Pacific Lutheran University is a comprehensive university
committed to the integration of liberal arts studies and
professional preparation. A dynamic academic program features
five professional schools and selective graduate programs that
maintain a strong liberal arts emphasis at their core. A
university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, PLU
cherishes its dedication to educating for lives of service and
active learning. Located in suburban Parkland, Washington, PLU's
picturesque 126-acre campus serves a student body of
approximately 3,500 students.
The Pacific Lutheran School of Nursing strives to promote and
facilitate the individual's development as a professional nurse
for lifelong learning and human service. Small class size and
variety of instruction by doctoral-prepared faculty with strong,
active clinical backgrounds also enhance the quality of our
programs. Our faculty is committed to staying current in their
specialty and many maintain active practices in addition to
scholarly production.
Our professional and educational standards, our innovative
responses to changing health care markets and our distinguished
history of educating students for lives of service have earned
the Pacific Lutheran School of Nursing a reputation for
excellence in the Pacific Northwest.
The School of Nursing is a member of the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing. The BSN program is approved by the
Washington State Nursing Commission, and both the BSN and MSN
programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing
Accrediting Commission.
Basic BSN Program
Back to top
The overall program of study leading to the BSN requires the
equivalent of four years to complete. The specific sequence of
nursing courses requires five semesters of full-time study or up
to eight semesters of part-time study. Nursing students are
accepted in the fall and spring.
Joint MSN/MBA
Back to top
The Joint Master of Science in Nursing and Master of Business
Administration degree is designed to prepare practicing nurses
for high-level careers in management and administration. The
program integrates the evidence-based and practice-oriented MSN
curriculum with the four cornerstones of the MBA curriculum:
- Leadership
- Innovation
- Global awareness
- Ethical responsibility
This program requires a 10-day International Experience to be
completed prior to graduation. Students will complete a total of
60 semester hours over three years of attending part-time.
LPN-to-BSN Program
Back to top
This sequence of study is specifically designed for experienced,
licensed practical nurses who graduated from approved programs
and are interested in pursuing a BSN. The program allows students
the opportunity to validate prior knowledge and clinical
competence, enabling progression through the BSN curriculum
within five semesters following completion of prerequisite
courses, when enrolled full-time. Part-time enrollment options
also are available. Applicants are admitted in the fall semester.
Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing
Back to top
This new program prepares qualified applicants with an earned
baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field to complete Pacific
Lutheran University's Master of Science in Nursing Program. The
entire program may be completed in 36 months. The first 15 months
consist of 52 semester credits. Upon successful completion of
these credits, the student is eligible to take the national exam
for registered nurse licensure (NCLEX-RN). After successfully
passing the NCLEX-RN, the student enters the advanced practice
portion of the MSN program.
Master of Science in Nursing
Back to top
Our MSN programs are designed for both working professionals and
full-time students. You will find a learning environment where
students work with outstanding faculty and staff to gain
knowledge and skills, share professional experience and expertise
and become advanced nursing specialists.
Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration
The family nursing practitioner program is focused on
client-centered clinical practice. It will prepare you to:
- Respond to the needs of today's and tomorrow's health care
consumers
- Manage direct care based on advanced assessment and
diagnostic reasoning
- Incorporate health promotion and disease prevention into
health care delivery
Successful completion of the program will qualify you to sit for
the National Nurse Practitioner certifying examination. The
program can be completed in four full-time semesters or on a
part-time basis.
Care and Outcomes Manager Concentration
This concentration allows you to focus on care management using
an outcomes approach skill set necessary for being responsive in
a continually changing health care environment. The program is
organized around flexible learning. Integrated class and clinical
experiences will allow you to satisfy all of the didactic
requirements for national certification as a clinical nurse
specialist, case manager, nurse educator or nurse administrator.
This concentration will prepare you to:
- Provide quality, cost-effective care in a defined context
- Participate in the design and implementation of an evaluation
and outcomes model
- Integrate clinical and evaluation competencies for care and
outcomes management
The program can be completed in four full-time semesters over two
academic years, or on a part-time basis.
RN-to-MSN Program
Back to top
The RN-to-MSN is a cohort program for registered nurses who hold
a license to practice in the state of Washington and who have
been actively engaged in nursing practice for one year. The
program offers qualified students credit for prior experiential
learning, as well as the ability to earn both a BSN and a MSN.