Nursing
College of Health and Social Sciences
Dean: Dr. Andreana Clay
School of Nursing
BH 371
Phone: (415) 338-1802
Website: http://www.nursing.sfsu.edu/
Email: nursing@sfsu.edu
Director: Dr. Elaine Musselman
Academic Nursing Programs Offered
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Prelicensure BSN: for entry into the nursing profession
- Accelerated BSN
- ADN-BSN
Master of Science in Nursing/ Post Master's Certificate
- Prelicensure: entry level into the nursing profession for students with a baccalaureate degree in another field; pre-licensure and graduate specialization components in nursing administration, adult-gerontology CNS, pediatric CNS, women's health, community health, psychiatric/mental health.
- RNs with bachelor's degrees in nursing can specialize in nursing administration, adult-gerontology CNS, pediatric CNS, women's health, community health, psychiatric, or family nurse practitioner
- Post-master's certificate: family nurse practitioner for nurses with master's or doctoral degrees
The School
Commitment and Shared Principles
The School of Nursing educates and empowers nurses to be agents of change to transform health care. We commit to co-create change by deconstructing, disrupting, and dismantling systems of oppression through the nursing profession. We foster evidence-based nursing, ethical decision-making, sound clinical judgment, leadership and holistic compassionate care using a justice perspective. We promote diversity in the nursing workforce and commit to recruit, retain, support, nurture, and mentor our students, faculty, and staff to support equity and inclusion.
Shared Principles
Using our shared principles, we confront structural, systemic, and institutional inequities in health care, education, the environment, policies, and social determinants of health affecting individuals, families, and communities. We value:
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
- Promote health equity, inclusion, justice, diversity and anti-oppressive ideologies by creating change in evolving healthcare systems. Advocate for racial and ethnic representation of the local community by increasing the number of nurses from underrepresented groups in nursing historically and systemically marginalized groups.
- Student-Centered Learning Environment
- Establish an inclusive educational setting for students with diverse learning styles and needs. Maintain a student-centered academic environment that promotes integrity, compassion, critical thinking, clinical judgment, leadership, cultural humility and a social consciousness to address health equity.
- Community
- Collaborate with local institutions, organizations, and agencies of social change in efforts to foster just and inclusive compassionate care.
- Accountability
- Creating an environment that holds individuals and communities accountable for the impact of oppressive attitudes, bias, actions and words. Committing to applying moral courage to prevent similar harms from repeating and establishing practices to move through the world with greater awareness.
Nursing Philosophy
We foster student growth and development embracing their richly diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, recognizing the individual differences in learning styles and goals and adapting support systems to help students fulfill their educational goals. Building on a foundation of knowledge from nursing and other disciplines such as psychology, sociology, philosophy, and anthropology, graduates of this program will collaborate with other healthcare disciplines (i.e., medicine, physical therapy, psychology, social work, and others) to provide compassionate and ethical care along the health-illness continuum throughout the lifespan. These educational endeavors affect the healthcare environment and positively influence the health outcomes of individuals, families, communities, and populations. We are committed to the professional development of faculty, staff, and students using our conceptual model, which guides our academic activities. We provide excellent nursing education and academic activities emphasizing patient-center care, patient safety, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, informatics, leadership and lifelong learning for the students as well as faculty and staff.
The following objectives are based on this philosophy:
- To provide curricula that reflects human diversity and encourages critical thinking, clinical judgments, and social and cultural awareness
- To provide a learning environment conducive for students with diverse learning styles and needs
- To develop clinicians, leaders, advocates, and change agents to function in evolving healthcare systems
- To increase the number of nurses from underrepresented groups in nursing
- To prepare nurses who support, use, and disseminate research in practice
- To serve the local and global community through faculty and student leadership, consultation research, and clinical practice
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework that provides the academic foundation for the nursing curriculum at the SF State School of Nursing is based on the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies. These concepts encompass patient-centered care, teamwork, and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics. This conceptual framework is based on the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) required to ensure quality care and the safety of clients and families in local and global communities in a variety of healthcare systems.
Accreditation
The undergraduate program has been approved by the Board of Registered Nursing since 1956 and was accredited by the National League for Nursing/National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission from 1961 to 2003. The school has continued to receive accreditation by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education since 2003.
Career Outlook
The Bachelor of Science degree prepares students for entry-level positions in professional nursing practice. Graduates are prepared to take a national licensure examination (NCLEX) to become registered nurses and for positions in maternity, pediatrics, medical-surgical nursing, gerontology, psychiatric/mental health, community health, long-term care, and home-care. In addition, they are eligible for public health nursing certification in California upon licensure as a registered nurse. For a person with an Associate Degree in Nursing, the Bachelor of Science (ADN-BSN) degree builds upon previous nursing education and experience for professional role development.
Master of Science graduates provide leadership and expertise in a variety of settings as expert clinicians, administrators/managers, teachers, and researchers assuring health and healthcare for people of all ages. Clinical Nurse Specialists, as expert clinicians, managers, program planners and case managers, serve specific client/patient populations in acute, chronic, inpatient, and outpatient. Graduates of the Nursing Administration emphasis hold positions in nursing management, administration, and as entrepreneurs across a variety of health care settings. Graduates prepared as family nurse practitioners hold positions in a variety of primary care and hospital settings. Graduates of all emphases are eligible for positions in program planning and evaluation and to serve as clinical faculty for schools of nursing. The master's curriculum also prepares students for entry into nursing education at the doctoral level.
Notes for Prospective Applicants
In addition to the requirements listed for each educational level in the materials that follow, there are special considerations for all nursing students:
- Informational sessions about the school and application processes will be offered. Please check the website for dates, times, and locations.
- The School of Nursing reserves the right to make changes in the admissions process or curriculum to accommodate programmatic needs. Students will be advised and assisted in making adjustments to these changes.
- Students may apply to only one of the programs offered by the school in a given admission cycle.
- Course equivalency information may be found at http://www.assist.org.
- Students must have personal health insurance.
- Prior to the beginning of each semester, students must meet specific health requirements including immunizations, tuberculosis testing, etc.
- Background checks and drug screening are required for all prelicensure students prior to starting clinical.
- Students are required to purchase specified equipment and pay laboratory fees for certain courses.
- Current Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) for healthcare providers as offered by the American Heart Association is required.
- A National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) preparation program is incorporated throughout the prelicensure nursing programs for an additional fee.
- Students must have use of an automobile for the community health nursing experience and to travel to clinical sites that may not be served by public transportation.
30 Unit LVN Option
A 30 unit LVN option is available on a space-available basis. Students must contact the School of Nursing prior to admission and registration for advising about course placement, the challenge exam process, and space availability. Upon completion of the program, the LVN will not receive a degree but will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.
Professor
Fangyu Chou (2005), Professor in Nursing. Ph.D. University of California, San Francisco.
Therese Doan (2011), Professor in Nursing. Ph.D. University of California, San Francisco.
Wen-Wen Li (2008), Professor in Nursing. Ph.D. University of California, San Francisco.
Elaine Musselman (2014), Professor in Nursing. Ph.D. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Associate Professor
Carrie H. Holschuh (2014), Associate Professor in Nursing. Ph.D. University of California San Francisco.
Jung Eun E Kim (2016), Associate Professor in Nursing. PhD. University of California, San Francisco.
Carole Kulik (2017), Associate Professor in Nursing. DNP University of San Francisco.
Stephanie Windle (2013), Associate Professor in Nursing. D.N.P. University of San Francisco.
Assistant Professor
Allison Gilchrist (2024), Assistant Professor in Nursing. Ph.D. Lancaster University, United Kingdom.
Clinical Faculty/Full-time Lecturers
Debra Bartlett, Mary Jue, Anna Kwong, Carey Martin, Marie Kay Valle
Masters
- Master of Science in Nursing
- Master of Science in Nursing (Entry Level)
- Master of Science in Nursing: Concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner
Certificates
- Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate (CPaGE)
- Pre-Nursing Certificate (CPaGE)
Credentials
- School Nurse Services Credential (CPaGE)
NURS 300 Bridge to Professional Nursing (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to ADN-BSN majors.
NURS 310 Human Development and Health Assessment Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Nursing majors; concurrent enrollment in NURS 311, NURS 314, and NURS 315.
NURS 311 Human Development and Health Assessment Lab (Units: 2)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Nursing majors: concurrent enrollment in NURS 310, NURS 312GW, NURS 314, and NURS 315.
screening tools, health information technologies, HIPAA, developmental considerations in assessment, interviewing techniques, screenings, dosage calculations, medication administration practice, and basic nursing interventions. Extra fee and nursing kit required. (Plus-minus letter grade only) [Formerly part of NURS 311]
NURS 312GW Research and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing - GWAR (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; GE Area 1A/A2; concurrent enrollment in NURS 310, NURS 311, NURS 314, and NURS 315.
Course Attributes:
- Graduation Writing Assessment
NURS 314 Health Promotion in Nursing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper division Nursing major; concurrent enrollment in NURS 315 and all first-semester Nursing courses.
NURS 315 Health Promotions in Nursing - Practicum (Units: 2)
Prerequisites: Restricted to upper-division Nursing majors; concurrent enrollment in NURS 311, NURS 312GW, and NURS 314.
NURS 326 Reproductive Health Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 1 Nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 327, NURS 328, NURS 329, NURS 350.
NURS 327 Reproductive Health Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 1 Nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 326, NURS 328, NURS 329, NURS 350.
NURS 328 Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 1 Nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 326, NURS 327, NURS 329, NURS 350.
NURS 329 Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 1 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 326, NURS 327, NURS 328, NURS 350.
NURS 350 Nursing Interventions Practicum I (Units: 2)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 1 nursing courses, concurrent enrollment in NURS 326, NURS 328.
NURS 410 Nursing Care of Children Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 2 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 411, NURS 420, NURS 421, NURS 450.
NURS 411 Nursing Care of Children Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 2 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 410, NURS 420, NURS 421, NURS 450.
NURS 420 Nursing Care of Adults Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 2 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 410, NURS 411, NURS 421, NURS 450.
NURS 421 Nursing Care of Adults Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 2 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 410, NURS 411, NURS 420, NURS 450.
NURS 450 Nursing Interventions Lab II (Units: 2)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 2 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 410, NURS 420.
NURS 520 Advanced Medical Surgical and Critical Care Nursing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 3 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 521 or NURS 523, NURS 522, NURS 530, NURS 531.
NURS 521 Advanced Medical Surgical and Critical Care Nursing Capstone Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 3 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 520, NURS 522, NURS 530, NURS 531.
NURS 522 Chronic Care and End of Life Care Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 3 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 520, NURS 530.
NURS 523 Advanced Medical Surgical and Critical Care Nursing Capstone Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 3 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 520, NURS 522, NURS 530, NURS 531.
NURS 530 Community Health and Global Perspectives Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 3 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 520, NURS 521 or NURS 523, NURS 522, NURS 531.
NURS 531 Community Health and Global Perspectives Practicum (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Nursing majors; successful completion of semester 3 nursing courses; concurrent enrollment in NURS 520, NURS 521 or NURS 523, NURS 522, NURS 530.
NURS 558 Professional Practice Concepts Theory (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to students in the ADN-BSN program.
NURS 699 Independent Study in Nursing (Units: 1-3)
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or permission of the instructor.
NURS 702 Health Systems Management (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program; NURS 706.
NURS 703 Education, Informatics, and eTechnology in Advanced Nursing Practice (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program.
NURS 706 Health Care Policy and Nursing Leadership (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to MS in Nursing or Healthcare Administration Certificate students.
NURS 708 Diagnosis and Management in Primary Care (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program and FNP emphasis.
NURS 711 Advanced Physical Assessment Across the Life Span (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program.
NURS 715 Pharmacological Principles Across the Life Span (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program.
NURS 716 Advanced Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning I (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program.
NURS 717 Advanced Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning II (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program.
NURS 720 Epidemiology and Biostatistics in Advanced Practice Nursing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program; course in inferential statistics.
NURS 721 Program Planning and Financial Management in Nursing Practice (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to MS in Nursing or Healthcare Administration Certificate students.
NURS 732 Ethics in Advanced Nursing Practice (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program.
NURS 794 Research and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to students in the M.S.N. program; permission of the instructor.
NURS 804 Professional Issues and Nurse Practitioner Skills (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Family Nurse Practitioner graduate students; NURS 810; concurrent enrollment in NURS 811 or NURS 812.
NURS 806 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Psychiatric/Mental Health (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 807 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Psychiatric/Mental Health (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 808 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Community/Public Health (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 809 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Community/Public Health (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 810 Family Nursing Practitioner Practicum I (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Family Nurse Practitioner graduate students; NURS 711.
NURS 811 Family Nursing Practitioner Practicum II (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Family Nurse Practitioner graduate students; NURS 810.
NURS 812 Family Nursing Practitioner Practicum III (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Family Nurse Practitioner graduate students; NURS 811.
NURS 813 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Neonatal (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 814 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Neonatal (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 815 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Nursing Administration (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 816 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Nursing Administration (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 817 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Women's Health/Gender-Related (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 818 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Women's Health/Gender-Related (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 819 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Adult/Gerontology (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 820 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Adult/Gerontology (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 821 Graduate Nursing Practicum I: Pediatrics (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 822 Graduate Nursing Practicum II: Pediatrics (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to Master of Science in Nursing students with the permission of an advisor.
NURS 850 Seminar in Specialized Nursing Practice: School Nursing I (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Admission to the School Nurse Credential Program.
NURS 851 Seminar in Specialized Nursing Practice: School Nursing II (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to School Nurse Services Credential students; NURS 850.
NURS 852 Advanced Pediatric Health Assessment (Units: 3)
Prerequisite: Admission to the School Nurse Credential Program.
NURS 853 Vision Screening (Unit: 1)
Prerequisite: Admission to the School Nurse Credential program.
NURS 854 Immunizations and the Role of the School Nurse (Units: 2)
Prerequisite: Admission to the School Nurse Credential Program.
NURS 855 School Health Policy and Leadership (Units: 4)
Prerequisite: Restricted to School Nurse Services Credential students.
NURS 856 Practicum in Specialized Nursing Processes: School Nursing (Units: 4)
Prerequisites: Restricted to School Nurse Services Credential students; NURS 850; concurrent enrollment in NURS 851.
NURS 895 Applied Research in Nursing (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Permission of advisor, department chair, committee, and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies.
NURS 897 Research in Nursing (Units: 1-3)
Prerequisites: Advancement To Candidacy (ATC) on file and departmental approval.
NURS 898 Master's Thesis (Units: 3)
Prerequisites: Permission of the advisor, department chair, committee, and approval of Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Culminating Experience (CE) forms by Graduate Studies. ATC and Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement forms must be approved by the Graduate Division before registration.
NURS 899 Independent Study (Units: 1-3)
Prerequisite: Permission of the graduate major adviser and supervising faculty member.