Hartwick College Nursing Program Review

Hartwick College (HC) is a private, four-year liberal arts and sciences college. It is non-denominational and has been in existence since 1797. Classes at the college are very small with a student-faculty radio of 11:1. There is a diverse student population of only 1,500 students that originate from 30 different states and 22 countries. There are several options that students may elect to take to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Although the college is located in a rural setting, clinical experience requires many hours of hands-on work in hospitals in nearby large city areas.

Nursing Programs

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Hartwick College offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Students may complete the program in the standard way by working for four years on their baccalaureate degree, or they may take the Accelerated 18 Month Program. The college also offers an Accelerated Summer Program. Students are expected to be high school graduates who have completed four years of English, three years of a modern or classical foreign language, three years of math, two years of laboratory science plus one additional science, two years of history, and two years of social science. SAT or ACT scores are required for nursing majors. A visit to the Hartwick campus and interview with an admissions officer is not required, but is highly recommended.

Prerequisite and co-requisite courses for nursing students include Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Basic Microbiology, Fundamentals of General Organic and Biological Chemistry, Developmental Psychology, one Sociology course, Statistics, Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. The courses in the nursing major that are required are Fundamentals of Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing I, Women’s Reproductive Health, Medical-Surgical Nursing II, and Rural Health. In addition, BSN students must take Transcultural Nursing, Pediatric Nursing, Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing, Psychosocial Nursing, Community Health, Trends & Issues in Professional Nursing, Nursing Research, Leadership & Management, Thesis, and Independent Practicum. After completing all of the coursework, students are eligible for graduation and to take the NCLEX-RN, the national exam for licensure as a Registered Nurse.

Accelerated Summer Program

Hartwick College offers an accelerated summer program for students who have begun studying in another major and want to switch to the nursing program. It is also appropriate for transfer students who have some college credits from another college, but are not yet nurses. In addition, those who want to have nursing as a second degree can benefit from this program. The advantage of the Accelerated Summer Program is that the BSN program can be completed in three years rather than four years. Students in the program take courses for the first two summers of the program. It is required that prerequisite courses have been completed before entering this program.

Accelerated 18 Month Program

This program is designed for those who have a baccalaureate degree in another discipline, or those who have a substantial amount of credits already completed on the college level. Students entering this program must have completed all prerequisite and general education requirements needed for the BSN at Hartwick College. Those admitted to this program must have a 3.0 grade point average in previously earned college credits. They must also meet the health requirements of the program and have a CPR certificate before beginning the courses. Students must carry a heavy course load in three semesters to complete this program. After 18 months and successfully completing all required courses, graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.

RN Mobility Program

Hartwick College accepts RNs who have associate degrees or who have earned a nursing diploma as candidates for a bachelor’s degree. RNs may receive credit for many of the courses that they completed for their associate degree, proving an advanced standing in the course. Students may attend classes either full-time or part-time while working towards their bachelor’s degree.

Rural Health Nursing

This experience in nursing is comprised of the Rural Health Nursing course. It lasts for four weeks and is designed to allow students to see the differences in the rural culture and how the beliefs of this group affect the health of the farmers and others who live in a rural setting. The course includes clinical experience in many settings, including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, home health care visits, and a farm where they will see the health issues that may affect those living on farms.

Transcultural Nursing

Nursing students who would like to experience life in Jamaica or the West Indies may take the Transcultural Nursing course. The focus of this course is for students to see how the culture and beliefs of a group of people affects their health. Clinical experience includes vising hospitals and clinics and teaching health at preschools.

Contact:
Hartwick College
One Hartwick College Drive,
Oneonta, New York 13820
(607) 431-4000