COLLEGE OFNURSING &

HEALTH SCIENCES

Dwight Schar

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At the Ashland University Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences, our mission is to educate individuals to become professional nurses who are committed to nursing practice, leadership and service.

With small class sizes, intensive one-on-one instruction, state-of-the-art simulation laboratories, an exceptional science department and highly qualified faculty, we prepare nurses to manage all of the exciting challenges they will face in their professional careers. Whether you choose to complete a traditional four-year BSN degree, enter the advanced entry track the summer before your junior year, complement your existing bachelor’s degree

I am caring and committed. I am accountable.I am continuously pursuing excellence. I am part of a global community. I am a lifelong learner. I am a nurse.

with an accelerated 15-month BSN, or move your career forward by enrolling in our RN to BSN track, at Ashland you will receive the outstanding education, leadership development, critical thinking skills and exceptional training necessary to serve today’s global and diverse society.

When you graduate with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Ashland University, you’ll leave with a sense of compassion and community, and a true commitment to one of the fastest-growing and most important careers in the world today.

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630,000The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the U.S. will employ 630,000 more registered nurses in 2012 than it did in 2002.

“I love that we have a small, close-knit school in the College of Nursing, but are part of a bigger university with tons of social and academic opportunities. I came from a huge public school where I was just a number and a face in the crowd. Here, I feel like a part of a family.” –Emily Darr ’11Advanced Entry Track

WHY CHOOSE NURSING?There has never been a better time to consider a career in nursing. As our society becomes more complex, so do our healthcare needs — needs that must be met by highly educated professional nurses. The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects that by 2020 the country will need a total of 2.8 million nurses, and predicts a shortfall of 800,000. In Ohio alone, the predicted shortage will be 32,000 nurses.

Baccalaureate nursing graduates are especially in demand, since their foundation in a liberal education and coursework in theory, research, emerging issues and leadership assists them to become leaders in the nursing profession. Research studies have actually demonstrated that hospitals with greater numbers of baccalaureate-degreed nurses have lower patient mortality rates, placing BSN candidates at the top of every must-hire list.

Opportunities for nurses abound in the following areas of specialization:

Ambulatory CareClinical SpecialistCritical CareEmergency/Trauma CarePediatric Care

Home HealthcareMaternal Infant CareLong-term CareMedical/Surgical CareMental Healthcare

HospiceOccupational HealthRehabilitation CareTransplant Care

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Ashland University has offered a RN to BSN program since 1980, and in 2010, through the acquisition of MedCentral College of Nursing, established in 1919 from MedCentral Health System, became the only University in two counties to offer a traditional four-year baccalaureate nursing track, an advanced entry nursing track for transfer students, a 15-month accelerated second degree BSN track and a web-based RN to BSN track. Accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the Ashland University Dwight Schar College of Nursing & Health Sciences is now fully poised to expand its healthcare program to meet today’s demand for qualified nursing professionals.

A new program with a rich history

198019192,867The year Ashland University’s RN to BSN program began.

The year MedCentral College of Nursing was founded.

The combined number of graduates from Ashland University and MedCentral’s nursing programs.

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1. Traditional BSNThe Dwight Schar College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) track prepares graduates to meet the complex demands of the healthcare industry, to assume the role of patient advocate and collaborator in their care, and, if they so choose, to pursue graduate education in several high-demand specialty careers.

With a strong foundation in science and liberal arts, and comprehensive coursework in theory, research, emerging issues, global health and leadership, our students are educated to be generalists, well prepared for the rigors of being a professional nurse.

Ashland is one of few schools in the nation to offer human anatomy and cadaver lab experiences (rather than animal cadavers) in your first semester. Throughout all four years, students learn both the foundations of healthcare and the caring ethic of the profession. In their senior year, our students work one-on-one with a registered nurse preceptor for 120 hours and also complete Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification.

2. Accelerated BSNWith its focus on nursing courses, includ-ing clinical, laboratory and observation hours, the accelerated track is designed for students who already have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing.

3. Advanced Entry BSNCreated for students who have invested time at another accredited college or uni-versity, the advanced entry track gives students the opportunity to take the courses they need to obtain their nurs-ing degree from Ashland University.

Pre-Licensure Nursing We offer three options to incoming students desiring a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

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Ashland is one of few schools in the nation to offer human anatomy and cadaver lab experience (rather than animal cadavers) in your first semester.

RN to BSN TrackFor more than 30 years, Ashland has offered already-practicing RNs the opportunity to complete their BSN. In our web-based format, students progress at their own pace, and within their own schedules. Designed with flexibility to be extremely convenient for professionals with existing work and family commitments, the track, which takes about two years to complete, offers a web-based curriculum that prepares students for the challenges of today’s demanding healthcare environment.

Because we value the fact that you are already a working nurse, we don’t duplicate what you already know. Instead, we’ll prepare you to continue your professional career, expanding your knowledge of healthcare management, helping you to play an active role in policy making and advocacy, and preparing you to pursue a graduate degree if you so choose.

Other post-licensure nursing coursework allows students the opportunity to earn both their Professional Gerontology Certificate and their Professional School Nurse Licensure.

Post-Licensure Nursing Where will I live?Students enrolled in the traditional BSNtrack get to enjoy the best of bothworlds. You will spend your freshmanand sophomore years living with and taking classes with fellow nursing students on the main campus, not to mention enjoying all the social and academic opportunities that come with it. During your junior and senior years, you will live in Mansfield, where you will be able to build on already-strong relationships with other nursing students, and focus entirely on classroom instruction, clinical practice and nursing laboratory/simulation practice.

“The instructors are truly outstanding and will push you to attain levels of learning and understanding that you might not obtain elsewhere. Additionally, the web-based RN to BSN track provides the busy professional with flexibility that they will not get in a traditional classroom setting.”

–Doug Blaydes ’12RN to BSN Track

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Our direct admission program means there is no further application process for entrance into clinical nursing coursework. As long as you continue to meet the required academic standards, your progression is guaranteed!

This is a marked contrast to a number of competing institutions, which may have wait times of up to three years. In these programs, even the best students can invest up to two

years in nursing programs, only to be put on a waitlist for the nursing-specific classes and clinicals they need to complete the degree.

With our direct admission program, and clinical affiliate sites in 13 Ohio counties, you are assured direct placement in clinical coursework with no wait list! Once you’re accepted into our program your freshman year, you’re in. Period.

No wondering. No waitlist.

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“The instructors are truly outstanding and will push you to attain levels of learning and understanding that you might not obtain elsewhere. Additionally, the web-based RN to BSN track provides the busy professional with flexibility that they will not get in a traditional classroom setting.”

–Doug Blaydes ’12RN to BSN Track 97%

In 2010, 97 percent of our accelerated students passed The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) on their first attempt. The national average was 88.4 percent.

Where we’re headedWith a $15.5 million building campaign underway, the future of the Dwight Schar College of Nursing & Health Sciences is as bright as the careers of our graduates. The campaign is raising funds to construct an academic building on the Mansfield campus where two recently built apartment-style residential buildings are reserved for our nursing students. The hallmark of this campaign is a new 46,000-square-foot academic facility complete with state-of-the-art simulation laboratories, classrooms, student space for study and relaxation, and faculty offices that will open in the fall of 2012. To learn more about the campaign, visit us online at www.ashland.edu/nursing-campaign

63/1,100Nursing students at Ashland University complete 63 credit hours of nursing courses including more than 1,100 hours of clinical, laboratory and observation instruction.

12,000 In our new facility, the simulation laboratories alone will cover 12,000 square feet.

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Live it. Learn it.The beauty of the clinical simulation labsA crucial element of the Dwight Schar College of Nursing & Health Sciences learning environment, our simulation laboratories allow students to critically analyze their own actions, reflect on their skills, and critique clinical decisions.

Using the money from a 2005 HRSA award, the former MedCentral College of Nursing invested in the design of a simulated laboratory that was expanded in 2010 to include five simulated laboratories, including a health foundations lab, a complex care lab, a maternal infant lab, a pediatric lab and an advanced care simulated patient room. Here, using simulation equipment that includes four mid-level adult simulators, maternal Noell, a pediatric mid-level simulator, 5-year-old high-fidelity Hal, Sim Man, 3G SimMan and two virtual IV simulators, faculty members are able to assess clinical competencies and decision-making skills as students respond to situations ranging from completing basic assessment to assisting with a breech birth delivery.

Simulations allow students to make mistakes in a protected environment, which in turn allows faculty to guide them, thus turning a mistake into a learning opportunity. These opportunities not only build each student’s knowledge base and increase their skills, but also help to decrease anxiety, increase self-confidence and allow the student to develop clinical reasoning skills.

“Having the technology and resources to practice medical procedures on simulated patients first helps take away a lot of the nerves. It’s great to be able to go through hypothetical scenarios with an instructor so that we know what to do if those situations ever arise in the clinical setting.”

–Andriana Brown ’12Traditional Four-Year Track

SCRUBS Society This service-driven group has adopted a stretch of Route 13 Highway to keep clean, works at various Habitat for Humanity events and volunteers at Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian, Inc. Student Nurses Association This local chapter of the National Student Nurses Association provides opportunity for students to explore career options through seminars presented by nursing specialty speakers. They attend state and national student conferences where they have received national recognition for various work and have successfully passed resolutions on critical health issues.

Nurses Christian Fellowship A group of students who bring their faith into their profession by attending bible study groups throughout the academic year and discussing how to live as a Christian while performing the duties of a nurse. Students have an opportunity to participate in University-sponsored mission trips both nationally and internationally.

Soccer Club Students who join this club participate in intramural soccer on the main campus and also participate in winter indoor leagues in Seville.

Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society Qualified students are invited to join Rho Nu-at-Large, the Ashland University chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.

Caring knows no bounds At Ashland University, our nursing students are as busy in their free time as they are in class and the lab. You will have full access to everything our main campus in Ashland has to offer. Read more about all of the ways you can get involved at www.ashland.edu/campus-life

We also offer five nursing-specific organizations on our Mansfield campus:

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“I chose Ashland University because the accelerated track is exactly what I was looking for. Since I already have a degree in architecture, I did not want to spend another four years in a classroom for another degree. Here, I will complete my BSN within 15 months.”

–Foster Dzakah ’11Accelerated Track

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When you become a nurse, you become a partner in creating a better world. Discover what it means to pursue a career that is not only incredibly satisfying but that really makes a difference in the lives of patients, families and communities.

Please visit our website at www.ashland.edu/nursing to learn more about everything we have to offer. Or visit us in person; we’d love to share our passion for the nursing profession with you. Call us at 800.882.1548 today.

Discover your future in nursing.

401 College Avenue, Ashland, Ohio 44805800.882.1548 | www.ashland.edu

325 Glessner Avenue, Mansfield, Ohio 44903419.520.2600 | www.ashland.edu