Nursing BS - Traditional Nursing Program

This program provides the curriculum required for a freshman or transfer student who is pursuing a nursing degree for the first time. It begins with the fall semester.

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student will have knowledge to:

• Provide compassionate, holistic, culturally relevant, evidence based care related to wellness, health promotion, illness, injury and disease prevention, disease management and end of life care.
• Collaborate with an interprofessional health care team to achieve outcomes within integrated health care systems.
• Demonstrate leadership skills in the management and coordination of patient-centered, safe, effective health care for individuals, families and populations.
• Use informatics, effective oral, written, and electronic communication and patient care technology to share information and provide quality health care.
• Advocate for health care consumers using principles of social justice and professional values.
• Engage in lifelong learning and be an active member of the profession of nursing.
• Practice within the framework of legislative, economic, environmental and regulatory processes to improve the provision of health care.

Each year we admit 72 students to our Traditional Nursing program. Upper-division (junior and senior level) courses emphasize health promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention, and the care of those with chronic or acute and complex illnesses, focusing on the knowledge, skills and critical thinking required to provide holistic, culturally relevant, evidence-based nursing care.

Clinical rotations for this program includes 700 clinical hours, many of which are offered in innovative Dedicated Education Units (DEU), a model for clinical instruction that provides an optimal teaching/learning environment for students, faculty and clinicians. Students are integrated into the clinical setting that accurately simulates nursing practice.

The programs culminates in a three week preceptorship where students are immersed in a one-on-one experience with a nurse in a clinical setting.

Fully equipped health assessment, nursing skills, and simulation labs. Individualized teaching, coaching, and practice opportunities provided by faculty and teaching assistants from our graduate student body.

School of Nursing Simulation technology which features state-of-the-art patient simulators in a virtual operating room that is connected to patient monitors, and one utilized to simulate ambulatory and acute nursing situations.

The Center for Nursing Research (CNR), which houses a research library and is a repository for information on internal and external sources of funding, including guidelines and application forms. The CNR also facilitates research experiences for undergraduate and Honors College Students.

A wide range of educational technology to which students have access, including a wide variety of health-care databases, computer assisted instruction, and electronic mail.

The faculty in the undergraduate program are expert practitioners of nursing, all having advanced preparation in their fields of specialization. Many have achieved national and international recognition. Faculty are actively engaged in research, making significant contributions to nursing science and theory. Among the honors that have been awarded to faculty members include the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and election to office in the American Nurses Association and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Many faculty have the distinction of holding certification as expert clinical practitioners awarded by professional associations that promote and recognize only the highest standards of nursing excellence.

Please visit the School of Nursing Website for additional information about our faculty.

Career Choices

• Clinical nurse specialist
• Critical care nurse
• Director of nursing
• Emergency room nurse
• Flight nurse
• Forensic nurse
• General duty nurse
• Geriatric care nurse
• Head nurse
• Holistic and Palliative care nurse
• Hospice nurse
• Home health care nurse
• Integrated care deliverer
• Intensive care nurse
• Maternal-Newborn Nurse
• Medical editor/writer
• Medical surgical nurse
• Military officer
• Nurse anesthetist
• Nurse consultant
• Nurse educator
• Nurse midwife
• Nurse practitioner
• Nurse manager
• Occupational health nurse
• Operating room nurse
• Parish nurse
• Pediatric nurse
• Pharmacology/medical sales
• Private duty nurse
• Professor
• Public health nurse
• Rehabilitation nurse
• Researcher
• School health nurse
• Women's health nurse

What percentage of graduates goes on to find related employment?

95%

Salary Information

The May 2016 mean annual salary for registered professional nurses in New York State was $68,450 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2018)

Intended and approved nursing students are advised by the School of Nursing Office of Student Services.

Contact the Office of Student Services at 716-829-2537 to schedule an in-person or phone appointment. All general inquiries may be sent to the Nursing Department email. Prospective students can register to attend an information session through the School of Nursing website.

School of Nursing scholarships are available to nursing students and contingent upon the availability of funds. The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo also supports scholarships for Erie County residents.