Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation
UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing is one of only three schools nationally that has been awarded a Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation grant. The program’s primary goal is to create a new cadre of nurse scientists and leaders who will design innovative solutions for healthcare delivery. This highly competitive program is open to new BSN and ABSN students and provides a pathway for students to earn their BSN and PhD in five years. Six academically talented nursing students will be admitted to the program each January and receive financial and enhanced mentoring support to facilitate their progress towards the PhD. By completing a PhD earlier in their career, Hillman Scholars will have a longer time to influence patient care through leadership, innovation and research in academic and clinical settings. Each Hillman Scholar will receive a forgivable education loan for the final four semesters of the undergraduate nursing program ($15,000 per year) plus doctoral training support of $35,200 for the first year of doctoral study. Funding will cover tuition, living stipend, health insurance, and a modest travel fund. For additional information about the program, please visit http://nursing.unc.edu/academics/hillman.
Careers Beyond the Bedside Project
The CaBB (Careers Beyond the Bedside) project is a federally funded grant to increase diversity in the nursing workforce. The program targets students currently underrepresented in the nursing profession. This program seeks students from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds, and/or historically underrepresented ethnic minority groups, “first-generation” college students, or students who currently reside in a medically under-served geographic area. Many of the benefits of the CaBB project are open to any pre-nursing/ nursing student. For more information about CaBB, please visit http://nursing.unc.edu/academics/careers-beyond-the-bedside/.
Departmental Involvement
Students are encouraged to participate in student leadership opportunities. These include the elected class governance system, the dean’s Student Advisory Council or course management team options, the Association of Nursing Students (the only preprofessional nursing organization available), and the Student Health Action Coalition. More details can be found online at http://nursing.unc.edu/student-organizations-and-activities-general/.
Experiential Education
The nursing program requires extensive direct clinical practice in a wide variety of acute care, chronic care, and community-based settings considered essential for the preparation of competent practitioners. Clinical contact time varies by study option and course but averages approximately 12 to 16 hours per week.
Financial Aid
Students granted admission to the School of Nursing seeking the baccalaureate degree at UNC–Chapel Hill may be considered for a variety of nursing-specific scholarships and other financial aid opportunities. For assistance, contact the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid by phone at (919) 962-8396 or through the Web at studentaid.unc.edu, or call the Office of Student Affairs at (919) 966-4260.
Study Abroad
Students may participate in selected study abroad options offered through required or elective courses.
Undergraduate Awards
During the final semester of study, the top one-third of students in each option will be invited to membership in Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society. The George Livas Award recognizes the graduating student who most clearly demonstrates academic excellence and leadership. Other awards presented during the school’s commencement ceremony honor those students achieving the highest grade point average in their respective option.
Undergraduate Research
Through the honors program, the University and the School of Nursing recognize undergraduates who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability and independent work in their major (www.unc.edu/depts/honors). Qualified and interested students in their last two semesters of study will be paired with a faculty advisor who guides the student in an independent study honors project. The director of the undergraduate program supervises the honors program. Students participating in the honors program must have a cumulative University grade point average that meets University requirements. In addition, students must have and maintain a 3.4 cumulative nursing grade point average. Calculation of the cumulative grade point average is based solely on the required hours earned to date for the nursing degree. Grade point averages are not rounded. The student and honors advisor must complete a written contract, and the student must register for NURS 691H and 692H Honors Study in Nursing. Each honors course carries three hours of credit and is assigned a letter grade by the advisor. A student’s project must show evidence of independent, creative, abstract, analytical, and critical thinking.
Facilities
The School of Nursing is located in Carrington Hall and its new addition. The Education-Innovation-Simulation Learning Environment (EISLE) provides undergraduate students with a simulated clinical environment in which to practice and acquire fundamental psychomotor and psychosocial skills necessary for clinical application. Under the close supervision of nursing faculty and teaching assistants, students learn therapeutic techniques and procedures, utilize problem solving approaches, and prioritize patient care in simulated situations.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
The school offers a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a PhD in nursing science. BSN graduates may pursue the MSN or DNP after one year of clinical practice, or they may pursue the PhD directly following the BSN, prior to completion of any master’s level course work. For further information on the graduate program, contact the Office of Student Affairs as noted below or click here.
The school works closely with University Career Services to prepare all B.S.N. graduates for the transition from student to professional practitioner. A preparatory career development series and career fair are offered annually. Additionally, the school cooperates with clinical agencies across the country to make available to students an array of information on employment opportunities in a myriad of settings and entry-level roles.