For students who hold a Bachelor’s degree in another discipline and are interested in pursuing a career in Nursing, this program is a 15 month program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.
In addition to being mission-centric with a focus on holistic education and care and concern for the ‘Dear Neighbor’ without distinction, these nursing programs are unique in implementation, by factoring in thinking on nursing education in a way that is fresh, new, and beneficial to nursing students and the patients they will one day treat.
According to the student handbook, “The nursing program at Chestnut Hill College recognizes and values the holistic nature of individuals, families, communities, and our earth who are entrusted to our care. We believe that central to every successful nurse-patient encounter lies an appreciation for the sanctity of human dignity.”
Understanding the value of clinical education and real-world experience, the College’s nursing program will be presented in an immersive format, making it stand out from other such programs. Unlike a traditional model where students spend most of their time in the classroom, our program will see students spend three to four days a week in classroom instruction during the first six weeks of the semester, followed by consecutive days of patient care in as many clinical areas as possible, for the rest of the term.
To accomplish this, the College has several agreements with local hospitals and healthcare facilities. Included among them is St. Joseph Villa, which allows the College to further support its mission as a sponsored work of the SSJs. The Ambassador’s Fund for Catholic Education has provided a grant in support of this expanded partnership.
Working with the Villa also fulfills a key tenant of the new nursing program, an intentional focus on current and emerging health needs specific to adults as they age. Recent census data notes that the 65-and-older population is growing, underlying the importance of coursework that specifically addresses social, economic, and lifestyle needs of this population. The College’s nursing program aims to educate students on these specific needs and the health and pathology unique to senior citizens.
Also setting Chestnut Hill College’s nursing program apart from its contemporaries is a dedicated and intentional focus on self-care. In partnership with the College’s Counseling Center, programs of meditation, reflection, relaxation, yoga, stress recognition and stress reduction are available to students. The importance of self-care is also built into the program and student learning outcomes, and evaluation measures.
Chestnut Hill College’s curriculum will focus on preparing nurses who are practice ready to prevent illness and manage disease across the lifespan by assuring that our students have immersive clinical experiences, current knowledge to prepare them for an aging population and perhaps most important, the skills and knowledge to care for themselves so as to prevent burnout and compassion fatigue in this demanding career.
Renovations are underway on the College’s brand new Nursing Clinical Arts Center, which will open in Fall 2025. Much of these renovations will take place on the College’s SugarLoaf campus, which will be home to the new program. The former conference center will be transformed into a state-of-the-art instructional facility that includes a new basic skills lab, teaching and office spaces, and a health assessment lab, among other spaces. In addition, the College is upgrading existing science labs at Saint Joseph Hall on its main campus to coincide with the launch of nursing and the creation of the Regina Cuta-Papa, M.D., endowed professors of biology and chemistry. View renderings of the renovations below.
