If there was ever a time we needed nurses who were compassionate, resilient and showed grit and determination under duress, it’s today. The aging of our population, the increasing threat of disease, and the strain put on our hospitals and frontline workers due to the recent pandemic are just three reasons they are needed now more than ever.
You can be the one who steps up and answers the call.
George Fox University ranks among the 2022‑23U.S. News and World Report’s
A nursing education at George Fox strikes a balance between caring for others and sound scientific knowledge. Beyond book smarts and clinical training, we place a high priority on developing compassionate caregivers who see patients not as numbers, but as people.
Here, you will gain a quality nursing education in order to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and populations. You will be trained to make a difference. To offer hope and healing to the world.
Where to Serve? Options Abound
Our graduates go on to work in hospitals, research facilities, community-based clinics, doctors’ offices and in missions roles overseas. They are also equipped to pursue graduate education and fulfill the need for nurses in advanced practice, higher education and management.
CCNE Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at George Fox University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://ccneaccreditation.org).
The baccalaureate program is also approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN). Upon completion of the nursing program, you will be prepared to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and enter into nursing practice.
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Why Study Nursing at George Fox?
You will receive a Christ-centered nursing education – one in which biblical principles of compassion and caring are integrated into your course of study.
You will be personally known by faculty members whose goal is to help you be successful in the program. Knowing you, our students, equips us to maximize your learning potential and facilitate appropriate strategies if you experience challenges.
You will engage in seven unique clinical experiences throughout the program in a variety of healthcare settings and specialties, as well as multiple simulated patient experiences.
We have a nursing peer mentoring program to help you along your journey. Our major is rigorous, but you are never alone. We will do all we can to help you succeed!
We have a high NCLEX-RN pass rate and a low attrition rate.
Dispelling Some Myths
It’s true: There are some myths out there about the nursing profession and the life of a nursing student. We’d like to address a few of them here:
Myth: All new nursing graduates must work in acute care. Fact: Not true. Our graduates can work in a variety of healthcare settings, many of which are not connected with a hospital.
Myth: As a student, you can't do nursing and play sports or do music. Fact: You can, it just takes intentional planning and strong organization and prioritization skills.
Myth: Nurses are subservient to physicians. Fact: ALL healthcare disciplines are important and valued.
Myth: Nursing is studying medicine. Fact: Nursing studies nursing and healthcare. Medicine is a narrow term more for physicians and physician assistants. Healthcare is all-encompassing.
Structure and function of the human body. Fall semester topics include basic chemistry, body organization, integument, skeleton, muscles, and the nervous system, including special senses. The course is designed for nonscience majors. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Additional course fee is required.
Structure and function of the human body. Spring semester topics include cardiovascular, reproductive, endocrine, respiratory, urinary, and digestive systems. The course is designed for nonscience majors. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: BIOL 221 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, or permission from instructor. Additional course fee is required.
A course in the structure, metabolism, classification and health aspects of microorganisms. Special emphasis will be given to human-microbe interactions and clinical aspects of infection. Methods of microbiological investigation are emphasized and include current techniques and experiences within the field of Microbiology. Course designed for students not majoring in biology.
Pre-requisites: BIOL 221 Human Anatomy and Physiology I; BIOL 222 Human Anatomy and Physiology II and CHEM 150 Foundations of General, Organic, and Biochemistry; or permission of the instructor. Additional course fee required.
This course covers intermediate principles of chemistry. Special emphasis is placed on those aspects of general and organic chemistry that are pertinent to biochemistry. This course provides a background for students with interests in prenursing, nutrition, and related allied health areas. (This course does not meet the requirements for science majors.) Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Successful completion of MATH 180 College Algebra (or equivalent).
This course introduces students to the professional, personal, and spiritual dimensions of communication. By identifying how to live out one’s faith in interpersonal relationships, through public presentations, and by engaging in mediated communication, students will be encouraged to pursue clarity in communication motivated by the question: how do we better understand others and help them to understand us?
An algebra course designed for students who have a good background in high school algebra and are prepared to cover the major topics of algebra in more depth and breadth. Applications of algebra will be emphasized in this course. This course does not serve as a prerequisite for the calculus sequence.
Prerequisite: high school algebra or equivalent.
This introductory course provides an overview of the fundamental concepts of human nutrition. Subject matter includes descriptions, functions, and sources of nutrients, digestion and absorption, and effects of deficiencies and toxicities. Wellness-based concepts such as dietary guidelines, energy balance and weight control, and the role of nutrition in health and disease are also explored. Prerequisite: BIOL 221 Human Anatomy and Physiology I.
An introduction to the scientific study of human behavior. Major topics include the biological bases of behavior, sensation, perception, thinking, learning, memory, development, emotion, motivation, personality, social interaction, and abnormal behavior. Prerequisite to most other psychology courses.
A study of physical, intellectual, personality, social, and moral development from infancy to old age. Will not count as part of the psychology major. Students who take PSYC 310 are not eligible to take PSYC 311, PSYC 314 or PSYC 312 without instructor permission. Prerequisite: PSYC 150 General Psychology.
What are we here for? How should we live? What does a good life look like today? Answering those questions begins with the commandments to love God and neighbor, and this class aims to help students properly order their loves in light of contemporary challenges and vocational goals. The class equips students to reason well about ethics and to think critically about a variety of ethical systems and positions.
How can the way we write form us morally? How can we, by caring for words, steward the truth in a "post-truth" society? This course concentrates on the writing, arguing, and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in an academic and professional environment, including research strategies relevant for contemporary writing contexts. By practicing the habits and strategies of successful writing, students learn to listen humbly, draft patiently, and argue lovingly. Enrollment is capped at 20 students per section, and students must enroll in the course by their third semester at George Fox.
Statistical procedures with applications in management and economics. Emphasis on the development of a basic knowledge of the statistical tools available for analysis of problems and decision making. Prerequisite: MATH 180 College Algebra or higher math course.
An introduction to probability and statistics with content and application directed toward the natural and physical sciences. Topics to be covered include methods of describing data, probability, random variables and their distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, linearregression, and correlation. Prerequisite: MATH 180 College Algebra or equivalent.
Applied statistics for the social and behavioral sciences. Emphasis is placed on statistical logic and decision making. Prerequisite: High school algebra or equivalent.
Applied statistics for the social and behavioral sciences. Emphasis is placed on statistical logic and decision making. Recommended for the sophomore or junior year. Required for social work majors. (Identical to SWRK 340) Prerequisites: SOCI 150 Principles of Sociology and high school algebra.
Applied statistics for the social and behavioral sciences. Emphasis is placed on statistical logic and decision making. Recommended for the sophomore or junior year. Required for sociology and social work majors. (Identical to SOCI 340.)
Prerequisites: SOCI 150 Principles of Sociology and high school algebra.
This course focuses on conceptual understanding of pathophysiology and associated clinical manifestations of disease, with an emphasis on effective and ineffective adaptation to internal and external environments. This course will explore alterations to the human body at cellular, organ, and systemic levels within the framework of concepts of health and illness. Discussions and applied materials will be directed primarily toward nursing students but may also be useful to others wishing to explore healthcare-related fields. Prerequisites: Semester I standing in the Nursing Program or instructor permission for non-nursing students.
This course provides an overview of the therapeutic use of drugs on humans. Principles of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics are examined from a conceptual perspective. The molecular and cellular mechanisms of drug action will be explored, as well as specific drug adverse reactions along with appropriate nursing interventions related to medication administration and relevant patient education. Application of nursing pharmacology knowledge is made to clients with selected health and illness problems. Prerequisite: Semester I standing in the Nursing Program or instructor permission for non-nursing students.
This course presents concepts of professional nursing practice emphasizing the role of the nurse as a provider of Christ-centered patient care, member of the health care team, patient safety advocate, coordinator of quality patient care, and critical thinker. Ethical and legal standards of nursing practice across complex and emerging health care settings are explored. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester I standing in the Nursing Program.
This course provides the beginning concepts and principles for the professional nurse across the healthcare continuum. Students will apply health assessment and fundamental skills utilizing the nursing process and clinical judgment model. Students learn foundational nursing knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to promote physical, biopsychosocial, cultural and spiritual health and wellness across the lifespan. Students integrate and apply clinical judgment principles in delivering basic nursing care. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester I standing in the Nursing Program.
This course focuses on nursing care of people experiencing health alterations across the health care continuum. Students will integrate knowledge of clinical data, pharmacologic concepts, and assessment findings to plan, prioritize, implement, and evaluate nursing care. Students will advance their professional role; incorporating clinical judgment with evidence-based practice to ensure quality and safety in patient-centered care. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester II standing in the Nursing Program.
Focuses on the nursing care of clients with acute and chronic mental illnesses. Promotion, maintenance and restoration of mental health are addressed. Professional, legal and ethical issues in mental health nursing are examined. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester II standing in the Nursing Program.
This course is designed to teach evidence-based practice (EBP) skills facilitating continuous quality improvement in nursing practice. Focus is placed on the cyclical process of identifying clinical questions, critically analyzing and synthesizing evidence for potential solutions/innovations, planning and implementing practice changes, evaluating the outcomes, and identifying additional gaps in nursing knowledge. Integration of existing evidence with clinical judgment, patient preferences, interprofessional perspectives, and other resources forms the basis for the clinical decision-making process that is inherent in improving patient, population, and organizational outcomes. Prerequisite: Semester II standing in the Nursing Program.
Previous knowledge, skills and professional values are integrated into specialized maternal-child nursing practice. Normal physiological as well as disease processes affecting childbearing women and child-rearing families are examined with an emphasis on health promotion, health maintenance, and whole-person care. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester III standing in the Nursing Program.
This course explores contemporary trends and issues influencing current nursing practice. Major foci include the evolution of nursing within changing health care environments, cultural humility with an emphasis on nursing care among diverse and vulnerable populations, and the nurse's role in responding to and creating healthy workplace environments. Prerequisite: Semester III standing in the Nursing Program.
This course prepares students to apply concepts and processes of population health nursing, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations. In the clinical component of this course, students will work with community partners to assess and meet population needs. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester IV standing in the Nursing Program.
This course continues with the focus on nursing care of people experiencing health alterations across the health care continuum. Students will integrate knowledge of clinical data, pharmacologic concepts, and assessment findings to plan, prioritize, implement, and evaluate increasingly complex nursing care. Students will expand their professional role and leadership capabilities, incorporating clinical judgment with evidence-based practice to ensure quality and safety in patient-centered care. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester III standing in the Nursing Program.
The study of the leadership and management roles and functions filled by professional, registered nurses in a broad range of health care organizations and settings. Focus is on learning and applying core concepts of nursing leadership and management, and the requisite skills of effective nurse leaders/managers. The influence on nursing practice of theoretical, legal, ethical, economic, sociological, cultural and regulatory factors in the ever-changing health care system is examined. Students will have the opportunity to explore their personal and professional perceptions of how nursing leaders/managers impact nursing practice and patient care outcomes. Course should be taken the last semester of a students senior year in the program. Co-requisite: NURS 490 Nursing Capstone.
Prerequisites: NURS 302 Nursing Care of Adults with Complex Conditions, NURS 411 Mental Health, NURS 430 Population Nursing and senior standing in Nursing Program.
Students in this course will demonstrate successful completion of all College of Nursing program outcomes while working with multiple clients or populations. Students synthesize didactic and clinical learning, fully integrating the clinical judgment model, Baccalaureate Essentials, Scope and Standards of Practice, Nursing Code of Ethics, and Quality and Safety in Nursing Education Competencies into nursing practice across the healthcare continuum. This course prepares the student for successful transition into the professional nurse role. Additional course fee is required. Prerequisite: Semester IV standing in the Nursing Program.
Applying to the Nursing Program
In addition to applying to George Fox, nursing students also apply for admission to the nursing program.
During my time in the George Fox School of Nursing, I have learned how to holistically assess and care for patients. Any school can teach you how to be a nurse, but George Fox’s Be Known promise and Christ-centered approach to patient care truly sets us apart.
What’s after George Fox
Registered nurses (RNs) constitute the largest healthcare occupation in the United States, with 2.6 million jobs. Registered nurses have the opportunity to work in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings, including hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, nursing homes, community settings and academic institutions.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, adding a projected 221,900 jobs in the United States over this period.
In Oregon, projections show that, between 2017 and 2027, the state will need an additional 26,600 RNs over a 10-year period to fill new jobs due to growth within the industry and to replace current RNs who leave their positions (Oregon Employment Department, 2018).
Cross-cultural study nursing experience in Kenya (when permissible)
Clinical experience in rural and urban settings
800 to 1,000 hours of clinical experience outside the classroom, including hospitals, clinics, home health and hospice, local schools, and correctional facilities
Nursing students finish strong, step up during COVID-19 crisis
This wasn’t the way it was supposed to end. With seven weeks left in the semester, there were critical exams to prepare for and clinical placements to complete. And, for those graduating, there was the highly anticipated pinning ceremony to look forward to – the culmination of four years of toil, when family and friends would gather round, cameras in hand, to celebrate this most impressive of accomplishments.
Then, almost without warning, plans changed. The threat of COVID-19 triggered an international call to stay home. Businesses closed. Sporting events and social gatherings were canceled. And students across the nation – including those in George Fox’s highly hands-on nursing major – were asked to give up in-person instruction and master remote learning. For senior nursing students, the urgency to graduate and enter the field was greater than ever.
