Boston College Connell School of Nursing: A Comprehensive Overview

The Boston College Connell School of Nursing (CSON), established in 1947, has a rich history of preparing compassionate and competent nurses. Rooted in Jesuit, Catholic ideals, the school focuses on developing the whole person and promoting social justice, educating students to be reflective lifelong learners who use knowledge in service to others. CSON is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Historical Overview

In response to the need for a Catholic collegiate school of nursing in the Greater Boston area, Boston College inaugurated the School of Nursing. Archbishop Richard J. Cushing helped to create a program in February 1947 that led to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing for registered nurses. In September 1947, a five-year basic collegiate program was introduced for high school graduates, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science. Beginning in September 1950, a four calendar-year basic collegiate program was initiated, and in 1957 this was shortened to four academic years.

In the spring of 1960, the School of Nursing moved from downtown Boston to the Chestnut Hill campus and occupied its own building, a gift from Richard Cardinal Cushing. The school was renamed in 2003 after Boston College alumnus and businessman William F. Connell.

Boston College began offering graduate courses in 1952. In the spring of 1956, nursing sought to bring its program into conformity with the standards of the profession and proposed a Master of Science degree in Nursing, with a minor in education. Boston College began awarding the Master of Science degree in Nursing in 1958. The Ph.D. program, approved by the board of trustees in September 1986, began in fall 1988. Ten students were admitted in the program's initial year; the program expanded to 30 students at the end of three years. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program was initiated in 2019. This terminal, practice-focused doctoral program prepares Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) as Nurse Practitioners and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs). In the 1993-94 academic year, there was a general reorganization of graduate arts and sciences and the schools of nursing and education assumed administration of the graduate programs in their respective areas.

Early Years and Evolution

Founded in 1947, the School of Nursing saw its first cohort of 35 registered nurses enroll in a Bachelor of Science program. This marked the beginning of a journey to provide high-quality nursing education under Catholic auspices. Mary Maher was appointed dean in November 1946. Nursing students had to commute to Chestnut Hill on Tuesdays and Thursdays to take their lab classes in Devlin Hall. Rita P. Kelleher was the Dean Rita P.

Initially located in downtown Boston, the school expanded its offerings to include a master's program in 1958 and a Ph.D. program in 1988, making Boston College the first Jesuit university to offer a doctorate in nursing.

Mission and Values

The mission of the Boston College Connell School of Nursing is to prepare compassionate, professionally competent nurses whose practice and scholarship are scientifically based and grounded in humanizing the experience of health and illness. In keeping with the University's Jesuit, Catholic ideals, we focus on formation of the whole person and promotion of social justice. The Connell School of Nursing educates students as reflective lifelong learners who use knowledge in service to others. The faculty develops and disseminates knowledge for the advancement of professional nursing practice and the improvement of health and health care for a diverse global society.

The graduate of the baccalaureate program is prepared as a generalist who promotes, maintains, and restores the health of individuals, families, and communities/populations across the lifespan through evidence-based practice. The graduate of the master’s program is prepared as an advanced generalist nurse with disciplinary knowledge and skill to improve the delivery of care through leadership, mentorship, and evidence-based practice. The graduate of the doctorate in nursing practice program is prepared for the advanced practice role and is eligible for national certification in a specialty area. The graduate of the Ph.D. Nursing is the art and science of human caring.

The recipients of nursing care are individuals, families, aggregates of people, and communities/populations who are sick and well; culturally and linguistically diverse; within all socioeconomic strata; and at all stages in the life cycle.

Core Values

The Boston College Connell School of Nursing instills the values of service to others, truth through scholarly inquiry, and justice through promoting equal access to care for all people. Service, scholarship, and justice in caring include all people in the global community, particularly the underserved. The faculty believe that promoting the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of health are essential to understanding the human dimension of holistic nursing care. Nurses engage in partnerships with individuals and groups to promote and optimize wellness. The nurse respects the uniqueness of the person and the individual’s right to choose and actively participate in decisions about health care. Nursing promotes self-determination by empowering clients and advocating for those who cannot do so independently.

The study of nursing is based on a common intellectual heritage transmitted by a liberal education and the art and science of nursing. Nursing focuses on the life processes and patterns of the individual in the context of the family and the community and also the health needs of the population. Nursing recognizes the contribution of cultural diversity and social environments to the health/illness beliefs, practices, and behavioral responses of individuals and groups. Nursing education prepares students for the appropriate level of knowledge and skills by building on the liberal arts and sciences. Nursing curricula are logically ordered to provide core knowledge and opportunity for the application of that knowledge. The preparation for holistic nursing care requires a holistic approach in education, and education is most effective when it involves active participation by the learner. Students are supported in developing clinical skills as well as the ability to think and act ethically. Students are active participants in shaping the learning environment within the Boston College William F.

Academic Programs

CSON offers a range of programs, including undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees, as well as continuing education for practitioners. The school is known for its rigorous curriculum and commitment to providing students with hands-on experience.

Undergraduate Program

The Bachelor of Science program is designed as a 4-year, 8-semester, full-time program. It incorporates the University-wide core requirements within a fully accredited prelicensure baccalaureate nursing curriculum.

Curriculum Structure

During the first year, students typically complete two semesters of Anatomy and Physiology with laboratories, Life Science Chemistry with Laboratory, Statistics, Introduction to Professional Nursing, and Nursing Professional Development Seminar, along with a combination of two core courses each semester. Electives may be substituted in certain situations (e.g., the student has Advanced Placement credits for Core courses or wishes to continue foreign language study).

Prerequisites

Applicants should normally have completed 2 semesters of Anatomy and Physiology with laboratory as well as 1 semester of Chemistry with laboratories. Anatomy & Physiology and Chemistry are prerequisites for progression to Pathophysiology and Health Assessment, the required sophomore courses that are themselves prerequisites for beginning the clinical course sequence. Pathophysiology and Health Assessment are given in the fall semester only. Therefore, students who have not completed Anatomy and Physiology and Chemistry (with labs) will likely be extending their program for at least one semester (beyond the 8 full-time semesters of college normally required for a BC undergraduate) unless they can complete anatomy and physiology and chemistry in the summer before their first semester at BC.

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

Students who transfer into the program with all science courses and who have not had a 2-3 credit introductory nursing course will be required to complete NURS 2070 Introduction of Professional Nursing in their fall semester concurrently with the first-semester sophomore course sequence.

Opportunities for Flexibility

All students will have a flexible semester in their junior year. The flexibility will allow for study abroad (if approved by the Office of International Programs and their specific program).

Study Abroad

Students in the William F. Connell School of Nursing are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad for one semester. Normally, students may study abroad during fall or spring semester of junior year. Most students take electives and can sometimes complete core courses while they are abroad. Students are free to study abroad in any location approved by the Office of Global Education. CSON offers seven international programs to help its students better understand global issues and the diversity of health care needs.

Minors

Nursing students may enhance their education by pursuing minors in various fields:

Hispanic Studies: By completing 18 credits in Spanish/Hispanic Studies that are approved by the Associate Dean.
Psychology: The minor is awarded to CSON students who complete 18 credits in psychology. Courses should include PSYC1110 Brain, Mind, and Behavior and PSYC1111 Mind Self and Society.
Forensic Science: The Forensic Science minor explores the application of scientific principles in legal contexts, focusing on human-centered applications and a commitment to the common good. The minor in Forensics is composed of three required courses and three electives from an approved list.
Global Public Health and the Common Good: The minor in Global Public Health and the Common Good is composed of three required courses and three electives. A special version of the minor has been created for CSON students to accommodate constraints in the B.S. (nursing) schedule.

Clinical Experience

Students in the baccalaureate nursing program have planned learning experiences in teaching hospitals and community agencies in the Boston metropolitan area. The facilities used for these experiences are located in Boston and the surrounding area. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from those facilities. Clinical teaching takes place in more than 85 health care facilities in the metropolitan Boston area.

The Nursing Synthesis course in the senior year offers students an advanced nursing practicum where they work with an individually assigned professional nurse preceptor. Junior or senior nursing students develop a proposal for independent study in an area of nursing in which they wish to obtain further knowledge and/or experience. Students should consult an academic advisor about their proposal.

Health and Immunization Requirements

In addition to the health and immunization requirements for all undergraduate students, nursing students must have immunity to varicella (chicken pox), hepatitis B, and MMR with an annual screening for tuberculosis (PPD) and flu shot. Nursing students are required to obtain and maintain a Castlebranch account, and to be certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) before enrolling in Adult Health I clinical, and must keep this certification current.

Graduate Programs

All graduate nursing students are admitted through the Graduate Programs Office in accordance with the university admission procedures. CSON admits students into a Master of Science degree program, which prepares students as advanced generalist registered nurses. The graduate admission process at Boston College is highly selective. A holistic review of applications for admission, ensuring that all aspects of candidates’ applications are carefully considered, is utilized. While academic preparation is the most important factor considered, admission decisions are made holistically. Candidates are required to submit an application through the online application system, standardized test scores, college transcripts, letters of recommendation, and two completed essays.

Each DNP applicant selects an advanced practice specialty (NP/CRNA) at the time of application to the DNP program. Advanced Generalist Nursing programs (RN prepared applicants) admit candidates twice each year (fall and spring). Post-Baccalaureate DNP programs admit candidates twice each year (fall and spring). CRNA applicants are required to have a minimum of one year of critical care nursing experience and current PALS, ACLS, and CCRN certifications. These candidates are admitted one time each year (summer). All candidates must comply with the immunization requirements specified by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. For international students who do not speak English as their primary language, the recommended minimum English language proficiency scores are 100 on the TOEFL and 7.5 on the IELTS.

Academic Standards for Graduate Students

Graduate students are expected to maintain good academic standing at all times and progress through their program of study in accordance with program standards and performance expectations. All graduate students in the Connell School of Nursing are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to remain in good academic standing. If a student receives a grade of B- (80%) or above in a pre-licensure course they will pass the course. The Graduate Academic Standards Review Committee will determine the best course of action. If a graduate student receives a failing grade F (< 74%) on a NURS pre-licensure course or strategically withdraws from the course (i.e., withdraws from the course on a date later than the course withdrawal deadline to avoid failure from the course), the Graduate Academic Standards Review Committee will be convened to hear the case and determine the best course of action. The student will be placed on a…

Other Opportunities

Undergraduate Research Fellows (UGRF) Program

The Undergraduate Research Fellows (UGRF) Program enables students to gain firsthand experience in scholarly work by participating with a faculty member on a research project. Students receive a monetary award based upon the scope and duration of the project. Academic credit is not granted through the program. Fellowships may also be available for summer terms.

Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing (KILN) Program

The Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing (KILN) program assists students to maximize their leadership potential, prepares them for the challenges of providing nursing care in our increasingly multicultural society, and nurtures their ability to create positive social change. KILN scholars receive financial support, faculty mentorship, and opportunities to network with nurse leaders as they pursue their undergraduate or graduate studies.

Sigma Theta Tau International

Sigma Theta Tau International is the international honor society of nursing. Constituent chapters are established in collegiate schools of nursing accredited by the national accrediting body recognized by the profession. Alpha Chi Chapter is located at Boston College School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Global Health Experiences

The trip to the Dominican Republic is open to undergraduate students and graduate students. The trip to Haiti is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni. The trip to Nicaragua is open to undergraduate students and graduate students.

Graduate Nurses Association (GNA)

All graduate students of the Boston College School of Nursing are members of the Graduate Nurses Association (GNA). There is no enrollment form or entry fee.

Facilities and Resources

The Connell School of Nursing provides students with access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources to support their learning and development.

Brown Family Clinical Learning Laboratory

The Brown Family Clinical Learning Laboratory is a 2,000-square-foot work and learning space with 12 hospital beds, low-fidelity manikins, and task-training models. Students practice on each other in the Brown Family Clinical Learning Laboratory, a 2,000-square-foot work and learning space.

Simulation Labs

Our state-of-the-art simulation labs provide students the opportunity to practice in a risk-free environment and build their confidence.

Campus Tours

We offer both in-person and virtual campus tours for prospective graduate students. Our in-person campus tours are individualized-each tour is limited to just one prospective student and one guest. Tours will last 30 minutes and will give prospective students a chance to 'see' campus and ask questions in real time.

Explore our magnificent campus, noted for its Collegiate Gothic architecture, award-winning Stokes Hall, and Bapst Library, consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful college libraries in the country.

Career Opportunities

The field of nursing offers a wide variety of career options, including positions in hospitals, long-term care facilities, community health agencies, clinics, and day care centers for children and the elderly. Nurses are establishing private practices and group practices with other health professionals.

The baccalaureate program of study prepares its graduates for entry into master's and doctoral degree programs in nursing. With graduate study, advanced practice nurses see clients in primary care, teach students and other health professionals, establish programs of research, provide consultation, serve as health care planners, and participate on governmental committees dealing with health care issues.

Resources for Minority Nursing Professionals

Career and education resource for minority nursing professionals, students, and faculty. Search for nursing jobs with Massachusetts state agencies. Want to work in a top hospital? Job listings (must be a member); publications and research; conferences; Continuing Education. Supports advanced practice nursing across all specialty areas and organizations in Massachusetts. Includes a For Students section, as well as a Career Center with job listings.

Admissions

Boston College does not set its level of selectivity; the size and quality of the applicant pool does. Therefore, decisions are made after all applications have been fully evaluated. Boston College encourages veterans and individuals considering a career in the armed forces to apply. We value the perspective gained through military experience and the benefits for our campus community when veterans become students.

Candidates possessing a bachelor's degree in another field and candidates possessing college credit in either nursing or non-nursing programs apply to the Office of Transfer Admissions, located in Devlin Hall. A maximum of 60 credits will be accepted in transfer. Nursing courses taken at another institution will be evaluated on an individual basis. Students applying for transfer will be asked to submit course syllabi to the School of Nursing for use in evaluating prior course work.

Internal Transfer Application Process

CSON is at MAXIMUM capacity for the class of 2027. As a result, CSON will be unable to admit internal transfer applicants this academic year (23-24 AY) and have suspended the internal transfer application process. The undergraduate program will look to re-open the internal transfer application process in the Fall of 2024 if space allows.

Academic Standards and Review

The CSON Academic Standards Review Committee (ASRC) is a committee composed of CSON faculty and staff and an external representative from Student Affairs. The ASRC is advisory to the Dean. ASRC voting members are elected by the faculty. The ASRC will meet at the end of each semester and summer term to review the records of CSON students with course failures, course deficiencies, and low GPAs. The Committee may also meet at any time during the academic year in exigent circumstances upon faculty request (i.e., unprofessional conduct or clinical safety concerns, student grievance). Students will be notified before undergoing Committee review.

Students registered for at least 12 credit hours per semester are considered full-time students.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Boston College Connell School of Nursing are expected to:

Respect the intrinsic worth of all human beings by valuing and integrating altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice into professional nursing practice across all health care settings and populations (DOMAINS 1, 2)
Synthesize concepts from a liberal arts, Jesuit education to develop a philosophy of care that guides professional nursing practice (DOMAINS 1, 9)
Use management and leadership skills to coordinate and promote quality health care (DOMAINS 5, 7, 10)
Use empirical evidence and theoretical knowledge from nursing and other disciplines to influence health promotion and disease prevention in individuals, families, and populations across the lifespan and across health care environments (DOMAINS 1, 3, 4)
Generate clinical judgments based on assessment data and implements interventions to achieve individual, family, and population-centered outcomes (DOMAIN 2)
Collaborate with individuals, families, community partners, and the interdisciplinary healthcare team to ensure safe, clinically efficacious, cost-effective care (DOMAINS 3, 6)
Articulate the relationships among intrapersonal, interpersonal, social, environmental, cultural, and ethical influences on healthcare delivery in a diverse and global society (DOMAINS 3, 7)
Use informatics and electronic technology to document, evaluate, and improve the quality of health care (DOMAIN 8)
Articulate the influence of policy on health care and professional nursing practice (DOMAINS 3, 7)
Access information and seek experiences to promote personal and professional growth, advance nursing practice, and improve the care of individuals, families, and populations.

These outcomes are aligned with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials, Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies, and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice.

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