Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree

Admission Requirements

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Application to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing for the 2021 Fall admissions intake will be open on Thursday, October 1, 2020 and close on Thursday, December 17, 2020. If you have already completed one of the Academic admission pre-requisites and you plan on retaking the course to gain a higher grade you cannot self report a grade.

• The CASPer Test

• Self-Reporting Grade Form

• Quick Reference Guide Nursing

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is through a selective admission process. Successful applicants are identified through the combined evaluation of GPA (based on program prerequisites) and a portfolio.

The number of qualified applicants normally exceeds the number of seats available therefore fulfillment of the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants are required to reapply annually for admission to the program, applicants are not waitlisted for the following intake.

For information regarding the roles of a professional nurse: www.bccnp.ca.ca or www.nnpbc.ca

Option A: Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree

Prospective students must submit transcripts as proof of meeting the following academic requirements:

1. Grade 12 or equivalent (completing all the prerequisites below is considered by NIC BSN program as Grade 12 equivalent)
2. C+ in Biology 12 or Anatomy and Physiology 12 or NIC BIO 060 /BIO 110 , or equivalent within the last 10 years.
3. C+ in Chemistry 11 or NIC CHE 051 , or equivalent within the last 10 years.
4. C+ in English 12 or equivalent
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5. C+ in Principles of Math 11 or Applications of Math 12 or PreCalculus 11 or Foundations of Math 12 or NIC MAT 053 .
6. Applicants who are current high school students must submit interim transcripts and complete the Self- Reporting Grade form.

Option C: LPN Access to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree

This option is currently under review.  Join our email list.

Priority Admission for Aboriginal Applicants

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal has provided Special Program approval to allow priority admission for a selected number of self-declared Aboriginal applicants to this program beginning in September 2013.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has three designated seats for aboriginal students. Once the designated seats have been assigned, remaining priority admission applicants will be considered as part of the selective admission process. For more information please refer to http://www.nic.bc.ca/services/aboriginalservices/programs.aspx, or contact an Aboriginal Advisor at your local campus.  

Before Classes Begin

Once accepted to the program, but before classes begin, you are required to:

• attend a mandatory group orientation session held in June. The admissions department will send you an invitation with details regarding the date and time of the orientation.
• hold a current Basic Life Support course. This course must be taken within six months of entering the BSN program.  Basic Life Support (BLS) must then be updated prior to commencing semester five. Any student who does not hold a current BLS certificate will not be allowed to attend practice settings.  Students are required to submit a photocopy of their BLS certification to the BSN Program Assistant upon admission to the program and again prior to commencing semester five.
• have completed a  Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS) course (WSF 019  ). A  photocopy of this certificate must be presented to the BSN Program Assistant on the first day of classes
• submit a completed immunization form. This immunization form will be sent to you by admissions once you are offered a seat in the program. This form should be validated by the public health nurse at your local health unit. This form must be presented to the BSN program support assistant on the first day of classes. Note: If the public health nurse recommends a rubella serologic test, a photocopy of the results of this test will also have to be submitted.
• submit a Criminal Record Check permission form so that NIC can get your Criminal Record Check done. Admissions will send you this form when you are offered a seat in the program.
• review the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals approved requisite skills and abilities (RSA) to meet entry-level RN competencies. These requisite skills and abilities are included in the information sent to you once you are offered a seat in the program and will be discussed at the group orientation session. You need to review these and decide whether you believe you are able to meet them. If you have concerns about being able to meet the RSAs, you should contact the BSN program academic advisor prior to the program start date.

Course Requirements

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On completion of eight academic terms and three consolidated practice experiences, students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Students will write national registration examinations after completion of the program.

Completion Requirements

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1. In order to apply credit for any course towards the requirements of the BSN degree, the nursing student must achieve a minimum grade of “C” in that course. In addition, all BSN students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.33 (“C+”) for each academic year, and must pass each nursing practicum.  The grade point average will be calculated on nursing courses and include BIO 160   , BIO 161 , BIO 260 , BIO 261 , and upper nursing elective courses taken within that academic year.  Practice experiences within the curriculum are a vital part of learning.  Attendance is required in all practice courses.  Students that miss more than 10% of a practice course may be at risk of not successfully completing the course.
2. A student who fails a required biology course will usually have to withdraw from the program until the course is passed. If a student subsequently passes the course, the student may re-enter the program, based on seat availability.
3. A student who fails a required BSN course is withdrawn from the program and may apply for readmission to the program at a subsequent offering in the same term as the failure occurred. When a failure occurs in either a biology or a BSN course and a student is planning to reapply to the program, it is recommended that they do so as soon as possible. Re-entry to the program is dependent on seat availability and any conditions as outlined upon the student’s withdrawal from the program. Failure of a required course may require the completion of a learning assessment and/or additional remediation prior to readmission to support student safe practice, currency, and success.
4. Students who withdraw and/or fail two nursing courses are not eligible for readmission to the program.
5. Nursing students are required to adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Nurses Association and the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) Professional Standards for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners and Practice Standards for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners. Failure to adhere to these principles may result in the student being required to leave the program.
6. There are four non-nursing general electives: two English (see below) and two general electives at the 100 or 200 level. All electives must be university-transferable. Go to www.bctransferguide.ca to check course transferability. Credit for BIO 110  is not acceptable as a non-nursing general elective. In addition there is a 4th year Nursing elective.
   Option A: Students must take two first year university-level English courses from the following options. They must choose one of ENG 115 , ENG 116 , ENG 117 , or ENG-125.* It is strongly recommended that students take ENG 117 . For the second English course, students must take ENG 122  or ENG 127 , or have previously taken one of the following: ENG-120, ENG-121, or ENG-126.* It is also recommended that all English courses be completed by the end of the second year in the nursing program.
   Option C: Students complete ENG 115 , ENG 116  or ENG 117  before entry into the BSN program and then need to complete a second English course. They must take ENG 122  or ENG 127 , or have previously taken one of the following: ENG-120, ENG-121, ENG-125, or ENG-126.* Please note that credit will be given for one of ENG 115 , ENG 116 , or ENG 117 . It is also recommended that all English courses be completed by the end of the second year in the nursing program. Option C students must also complete two general electives at the 100 or 200 level.
7. The maximum time for a student to complete all program requirements is 6 years, with no period of absence exceeding 24 months.
8. Under exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Dean and Program Chair, a student may be granted an extension.
9. Option C: Students must maintain active British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP) registration.

*ENG-120, ENG-121, ENG-125, and ENG-126 were retired prior to September 2018 and are no longer available to take as an option, but will count for credit if previously taken.