Froelich School of Nursing

Dean: Jennifer Morton; Professors of Practice: Joanna Bachour, Zareen Barry, Heather Briere, Lindsay Guertin, Julia Patrick, Linette Wilson; Assistant Professors : Courtney Orelup-Fitzgerald, Stacey Carroll, Danielle Shaver.

Mission Statement 

The mission of the Froelich School of Nursing is to cultivate an intellectual community committed to preparing leaders in the delivery of safe, high-quality, compassionate professional nursing practice. Graduates are prepared, in accordance with the principles of Catholic healthcare ethics, to care for, serve, and promote the health of society.

Accreditations and Memberships 

The Assumption University Froelich School of Nursing has Full Approval Status from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (MABoRN). The Baccalaureate of Science degree program in nursing at Assumption University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org). The Froelich School of Nursing is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the National League for Nursing (NLN), the Massachusetts Association of Colleges of Nursing (MACN), and the Iota Phi-at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the International Honor Society of Nursing.

Learning Outcomes 

The graduate from Froelich School of Nursing is prepared as a nurse generalist who functions within an inter-professional healthcare team to provide professional, compassionate, patient-centered care to individuals across the lifespan, families, and populations, in a variety of healthcare settings. Health promotion, including the use of patient teaching, is a refined skill of the graduate. Through reflection and the pursuit of a life of inquiry, the student nurse will transition into practice and continue evolving as a member of the nursing profession. The student will

• Synthesize concepts and theories from the liberal arts and science education rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition and Catholic health care ethics to guide professional nursing practice.
• Integrate concepts of safety and quality improvement in the practice of professional nursing within a healthcare system.
• Appraise evidence to support clinical decisions throughout the nursing process.
• Incorporate information systems and healthcare technologies throughout the nursing process.
• Examine the impact of socio-economic, cultural, spiritual, legal, ethical, and political factors influencing healthcare and professional nursing practice.
• Collaborate with patients, families, populations, and the inter-professional healthcare team by selecting appropriate communication strategies.
• Select evidence-based health promotion and health maintenance strategies to maximize health and minimize risk to patients, families, and populations.
• Examine a variety of health determinants when planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care of patients, families, and populations.
• Demonstrate characteristics and behaviors consistent with the professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal practice in professional nursing.

A Note on Clinical Rotations 

Clinical placements are made at the discretion of the faculty based upon the learning objectives, availability of experiences, and the student’s previous assignments and experiences. Specific assignments and responsibilities will be provided by the faculty. The assignments will not necessarily be based on the choice of the student. Clinical hours may be at any time during a 24-hour period that patient care or other experiences are available. The hours of the clinical experience are not limited to business hours Monday through Friday. Students must make appropriate arrangements to allow for completion of their clinical assignments regardless of the time of the assignment. The locations of the clinical assignment may require travel, and transportation/parking is the responsibility of the student.

Froelich School of Nursing Policies 

The Froelich School of Nursing maintains a set of school-based policies that the student will read and attest understanding. The most current version of the policy is provided to the student in an electronic format and any revision made to a policy during the academic year is communicated to the student via email with a timeline for implementation.

Standards of Conduct and Good Moral Character 

In addition to abiding by the Assumption University Student Code of Conduct, nursing students, as part of their learning process, will interact with patients, peers, staff, and faculty. As a result, they have the obligation to behave in a way consistent with the standards of professional nursing practice. These ethical standards include the following professional standards:

• American Nurses Association Code of Ethics with Interpretive Guidelines;
• 244 CMR 9.00 Board of Registration in Nursing: Standards of Conduct;
• Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 112 Sections 74, 74A, 76 Good Moral Character: To be eligible for Licensure by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN), students must be in compliance with the Massachusetts BORN Good Moral Character (GMC) licensure requirement found on the MA BORN website: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/good-moral-character-requirements-for-nursing-licensure

Application to the Traditional Nursing Track 

A complete application includes:

1. A completed Common Application, including the additional essay specific to the Froelich School of Nursing;
2. A letter of recommendation from a high school counselor or teacher;
3. An official high school transcript including senior grades submitted directly from the high school or its equivalent. All applicants must meet the minimum criteria outlined by the University;
4. Minimum QPA in Core Math and Science Courses of 3.0. Core math courses include Algebra, Geometry, Pre-calculus, Calculus, and Statistics; and Core Science Courses include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, and Physiology;
5. A high school transcript documenting the completion of three years of Core science courses (as defined above). 

Information about transfer/change of major into the Froelich School of Nursing is found on the program’s website.

Application to the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing 

For the student who has already completed a bachelor’s degree, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Track provides an opportunity to complete the baccalaureate nursing degree in sixteen (16) months. Further information on eligibility criteria is available at https://www.assumption.edu/undergraduate/post-bachelors-accelerated-nursing-track. Eligibility criteria for this track include:

1. An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited institute of higher education with a cumulative GPA of 3.0;
2. Completion of these prerequisite courses: 
   1. Anatomy and Physiology I and II with a lab component, or a semester of Anatomy and a semester of Physiology, each with lab. A minimum final grade of C+ is required and the course must have been completed within the last ten years.
   2. Microbiology with Lab (minimum final grade of C+ and taken within the last ten years),
   3. Nutrition (minimum final grade of C+ and taken within the last ten years),
   4. Growth and Development Across the Lifespan, or two courses in Growth and Development that cover the lifespan. (minimum final grade of C+ and taken within the last ten years),
   5. Statistics (minimum final grade of C+ and taken within the last ten years),
   6. Ethics (minimum final grade of C+)