Susan Bakewell-Sachs, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N.; Dean
Vision, Mission and Values
Mission: Healing, teaching, and discovery to optimize health, prepare nurse leaders, and transform health care.
Vision: “Health for all” - Achieve health equity and optimal well-being for individuals, communities, and populations in Oregon and beyond.
Values: The OHSU School of Nursing, committed to being a trauma-informed organization, values:
- Well-being: A culture of health, safety, and respect for all
- Diversity: Social justice, equity, inclusion, and belonging
- Excellence: Quality, innovation, and sustainability
- Integrity: Honesty, trustworthiness, transparency, and authenticity
- Collaboration: Mutual exchange and reciprocity with one another and our partners.
The school’s faculty includes nationally and internationally renowned scholars, educators and clinicians dedicated to excellence in the pursuit of knowledge and discovery, the holistic and compassionate care of individuals and communities, and the professional development of each member of the school within a nurturing environment. Baccalaureate and master’s degree programs focus on the development of critical thinking and judgment, understanding of health systems and economics, interdisciplinary care, public health and communications in a variety of health care settings. Master’s degree programs also prepare students for advanced practice or as public health professionals. Doctoral and postdoctoral programs prepare graduates for scholarly inquiry, independent research and leadership in the health care arena. The members of the school value an educational community that fosters excellence, creativity, selfreflection, accountability, respect for diversity and lifelong learning.
The campuses of OHSU School of Nursing (Ashland, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Monmouth and Portland) are internationally recognized for excellence in research. School of Nursing faculty members believe that nursing science is not an end in itself, but rather a systematic process used to enhance nursing practice and improve the health care of individuals, families and communities. The school consistently ranks among the top nursing schools funded by the National Institutes of Health. The combined efforts at the campuses contribute to education, practice, research and technology that enable students and faculty to provide advanced education and health care services throughout Oregon.
Tradition: The History of the School
In 1910, the Multnomah Hospital Training School opened its doors. A year later, the school graduated its first seven nurses. In the summer of 1919, the University of Oregon introduced the state’s first professional courses in nursing. The courses were offered in Portland in cooperation with the Northwest Division of the American Red Cross Home Service Department, the Portland Visiting Nurse Association, the Welfare Bureau and the Oregon Tuberculosis Association. In 1920, the Portland School of Social Work offered a standard course of study in public health nursing.
In 1926, the University of Oregon, recognizing the need for baccalaureate-prepared nurses, introduced a five-year curriculum culminating in the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing. Additionally, between 1928 and 1939, a certificate program was offered for qualified students in accredited hospital schools. This allowed students to receive university education, which facilitated their career mobility.
In 1932, the Portland School of Social Work curricula was integrated into the University of Oregon’s nursing degree program and transferred to the University of Oregon Medical School, Department of Nursing Education in Portland, Ore. This consolidation allowed the Department of Nursing Education to offer courses using its own facilities and clinical resources at accredited community hospitals and agencies. Additionally, a two-year pre-nursing curriculum was established at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.
During World War II, the baccalaureate degree program was accelerated into a four-year program, and public health nursing was incorporated in 1956 under the guidance of Elnora Thompson, a leader in the field. In 1947, a $60,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation made possible a teaching and supervision program for baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses which in 1955 became the Master of Science degree in nursing education.
In 1960, the Oregon State Board of Higher Education recognized the changing nature of nursing and expanded the Department of Nursing Education to the University of Oregon School of Nursing. During the 1960s, the school further developed its undergraduate and graduate program offerings. In 1961, funds from the U.S. Public Health Service supported a comprehensive study of mental health concepts in the baccalaureate program. The Nurse Training Act made possible additional areas of graduate study and increased undergraduate enrollment of registered nurses. The baccalaureate degree was further strengthened in 1972 by funding that developed a learning resources center. Other study and development grants assisted growth in various school programs, especially continuing education. The school began offering a Master of Nursing degree in 1971.
In November 1974, the University of Oregon School of Nursing, Dental School and Medical School united as a single institution, the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center. It was Oregon’s only academic health center and one of 125 in the nation. In 1981, the state legislature changed the name to the Oregon Health Sciences University to reflect its independence from the University of Oregon. Another name change occurred in 2001 when Oregon Health Sciences University merged with the Oregon Graduate Institute School of Science and Engineering and officially became Oregon Health & Science University.
In 1979, the undergraduate degree programs were expanded to La Grande, Ore., to provide the eastern region of the state with baccalaureate-prepared nurses.
The OHSU School of Nursing continued to evolve in the 1980s to reflect nursing’s focus on health and interaction with specific populations. The departments included Adult Health and Illness, Community Health Care Systems, Family Nursing and Mental Health Nursing. In June 1983, the school gained approval from the Oregon State Board of Higher Education to begin a new graduate curriculum. This new program was designed so that the master’s curriculum was the first component of a curriculum leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in nursing. Admissions to the PhD program began in fall 1985.
The 1990s offered many opportunities for innovation and change. To assist with the education of independent practitioners in several specialties including mental health, community health, adult care, pediatrics, gerontological nursing, women’s health care, nurse-midwifery and family nursing, post-master’s certificate options were developed which allow students with a master’s degree in nursing to gain the theory, knowledge and clinical experience necessary to apply for nurse practitioner licensure.
In 1992, the Oregon State System of Higher Education chancellor mandated a consolidation of state-supported nursing education programs. This consolidation led to the addition of nursing programs from Oregon Institute of Technology and Southern Oregon University to the Eastern Oregon University and OHSU-Portland programs. That same year, the School of Nursing on the Portland campus proudly took up residence in a new building, which is a center for teaching, learning, research and conferences. The school’s statewide outreach, community service, partnership and excellence are coordinated from this environment. At present the OHSU School of Nursing has programs located on five campuses across the state: Ashland, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Monmouth and Portland.
During this time, a unique collaborative statewide degree was being developed. The Oregon Master of Public Health Program was developed and offered through Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon State University and Portland State University.
This unique program allowed students to interact with nationally and internationally recognized faculty from three dynamic universities and combines broad training in public health with specific training in one of the specialty tracks offered at the participating universities. In 2005, the OHSU School of Nursing began offering the online Oregon Master of Public Health: Primary Health Care and Health Disparities in partnership with OMPH. The Master of Public Health and the Graduate Certificate of Public Health Programs from the OHSU School of Nursing moved over to the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health in winter of 2016.
In 1999, nursing leaders in Oregon began to see evidence of a growing shortage of professional nurses and the Oregon Nursing Leadership Collaborative began a strategic plan to address this major workforce issue. The strategic plan had two goals specifically related to nursing education: to double enrollment in Oregon nursing programs and redesign nursing education to meet the emerging health care needs of Oregonians more directly. The ONLC agreed the best way to meet these two goals was through the development of a competencybased nursing education system; hence, the Oregon Consortium for Nursing
Education was established as a partnership among community colleges and public and private university schools of nursing, including OHSU. The key features of OCNE include a shared, competency-based integrated curriculum culminating in a bachelor’s degree; improved access to bachelor’s degree education; redesigned clinical experiences and inter-institutional collaboration; shared faculty expertise across OCNE campuses; and development and use of state-of-the-art clinical simulation to augment onsite clinical training, making use of shared instructional materials. OCNE admitted its first cohort of students in fall 2006.
In 2003, high-fidelity simulation was incorporated into the nursing curriculum with the opening of the OHSU Simulation and Clinical Learning Center on the Portland campus. The Ashland and Klamath Falls campuses opened simulation facilities in 2005 and the La Grande campus in 2006.
Nursing students on all of the OHSU campuses participate in clinical learning activities in numerous areas such as hospitals, clinics, community settings and simulation. In simulation, students participate in patient care working with standardized patients and utilizing a manikin called a human patient simulator. The simulator mimics a human patient in many ways, and allows the students an opportunity to practice in a safe environment. The development of teamwork, clinical judgment skills and communication are some of the focus areas addressed in simulation.
In 2006, the school began offering Oregon’s only master’s degree program in nurse anesthesia. The first cohort to graduate in December 2008 all passed their certification exams on the first attempt.
In 2007, the OHSU School of Nursing Portland campus opened march wellness at OHSU’s Center for Health & Healing at the bottom of the Portland Aerial Tram, part of Portland’s new South Waterfront district. March wellness is a medical wellness center that was conceived by health care researchers and practitioners in the OHSU School of Nursing who understand and value the development of health management programs. Currently managed by the OHSU provost’s office, march wellness offers a state-of-the-art wellness environment and an integrative approach to health and fitness.
The school began offering a Doctor of Nursing Practice program with a post-master’s option in 2007 and a postbaccalaureate option in 2009. The DNP prepares clinical nurses for advanced practice and provides students with the opportunity to gain doctoral level education while maintaining a practice focus.
In 2008, the school opened its fifth campus in Monmouth, Ore., at Western Oregon University and admitted 27 students to its first undergraduate class.
In 2011, the OHSU School of Nursing celebrated its 100-year anniversary. We honored our history by acknowledging how the school has flourished (our theme for the event) with innovative research, strength in practice, excellence in teaching and service to Oregonians across all 96,000 square miles of the state. From education and practice to research and leadership, our nurses and school have flourished for over 100 years.
In 2012, the first cohort of post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice Students graduated; in 2013, we graduated our first cohort of Health Systems and Organizational Leadership students; and in Spring of 2014 celebrated our first cohort of seven students in the Undergraduate Gerontological Nursing Honors Program.
In 2014-15 the school added graduate programs in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP).
In 2016 OHSU reaffirmed their dedication to rural health by opening the Rural campus located in Klamath falls.
2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the School of Nursing’s Monmouth campus. In the summer of 2019 the School of Nursing transitioned to offering the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree exclusively and the school saw its first graduates of the adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia, nurse-midwifery, pediatric primary & acute nurse practitioner, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner DNP programs in 2022.
2019 marked the 40th anniversary of our first regional campus, La Grande, housed at Eastern Oregon University.
The School’s Campuses
The OHSU School of Nursing in Ashland is located on the Southern Oregon University campus, a nationally renowned liberal arts and science college located in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains. Ashland, Ore., has a mild four-season climate and is surrounded by rivers, lakes, mountains and national forests. With a population of approximately 20,000, Ashland combines the relaxed and personal atmosphere of a small town with the cultural advantages of a larger city. Ashland is home of the award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, art galleries and a flourishing colony of writers and artists. Nearby national forests provide year-round recreation including camping, rafting, fishing, hiking and skiing.
The OHSU School of Nursing in Klamath Falls is located on the Oregon Institute of Technology campus, which offers state-of-the art bachelor’s degree programs in engineering, health and business technologies.
As the only accredited public institute of technology in the Pacific Northwest, OIT’s curricula in all areas feature extensive use of laboratories and applied learning experiences, as well as opportunities to work with the latest computerized equipment. Klamath Falls, Ore., has a high, dry climate with warm summers and mild winters and enjoys about 300 days of sunshine a year. Located in the foothills of the Cascades, Klamath Falls is an ideal study setting for those who enjoy outdoor recreation. Skiing, rafting, hiking, camping, caving, rock climbing, fishing and hunting opportunities abound. An affordable cost of living adds to the appeal of the OHSU Klamath Falls campus.
Opening in the fall of 2015, the OHSU Campus for Rural Health joined the OHSU School of Nursing in Klamath Falls. It provides an interprofessional and rural educational experience for students in all OHSU programs and schools. With an aim to prepare health professionals to work in rural communities, provide team-based patient-centered care and improve the health of rural populations, OHSU students from all health-related disciplines have the opportunity to learn and work together as part of their curriculum.
The OHSU School of Nursing in La Grande is located on the Eastern Oregon University campus and became the first OHSU regional campus to open. EOU serves as a regional center for education, culture and scholarship. Nearly 26,000 people call Union County home and approximately 13,050 people live in the city. The community is a jumping-off point for many outdoor activities including skiing and hiking in the nearby Elkhorn Mountains, mountain biking along the Oregon Trail and fishing for trout and steelhead on the Wallowa River. The closest major cities are Portland, Ore. (260 miles), Boise, Idaho (174 miles) and Spokane, Wash. (255 miles). EOU plays a vital role providing greater access to higher education in rural areas of the state. The small size of the campus and supportive learning community enhance the quality instruction and personal attention students receive. A broad choice of liberal arts, sciences and professional programs are available, all taught by dedicated faculty. The School of Nursing in La Grande also operates the EOU Student Health Center.
The OHSU School of Nursing in Monmouth is located on the Western Oregon University campus. WOU is Oregon’s oldest public university and is committed to providing a quality undergraduate education. Monmouth is located in the Willamette Valley with a view of the Coast Range, just 20 minutes west of Salem and an hour from the Oregon coast and Portland. Monmouth offers a town and country environment, making it easy to experience the best of what Oregon has to offer.
The OHSU School of Nursing in Portland is located on the 116-acre Marquam Hill campus of Oregon Health & Science University overlooking downtown Portland. OHSU occupies 37 major buildings on the hill and dozens of offices, clinics, education and research facilities throughout the state. The 300-acre West Campus in Hillsboro includes several research institutes and centers. OHSU forged a partnership with the City of Portland and private developers to revive and improve a section of underused industrial land bordering the Willamette River. As a result, the South Waterfront district is rapidly growing into a new Portland hot spot. It is also the home of OHSU’s Center for Health & Healing, the first building on
the South Waterfront campus and one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the nation. The newest addition to South Waterfront is The Collaborative Life Sciences Building & Skourtes Tower which is a unique project bringing together Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon State University and Portland State University in one location to benefit all of Oregon. The Portland Aerial Tram connects South Waterfront to OHSU’s Marquam Hill campus. Over the next two decades, OHSU will further expand its campus on 20 acres of donated riverfront property nearby.
Portland is Oregon’s largest city, with a population of 650,380 (2020), and is the core of the metropolitan area (2.4 million people). Nearby rivers and lakes invite swimming, boating and other water sports. Mountains and ocean beaches within a 90-minute drive attract campers, hikers, cyclists, skiers and climbers. The School of Nursing Portland campus houses the school’s statewide administration and the Office of Research Development and Support (ORDS). Services include support for pre-award grant applications to extramural funding agencies, post-award grants management, human subject compliance, methodological design, statistical analysis and peer review. Research facilities in Portland are comprehensive and include data processing, a behavioral observation room, an exercise testing laboratory, bone densitometry testing, an exercise room and dedicated space for telephone and in-person interviews.
Contact Information
http://www.ohsu.edu/son
Ashland Campus
OHSU School of Nursing
at Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541 552-5833
Klamath Falls Campus
OHSU School of Nursing
at Oregon Institute of Technology
3201 Campus Drive Third Floor - Dow II
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
971 262-1250
La Grande Campus
OHSU School of Nursing
at Eastern Oregon University
One University Blvd.
La Grande, OR 97850
503 346-5914
Monmouth Campus
OHSU School of Nursing
at Western Oregon University
345 N. Monmouth Ave.
Monmouth, OR 97361
503 346-5878
Portland Campus
3455 S.W. US Veterans Hospital Road
Portland, OR 97239-2941
School of Nursing Student Success Center: 503 494-5304
School of Nursing Office of Academic Affairs: 503 494-2624
School of Nursing Office of Student Affairs, Diversity and Admissions: 503 494-7725 or 866 223-1811
School of Nursing Customer Service: 503 494-7444
OHSU Central Services
OHSU Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity: 503 494-5148
OHSU Center for Diversity and Inclusion: 503 494-5657
OHSU Center for Student Access: 503 494-0082
OHSU Registrar and Financial Aid : 503 494-7800 or 800 775-5460
OHSU Student Center: 503 494-8295
OHSU Transportation and Parking:
commute@ohsu.edu
Biking to Marquam Hill: www.ohsu.edu/visit/biking
Accreditation
Oregon Health & Science University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) an institutional accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation of an institution of higher education by NWCCU indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality evaluated through a peer review process. OHSU has maintained continuous accreditation with the Commission, and its accreditation status is reaffimed. The NWCCUʼs most recent action on the institutionʼs accreditation status on January 25-27, 2023 was to accept OHSU’s Year Seven Self-evaluation Report. For more information, contact: NWCCU, 8060 165th Ave NE Suite 100, Redmond, Wash. 98052, 425 558-4224 or visit www.nwccu.org.
The OHSU School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, masterʼs degree program in nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at OHSU School of Nursing are accredited by CCNE through 2033. For more information about accreditation, contact CCNE, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202 887-6791, or www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE.
The nurse-midwifery program is accredited through February 28, 2033 by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (formerly the ACNM Division of Accreditation), American College of Nurse-Midwives. Contact ACNM, 8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1230, Silver Spring, MD 20910, 240-485-1803 or www.midwife.org/acme.
The nurse anesthesia program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs through October 2028. Contact Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, 10275 W. Higgins Rd, Suite 906, Rosemont, IL 60018-5603, 224-275-9130 or www.coacrna.org.
Graduate Programs in Nursing
OHSU School of Nursing has a history of academic and clinical excellence and a commitment to the missions of education, practice and research. The School of Nursing offers academically rigorous programs that are taught by faculty members who are leaders in their field. The 2022 US News & World Report ranked the school’s Nurse-Midwifery program second nationally and the Family Nurse Practitioner program 12th. The Nurse Practitioner -Pediatric, Primary Care program is ranked 12th, the Online Graduate programs is ranked 17th, and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program was ranked 35th.
Programs leading to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree include the advanced nursing practice programs, with specialties in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse Anesthesia (NA), Nurse-Midwifery (NMW), Pediatric Primary and Acute Nurse Practitioner (PNP), and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Programs leading to a master’s degree include Health Systems and Organizational Leadership (HSOL) as well as Master of Nursing in Education (MNE). The HSOL program has the option for students to apply and transition directly into the Post Master’s DNP. Other programs leading to a doctoral degree include the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Advanced Nursing Practice
The School of Nursing offers graduate programs in advanced nursing practice that are designed to advance nursing education in order to make a difference in the lives of patients, families, and the larger community. Students choose a specialty area that culminates in a doctor of nursing practice degree. The graduate programs in advanced clinical practice include AGACNP, FNP, NA, NMW, PNP and PMHNP. The graduate program in HSOL prepares nurses to lead in health systems and organizations and culminates in a master of nursing degree. All graduate programs focus on developing critical thinking, judgment and specialty expertise; understanding health systems and the context of policy and economics; engaging in interprofessional care and collaboration; and increasing awareness of public health needs in a variety of health care settings. The programs of study reflect a balance of theory, practice and research to ensure students become clinically expert and are able to apply available research evidence within their practice. On completion of the DNP degree specialties, graduates are prepared to meet the competencies and certification requirements of the specialty program.
The general student learning outcomes that must be met for the master of nursing for the HSOL and MNE programs are:
- Apply advanced knowledge in the science of a specialty area of advanced nursing practice.
- Use emerging information and health technologies to access current research and health care data to improve patient care and health equity.
- Make sound, culturally appropriate and ethically grounded judgments based on critical analysis of the best available evidence.
- Demonstrate the leadership skills that are essential for influencing policy and organizational systems for improving patient outcomes and health equity.
The general student learning outcomes that must be met for the DNP are:
- Demonstrate readiness to enter clinical practice via specialty competencies with the appropriate scientific knowledge, and considerations for its application to practice.
- Apply ethical principles along with the standards of professional conduct to clinical care, research, and education.
- Evaluate emerging healthcare systems and policy that influence delivery of cost effective patient care.
- Generate entry level practice scholarship through the completion of a clinical practice improvement project based on the principles of improvement science.
- Model interprofessional communication and collaboration to improve individual and/or population health outcomes.
- Identify and address gaps in professional knowledge through ongoing reflection to support the principle of life-long learning.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
The Doctor of Nursing Practice represents the highest degree in nursing practice. Graduates receive additional preparation designed to expand practice in breadth or depth, as well as coursework and mentorship to facilitate leadership and practice-related scholarship in their professional career. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program was implemented at OHSU School of Nursing in 2007. The DNP program prepares leaders in a culture of innovation and inquiry.
Three pathways exist to the DNP:
- Post Baccalaureate for those who desire to become an advanced practice nurse and earn a DNP.
- Post Master’s for those who already have a Masters degree as an APRN or in healthcare management, leadership or administration.
- Additionally, a student may choose to earn a second APRN specialty by completing the specialty DNP.
Post-baccalaureate
Options include specialties in:
- Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Nurse Midwifery
- Pediatric Primary & Acute Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric Mental Health nurse Practitioner
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Doctor of Philosophy
Master of Nursing
Nursing Graduate
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Undergraduate Programs in Nursing
OHSU only offers health specific coursework and does not offer non-nursing arts, letters and science courses. Admitted students will take only nursing courses through OHSU and may need to complete their non-nursing courses at another accredited institution to fulfill the OHSU Bachelor of Science degree requirements. Students are responsible for finding, enrolling and transferring coursework from other institutions to OHSU to complete the Bachelor of Science degree requirements. The institution from which the coursework is taken will bill the students for those courses and related fees.
Brief Program Descriptions
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nursing
The Bachelor of Science with a major in nursing program prepares graduates to practice in a variety of settings and to care for individuals, families and populations across the lifespan. Graduates achieve competencies that address the rapidly changing health care needs of Oregon’s aging and ethnically diverse populations and are eligible to take the National Council Licensing Examination. Students applying to the BS program are asked to designate their choices for application to any of five OHSU School of Nursing locations throughout the state.
The BS program is a three-year program and requires students to complete 87 credits of nonnursing prerequisites and upper division electives at other accredited institutions. As a part of this requirement, all students must transfer 15 credits of 300/400 level non-nursing courses from other accredited institutions. The OHSU School of Nursing and academic advisors from other accredited institutions may provide information to assist the student in creating a dual enrollment plan to meet the OHSU BS requirements. Students must designate the institution at which they will be dually enrolled for completion of these required non-nursing courses. At the time of admission, students will be provided with a list of partner institutions where the non-nursing courses can be taken for inclusion in the student financial aid package. If a student receiving financial aid designates an institution that is not on that list, his or her financial aid will only be based on nursing courses taken through OHSU. If the student decides to change the institution at which he or she is dually enrolled for the required non-nursing courses, he or she must notify the OHSU Office of Registrar and Financial Aid as it may affect the financial aid reward.
Oregon Consortium Nursing Education (OCNE) Partnership
In 2001, the OHSU School of Nursing joined with several Oregon community colleges in an exciting partnership, the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education. Established in response to the nursing shortage, OCNE expands the opportunities for students within partner schools to receive the BS nursing degree. Those who graduated with an AA in nursing from a designated OCNE partner school may apply for transfer to OHSU after completing the AA degree to the SoN - Portland campus or into the RNBS completion program.
OCNE transition students are responsible for enrolling and transferring 87 credits of non-nursing coursework from other institutions of which 15 credits must be 300/400 level courses. Students should refer to their program of study for course sequencing.
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nursing
(RN-BS Completion Program)
The faculty of the OHSU School of Nursing support associate degree registered nurses who desire to complete their baccalaureate degrees through the RN-BS completion program. The RN-BS completion program offers upper-division courses in a variety of formats. RN-BS students take coursework online.
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nursing
(Accelerated Bachelor of Science Program)
The Accelerated Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nursing Degree Program is for people who already have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field but wish to begin a career as a bachelor ‘s-prepared nurse. Students enrolled in this program must have achieved an accredited bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing, and will complete a generalist nursing curriculum comprising five quarters of full-time nursing coursework required to achieve a BS with a major in nursing.
The BS degree is awarded at the successful completion of the undergraduate coursework and graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensing Examination. This program will prepare the graduate for RN licensure and will also give interested students the necessary credentials to pursue a graduate degree in nursing. Over the fifteen months, students will take a combination of courses in traditional classroom settings as well as participate in clinical rotations. Clinical experiences are at agencies located in multiple sites throughout Oregon.
Accelerated Bachelor of Science to Doctor of Nursing Practice and PhD Programs
The accelerated bachelor’s to DNP and PhD degree programs are options where students with a bachelor’s degree in another field can accelerate through the BS with a Major in Nursing program and enter directly into the doctoral programs. These options are aimed at educating individuals as nurse-midwives, family nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners and PhD students.
The first five quarters of this program are designed to deliver basic undergraduate nursing education preparing students for the BS with a major in nursing and licensure as a registered nurse. After completing the BS degree, students enroll in the course offerings for the graduate program. Upon completion of the program, graduates will have been awarded a Bachelor of Science with a major in nursing and be awarded a Doctor of Nursing Practice with a major in an APRN specialty area or PhD degree. Graduates will be eligible to take national certification exams for advanced practice roles in the advanced practice specialties.
Students in the accelerated bachelor to DNP or PhD Program who successfully complete the accelerated bachelor of science program of study continue in the graduate program for which they applied. Entrance into the DNP or PhD program begins immediately after successful completion of the accelerated baccalaureate program.
Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE)
Curriculum Outcomes
The student learning outcomes defined by faculty in OCNE partner programs are based on a view of nursing as a theory-guided, safety-oriented, evidence-based discipline. The outcomes recognize that effective nursing requires a person with particular values, attitudes, and practices. Accordingly, there are two categories of outcomes: professional competencies and nursing care competencies. Professional competencies define the values, attitudes and practices that competent nurses embody and may share with members of other professions. Nursing care competencies define relationship capabilities that nurses need to work with patients/clients and colleagues, the knowledge and skills of practicing the discipline and competencies that encompass understanding of the broader health care system. In all cases, the patient/client is a member of the health care team, and is defined as the recipient of care, considered an active participant in care, and includes the individual, family or community. A competent nurse provides safe care across the lifespan directed toward the goals of helping patient/client (individuals, families or communities) promote health, recover from acute illness and/or manage a chronic illness and support a peaceful and comfortable death.
Professional Competencies
- 1. A competent nurse bases personal and professional actions on a set of shared core nursing values through the understanding that…
- 1.1 Nursing is a humanitarian profession based on a set of core nursing values. As affirmed in the ANA Code of Ethics and other nursing literature, these values include social justice, caring, advocacy, protection of patient autonomy, prevention of harm, respect for self and others, collegiality, authority, accountability, responsibility for nursing practice, and ethical behavior.
- 1.2 Ethical dilemmas are encountered in clinical practice. Nurses are obligated to notice, interpret, respond, and reflect on these dilemmas using ethical principles and frameworks as a guide.
- 1.3 Nursing has a legal scope of practice.
- 2. A competent nurse uses reflection, self-analysis, and self-care to develop insight through the understanding that…
- 2.1 Ongoing reflection and evaluation of one’s professional practice improves nursing practice.
- 2.2 Reflection and self-analysis encourage selfawareness, self-care, and self-regulation.
- 3. A competent nurse engages in intentional learning with the understanding that…
- 3.1 Engaging in intentional learning develops selfawareness.
- 3.2 Seeking current practice guidelines supports safe and effective patient care.
- 4. A competent nurse demonstrates leadership in nursing and health care through the understanding that…
- 4.1 Nurses take a leadership role to meet patient needs, improve the healthcare system, and facilitate community problem-solving.
- 4.2 Nurses effectively use leadership principles, strategies, and tools to improve systems, processes, and outcomes.
- 4.3 Nurses are competent in collaborating with team members when assigning, delegating, and supervising responsibilities.
- 5.1 A competent nurse collaborates as part of a health care team through the understanding that…
- 5.1 The patient is an essential member of the healthcare team.
- 5.2 Collaboration and effective team function are essential to successfully meeting patient healthcare goals.
- 5.3 Learning and growth within a healthcare team depend on providing, receiving, and using feedback constructively.
- 5.4 Contributing to a work environment where responsibility, civility, and accountability are shared among the healthcare team.
- 6.1 A competent nurse is able to practice within, utilize, and contribute to all health care systems through the understanding that…
- 6.1 Components of the healthcare system must be considered when coordinating or planning care and engaging with healthcare team members.
- 6.2 Healthcare systems use information technology for the collection and analysis of data.
- 6.3 Healthcare system-level thinking is required to develop and implement health policy to achieve health equity.
- 6.4 Improving organizational health literacy and expanding access to healthcare are essential to outcomes.
- 6.5 Responsible management and utilization of healthcare resources are essential.
Nursing Care Competencies
- 7. A competent nurse practices a relationshipcentered care through the understanding that…
- 7.1 Patient-centered care is based on developing mutual trust and respect for the autonomy of the patient.
- 7.2 Social determinants of health must be considered in a patient-centered approach.
- 8. A competent nurse communicates effectively through the understanding that…
- 8.1 Therapeutic communication establishes a caring relationship with patients, families, and/or communities to advocate, develop, and facilitate care.
- 8.2 Accurate and complete communication with both patients and the healthcare team is essential to ensure patient safety and provide comprehensive continuity of care.
- 8.3 Successful communication requires attention to social and cultural influences and the use of appropriate communication tools and technologies.
- 8.4 Health teaching requires attention to the patient’s and family’s health literacy, cognitive and physical abilities, and community values and beliefs.
- 9. A competent nurse makes sound clinical judgments through the understanding that…
- 9.1 Nurses use a variety of frameworks, classification systems, and information management systems to organize data and knowledge for clinical judgment.
- 9.2 Clinical judgment is a process of noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting.
- 9.3 Clinical judgment requires use of the best available evidence, a deep understanding of the patient’s experiences and cultural influences, recognition of contextual factors that may influence decisions, and sound clinical reasoning.
- 9.4 Clinical judgment involves the accurate performance of cognitive (thinking), affective (feeling), and psychomotor (doing) skills in the delivery of care while maintaining the safety of the patient, family, community, environment, and self.
- 10. A competent nurse, locates, evaluates and uses the best available evidence through the understanding that…
- 10.1 Sources of evidence for decision-making include research evidence, standards of care, community perspectives, a deep understanding of patient experience and preferences, and practical wisdom gained from experience and participation in professional organizations.
- 10.2 Knowledge from the biological, social, medical, public health, and nursing sciences is constantly evolving to inform best practices in nursing.
Bachelor of Science
Nursing Undergraduate