Pre-Nursing Program

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Associate of Science: Pre-Nursing  

Program Overview:  

The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire (UWEC) and the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College (LCOOCC) teamed together in 1993 to develop a matriculation agreement with UWEC.The development of this program leads to Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN).Thisprogram offers a unique opportunity to students interested in becoming Registered Nurses.Both institutions offer students a chance to combine the unique curriculum and instruction of a tribal college with the first-class education of a premier school of nursing.This combined approach allows students to enter the exciting field of nursing well prepared to serve the healthcare needs of American Indian people. 

Students enrolled in this program will spend their first two years at LCOOCC and earn an Associate of Science degree in Pre-Nursing.Once the course work is successfully completed at LCOOCC, the students will then transfer to UWEC to complete their final two years to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from UWEC.Currently, the first nursing courses at the sophomore level are taught at LCOOCC through distance education technology.Expansion of the distance education program is possible in the future.After graduation at UWEC, students are eligible to take the national licensing (National Council of State Boards of Nursing: NCLEX-RN) comprehensive exam to become licensed as a Registered Nurse. 

Note: When students are accepted for enrollment at LCOOCC, and specify nursing as their major, the student is also enrolled in the UWEC School of Nursing. This allows the student to transfer to the school of nursing (after all requirements are met) without the competition that is normally a part of entrance to the school of nursing. 
The School of Nursing (UWEC) and LCOOCC program are oriented toward the belief that a broad general education is an essential foundation for the preparation of professionals.Through the biological and social sciences, the humanities, and the nursing science courses, the concepts of humanity, health, environment, and nursing are interwoven in a curriculum and clinically addresses nursing across the lifespan of health-care recipients.
 
 

Curriculum

A typical sequence of courses might look like this:

Courses taken at LCOOCC

Year 1

Intro to Higher Ed.
Composition 1
Ojibwa Language Or Basic Communications (Speech)
Pre-Algebra
Native American Studies (Example: Introduction to Tribal Cultures)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Composition 2
Wellness, Healthcare & Nutrition
General Psychology
Biology
Cross Cultural Dimensions
Elective

Year 2

Statistics
Human Growth & Development
Chemistry
Anatomy & Physiology
Cross Cultural Dimensions

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Biochemistry
Microbiology
Introduction to Nursing
Professional Caring
Elective

Courses taken at UWEC

Summer Term

Intro to Clinical Decision Making
Nursing Practice: Clinical Skills

Year 3

Health & Health Deviations of Adults 1
Nursing Practice: Adult Care 1
Health Promotion with Children, Families & Communities
Context of Nursing Practice

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Health & Health Deviations of Adults 2
Nursing Practice: Adult Care 2
Adult/Family Transitions
Nursing Practice: Children, Families, Communities

Year 4

Health Enhancement
Nursing Practice: Health Enhancement
Family/Child Health Deviations
Nursing Practice: Family/Child Health Deviations Management
Within Systems

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Professional Practice Within Systems
Nursing Practice: Synthesis and Reflection
Elective

The following requirements must be met for admission to the UWEC School of Nursing

Career Outlook:   

Registered nurses (RNs) are the largest segment of the health care work force.RNs come from every socio-economic class, every state and every neighborhood in American.This diversity grants them a special understanding of the people for whom they care.Historically more women than men have chosen nursing as a profession.Although that remains true today, the number of men entering the nursing profession has increaseddramatically from 1980 to 1992.White Caucasian RNs represent 90 percent of the population employed as RNs, American Indian/Alaskan Natives comprise 0.4% of the RN population.The nursing program at LCOOCC/UWEC has the capacity to increase the diversity in nursing thereby increasing the number American Indian nurses currently practicing in Northwest Wisconsin and elsewhere in the United States.

Today’s nurses are well-educated, licensed health professionals who help individuals and groups achieve health and prevent disease.They provide care for the sick and injured using a high degree of knowledge, skill, and judgment.Since they are concerned with the whole person, RNs deal with the mental and emotional functioning of the patient as well as physical aspects.Nurses observe patients to assess symptoms, reactions to treatment, and progress. They administer medications, perform therapeutic procedures, and instruct patients and their families in health promotion, disease prevention, and maintenance of health.RNs supervise licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants, patient care assistants, and home health aides.They work in collaboration with physicians and other members of the health care team to develop and implement a plan of care to help the patient achieve optimal health.

Average Salary: $23,000 – $45,000 According to a University of Texas Medical Branch survey of hospitals and medical centers, the median annual salary of staff nurses, based on a 40-hour week and excluding shift or area differentials, was $35,256 in October 1994.For head nurses, the median was $50, 700; clinical nurse specialists (Master’s Degree required) $47,674; professional nurse practitioner (Master’s Degree required) $47,432; and nurse anesthetists (Master’s Degree required) $73,444.

Many employers offer flexible work schedules, childcare, educational benefits, bonuses, and other incentives.

Due to the extreme nursing shortage at this time (Summer, 2000), the job opportunities are endless and the wages are higher than the 1992 median income.
 
 

  • Formal application to the professional program must be made. Deadlines for filing applications to the School of Nursing are December1 and May 1
  • Students must have completed at least 30 semester credits with a total grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 for all college courses taken
  • Completion of at least three required natural science courses, two of which are laboratory science courses with a GPA of at least 2.5
  • Evidence of having current immunity against diphtheria, tetanus, rubeola (measles) and rubella at the time they apply for admission to the nursing program at UWEC. 
  • Evidence of a TB skin test
  • Evidence of at least 2 of the required 3 immunizations in the hepatitis B vaccine series.
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR) at the health care provider level. Evidence of CPR certification must be submitted with application materials. Admitted students must renew this certification annually.
  • Student Background Check: Wisconsin State Law and clinical agencies require completed background checks. The School of Nursing requires applicants to complete the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services Background Information Disclosure; a release for a Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Background Check; and payment for the background check. Additional information regarding the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and be obtained at: http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/
  • Students must complete composition I and II. Prior to graduation, the student must pass the English Composition competency Examination
  • Completion of all application materials (Health requirements, CPR certification, background checks).

COSTS

  • Nursing is a professional discipline, and students enrolled in the nursing program must anticipate some additional costs that are directly related to the nursing program. These include uniforms, nursing textbooks, health requirements and some clinical equipment (e.g. stethoscope) and transportation associated with clinical experiences and travel to Eau Claire. Local community programs may provide some financial support; scholarships are also available on a competitive basis from the Indian Health Service. Financial aid is also available at both institutions.