{"id":2218,"date":"2025-04-22T13:36:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T18:36:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/?page_id=2218"},"modified":"2026-07-12T15:58:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T20:58:34","slug":"nursing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/","title":{"rendered":"Department of Nursing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Welcome to Nursing<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAbout Nursing<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tNursing Admissions<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tClinicals<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\n\t<\/div> \n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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Welcome to the Pre-Licensure Nursing Program. This program is designed for students that wish to pursue a baccalaureate degree in nursing and eventual licensure as a Registered Nurse. The nursing program combines a liberal arts education with the acquisition of professional knowledge and nursing skills.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t

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Why Choose St. Olaf Nursing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We prepare students to apply knowledge and think critically, communicate effectively, act ethically, and advocate for equity to enhance the well-being of all people within dynamic, complex healthcare systems through commitment to the vocation of professional nursing.\u00a0 Our graduates are also prepared to work collaboratively to implement therapeutic nursing interventions for all individuals, families, communities, and populations within standards of professional nursing practice.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t

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Licensure and Accreditation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at St. Olaf College is accredited by the\u00a0Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education<\/a>\u00a0and is approved by the\u00a0Minnesota Board of Nursing<\/a>. Nursing program graduates are eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination \u2013 Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) offered by the\u00a0National Council of State Boards of Nursing.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

The St. Olaf Nursing program meets the requirements to apply for licensure in all states, with the exception of California and Virginia.\u00a0 The California and Virginia boards of nursing determine eligibility for licensure based on a completed transcript.\u00a0 Therefore, St. Olaf College cannot determine whether completion of the educational program meets the educational requirements for these states.\u00a0 Prospective students are encouraged to contact the California and Virginia Board of Nursing.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t

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Nursing Program Requirements<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
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There are requirements for students in the nursing program that are in addition to the academic criteria.\u00a0 Minnesota state law and clinical agency contractual agreements dictate these requirements.\u00a0 The contracts include specific stipulations for the protection of patients, faculty, and students.<\/h5>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div> \n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tAcademic Catalog<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tTechnical Standards<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\n\t<\/div> \n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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\n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tAcademic Requirements\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
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All students applying (direct admit and regular admit) must meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n

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  1. Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.<\/li>\n
  2. Meet Technical Standards.<\/li>\n
  3. Prerequisite courses for nursing must be taken for a letter grade with a minimum grade of C.<\/li>\n
  4. Before the January term of their sophomore year, students must complete the following four courses (or their approved prerequisite equivalent):\u00a0 Bio 140, Bio 143, Chem 122 or 125, Psych 125 and at least one of the following:\u00a0 Nurs 110, Psych 241, or a designated Soan course.<\/li>\n
  5. The remaining prerequisite courses must be completed, and official transcripts received by the St. Olaf registrar, before the beginning of the fall semester of the junior year.<\/li>\n
  6. Students who earn a grade below C in a required prerequisite course may repeat the course once to achieve a higher grade.\u00a0 Any repeated course must be completed with a minimum grade of C prior to the nursing major application deadline.<\/li>\n
  7. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the nursing major.<\/li>\n
  8. Direct admit students:\u00a0 if the above criteria are not met, you will not be granted admission.\u00a0 You are welcome to apply the following year through the regular admission process.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The nursing major begins in the spring semester of the sophomore year.\u00a0 Please visit the Academic Catalog for further information regarding requirements for the nursing major.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n

    \n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tAnnual Exam, Immunizations, Tuberculosis (TB) Testing, Flu Shot\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
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    To be eligible to attend clinicals, clinical sites require students to provide health and immunization documentation to the nursing department annually prior to the junior and senior years in the nursing program.\u00a0 Costs associated with this requirement are the responsibility of the student.<\/p>\n

    Documentation includes receiving an annual exam with a healthcare provider, completing TB testing with a negative result, receiving the seasonal flu shot, and submitting documentation of the following immunizations: immunity to Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (Chicken Pox), Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis B.<\/p>\n

    These requirements are in addition to the St. Olaf College health requirements.\u00a0 Additional testing and\/or immunizations may be required by clinical sites.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n

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    Students must be CPR certified by completing a Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers course according to American Heart Association or American Red Cross guidelines.\u00a0 The course must include resuscitation of children and adults, one and two-person rescue techniques, and AED use. CPR certification must be valid for two (2) years.\u00a0 A course for one (1) year will not be accepted.<\/p>\n

    Resources for finding an approved course include the\u00a0American Heart Association<\/a>, the\u00a0American Red Cross<\/a> and St. Olaf Emergency Medical Technicians (SOEMTS)<\/a><\/p>\n

    Students will be required to submit a copy of their active CPR BLS certificate or card to the nursing department prior to attending clinicals.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n

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    Minnesota law requires the St. Olaf College Nursing Department to conduct a criminal background study for nursing students who will be providing direct contact services (care of patients) in clinicals.\u00a0 The background study is conducted by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and will be submitted upon a student’s entrance to the nursing program.<\/p>\n

    The study involves a review of specific records and will determine if a student is eligible to provide direct contact services (care of patients).\u00a0 Eligible students will be issued a Clearance Letter from DHS, which is required for students prior to attending clinicals.<\/p>\n

    St. Olaf College pays for the background study.\u00a0 The student is responsible for the fingerprinting fee, if fingerprinting is deemed necessary by DHS.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n

    \n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tStudent Expenses\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
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    Students in the nursing program will incur expenses in addition to the comprehensive fee.\u00a0 These are costs that students will have to pay for themselves throughout the nursing major and are associated with the requirements of the major.<\/p>\n

    Some examples include the costs associated with an annual exam and immunizations, TB testing, CPR certification, fingerprinting fee associated with the criminal background study, purchasing nursing uniforms, transportation costs to clinicals, textbooks, and the annual nursing fee.<\/p>\n

    The annual nursing fee is a specific, separate charge appearing on the college tuition statement.\u00a0 It is assessed by the College Provost, Chief Financial Officer, and the Nursing Department Chair, and covers the expense of professional liability insurance.\u00a0 We are required to have this coverage for all nursing students for protection in case of errors of commission or omission during clinicals.\u00a0 In 2025-26, the fee was $1,500.\u00a0 Please note that the fee amount is subject to change.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7458,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/page-full-width.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2218","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2218"}],"version-history":[{"count":80,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2218\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2709,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2218\/revisions\/2709"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/nursing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}