2014-2015 Innovations Magazine

i nnovations • 19 UNDERgRADUATE pROgRAMS The Entry-Level Nursing (ELN) program was developed to prepare those individuals who want to pursue a career in nursing for the first time. It is a seven-semester program that students must attend on a full-time basis, inclusive of the summers. Cur- rently, prospective ELN students must take 39 college credits prior to beginning the program. These courses include basic sci- ences and general education courses that not only provide pre- requisite material for future nursing courses, but also provide the students with well-rounded liberal arts that are expected for bac- calaureate nursing students. The ELN students begin their first semester studying ad- vanced anatomy and physiology. They also are enrolled in courses where they learn about the profession of nursing and how to utilize the NSU library and access electronic learning re- sources. Beginning in the second semester, students participate in didactic classes three days a week and attend clinical experi- ences two days a week. The clinical experiences may take place in our on-campus skills laboratory, the simulation laboratory, a local hospital, or a community clinic. Students attain approxi- mately 1,300 hours in clinical experiences prior to graduation. Following completion of the program, ELN graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council State Board of Nursing licensing exam for the registered nurse. Our next plan for the ELN program is to add a four-year con- centration, meaning that students will enter our nursing program immediately out of high school. Rather than completing the 39 credits of sciences and general education courses at other col- leges, students will take them at NSU’s Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences. This four-year concentration also will be available at our regional campuses in Fort Myers and Miami. ENTRy-lEvEl NURSINg pROgRAM