Overview of Program

The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program prepares students to practice nursing at the baccalaureate level in as few as 15 months. It is designed for students to learn the necessary knowledge and advanced skills to provide excellence in caring, compassionate, and competent nursing care. All requirements of the program are completed in 4 semesters with a total of 59 units which include both didactic and experiential learning experiences (765 clinical hours and 135 skills laboratory hours). At the completion of the program, the graduate is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN board exam to practice as a Registered Nurse. In addition, the graduate is eligible to apply for the Public Health Nurse Certificate.

The ABSN program has received ongoing licensure by the California Board of Nursing since 2009 and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

Mission Statement

The Nursing Program is committed to educating a culturally and academically diverse student population to become competent, compassionate, and holistic nursing professionals who uphold Christian values in their service to individuals, families, and communities.

Department of Nursing Philosophy

The Department of Nursing at Concordia University Irvine believes that nursing is both an art and a science, requiring preparation through both liberal and scientific studies. As leaders, nurses provide safe patient care through the use of informatics, quality improvement initiatives, and collaboration with the interprofessional team. Professional nurses, as members of the healthcare team, provide evidence-based, patient-centered care, within a framework of health promotion and disease prevention, to individuals, families, groups, and communities across healthcare environments.

Nursing is a profession that encompasses professional and personal values, core knowledge and competencies in developing the role of care provider. It is also a service to humanity. Essential to this discipline is the development of attributes that encourage the holistic development of self in order to become socially responsive to the health care needs of a culturally diverse world.

The philosophy of the Department of Nursing is congruent with:

a) The Nurse Practice Act of California
b) Dr. Jean Watson's theory of human caring
c) The mission and goals of Concordia University Irvine
d) The American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials of Baccalaureate and Master's Education in Nursing
e) The Quality and Safety Education for Nursing Competencies (QSEN)
f) National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) for nurse practitioner competencies.

The purpose of the Concordia nursing program is to educate nurses in a self-actualizing process that is essential in ministering to those who are seeking healthcare. Nursing must be supportive, considerate, and exhibit unconditional regard for each diverse population of patients. This is accomplished within the context of the nursing metaparadigm as defined by the individual, health, environment, and nursing. The nursing faculty at Concordia believe that caring in nursing flows from a response to God's love of all people, as seen in His sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of all humankind.

Unifying Theme

Dr. Jean Watson’s Caring Science has been threaded through the curriculum. Dr. Watson’s 10 Caritas Processes® encompass the qualities essential to establishing therapeutic communication and relationships between the client/patient and the nurse. The core principles/practices of Dr. Watson’s theory (2008, p.34) are:

Practice of loving kindness and equanimity
Authentic presence: enabling deep belief of other
Cultivating one’s own spiritual practices - beyond ego
“Being” the caring-healing environment
Allowing for miracles

The Ten Caritas Processes

Embrace (Loving-Kindness)
Sustaining humanistic-altruistic values by practice of loving-kindness, compassion and equanimity with self/others.
Inspire (Faith-Hope)
Being authentically present, enabling faith/hope/belief system; honoring subjective inner, life-world of self/others.
Trust (Transpersonal)
Being sensitive to self and others by cultivating one's own spiritual practices, beyond ego-self to transpersonal presence.
Nurture (Relationship)
Developing and sustaining loving, trusting, caring relationships.
Forgive (Holding Space)
Allowing for expression of positive and negative feelings — authentically listening to another person's story.
Deepen (Creative Self)
Creatively problem-solving-'solution-seeking' through caring process; full use of self and artistry of caring-healing practices via use of all ways of knowing/being/doing/becoming.
Balance (Learning)
Engaging in transpersonal teaching and learning within the context of a caring relationship; staying within others' frame of reference; shift toward a coaching model for expanded health/wellness.
Co-create ( Caritas Field)
Creating a healing environment at all levels; subtle environment for energetic, authentic caring presence.
Minister (Humanity)
Reverentially assisting with basic needs as sacred acts, touching mindbodyspirit of spirit of other; sustaining human dignity.
Open (Infinity)
Opening to spiritual, mystery, unknowns — allowing for miracles.

Source: www.watsoncaringscience.org/about-wcsi/jean-bio/caring-science-theory/10-caritas-processes/

In addition to Watson’s theory, other specific strands are woven throughout the program. They are:

Nursing process/therapeutic care competence
Professional role development/teaching/learning
Communication
Research process
Cultural awareness and competence
Development of values

There are two avenues of study available to the nursing student:

Accelerated BSN (ABSN)
LVN to RN 30-unit, non-degree certificate option

Accreditation Standards

Concordia University Irvine and its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and Accrediting Commission (WSCUC).

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WSCUC)
1080 Marina Village Parkway
Suite 500
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-9797

Students and other interested parties may review accreditation documents by going to the commission’s website.

Concordia University Irvine's Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
655 K Street NW
Suite 750
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 887-6791

Professional Nursing Standards and Guidelines

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice.

Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice: a solid base in liberal education provides the cornerstone for the practice and education of nurses (AACN Essential 1).
Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety: Knowledge and skills in leadership, quality improvement, and patient safety are necessary to provide high-quality health care (AACN Essential 2).
Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice: Professional nursing practice is grounded in the translation of current evidence into one's practice (AACN Essential 3).
Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology: Knowledge and skills in information management and patient care technology are critical in the delivery of quality patient care (AACN Essential 4).
Health Care Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments: Healthcare policies, including financial and regulatory, directly and indirectly influence the nature and functioning of the healthcare system and thereby are important considerations in professional nursing practice (AACN Essential 5).
Inter-professional Communication and Collaboration for Improving Patient Health Outcomes: Communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals are critical to delivering high quality and safe patient care (AACN Essential 6).
Clinical Prevention and Population Health: Health promotion and disease prevention at the individual and population level are necessary to improve population health and are important components of baccalaureate generalist nursing practice (AACN Essential 7).
Professionalism and Professional Values: Professionalism and the inherent values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice are fundamental to the discipline of nursing (AACN Essential 8).
Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice: The baccalaureate-graduate nurse is prepared to practice with patients including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and across the continuum of healthcare environments. The baccalaureate-graduate understands and respects the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the increased use of healthcare resources inherent in caring for patients (AACN Essential 9).

In addition to the AACN Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (2008), the ABSN program identifies and incorporates the professional nursing standards and guidelines including the California Board of Registered Nursing (CA BRN) and the California Nursing Practice Act; the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Competencies (2007); and Dr. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring (1985, 2008) that encompasses 10 Caritas Processes as the unifying theme.

BS_ABSN_SPC - Nursing (second degree accelerated) (BS) (59 units)

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