Bachelor of Nursing Science

The program of study for the undergraduate degree program consists of two tracks:

1. The Four-Year Track of study is for secondary school graduates and students with some university education. This track of study is 4 years in length.
2. The Accelerated Standing Track of study is for students who have completed at least 60.0 units of graded university credits and certain pre-requisite courses (equivalent to 2 years of full-time studies). The program is 2 calendar years in length (including Summer terms) and students are required to take a full-time course load. All courses must be taken at Queen’s University. A maximum of 33.0 units will be transferred from previous university studies upon admission to the Accelerated Standing Track (AST).

Graduates of these two tracks may apply to the regulatory body of the province in which they plan to work in order to secure registration to practice with the title “Registered Nurse.”

Students are expected to complete the courses within the track to which they were accepted.

Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) Program Goals

1.   Cultivate ethical nursing practice through social justice, advocacy and application of I-EDIAA principles across diverse healthcare contexts.
2.   Strengthen clinical judgement through systematic inquiry, critical reflection and integration of evidence informed approaches.
3.   Promote relational and therapeutic communication across the spectrum of professional interactions and care environments.
4.   Embed health promotion strategies and advance person-centered approaches that honour diverse lived experiences, narratives and ways of knowing across all health care contexts.
5.   Foster professional identity, leadership, innovation, and lifelong professional growth.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the BNSc program will:
1.   Demonstrate competent, professional, and culturally sensitive nursing care in response to changing needs of society and according to prevailing legal and ethical standards.
2.   Apply critical thinking, problem-solving and scientific inquiry in the practice of nursing, and in monitoring and ensuring quality of health care practices.
3.   Establish effective communication and collaboration in relationships with clients* and health care professionals.
4.   Implement nursing knowledge and skills in partnership with clients* and health care professionals to maintain and promote health and well-being and provide care and support during illness.
5.   Employ population-based and intersectoral approaches to assess, protect and promote the health of communities.
6.   Analyze how specific environments and socio-political conditions affect health behaviour and influence professional practice and public policy.
7.   Utilize leadership and managerial abilities and political skills to attain quality care for clients* and quality of work-life for themselves and their co-workers.
8.   Practice in self-directed learning, reflective, and evidence-informed practice.
* Clients are defined as individuals, families, communities, and populations.