Skip to main content

Nursing (BSN)

Overview

For over 70 years, D'Youville has been preparing students to be leaders in the nursing profession.

The Patricia H. Garman Patricia H. Garman School of Nursing prepares students to function competently in multiple nursing roles and multiple settings within the complex healthcare system. Students acquire a broad liberal arts and science foundation; develop interpersonal and communication skills; learn to think critically and creatively; interpret, utilize, and support research efforts; problem solve; evaluate their own learning needs; and become lifelong learners.

If you’re a motivated student interested in becoming a nursing professional, D’Youville’s Nursing program is an ideal place to start. Established in 1942, our program has an excellent reputation as one of the best in the region for high-quality, student-centered education.

Why Choose D'Youville?

  • Direct Admission to the Nursing Program with admission to D’Youville University.
  • Our faculty are clinical experts in their fields and recognized for their student-centered approach that emphasizes individualized instruction and career guidance.
  • Clinical instruction begins in your second year and you will gain a wide range of clinical experience in a variety of settings by the time you graduate. D’Youville students benefit from the close relationships that the institution has developed over the years with the region’s top-ranked hospitals and healthcare organizations.
  • Studies show that teamwork across clinical specialties improves patient outcomes. D'Youville's unique interdisciplinary education lab offers the opportunity for you to practice treating patients (played by actors) alongside a team of students from 7 other healthcare majors at D'Youville — all under the supervision of a skilled instructor.
  • D’Youville’s nursing program reflects our mission to educate professionals who contribute to the world community through leadership and service to others.
  • If you're interested in furthering your education after you complete your BSN, D'Youville's highly-regarded family nurse practitioner (MS) or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs may be options.

What you'll learn:

  • A broad liberal arts and science foundation
  • How to think like a nurse, learning the clinical judgment needed in nursing practice
  • How to interpret, use, and support research efforts
  • How to evaluate your own learning needs and become a lifelong learner

Experience Many Clinical Settings

Clinical instruction begins at the end of your second year, and you'll gain a wide range of clinical experience in a variety of settings by the time you graduate.

Studies show that teamwork across clinical specialties improves patient outcomes. D'Youville's unique interdisciplinary education lab offers the opportunity for you to practice treating patients (played by simulated patients, actors trained to portray patients) alongside a team of students from 7 other healthcare majors at D'Youville — all under the supervision of a skilled instructor.

Image
Nursing Simulation Center
Nursing students at D'Youville learn to work as part of a collaborative healthcare team through interprofessional education labs.

Explore Courses

  • This course offers an overview of nursing and the role of the professional nurse as a caring provider of holistic care, patient safety advocate, coordinator of care, member of the health care team, and member of the profession. Topics include an introduction to nursing knowledge (nurseology), clinical judgment, nursing history, nursing theory, and professional values and standards.

  • This course provides the foundation for professional nursing practice. Students are provided opportunities to apply clinical judgement skills to explore the professional values and role of professional nurses. The student will apply the NCBSN Clinical Judgment Model to deliver safe, evidence based, holistic nursing care.

  • This course prepares students to transition from nursing student to registered nurse. This course is a culmination of prior nursing courses. Students will be utilizing advanced nursing concepts related to the role of the nurse as a member of the profession, provider of patient-centered care, patient advocate, and member of the healthcare team. Emphasis is placed on the utilization of evidence-based practice and informatics to promote safety and quality in healthcare. This course also provides additional instruction to assist students in career planning and development as well as preparing for NCLEX success and licensure.

Get to Know Our Faculty
Cindy Adymy Headshot
Cindy Adymy MSN, RN

Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing, Director of Prelicensure Programs

I became a nurse because I wanted to work with physically handicapped children. After my first clinical experience, I knew I wanted to be in the hospital, working with patients and their families. I continued my education and worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, in orthopedics/trauma.  It wasn't until we moved to a different state that I transitioned into teaching. This has provided me with the fulfilling opportunity to see my nursing students grow - from novice to experienced nurse.

Admissions Requirements

At D'Youville, we are committed to selecting students who are academically well-rounded and committed to meeting the challenges of a high-quality education. If you have been successful in a traditional college preparatory program in high school, you should be well-prepared for the academic challenges at D'Youville. While we don't require you to submit ACT or SAT test scores, if you have taken or intend to take a standardized test we encourage you to submit your scores if you'd like them to be evaluated as part of your application.

First Time in College Student
  • Submitted application for admission
  • Official high school transcripts
    • An overall weighted GPA minimum of 85% with successful completion of high school graduation requirements.
    • Completion of three years of english, math, and science is required. Grades in these courses must average above 85%.
    • One year high school science courses in biology/living environment and chemistry.

Not Required (utilized in a holistic review for admission if provided):

  • Standardized SAT/ACT test scores. Competitive SAT scores in the nursing program average above 1080, ACT scores average above a composite score of 21.
  • Admissions essay
  • Letters of recommendation (These may be required by your admissions counselor upon initial application review.)
Transfer Student
  • Submitted application for admission
    • Applications are free of charge and can be found on our apply webpage.
  • Official transcripts from ALL previously attended colleges/universities
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.5

 Not Required (utilized in a holistic review for admission if provided):

  • Coursework relevant to major of interest
  • Admissions essay
  • Letters of recommendation
Associate Degree or Diploma Prepared Professionals

Our online RN to BSN Program is designed for associate degree or diploma-prepared professionals seeking a baccalaureate degree in nursing.

Career Paths

If you are someone who is interested in an emotionally rewarding, intellectually challenging career with opportunities for growth, nursing may be the career for you.

D'Youville's four-year BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program prepares graduates for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination and entry-level practice.

Job prospects for RNs are expected to grow 26% from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. For more information about the job outlook for nurses, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

For more information about careers in nursing, visit our Nursing Student Resources, or www.DiscoverNursing.com and www.nln.org.

Specializations

A baccalaureate degree in nursing prepares you for entry into practice as a generalist, so you are able to work in a variety of practice settings as a beginning practitioner. And as you progress through your career, nursing offers many career opportunities: there are over 75 different specialties in nursing. Some nurses practice in acute or long-term care in-patient facilities while others practice in patients' homes, clinics, research centers, industries and community agencies.

As a nursing professional with a baccalaureate degree, you can also practice in the military or all over the world as a traveling nurse. Whatever career path you choose, as the healthcare system undergoes restructuring in the U.S. and the rest of the world, new opportunities are emerging.

Graduate Degrees

Many of our graduates enter academic programs in order to pursue careers as family nurse practitioners or in research and teaching in both private and public organizations. We prepare nurses to advance their practice through master's degree preparation as a Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner or through preparation as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in either Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. These programs are ideal options for graduates who wish to continue their education.

If you choose to pursue graduate education you can rest assured that the rigorous academic and clinical work you'll complete in our nursing BSN program will provide you with a solid foundation for advanced study and practice.

Clinical Experience

D’Youville students benefit from the close relationships that the institution has developed over the years with the region’s top-ranked hospitals and healthcare organizations.

Clinical Experience Sites

Your clinical experience may take place at any of the following regional facilities:

Internships

In order to further develop your clinical skills, you may have the opportunity to participate in an internship during the summer following your junior year. Not only will these internships provide you with invaluable clinical experience, but often students discover that the internships they participated in during their training lead to employment after graduation. Students preceding you have participated in internships at the following organizations (among others):

Faculty-Led Study Abroad

As a D’Youville nursing major your clinical experience opportunities could extend beyond the Western New York region to other parts of the world. During your senior year, you may have the chance to gain exposure to other healthcare systems and provide care to people in impoverished communities through a faculty-led Nursing Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic. You can also join students from other disciplines for other faculty-led study abroad elective courses and programs.