West Virginia Wesleyan College - Department of Nursing
West Virginia Wesleyan College, a private educational institution, is committed to the principle of equal opportunity for all qualified persons, welcomes students of all backgrounds and takes pride in the diversity of its faculty and staff. It assures students of access to all the privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available at the College. West Virginia Wesleyan College strongly supports affirmative action principles and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religious affiliation in the administration of its educational programs, admissions policies, financial aid programs, athletics, co-curricular activities or other College administered programs.
Wesleyan’s nursing education program is designed to help students explore the pathways to the healing sciences and arts found in nursing. Students engage in a rigorous curriculum where qualified graduates are prepared to enter the profession as skilled practitioners who demonstrate critical thinking, effective communication and possess a foundation for graduate study in nursing. The program is approved by the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Nurses (101 Dee Drive, Suite 102, Charleston, WV 25311- 1620; telephone 304-558-3596), and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY, 10006; telephone 1-800-669-1656 ext. 153).
The professional nursing practice component of the program includes both didactic and clinical practice in a variety of settings in acute care and the community. The faculty reserves the right to exclude or remove from clinical practice any student who has demonstrated attitudes or behaviors incompatible with safe nursing practice. Nursing majors receive a Nursing Student Handbook which outlines departmental policies pertaining to admission, progression, retention and suitability among others. Students are responsible for their own transportation to clinical practice sites.
Because progression in the major requires careful coordination of academic study and future goals, students are encouraged to seek early advising from a member of the nursing faculty. Students anticipating graduate education are advised to complete a statistics course selected in consultation with a nursing advisor.
Graduates are eligible to make application to the State Board of Nursing for licensure. Before candidates can be considered for licensure as a registered nurse they must report any conviction for a felony or misdemeanor to the licensing board. Students are advised to report any such conviction to the nursing department administrator and to the Board of Nursing upon entry into the nursing program.
PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING DEPARTMENT
The mission of West Virginia Wesleyan College is based on the belief that a commitment to lifelong learning is needed to develop students’ intellectual, ethical, spiritual and leadership potential, and to uphold standards of excellence. Acknowledging our heritage with the United Methodist Church, West Virginia Wesleyan College is a community of learning based on fundamental principles of Christianity and liberal education.
In keeping with the West Virginia Wesleyan College’s mission, the philosophy of the department of nursing endeavors to graduate men and women who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, act responsibly and demonstrate their local and world citizenship through service. This is reflected in the department’s program purposes.
The faculty of the department of nursing has developed a professional nursing program based on their beliefs about Health, Nursing, Environment and Humankind. Hence, the department’s philosophy is reflected in the following:
HEALTH
Health is a process through which individuals, families, groups and communities maximize potential for living. Viewed as a dynamic process, health changes with time and varies according to life circumstances and adaptations. Health may be viewed on a wellness-illness continuum. The individual’s decisions, choices and circumstances within the environment create an interdependence that contributes to health. The accessibility and affordability of available healthcare services is recognized for its effect on health. The caring and therapeutic presence of the nurse aids in promoting holistic health of individuals, families, groups and communities.
NURSING
Nursing is an art and science practiced by professionals who value caring, commitment and concern for individuals, families, groups and communities. Influenced by environmental, social, cultural and political forces, nursing strives to deliver appropriate, culturally congruent, and quality healthcare services to people. This is accomplished by working creatively and in unity with clients to promote health and meet needs. Nursing engages those who work within an ethical legal framework, apply standards of care, and demonstrate responsibility and accountability for nursing judgment and action. Additionally, nurses critically think for decision making and use the nursing process as a method for providing client centered intervention strategies. Nurses engage in purposeful oral, written and technologic communication in a variety of settings to assist people in meeting health needs. To promote a positive public image, nurses foster lifelong learning as a professional responsibility, and exhibit a service commitment within communities, particularly when access to healthcare services is limited or nonexistent in rural areas. Using an amalgam of roles, nurses assume a provider of care role incorporating advocate, counselor and teacher roles. Through collaboration with multiple healthcare team members, nurses exhibit leadership and management skills, and participate in and utilize nursing research to enhance professional practice and contribute to society. Thus, nurses have an ability to focus on human, fiscal and material resources, make management decisions, use resources effectively and to appropriately delegate responsibilities, evaluate delegation and management decisions to provide optimal care in today’s rapidly changing healthcare delivery system. Recognizing this complexity of nursing, entry level preparation for the registered nurse is best supported at the baccalaureate level.
ENVIRONMENT
Environment is an open exchange of energy between individuals, families, groups and communities. Viewed as both internal and external, these dynamic changes affect life, development, and the needs of people. Systems in the environment provide feedback to people who may choose to set goals, adapt and/or process information, thus interacting with the environment. The environmental scope of influence ranges from individual innate factors to global universal factors.
PEOPLE
Each person is a unique holistic creation, with the mind, body and spirit being inseparable components that need to be considered as the individual progresses through the developmental lifespan. Persons fully engaged in the world as individuals, families, groups and communities perceive, think, feel, choose, decide and set goals based on their own values and beliefs to fulfill their needs.
TEACHING/LEARNING
The educational process is viewed as an interrelated process involving the teacher and the learner in a series of interactional relationships. In this process, the teacher facilitates movement of the learner towards intellectual rigor, self-discovery, critical thinking and a commitment to lifelong learning. A climate that promotes human dignity and mutual support with an appreciation of diversity and life-long scholarship is fostered.
PROFESSIONAL NURSING PROGRAM
The nursing curriculum prepares professional nurses by providing a sound educational base for practice, graduate study, professional development and accepting professional civic responsibility and life long learning.
The purposes of the BSN program are to prepare graduates who
1. apply reasonable and reflective thinking about nursing issues and problems to arrive at effective decisions and actions.
2. use effective communication skills in professional interactions to share information.
3. act responsibly through caring, commitment, and concern in nursing.
4. demonstrate local and world citizenship by participating in activities that meet the needs of people through collaboration between nursing and the community.
School name: West Virginia Wesleyan College - Department of Nursing
Address: 59 College Avenue
Zip & city: WV 26201 Buckhannon
Phone: (304) 473-8224
Web: http://www.wvwc.edu/aca2/dept/nurs/
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