BSN Program Student Learning Outcomes

The graduate of the baccalaureate (BSN) program will:

Based on The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008) by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing

  1. Synthesize knowledge from liberal education with professional nursing
  2. Apply leadership concepts, skills, and decision making in the provision of high-quality nursing care, healthcare team coordination, and the oversight and accountability for care delivery in a variety of settings.
  3. Integrate evidence, clinical judgment, interprofessional perspectives, and patient preferences in planning, implementing, and evaluating outcomes of care.
  4. Demonstrate skills in using patient care technologies, information systems, and communication devices that support safe, effective nursing practice.
  5. Explore the impact of sociocultural, economic, legal, and political factors influencing patient care quality, workplace safety, and the scope of nursing and other health professionals’ practice.
  6. Incorporate effective communication skills to contribute the nursing perspective to interprofessional teams to optimize patient outcomes.
  7. Collaborate with members of the interprofessional team to develop an assessment and intervention plan that takes into account determinants of health and available resources that contribute clinical prevention and population health.
  8. Assume accountability for personal and professional behaviors that demonstrate the nursing standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct.
  9. Implement holistic, evidenced-based, safe patient-centered care across the health illness continuum, across the lifespan, and in all healthcare settings.

Based on The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (2021) by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing

  1. Using the nursing process and clinical judgment, apply theory from nursing, the arts, humanities, and other sciences to deliver care to persons in a variety of practice settings.
    First Year Level Outcome: Identify theory and research-based knowledge from nursing, the arts, humanities, and other sciences that support clinical judgement and serve as the foundation for the nursing process.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Using the nursing process in conjunction with clinical judgment, apply theory from nursing, the arts, humanities, and other sciences to deliver nursing care to persons with acute and chronic health concerns.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Using the nursing process and clinical judgment, apply theory from nursing, the arts, humanities, and other sciences to deliver care to persons across the lifespan.
     
  2. Using empathy and compassion, establish a person-centered relationship, as the basis for nursing practice in a variety of settings.
    First Year Level Outcome: Recognize evidence-based communication techniques that foster patient engagement.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Identify best practices to establish a compassionate person-centered care relationship during the implementation of the nursing process.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Using empathy and compassion, establish a person-centered relationship, as the basis for nursing practice across the lifespan.
     
  3. Recognize the Social Determinants of Health that impact individuals, families, and communities to participate in the management of population health.
    First Year Level Outcome: Recognize the implication of the Social Determinants of Health on the individual.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Recognize the Social Determinants of Health that impact individuals to provide holistic, person-centered care.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Recognize the Social Determinants of Health that impact individuals to provide holistic, person-centered care across the lifespan.
     
  4. Demonstrate the ability to access, critically appraise, and describe evidence-based studies for application to practice within a variety of healthcare practice settings
    First Year Level Outcome: Conduct a literature search using varied data bases.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Recognize the value and the implication of evidence-based studies.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Conduct a basic critical appraisal and use the best evidence to inform practice.
     
  5. Apply quality improvement principles that incorporate best practices in care delivery and contribute to a culture of patient safety in a variety of healthcare practice settings
    First Year Level Outcome: Define quality improvement within the context of healthcare.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Recognize safety and quality issues within acute and chronic healthcare settings.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Prioritize safety and quality issues across varied healthcare populations identifying potential quality improvement strategies across the lifespan.
     
  6. Collaborate with interprofessional team members, patients, families, and communities using established tools and techniques to improve health outcomes.
    First Year Level Outcome: Identify members of the interprofessional team and their respective impact on a person’s healthcare experience and health outcomes.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Communicate patient problems/needs to appropriate members of the intra-/ interprofessional health care team and discuss evidence-based solutions.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Collaborate with interprofessional team members, patients, and families to prioritize evidence- based interventions to improve health outcomes across the lifespan.
     
  7. Apply knowledge of systems theory and principles of equitable health care within complex healthcare systems.
    First Year Level Outcome: Identify principles of equitable healthcare and interventions across diverse populations within healthcare systems.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Recognize the patient’s relationship to the healthcare system in the context of principles of equitable health care, health promotion, disease, injury, and disability prevention.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Identify micro level performance metrics and principles of equitable healthcare to evaluate system effectiveness.
     
  8. Use reliable information systems that facilitate safe, ethical, and equitable patient care across the lifespan.
    First Year Level Outcome: Identify reliable information systems that facilitate patient knowledge and care.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Use reliable information systems that facilitate safe, ethical, and equitable patient care.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Use reliable information systems that facilitate safe, ethical, and equitable patient care across the lifespan.
     
  9. Demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors in varied practice care settings aligned with policies of the institution, regulatory requirements, and the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.
    First Year Level Outcome: Describe how the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses and Interpretative statements guide nursing practice and the ethical obligations of the profession.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Demonstrate caring and cultural humility in accordance with professional standards and policies.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Demonstrate behaviors consistent with the professional identity of nursing.
     
  10. Demonstrate leadership behaviors during interactions with the health care team to advocate for self, patients and families, and the nursing profession.
    First Year Level Outcome: Explain the concepts of spirit of inquiry, commitment to personal well-being and lifelong learning as they relate to the role of a nurse/nurse leader.
    Second Year Level Outcome: Recognize the concepts of spirit of inquiry, commitment to personal well-being and lifelong learning as they relate to the role of the nurse/nurse leader.
    Third Year Level Outcome: Demonstrate the concepts of spirit of inquiry, commitment to personal well-being and lifelong learning as they relate to the role of a nurse/nurse leader.