community and to meeting the changing healthcare needs of society.

The Department of Nursing consists of 14 full-time faculty and approximately 25 part-time clinical faculty. The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program that includes an L.P.N. to B.S.N. track and an A.D.N. to M.S.N. track; and a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) program and three Post-Masters programs.

Three tracks are available that lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (B.S.N.). One track is the four-year curriculum that enables graduates to take the national licensing examination in nursing. The second track, designed specifically for licensed practical nurses, enables graduates to take the national licensing examination in nursing. The A.D.N. to M.S.N. Program offers Associate degree nurses an opportunity to build upon knowledge of science, liberal arts courses and professional experience to pursue a master’s degree as a Nurse Service Administrator, Clinical Nurse Leader, Adult Nurse Practitioner or Family Nurse Practitioner. The A.D.N. to M.S.N. program is for Associate degree nurses who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement and potential as a leader in clinical nursing.

The Master of Science Program in Nursing (M.S.N.) offers five majors: Clinical Nurse Leader, Nursing Service Administration, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Anesthesia. The Post-Masters programs offer certificates in Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Nurse Educator and Nurse Anesthesia. Additional information regarding the M.S.N. program and A.D.N. to M.S.N. program is described in the Otterbein College Graduate Studies in Nursing Catalog, available upon request from the Office of Graduate Programs.

The nursing programs are accredited by:

The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), located at 51 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, is an informational resource for the nursing program (e.g. tuition, fees and length of programs). The telephone number is 1-800-669-9656.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) is located at One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, D.C. 20036-1120. The telephone number is 202- 887-6791.

The Nurse Anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program, American Associate of Nurse Anesthetists, 222 S. Prospect Avenue, Park Ridge, IL 60068. The telephone number is 847-692-7050.

Application Process

Students enrolled at Otterbein College in their freshman year as pre-nursing majors will be reviewed for admission into the nursing major in the spring of their freshman year. The Nursing Application Form must be received by April 1. Criteria specified below must be met to apply for admission. Students that have been given a guaranteed admission as seniors in high school will be reviewed first to confirm eligibility for progression. Then the highest qualified pre-nursing freshman students will be selected for the remaining available spaces, using Otterbein College GPA, GPA of other college level work (if applicable), prerequisite course grades, ACT scores, and High School GPA (when necessary). Notification of admission status will be mailed by May 1. The nursing program sequence begins fall quarter with Nursing 260. Students not accepted for an academic year should meet with their faculty advisor for academic planning and can re-apply to be considered for the following academic year.

Students transferring to Otterbein College into the nursing major must submit a Nursing Application Form to the Nursing Department after obtaining admission to the college. For priority consideration, applications must be received by April 1. Criteria specified below must be met to apply for admission. The highest qualified candidates will be selected for the limited spaces available using cumulative GPA, prerequisite course grades, grades in math/science/nursing courses, past academic performance, ACT scores (when available), and enrollment at Otterbein College (when applicable). Notification of admission status will be mailed by June 1. The nursing program sequence begins fall quarter with Nursing 260. Students not accepted for an academic year must re-apply to be considered for the following academic year.

L.P.N.-to-B.S.N. students must submit a Nursing Application Form to the Nursing Department when they are ready to begin nursing courses, after obtaining admission to the college. For priority consideration, applications must be received by April 1. Criteria specified below must be met to apply for admission. The highest qualified candidates will be selected for the limited spaces available using cumulative GPA, prerequisite course grades, grades in math/science/nursing courses, past academic performance, and enrollment at Otterbein College (when applicable). Notification of admission status will be mailed by June 1. L.P.N.-to-B.S.N. track nursing courses begin fall quarter with Nursing 260. Students not accepted for an academic year must re-apply to be considered for the following academic year.

Essential Performance Requirements

In order to accomplish the objectives of the nursing program safely, students must possess the ability and fitness to perform in a manner that will not jeopardize safety and well-being of their patients or themselves. The Nursing Department may require nursing students who pose a threat to the safety of others or to themselves in the health care environment to withdraw from the nursing program pursuant to the policy in the Otterbein College Course Catalog/Graduate Course Catalog on withdrawal and subject to the Grade Policy in the Department of Nursing Undergraduate/Graduate Student Handbook. All students admitted to the nursing program must be able to meet the essential performance requirements with or without accommodations. Each situation will be reviewed on an individual basis.

These essential performance requirements include but are not limited to the following five areas of ability:

1. Observation: Must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences. Must be able to observe a patient accurately to identify cyanosis or absence of respiratory movement and when a patient is in imminent danger; perform equipment calibrations; read small print on medication containers, physician’s orders and equipment monitors; and perform physical assessments.

2. Communication: Must be able to speak, hear and observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in the patient, and perceive nonverbal communications. Must be able to hear monitor alarms, emergency signals, patients’ calls for help, call bells from patients, stethoscope sounds originating from a patient’s blood vessels, heart, lungs, and abdomen, etc. Must have verbal and language capabilities to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients regarding their nursing plan of care. Must have reading and writing skills sufficient for patient communication, record keeping and professional health care team interactions.

3. Motor: Must be able to stand for prolonged periods of time, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, quickly move about and transport patients during emergencies, carry infants, maneuver quickly in confined spaces, etc. Other motor requirements include carrying equipment, pushing, pulling, stooping, kneeling, bending, and climbing stairs. Must be able to lift, push and pull with assistance (mechanical or co-worker) the weight of the average patient specific to the clinical area working in. Other motor skills include eye-hand-foot coordination, repetitive arm and hand movements and finger dexterity, using sterile techniques, inserting catheters, preparing and administering medication (oral, intramuscular, intravenous), and numerous other invasive procedures.

4. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving, a critical skill for nurses, requires all of these intellectual abilities. Must be able to collect data pertinent to a patient’s health, analyze the assessment data, identify outcomes for an individualized plan of care for the patient, develop a plan of care that prescribes strategies to attain the expected outcomes, and evaluate the achievement of the expected patient care outcomes. The ability to incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and the professional literature in formulating diagnoses and care plans is essential.

5. Behavioral, Social and Ethical Attributes: Emotional stability and the ability to accept responsibility and accountability is essential. Must be capable of developing mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients from diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Must have awareness of ethical actions related to the well being of others and as part of the direct patient service role required of registered nurses. Must be able to tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads and function effectively under stress.

6. Must have a valid Ohio Driver’s License or access to transportation to local/regional clinical and observational sites.

DISABILITY SERVICES: The Office of Disability Services (ODS) at Otterbein College is charged with ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities have equal access to an education and to campus life. This access is provided to students through the provision of legally mandated (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act) services, accommodations, and advocacy. Accommodations might include extra time for exams, distraction reduced test space, note taking assistance and priority registration. ODS provides services to students with obvious physical disabilities such as visual impairments, hearing impairments and mobility impairments as well as to students diagnosed with learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and psychiatric disorders.

Reasonable accommodation in course work or clinical experiences will be made for students with special needs on an individualized basis. In order to receive accommodations, students must provide ODS with appropriate documentation of their disability. After reviewing the documentation of a student’s disability, ODS staff will determine appropriate academic services and accommodations, depending on the disability. When students are enrolled in nursing courses, they have the responsibility to discuss their special needs with course faculty so that reasonable accommodations can be made in a timely manner. Nursing faculty and ODS work together to determine appropriate accommodations that allow students to succeed in the program without jeopardizing the essential requirements of the program.

HEALTH PROBLEMS POLICY: Students are responsible for informing faculty about health alterations and/or conditions which may affect safety and competency in the clinical setting. Students are required to submit a faculty-specified doctor’s/health professional’s statement on appropriate letterhead regarding status of this health condition before participating in clinical experiences to the student’s instructor.

Students are also responsible to inform clinical instructors about any conditions including but not limited to pregnancy, skin not intact or immunocompromised conditions that may affect their clinical assignments to clients with serious communicable diseases. If student is uncertain, the student should discuss question(s) with faculty. Confidentiality of information will be maintained.

FEES/EXPENSES POLICY: Additional fees are required. See Otterbein College Undergraduate Course Catalog and Otterbein College Schedule of Classes for tuition and fee schedule.

DEPARTMENT OF NURSING STUDENT HANDBOOKS: Provides guidelines and policies related to the nursing program. Students are expected to read and abide by the policies. Handbooks are available on-line at www.otterbein.edu, Department Internet site for Nursing.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program are prepared as generalists and can care for individuals of all ages, from infants to elderly, and groups such as families and communities. Graduates are employable in a variety of health care agencies that include acute care, extended care, primary care, home care, mental health, and community health settings. The completion of the B.S.N. program qualifies an individual to take the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) and to pursue graduate education. The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) program prepares graduates to assume advanced practice nursing roles in multiple and diverse health care settings. The completion of the M.S.N. program qualifies an individual to pursue doctoral education.

About Otterbein

Apply to Otterbein

Campus Life

On Campus

Contact Otterbein

Nursing

Mission and Programs

Application Process

Essential Performance Requirements

Program Outcomes