Nursing (BSN)

About

Registered Nurses are leaders in health care and work collaboratively with allied health care providers. They are in high demand as vital members of the interdisciplinary health care team. They practice in multiple and diverse environments that require the management of an array of complex patient care levels of acuity. Registered Nurses are crucial to the health care arena since their role as patient advocate and manager of patient care has become crucial to positive patient outcomes.

The Nursing (BSN) degree at Appalachian State University prepares students for this exciting career field, which offers great flexibility regarding hours, work settings and patient populations.

Appalachian’s BSN program provides a generalist degree that exposes students to professional nursing practice in areas such as pediatrics, women’s health, adult health, community health and mental health. The curriculum builds upon the study of arts, humanities, mathematics, and the natural and social sciences. Graduates are prepared to provide holistic care through application of evidence-based findings to individuals, families and communities.

After Graduation

Employment: Students who graduate and successfully pass the NCLEX-RN examination pursue nursing careers in a variety of areas including medical-surgical, pediatrics, neonatal, neurology, cardiology, anesthesiology, public health, school health, community health, and other practice areas and other specialties. Some areas may require additional training and specialization.

Graduate School: A master’s degree will help students to prepare for advanced practice nursing including clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist and administrative roles.

Career Exploration website

Professional Licensure

This is a program that can lead to licensure or certification in North Carolina. Appalachian State University cannot confirm whether this program will meet the requirements for professional licensure in other states or territories.

If this applies to you, check the Professional Licensure webpage for information on licensure requirements and licensing agencies in other states. Or, you may address questions to State Authorization at App State at stateauthorization@3588612.com or 828-262-7559.

People

Alumna Profile: Tess Ortiz ’18

Upon graduation, Tess Ortiz ’18 became a cardiac intensive care nurse at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. She recently received the Novant Health Remarkable Nurse Award for her competency and caring.
Alumna Profile: Sarah ‘Kip’ McMillan ’17

Sarah “Kip” McMillan ’17 found her “dream job” in the intensive care unit at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver, Colorado. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt called to help and volunteered for duty as a travel nurse in New York City.
Alumnus Profile: Jacob McCann ’16

Jacob McCann did his clinical work at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital while attending Appalachian, and the hospital offered him a job before graduation. After three years at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, he has now returned to school for the nursing-anesthesia program at UNC Charlotte.

Courses

Program of Study
Four Year Guide

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NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide

Related Program

Minors

A minor is not required.

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Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Nursing program is highly competitive and has strict requirements. Accepted students will begin the nursing program in the first summer session, which begins each May. Visit the Department of Nursing website for a complete list of requirements.

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Degrees

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Costs and Aid

Why Appalachian?

Students benefit from a comprehensive nursing skills lab and simulation where learning experiences strengthen their skill in working with patients.
The Nursing program actively seeks to advance students’ cultural, intellectual, educational and personal development in order to prepare them for professional practice as Registered Nurses.
Faculty members are committed to student success, excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.
The program instills in students an appreciation for and commitment to lifelong learning, scholarship and service in order to promote their personal growth, advance the profession of nursing, and meet the health needs of society.
The Department of Nursing is housed in Appalachian’s Beaver College of Health Sciences.

Location

Boone campus

Contacts

Dr. Jean Bernard
Program Director
bernardjs@3588612.com

Beaver College of Health Sciences

Department of Nursing

Department of Nursing
The Department of Nursing in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences provides an evidence-based nursing education in an intellectually stimulating and challenging environment that is designed to prepare the beginning nursing professional with the knowledge and skills to practice in diverse settings in a highly complex health care system. The department offers two accredited Bachelor of Science programs: the nursing pre-licensure program and the online RN to BSN program, designed for current registered nurses seeking the bachelor’s degree. The department also offers a Master of Science in Nursing program that prepares registered nurses for leadership roles as educators. Learn more at http://nursing.3588612.com.

Beaver College of Health Sciences
The Beaver College of Health Sciences opened in 2010 as the result of an Appalachian commitment to significantly enhance the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities in North Carolina and beyond.

Exciting, Growing Career Fields
- Nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs are in fields recognized as growing “faster than average for all occupations” by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Currently over 3,700 students pursue degrees in 16 undergraduate and graduate programs
- Students who graduate are successfully prepared for a variety of general and advanced careers in health care
Real-World Training and Experience
- Programs emphasize coursework, research and clinical outreach with a dedication to cultivating life-long learners and practical skills for the field
- Internships, field experiences and clinical placements in real-world settings in the community and surrounding areas ensure students are prepared to meet existing and future health-related workforce needs, particularly in rural areas
- Interprofessional and collaborative research between students and faculty gives students unparalleled experience in working together with other health and wellness professionals
- Research opportunities alongside over 150 nationally and internationally trained faculty mean students have opportunities to contribute to finding innovative solutions to regional and national problems in their field
Advanced Laboratories and Facilities
- Over 20 laboratories and additional locations for simulated research and applied laboratory training experience
- Partnerships and opportunities with the Wake Forest Physician Assistant Program
- The new Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences that opened in the fall 2018 with innovative classrooms and state-of-the-art labs
- Continued main campus connection through the Holmes Convocation Center, which houses the RMPE Department and the Advising Satellite Office