Nursing Program
The Nursing Program is one of the most competitive academic programs at Westfield State University.
The program is designed as a cohort program, where students move through a structured curriculum during their 4 years.
Start Your Application
There are two ways to apply.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Nursing program is February 1st. All materials must be submitted to the Office of Admission by the deadline or you will not be considered for the Nursing program.
Admission Criteria
Only new, first-time college students may apply to the Nursing Program. Students need to meet all admission criteria in order to be considered for admission to the program. Currently, the criteria are as follows:
- 3.3 GPA (recalculated by the Admission Office) or higher
- Cumulative average of B+ (3.3) or higher in all high school science classes
- Students are encouraged to submit SAT/ACT scores, but not required!
Please note that these are the minimum standards for admission and do not guarantee admission to the Nursing Program.
Transfer Students
Students who have their Associate’s Degree in Nursing are encouraged to apply for the RN-to-BSN program.
Transfer students can find more information on applying to the Nursing Program by reviewing our Transfer Nursing page.
Change of Major
Students who wish to change their major after starting at Westfield State University will follow the same process as Transfer Students. Please note that space is limited.
Technical Standards for the Nursing Program
The Technical Standards for Admission, Progression, and Graduation (Technical Standards) are an integral component of the Department of Nursing and at Westfield State University academic requirements that identify core professional nursing competencies in eight specific domains. Nursing students must meet all the requirements of the Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, in order to successfully progress through and graduate from their program.
The Nursing Department encourages all students to review the Technical Standards to become familiar with the skills, abilities and behavioral characteristics required to complete the programs.
This list is not all-inclusive, as all applicable skills cannot be listed. The Nursing Department reserves the right to determine other relevant criteria in order to preserve the School's professional and academic standards.
| Requirements | Standard | Example of Activities |
| Critical Thinking and Cognitive Competencies | Critical thinking ability for clinical judgment | Identify cause/effect relationships in clinical situations. Use of the scientific method in the development of patient care plans/concepts maps. Evaluate effectiveness of nursing interventions. Accurately follow course syllabi, assignments, directions, patient protocols, and any actions plan(s) developed by the chair, faculty, administration, or health care agency staff. |
| Professional and Behavioral Relationships | Interpersonal skills sufficient for professional interaction with a diverse population of individuals, families and groups | Establish rapport with patients/clients and colleagues. Capacity to engage in successful conflict resolution. Capacity to demonstrate ethical behavior, including adherence to the professional nursing and student honor codes, as well as applicable laws and regulations governing the nursing profession. Ability to relate to colleagues, staff and patients with honesty, integrity, and non-discrimination. Ability to work constructively in stressful and changing environments with the ability to modify their behavior in response to constructive criticism and to maintain a high level of functioning in demanding or stressful situations. |
| Communication | Communication adeptness sufficient for verbal and written professional interactions | Explanation of treatment, procedure, initiation of health teaching. Accurately obtain information from patients, family members/significant others, health team members, and/or faculty. Documentation and interpretation of nursing actions and patient/client responses. Communications include: oral, hearing, reading, writing, and computer literacy. |
| Mobility | Physical abilities sufficient for movement from room to room and in small spaces | Movement about patient’s room, workspaces, and treatment areas. Administer rescue procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation. |
| Motor Skills | Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient for providing safe and effective nursing care | Calibration and use of equipment. Strength to carry out patient care procedures, such as assisting in the turning and lifting/transferring of patients. Perform and/or assist with expected nursing student procedures, treatments, and medication administration using appropriate sterile or clean techniques (for example, medication administration, CPR, insertion of catheters). Endurance sufficient to complete all required tasks during the assigned period of clinical practice, including a 12-hour clinical shift. |
| Hearing and Visual | Auditory and visual ability sufficient for observing, monitoring and assessing health needs | Ability to hear monitoring device alarm and other emergency signals. Ability to discern sounds and cries for help. Ability to observe patient’s condition and responses to treatments. |
| Observation | Ability to make observations in connection with other identified professional nursing student competencies | Use and accurate interpretation of information obtained from digital, analog, and waveform diagnostic tools such as temperatures, blood pressures, and cardiac rhythms as well as diagnostic tools that monitor or obtain physiological phenomena. Observation and interpretation of the following: patient’s heart and body sounds, body language; color of wounds, drainage, urine, feces, expectoration; sensitivity to heat, cold, pain and pressure; and signs and symptoms of disease, pain, and infection. |
| Tactile Sense | Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment | Ability to palpate in physical examinations and various therapeutic interventions. |
*Information on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its implications for Nursing Education can be found here: https://www.sreb.org/publication/americans-disabilities-act