Loyola University

Nursing Programs Offered

Accelerated BSN Programs
Adult Health Nursing - Master's degree
BSN Programs
Clinical Nurse Specialist - Master's degree
Critical Care Nursing - Master's degree
DNP Programs (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
Family Practice Nurse/Nurse Practitioner - Master's degree
Nursing Administration - Master's degree
Nursing Science - Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Nursing Science - Master's degree
RN Programs
RN to BSN Programs
RN to MSN Programs

BSN Program Details

The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing’s undergraduate program educates and graduates competent and caring nursing professionals. The academic program teaches the skills required for nursing and helps students develop the abilities to think critically, to analyze complex situations, to make sound clinical decisions and to deliver safe nursing care.

The program is a four year direct entry bachelor’s degree program designed to effectively teach students the required skills and knowledge to become a Registered Nurse.

Clinical Simulation Learning Laboratory

The Clinical Simulation Learning Laboratory (CSLL) gives students the opportunity to learn basic clinical skills in a comfortable, non-threatening environment prior to entering patient care settings. Faculty and experienced laboratory instructors use state-of-the-art video and computer teaching tools to assist in developing nursing knowledge.

Clinical Rotations

With the solid foundation of theory and clinical skills learned in the classroom and the CSLL, students complete seven clinical rotations in a variety of settings that include:

-Loyola University Health System, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Rush North Shore Medical Center, Children’s Memorial Hospital, Mac Neal Health Network, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
-Selected long-term care facilities and senior centers.
-School-based health centers such as Proviso East High School.
-Psychiatric settings and other medical facilities.

Students begin clinical rotations during the final three weeks of the GNUR 208 L course. The three day rotation is designed to get students acclimated to working in a clinical setting. It is also an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom and GNUR 208 L to real life settings.

After the initial clinical experience, students will begin attending clinical rotations twice weekly. Rotations are generally scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can occur in the morning or the evening. Morning clinical rotations occur from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and evening clinical rotations occur from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Please note that listed scheduling information is typical but is subject to change.

MSN Program Details

This Master of Science in Nursing program prepares professional nurses to assume leadership roles at an advanced practice level in the care of critically ill or injured patients and their families. Within this major, students can choose either the acute-care nurse practitioner (ACNP) and/or the clinical nursing specialist (CNS) role.

Within the acute-care nurse practitioner option, students can concentrate in either the emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) subspecialty or the critical-care subspecialty. ACNP and ENP students have the option of taking additional clinical and adding the CNS portion to their existing program. Each role shares a blend of practice, education, consultation and collaboration. After completing the program, students will be prepared to practice at an advanced practice level in a critical-care, emergency-care or acute-care setting.

Curriculum

The Acute Care Nursing specialty tracks consist of 42 to 49 semester hours of study. The program plan provides students with core nursing courses, specialty courses, and clinical courses required for advanced practice certification and licensure. For more information, please see ACN program plans for each program (linked above).

Clinical Experience Requirement

2,000 hours of recent clinical nursing experience is required prior to beginning the first practicum in the nursing specialty to which you are applying.

Accelerated BSN Program Details

The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing is the oldest baccalaureate program in the State of Illinois, admitting its first BSN class in 1935. The program has since expanded to include a range of educational options including BA, MA, PhD degrees.

The undergraduate program educates and graduates competent and caring nursing professionals. The academic program teaches the skills required for nursing and helps students develop the abilities to think critically, to analyze complex situations, to make sound clinical decisions and to deliver safe nursing care.

Accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (A.B.S.N)

The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (A.B.S.N.) program accepts students who hold non-nursing bachelor’s degrees. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in all college work completed and 32 hours of prerequisite coursework are required for application to this program. The sequence of courses in nursing is offered in a 16 months, full-time day program.

The nursing portion of the program is identical to the traditional B.S.N., only compressed. Students in the B.S.N. program have the same quality faculty and experiences as other students in the School of Nursing. However, the core requirements and prerequisites are slightly different.

Clinical Simulation Learning Laboratory

The Clinical Simulation Learning Laboratory (CSLL) gives students the opportunity to learn basic clinical skills in a comfortable, non-threatening environment prior to entering patient care settings. Faculty and experienced laboratory instructors use state-of-the-art video and computer teaching tools to assist in developing nursing knowledge.

Clinical Rotations

With the solid foundation of theory and clinical skills learned in the classroom and the CSLL, students complete eight clinical rotations in a variety of settings that include:

-Loyola University Health System, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Rush North Shore Medical Center, Children’s Memorial Hospital, Mac Neal Health Network, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.
-Selected long-term care facilities and senior centers.
-School-based health centers such as Proviso East High School.
-Psychiatric settings and other medical facilities.

ABSN students begin clinical rotations during the final three weeks of the GNUR 208 L course. The three day rotation is designed to get students acclimated to working in a clinical setting. It is also an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom and GNUR 208 L to real life settings.

After the initial clinical experience, students will begin attending clinical rotations twice weekly. Rotations are generally scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can occur in the morning or the evening. Morning clinical rotations occur from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and evening clinical rotations occur from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Please note that listed scheduling information is typical but is subject to change.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Details

Loyola University Chicago’s Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing is pleased to announce its new program for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students. The DNP is a practice-focused degree designed to provide additional knowledge and skills so that nurses may further enhance the health and well being of the individuals and communities with whom they work. The changing demands of the nation’s complex healthcare environment require the highest level of scientific knowledge and practice expertise to assure high quality patient outcomes. The DNP curriculum builds on current master’s programs and provides education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems thinking. The DNP program enables nurses to become expert nurse leaders and collaborators in solving problems in health care systems.

As the terminal degree for nurses, a DNP offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. The DNP program provides advanced practice nurses (APN), including nurse administrators, with the knowledge and skill for providing innovative leadership to the profession and for ensuring high quality health care across all settings through the dissemination of evidence-based practice initiatives to patients, families, communities and populations. These DNP leaders will be well-positioned for advancing the practice and translating the science of nursing as nursing leaders, clinical faculty, and/or practitioners.

Loyola’s program is designed as a two-year, post-MSN cohort program. Courses are scheduled for 6 SH per semester, including summer, which makes the student eligible for traineeships for full time study. Courses are offered primarily online, with a required two-three day class incorporating course work, seminars, and presentations held once each semester at the Loyola University Health Sciences Campus in Maywood, IL.

Loyola’s DNP program centers on the “Health of the Public” and the translation of evidence-based practices to improve outcomes. The program focuses on populations at risk for disease, populations that are experiencing alterations in health, populations across the nation and globe, and systems that promote safe and efficient health care environments. The program emphasizes leadership in the implementation of transformational change in the student’s area of practice. Completion of a faculty-supervised capstone project provides opportunity for students to demonstrate this expertise.

The MNSON continues to be a leader in APN education across the nation, graduating approximately 45 to 50 APNs each year. The MNSON began offering the DNP degree in 2009. Admission is competitive, based on the strength of application materials and interview.