Here at the Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON), students are prepared for a future in nursing through active scholarship and purposeful experiences. Graduates of our BSN program are ready to enter their profession with confidence and purpose. 

What is at the core of a BSN program at GVSU? Students benefit by

• Learning from exceptional faculty invested in your success
• Receiving guidance from experienced academic advisors every step of the way
• Experiencing local and relevant clinical practicums arranged for you 
• Working with state-of-the-art technology for teaching and learning
• Creating an personalized program plan with your advisor

Grand Valley’s nursing program focuses on evidence based nursing practice. Students are prepared to provide nursing interventions for individuals, families, and communities at a beginning, generalist level and will complete five semesters of clinical coursework. Nursing courses are not held during the summer for students in the traditional program.

Clinical courses use multiple teaching methods, including hands on learning, in a variety of health care settings. Students will receive instruction and gain knowledge in our learning labs, through simulation exercises, and in clinical experiences. KCON offers multiple clinical rotations in such areas as medical/surgery, mental health, obstetrics, pediatrics, long term care, and community health; students will complete approximately 1,260 clinical hours throughout the undergraduate experience. These rotations may include settings in:

1. Primary care
2. Acute and rehabilitation hospitals
3. In patient and community mental health sites
4. County health departments
5. Home care agencies
6. Community health screening clinics
7. Immunization clinics 

Some students, based on interest and opportunity, can earn credit towards their community health clinical obligations through a two week faculty-lead study abroad trip to Ghana. This program offers an intercultural nursing experience that provides students with an opportunity to compare and contrast different community-based health care systems. Click here for more study abroad information.

The Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) is accredited by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the undergraduate curriculum is based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Baccalaureate Essentials.  It focuses on the student’s role development as 1) provider of care; 2) designer, manager and coordinator of care; and 3) member of the profession.  Students graduating from the KCON baccalaureate program are expected to display the following outcomes:

1. Provide nursing care based on expanding clinical judgment within parameters of functional capacity of individuals, families, groups and communities in multiple settings that incorporate knowledge from the liberal arts and knowledge unique to nursing.
2. Coordinate health care with individuals, families, groups and communities across the life span, using communication skills, in collaboration with members of the health care team.
3. Assume ethical, legal and professional accountability for the development and practice of nursing in a changing health care environment.

KCON teaching and learning practices, curricula and learning environments are designed based on our philosophy of nursing education and organizing framework, to foster the behaviors that faculty believe are most important for the roles of provider of care, designer/manager/coordinator of care, and member of the profession. These include: 

1. Critical thinking
2. Communication
3. Assessment
4. Health promotion, risk reduction, and disease prevention
5. Illness and disease management
6. Information and health care technologies
7. Ethics
8. Human diversity
9. Global health care 

Students who are admitted to the university as a degree-seeking undergraduate student may apply to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. 

Competitive admission: students must enroll as a nursing major and complete a secondary application. Completion of minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.