Nursing

 

IMPORTANT:

Admission to IUB and IUPUI Nursing is extremely competitive. Each year close to 250 qualified applicants apply for the 60 spots available in the Bloomington program, which means that about one of every four or five qualified applicants is offered admission. IUPUI Nursing is just as competitive, for both Fall and Spring admission. You will likely need a GPA at or above a 3.6 or 3.7 on your application to be competitive for admission (close to an A- average). Excellent scores on the TEAS admission test are likewise necessary to be competitive. More information at this link.

 

Nursing admission prerequisites for those who matriculated to IU Bloomington during or after Summer 2011

Refer to HPPLC BSN handout for students matriculating to IUB during or after Summer 2011:The curricular information contained in this handout pertains exclusively to the IUB, IUPUI, and IUPUC nursing programs. Note that HPPLC materials are not a substitute for School of Nursing resources.

Use the document above in conjunction with School of Nursing resources for those who matriculated to IU Bloomington during or after Summer 2011. On that page, under Quick Links, you will find the list of courses which pertains to you. Do not choose courses from any other lists!

Nursing admission prerequisites for those who matriculated to IU Bloomington prior to Summer 2011

Refer to HPPLC BSN handout for students matriculating to IUB prior to Summer 2011:The curricular information contained in this handout pertains exclusively to the IUB, IUPUI, and IUPUC nursing programs. Note that HPPLC materials are not a substitute for School of Nursing resources.

Use the document above in conjunction with School of Nursing resources for those who matriculated to IU Bloomington prior to Summer 2011. On that page, under Quick Links, you will find the list of courses which pertains to you. Do not choose courses from any other lists!

 

Description of the Profession

Registered Nurses (RN)

A registered nurse (RN) works with patients, families, physicians, and other health care professionals to help patients recover from illness and be restored to good health, as well as to prevent future illness and disease. Following from these overarching responsibilities, nurses must function as effective advocates and educators for patients and families, and for the community at large. RNs closely observe, record, and assess patient symptoms and progress. They collaborate with physicians and other health care professionals in administering exams, treatments, and medications, and may also help during a patient's recuperation and rehabilitation. Patient advocacy is one of the hallmarks of nursing practice.

Skills and characteristics important to the profession include: technology and general science skills; strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities; patience and empathy; public speaking, interpersonal communication, time management, and leadership skills; assertiveness; strong multitasking abilities, attention to detail, and the ability to manage large quantities of detailed information; the ability to work under pressure and time constrains, with a variety of personalities, and within a challenging national healthcare climate; a willingness to work long shifts, and, common to some hospital settings, a willingness to work lots of on-call hours; the ability to work both independently and as part of a team of caregivers.

Note: A BSN is a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing; an ASN is a two-year Associate of Science in Nursing. Either type of degree prepares students to take the licensure exam to become an RN.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN or APN)

An advanced practice registered nurse, or APRN, is one who has garnered additional training and earned additional licensure to practice in an advanced capacity. Of these options, nurse practitioner, or NP, is the most well known. Most states, including Indiana, require two licenses to become a nurse practitioner: an RN license and an Advanced Practice license. The vast majority of these programs confer a masters degree.

Other APRN options include nurse anesthetist (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist or CRNA), nurse midwife (Certified Nurse Midwife or CNM), and clinical nurse specialist (CNS). Note that different states have different licensure requirements.

Each APRN option offers different specialties in relation to a specific healthcare setting, field, or patient type. For instance, the IU School of Nursing (Indianapolis campus) offers a masters degree for Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Education.

The Indianapolis campus also offers a PhD in Nursing Science, intended for those who wish to pursue a career as a nurse scientist / researcher; and a practice-focused professional doctorate, or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Note that while some schools have begun offering the DNP, as of 2012 no state requires the DNP in order for a registered nurse to become an advanced practice RN. Such is the case, despite what you may have heard or read elsewhere! Again, the masters degree is still the most common route to advanced nursing practice. The DNP has not replaced the NP masters degree, and if it does eventually do so, it will be a long while from now, and those with their masters degree would in all likelihood be grandfathered in and able to continue their practice.

The type of credential required to teach nursing courses varies by nursing program. Currently, there is a serious shortage of nursing instructors, due largely to disproportionately lower pay compared to practicing RNs. The latter situation should not be confused with APRNs, who generally earn higher salaries than RNs.

 

Explore the Nursing Profession

If possible, undertake job shadowing as part of your process of confirming whether or not nursing is the profession you wish to pursue. If you are a high school student, try to undertake shadowing now - do not delay it until you enter college. If you can, also do additional shadowing during the summer before you enter college. While job shadowing is not specifically required for admission, the IU School of Nursing expects that applicants will have undertaken substantial career research before applying, and doing so is good practice in any case.

In addition to garnering shadowing experience, utilize the web resources at the bottom of this page, including The Indiana Center for Nursing. IC4N.org has an excellent list of more than 70 links to state and national nursing organizations. This list includes well-known organizations such as the American Nurses Association, as well as links to organizations for dozens of nursing fields, like surgery, nurse practitioner, AIDS care, and numerous others. You can learn a lot about the profession by reading around on such sites. If you are from a state other than Indiana, you can look through IC4N's list of Indiana nursing organizations, and then do some research to identify similar organizations in your home state. Along the same lines, consider looking through some academic or professional journals associated with the nursing profession. The IU Wells Library subscribes to such resources, and some local public libraries may also have similar resources.

 

Description of Indiana University Nursing Programs

IU Nursing degrees

The following Indiana University branches offer BSN degrees (the ASN is not offered within the IU system): IU Bloomington, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IUPUC (Columbus - BSN), IUPUI (Indianapolis - BSN, Accelerated BSN), IU South Bend (BSN, Accelerated BSN), IU Southeast (BSN), IPFW (Fort Wayne). All are accredited programs. (Remember that IUB, IUPUC, and IUPUI are "corridor" or "core" programs, having identical admission requirements.)

Some IU branches also offer "mobility" programs (e.g., ASN to BSN; IUB itself offers an RN to BSN program), accelerated programs, and graduate-level nursing degrees.

Refer to program web sites for further details, including admission requirements.

General information about IU Core nursing programs

IUB (Bloomington), IUPUI (Indianapolis), and IUPUC (Columbus) each offer a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The programs have identical admission requirements and are generally governed by the same sets of policies. Together, the programs are referred to as the Bloomington-Indianapolis nursing "core." (There may be some policy exceptions, so students should direct specific policy questions to the individual programs.)

Ideally, those pursuing a BSN spend one year completing the prerequisite courses and the other admission requirements. People often apply to two or three of the core programs simultaneously to cast a wider net. If admitted, you would complete the degree over three additional years (summer coursework is not required), after which you would take the licensure exam to become a registered nurse.

Admission is very competitive

Because admission to nursing programs in general is competitive, and admission to IUB and IUPUI is extraordinarily competitive, you should apply to as many programs as possible. It's fine to have IUB as your first choice, but you owe it to yourself to cast a wider application net; you have nothing to lose! If you are an out-of state student and the IUB nursing program is the only Indiana program in which you are interested, we suggest you research other nursing programs, including ones back in your home state, applying to some of them when you apply to IUB, or at least planning for the possibility of doing so later if you are not admitted to IUB Nursing.

The strategy of casting a wide net, whether you are an in- or out-of-state student, assumes you wish to earn your nursing degree in any case, even if the IUB program doesn't work out for you. For more ideas and information, see Contingency Planning: Formulating a Back-Up Plan.

Admission information

In addition to 29-31 credit hours of prerequisite courses, admission requirements include a minimum 2.7 cumulative grade point average (CGPA). The CGPA is not a competitive factor, however, you will need to have a considerably higher application GPA in order to be truly competitive for admission. Those with an application GPA of less than a 3.65 are at risk for not being within the competitive application GPA range.

As of Spring / Fall 2012, there will no longer be an admission interview or essay. The new admission requirements are:

• Science GPA (50% of admission): your grades from Anatomy; Finite Math (or Math-M 211, which is not recommended for most students unless you already have earned M211 credit); and an additional critical / analytical / science course (likely to be either another 3 credit CAS; or CHEM-C 100 or 101, if you didn't complete high school chemistry with a grade of C or higher in each of two terms)
• GPA from remaining application courses, or "General Education GPA" (30% of admission): your grades from Elementary Composition, Introductory Psychology, Introductory Sociology and remaining general education courses which contribute to the total of 29-31 credits on your application
• Scores from the TEAS V (Test of Essential Academic Skills, Version Five): 20% of admission). The TEAS V is a 170 question multiple choice examination that covers math, science, reading, and English / language usage. You may take the TEAS up to 2 times in a two year period. As with any standardized test, the TEAS can be prepared for. While high school proficiency in the areas noted is technically supposed to provide sufficient background, we strongly urge you to prepare for it by taking practice exams and using other prep materials. See related resources linked from the bottom of this page, and watch your email from the prenursing mail list for additional information.

Admission to the IUB Nursing program is very competitive

Each year close to 250 qualified applicants apply for the 60 spots available in the Bloomington program, which means that about one of every four or five qualified applicants is offered admission. Hence, you will likely need a GPA at or above a 3.6 or 3.7 on your application to be competitive for admission (close to an A- average).

Fall and Spring admission to the IUPUI program tends to be just as competitive.

Because admission to these programs is so competitive, HPPLC advisors suggest that you formulate a back-up plan toward the start of your prenursing track.

Note that there are more than 50 RN programs in Indiana (both ASN and BSN). Admission to all programs is competitive, but some programs are far less competitive than the IU core programs. See the Other Accredited Programs section of this page, below, for research resources.

 

Other Accredited Nursing Programs

To research other accredited nursing programs in the state of Indiana, refer to the list on the Indiana Center for Nursing site - formerly, nursing2000inc. (click the "Nursing Education" drop down menu). Note that if an Indiana program is not listed on the ic4n.org site, it probably means it is not accredited. We strongly suggest that you avoid non-accredited programs!

Also refer to the Indiana State Board of Nursing listings.

Because there is more than one way for nursing programs to become nationally accredited, one complete list of all accredited US nursing programs does not exist. If you wish to research nursing programs beyond those offered in the state of Indiana, you may need to combine information from more than one list of programs. If you combine program information from both the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) listings, you should be able to identify every accredited RN program in the country.

Each state will also have an entity similar to the Indiana State Board of Nursing which is likely to have a list of accredited programs posted on the internet. But, again, combining the NLNAC and CCNE listings, above, should capture all U.S. programs.

An internet search for "accredited nursing programs" yields plentiful results, but that lists will vary in thoroughness and quality; many lists are merely comprised of programs that have paid to be listed. You are better off using the resources above.

 

Contingency Planning: Formulating a Back-Up Plan

Because of the highly competitive nature of the IUB and IUPUI (and IUPUC) nursing programs, we strongly encourage you to develop an alternate Plan A (another path to the same goal; for instance, another path to your RN), or a Plan B (an alternate career path), in case you are not admitted to the nursing program the first time you apply. Having a specific and well thought out safety net can also alleviate some of the anxiety prenursing students often feel due to the competitiveness of admission to the IUB program.

To begin with: some questions you should first ask yourself

We strongly suggest that you allow your answers to the following questions to guide your decisions about your career and academic paths:

• First, ask yourself if nursing is the career you wish to pursue, period - no ifs, ands, or buts; and whether you are ultimately willing to go wherever you need to for RN training in an accredited nursing program if you are not admitted to your first choice program.
• Next, honestly and frankly assess your aptitudes, your academic abilities, and your willingness to do whatever it takes (within the bounds of ethical academic conduct, of course) to become competitive for admission to nursing programs. Your academic advisor can help you think through your self-assessment.
  • For instance, some students understandably have a difficult time earning the A- average generally needed to be competitive for admission to the IUB BSN program, even through sincere effort, adequate time spent studying, and getting extra help.
  • Others, upon honest reflection, realize they have not been spending the recommended 2 hours each week studying outside of class for every enrolled credit hour; e.g., 30 hours of weekly studying if enrolled in 15 credits. (Common explanations for this issue are poor time management; difficulty making the often abrupt adjustment to challenging college-level or IUB coursework; an unrealistic impression of, or even outright denial of, the investment of effort and time required to earn excellent grades at IUB; or misguided priorities, e.g., too much time spent online, partying, gaming, and so on.)

An alternate Plan A (other paths to the RN)

Note: A BSN is a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing; an ASN is a two-year Associate of Science in Nursing. Either type of degree prepares students to take the licensure exam to become a registered nurse (RN). For a complete list of Indiana nursing programs, visit the Indiana Center for Nursing site (formerly, Nursing2000inc), and click the Nursing Education link.

Re-apply

• Students who have done enough career research and self-assesment to know that nursing is the profession they want to pursue no matter what, can take measures to become stronger applicants, and then re-apply to the IUB nursing program. (Refer to re-application tips below.)

Research and apply to less competitive ASN and BSN programs

• While planning for their re-application, prenursing students often research less competitive ASN and BSN programs so they can apply to some of these at the same time they re-apply to the IUB program. Out-of-state students sometimes research and apply to additional programs in their home state. See the very bottom of this page for directions on how to locate these programs.
  • Important note about the ASN, and BSN mobility programs: Those who earn their ASN can still earn their BSN later by taking courses through a "BSN mobility program" (also called an ASN-to-BSN, or BSN completion program - all of these terms refer to the same thing). Mobility programs essentially fill in the remaining BSN courses that are left out of the ASN curriculum. Mobility programs usually consist of online courses that can be taken while you work as a nurse. Admission to many such programs is not competitive. (Note: If you are considering this route, be sure to learn ahead of time which BSN mobility programs are most compatible with the ASN programs you are looking at. Not all mobility programs blend well with all ASN programs. Consult with representatives from both the ASN and the BSN mobility programs ahead of time, before you decide which ASN programs to apply to.)

 

Accelerated BSN programs

• Others decide, when planning their sophomore fall registration, to simultaneously begin working in courses for an alternate first undergraduate degree, while also working in prerequisites for second degree BSN programs, also called accelerated BSN programs. Accelerated BSN programs usually compress the core nursing coursework into roughly 18-24 months. To qualify for these programs you must complete a first degree of some kind with an excellent GPA, while working in prerequisite courses for accelerated BSN programs.
  • Almost any undergraduate degree / major is fine - it does not have to be healthcare related unless you want it to be - though some degrees / majors will better accommodate nursing prerequisites than others.
  • Note that admission prerequisites vary by program, so you'll have to do some research to know what you need to take.
  • With this plan, if you were to not be admitted to an RN program after your sophomore year, you would have already begun to lay the foundation for an accelerated BSN program. In other words, through this course of action, you might be able to position yourself to finish one degree and then apply to multiple nursing programs during your senior year of that first degree. Optimally, these would include both ASN programs, perhaps some standard BSN, as well as accelerated BSN programs, thus casting as wide a net as possible. If you were then to be admitted to an accelerated BSN or other type of RN program, you would graduate with your first degree and then immediately begin the nursing degree itself.
  • IMPORTANT: Like all RN programs, the competitiveness of accelerated BSN programs varies. Most accelerated BSN programs will take into consideration the prerequisite and / or cumulative GPA from your first degree. Many of these programs are extremely competitive. For example, to be competitive for admission to the IUPUI accelerated BSN program, applicants need a 3.80 or higher GPA from the 60 credits of admission prerequisites, including courses like anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. Other accelerated BSN programs may be less competitive, but competitive nonetheless. Therefore, if you choose this route to your BSN, we urge you to invest the time and effort to earn the best grades possible throughout your first degree.
  • For a list of Indiana accelerated BSN programs, visit the Indiana Center for Nursing site, (formerly, nursing2000inc), and click the Nursing Education link. To research programs outside of Indiana, use these resources.

Applying to ASN programs, along with accelerated BSN programs

• As alluded to already, another option, which you could implement at the same time as the above, would be to apply to ASN programs at the same time you apply to accelerated BSN programs. Doing so can afford you an additional safety net. The competitiveness of ASN programs varies too, but many of them will have far less competitive admission than some of the accelerated BSN programs. (Be aware that the Ivy Tech Bloomington and Ivy Tech Indianapolis ASN programs have extremely competitive admission; in fact, in their own way, they are at least as competitive as the IUB nursing program.) Consult the Important note, above, about the ASN, and BSN mobility programs.

   

Strategies for re-applying to the IUB nursing program

Sometimes students who apply but are not admitted to nursing will consult with their academic advisor and then determine that nursing is their definite career choice, and that re-applying to the IUB and IUPUI BSN programs is a viable plan. Re-applying might thus become a part of their overall strategy. (Note that spring admission to IUPUI is just as competitive as fall admission to IUB and IUPUI.)

• In this situation, strategic course selection is crucial to making the most out of the new application. Work closely with your advisor (or a HPPLC or School of Nursing advisor) to choose courses which offer your re-application the greatest advantage.
• You are allowed to take the TEAS 5 exam twice. If your score the first time falls below the level of competitiveness, you can re-take the exam one time. Undertake rigorous and organized preparation, being sure to follow suggestions offered by the School of Nursing, as well as using the prep resources they suggest.
• If you do decide to re-apply, then you ought to also undertake rigorous research into other ASN and BSN programs. Under these circumstances, make it your goal to decide upon several alternative nursing programs for which you feel you could become a competitive applicant and then apply for admission to these programs at the same time you re-apply to the IUB and IUPUI programs.
  • Again, as part of your research, we urge you to look into not only BSN programs, but also ASN programs. These two-year degrees can initially shorten your time in school, and there are many BSN mobility programs, through which someone with an ASN can go on to complete their BSN. If you are not admitted to nursing the first time you apply, you cannot afford to cast a narrow net when you re-apply. Casting a wide net, and applying to many programs, will obviously increase your chances of being admitted.
  • It is important to research other programs early because some may have late fall or winter application deadlines.
  • It is also extremely important to learn what you need to do to become truly competitive and not merely eligible for admission to nursing programs. For example, contact programs and ask them if they can give an idea of what kind of CGPA or grades in prerequisite courses are generally competitive, and ask if there is anything additional you can do to increase your competitiveness. Also, other programs may have additional admission requirements you would need to fulfill during the year in which you are re-applying to IUB and IUPUI. Once you have gathered this information, meet with an advisor to plan a specific course of action.

Plan B options (researching other careers)

Some people explore other health professions, and look for programs for which they feel they can become competitive applicants. Others consider entirely different majors and careers, not necessarily healthcare-related, including programs with non-competitive admission. If you are thinking along these lines - in other words, if nursing is not something you necessarily want to pursue - then which Plan B options might suit you best depends upon your priorities, aptitudes, preferences, and specific circumstances, all of which you should discuss in detail with your academic advisor.

Some resources you might utilize if you decide to think about developing a Plan B:

• Explore Majors at IU (an award winning resource)
• http://explorehealthcareers.org
• On the Health Professions and Prelaw Center site, utilize http://hpplc.indiana.edu/ohp/, including the Health Professions Descriptions document
• IUB Career Development Center
• Occupational Outlook Handbook

 

Additional Resources

Nursing admission prerequisites for those who matriculated to IU Bloomington during or after Summer 2011

Refer to HPPLC BSN handout for students matriculating to IUB during or after Summer 2011:The curricular information contained in this handout pertains exclusively to the IUB, IUPUI, and IUPUC nursing programs. Note that HPPLC materials are not a substitute for School of Nursing resources.

Nursing admission prerequisites for those who matriculated to IU Bloomington prior to Summer 2011

Refer to HPPLC BSN handout for students matriculating to IUB prior to Summer 2011:The curricular information contained in this handout pertains exclusively to the IUB, IUPUI, and IUPUC nursing programs. Note that HPPLC materials are not a substitute for School of Nursing resources.

School of Nursing resources

If you are enrolled at Indiana University Bloomington and are interested in the nursing program, and are not currently on the prenursing email list, email Debbie Hrisomalos (IUB School of Nursing Assistant Director of Student Services) and ask her to add you to the prenursing email list. You will receive important admission, application, and policy information, as well as occasional announcements about professional development opportunities.

For policy questions (for example, How does the IUB School of Nursing treat repeated courses?), students pursuing a BSN from IUB or IUPUI should first consult the IU Bloomington School of Nursing Pre-Nursing Handbook, located on the IUB School of Nursing homepage. If you need clarification on a given policy, consult your academic advisor or a School of Nursing advisor.

Scholarships and educational grants

For suggestions and resources related to researching scholarships and grants, consult the Health Professions and Prelaw Center page, Researching Scholarships and Educational Grants.

See also the School of Nursing scholarships page, which includes information about both nursing and prenursing funding.

Helpful links

• We strongly encourage you to follow the advice on the Health Professions and Prelaw Center's Human Anatomy (ANAT-A 215) Study Tips page
• teastest.org (includes some useful, basic information about the TEAS)
• ATI (the company that designs the TEAS. Note that ATI is not the only company, nor the only website, that offers TEAS test preparation materials. Look around for the best pricing)
• Indiana Center for Nursing (formerly, nursing2000inc. Includes a list of every accredited Indiana nursing program: BSN, ASN, second degree BSN / accelerated, graduate, and more)
• International Council of Nurses (ICN)
• The Indiana Center for Nursing has an excellent list of more than 70 links to state and national nursing organizations. This list includes well-known organizations such as the American Nurses Association, as well as links to organizations for dozens of nursing fields, like surgery, nurse practitioner, AIDS care, and numerous others.
• Indiana University Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Programs (Indianapolis campus; refer to the links on the right of their page)
• Other IU graduate-level nursing programs (PhD, DNP, graduate certificates, etc.; scroll down to "Graduate Program")

Combined, the lists at the links below should include all accredited U.S. nursing programs. (Be sure any RN programs you look into are accredited with one of these commissions! If a program is not listed on one of the pages below, or on the ic4n.org page, you should probably avoid it!)

• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC)

If you are interested in other health professions

If you are interested in other health professions that are advised through HPPLC, we encourage you to sign up for the

HPPLC email list associated with your program(s) of interest. Feel free to sign up for more than one list. Also refer to the HPPLC handout Health Professions Descriptions, and use the other resources also found on our Other Health Professions page.