Nursing

• 100% employment rate within 3 months of graduation
• 85% employment rate prior to graduation
• Enjoy your learning environment on Jewell’s beautiful campus with state-of-the-art labs and the first internationally endorsed simulation center in Missouri and Kansas.
• Take the lead. Learn critical thinking and leadership skills that give you a competitive edge.
• Grow your skills through comprehensive clinical experiences. Attend clinicals in the best hospitals and care facilities in the nearby Kansas City region.
•  During your senior year, you will take part in predictor exams, a content review program and an NCLEX live review.
• Our designated NCLEX Success Coordinator individually guides students to success. If you are actively engaged in the resources provided and the coordinator’s instructions, you can be 100% successful!

When you graduate, you will be prepared to jump into diverse careers and post-graduate experiences. Jewell nursing alumni work across the globe in a wide variety of health care roles:

• patient care in hospital settings including pediatrics, critical care, organ transplant, oncology, obstetrics, neurology, mental health, intensive care, emergency, cardiology, surgery, trauma, neonatal intensive care and telemetry
• certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in operating rooms and surgery centers
• continued education including master’s degrees as clinical nurse specialist, nursing education, nurse midwifery, nurse practitioner and doctorate degrees including DNP and Ph.D. programs of nursing
• Army Nurse Corps
• clinic practices in specialties such as epidemiology, obstetrics, infertility, pediatrics and dermatology
• hospice, home health, palliative care
• nurse practitioner in trauma, pediatrics, family, mental health, women’s health
• public and private schools
• case manager
• clinical nurse educator and college professor
• community health organizations and departments
• nonprofits and service agencies
• entrepreneurial ventures including starting businesses such as nurse-run healthcare clinics and specialty nursing uniform shops

Outcomes for Jewell graduates who earn a B.S. in nursing are based on the following six hallmarks:

• Integrity: Exhibit personal integrity as a nurse through honesty, accountability, responsibility, fidelity and professional conduct.
• Compassion: Exhibit compassionate care through therapeutic communication with sensitivity to privacy, confidentiality, equity and diversity.
• Leadership: Exhibit effective leadership skills through incorporating professional identity through appropriate decision making, collaboration, inclusivity, and teamwork.
• Scholarship: Exhibit critical thinking through evidence-based practice, use of informatics and application/evaluation of nursing concepts to improve patient and population outcomes.
• Service to All: Exhibit service above expectation through cultural humility, stewardship of resources to address the individual social determinants of health needs.
• Excellence in Practice: Exhibit safe holistic person-centered nursing care incorporating cultural sensitivity, the nursing process, standards of care and clinical judgment through the William Jewell College Nursing Hallmarks.

Hospitals: Advent Health Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Centerpoint Medical Center, Cameron Regional Medical Center, Cass Regional Medical Center, Children’s Mercy Hospital, KC Veterans Administration, The University of Kansas Medical Center (KU Med and affiliated hospitals in the region), Liberty Hospital, Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph – Medical Center, North Kansas City Hospital, Research Medical Center, Score 1 for Health – Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, St. Luke’s Health System, Truman Medical Center (both Hospital Hill and Lakewood locations).

Home Health: Excelsior Springs Home Health, Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care, Liberty Home Health & Hospice, North Kansas City Home Health, Shawnee Mission Home Health, St. Luke’s Home Health, Visiting Nurses Association

Public Schools: Kearney, Liberty

County Health: Ford Motor Company, St. Mary’s Home for Mothers, NKC Wound Care, Cameron Correctional Center Health

Mental Health: St. Luke’s North Hospital, Truman Behavioral Health

The baccalaureate degree in nursing at William Jewell College is accredited by:

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

The Department of Nursing is fully approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

In compliance with the Missouri Nurse Practice Act (Chapter 335 of the Missouri Statutes, section 335.066), nursing program applicants should be aware that the Missouri State Board of Nursing may refuse to issue a license for specific reasons related to moral turpitude, intemperate use of alcohol or drugs, or conviction of a crime.

Admission to and graduation from the nursing major does not ensure eligibility for state licensure. Any candidate for licensure who has been charged or convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony will be required to submit documentation of the court proceedings for that charge or conviction to the State Board of Nursing of the state in which licensure is sought.

The Missouri State Board of Nursing determines who is eligible to take the licensing examination. Graduates eligible to apply to take the licensure examination must have completed high school or the GED equivalent and must have successfully completed the nursing program.

Questions may be directed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing, P.O. Box 656, Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573-751-0080), www.pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp.

Students interested in applying for nursing scholarships should visit the sponsoring websites for more information.

Any students who are awarded external scholarships should communicate with the Business Office or Financial Aid to ensure those funds are sent to the College correctly and applied to the student account.

View the Scholarship List

Effective 9/17; Revised: 5/17, 6/18, 8/21, 7/22, 9/24

Updated: 1/26/26

Contact: Department of Nursing

1. When applicants are admitted to the college and declare nursing as their major they are classified as direct admit or pre-nursing. Students are classified as direct admit by completion of the following criteria:

• • High school diploma or GED with less than 12 credit hours of college-level course work other than AP and/or dual credit obtained while in high school
  • Any college level prerequisite courses must be C or better
  • Meeting William Jewell College admission requirements
  • ACT of 22 or better
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher in high school
  • Declaration of nursing as primary major within first semester attending William Jewell College

2. Direct-admit students will complete an intent to begin form on Etrieve upon admission to the college. Direct-admit students’ start dates to the program may only be deferred once.

3. All students, including direct admits, are considered contingently admitted to the nursing program until all preliminary and secondary requirements of admission are met.

Preliminary requirements are as follows:

• Achieve a 2.8 or higher cumulative GPA by the start of the semester prior to beginning the nursing program. If this 2.8 or higher cumulative GPA is not maintained prior to intended program start date, then the student will no longer be considered as direct admit status.
• Record of successful academic progression with prerequisite grades a B- or better on the first attempt.

1. 1. Chemistry and lab (CHE 113 or 121)
   2. Basic Psychology (PSY 101)
   3. Microbiology and lab (BMS 126)
   4. Human Anatomy and lab (BMS 243)
   5. Human Physiology and lab (BMS 250)
   6. Written Communication (CTI 102 )
   7. Math for the Liberal Arts or Calculus I (CTI 105 or 109)

• Has withdrawn from no more than one (1) prerequisite course. An attempt is defined as enrollment in a class with the following indication on a transcript a) course grade, b) incomplete = I, c) Withdraw = W.
• Any nursing courses, such as Nutrition, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, must have a grade of B- or better.
• Successful completion of College-required Core Curriculum level I coursework:

1. 1. The Responsible Self (CTI 100)
   2. Identity and Society (CTI 150)

• Students at any time not meeting preliminary requirements will be advised to change their major.

Secondary requirements are as follows:

4. Secondary requirements for admission are completed during the semester prior, only after preliminary requirements are met. These secondary requirements are as follows:

• Completion of a criminal background check as stipulated by the guidelines of the Department of Nursing’s policy posted on William Jewell College’s Department of Nursing web page.

1. 1. Background check fee to be paid by the student

• Completion of a random drug screening as stipulated by the guidelines of the Department of Nursing’s policy posted on William Jewell College’s Department of Nursing web page: www.jewell.edu/nursing

1. 1. Assignment of drug screening will be designated randomly by the Department of Nursing
   2. Drug screening fee to be paid by the student

• All students, including direct admits, are considered contingently admitted to the nursing program until all preliminary and secondary requirements of admission are met.

Verification of Preliminary Requirements

1. The Nursing Student Liaison (NSL) will verify the GPA and successful completion of prerequisite coursework for direct entry students at the end of every semester.

• At that time, students will be classified as having met or not met preliminary requirements.
• Any prerequisite courses still in progress at that time will be evaluated at the end of the semester in which they are completed
• The NSL will notify the Department of Nursing Chair and the department’s Admission and Progression Committee (APC) of each individual student’s status on meeting or not meeting all preliminary requirements of admission.
• APC will send written notification to those students not meeting the requirements that they must change their major to pre-nursing. These students will follow the pre-nursing policy.

2. Students beginning the program in the following semester who have met all preliminary admission requirements satisfactorily (with enrolled prerequisite courses still in progress) will be instructed to complete secondary admission requirements upon notification from the Clinical Compliance Coordinator (PCC).

3. Students beginning the program in the following semester who have not met all preliminary admission requirements satisfactorily (excluding prerequisite courses they are currently enrolled in at the time) will no longer have direct admit status and will no longer be considered eligible to begin the nursing program. These students will be advised to change their major.

Effective 9/17; Revised: 5/17, 6/18, 8/21, 7/22, 9/24

Updated: 1/26/26

Contact: Department of Nursing

1. The Pre-nursing (PRENR) track is for students, not eligible for direct entry, to focus their coursework on fulfilling necessary prerequisites and academic progression requirements to be eligible to participate in a competitive admission process to major in Nursing.
2. Students on this track may be test-optional students or transfer students to the College who have yet to participate in the formal nursing admission process.
3. Students admitted conditionally may not declare Pre-nursing track or Nursing as their major.
4. Upon admission to the College, students who elect the Pre-nursing track will complete an Intent to Begin form on Etrieve declaring the semester they intend to begin the program if accepted. Students may only defer their nursing program intended start date one time before becoming ineligible to continue on the Pre-nursing track.
5. Pre-nursing track students are required to participate in a competitive selection process based upon academic and additional requirements. Due to the limited number of seats in the program and competitive selection process, some students who fulfill necessary prerequisites and academic progression requirements may not be selected for the nursing program or declare a major in Nursing.

Preliminary Requirements

• Achieving and maintaining a 2.8 or higher cumulative GPA at the time of consideration and must be maintained through the start of the program
• Record of successful academic progression with prerequisite grades a B- or better on the first attempt.

1. 1. Chemistry and lab (CHE 113 or 121)
   2. Basic Psychology (PSY 101)
   3. Microbiology and lab (BMS 126)
   4. Human Anatomy and lab (BMS 243)
   5. Human Physiology and lab (BMS 250)
   6. Written Communication (CTI 102 )
   7. Math for the Liberal Arts or Calculus I (CTI 105 or 109)

• Applicants may be admitted with one C, or C+ grade in a prerequisite course.
• No grades of C-, D or F will be accepted for admission consideration.
• Students are permitted to repeat one prerequisite course in which a C-, C, C+ or W was earned for the purpose of grade replacement.
• The repeated course must result in a grade of B– or higher to meet admission requirements.
• This grade-replacement option may be exercised only once, and the repeated course must be completed at William Jewell College to qualify for substitution.
• Any nursing courses, such as Nutrition, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, must have a grade of B- or better on first attempt.
• Successful completion of college required Core Curriculum level I coursework

1. 1. The Responsible Self (CTI 100)
   2. Identity and Society (CTI 150)

• Students must complete the Application to Nursing Program form every semester. This form is to be submitted to the Nursing Student Liaison within two weeks of final grades posting.
• Students at any time not meeting academic requirements will be advised to change the Pre-nursing track to a major other than Nursing.

Secondary Requirements

• Submission of a 250-500-word essay answering the following topics: “Why do you want to become a nurse and what is your plan for success through the program?”
• One letter of recommendation (academic or professional) that addresses the candidate’s character and ability to complete an intensive course of study
• An interview with one or more members of the Department of Nursing
• A written summary of any community, volunteer and health-related experiences
• Completion of a nursing school entrance examination, as administered by the Department of Nursing may be required (exam fee to be paid by the student)

Contingent Requirements

Contingent Requirements for admission are completed during the semester prior, only after contingently admitted to the nursing program. These contingent requirements are as follows:

• Completion of a criminal background check as stipulated by the guidelines of the Department of Nursing’s policy. Background check fee to be paid by the student.
• Completion of a random drug screening as stipulated by the guidelines of the Department of Nursing’s policy. Assignment of drug screening will be designated randomly by the Department of Nursing. Drug screening fee to be paid by the student.
• Once approved to start the program, students are considered contingently admitted to the nursing program until all preliminary, secondary and contingent requirements of admission are met.

Verification of Requirements

1. The Nursing Student Liaison will verify students are on track to start the nursing program upon receipt of the Application to Nursing Program form. Form must be submitted within 2 weeks of final grades posting.
2. Any prerequisite courses still in progress at that time will be evaluated at the end of the semester in which they are completed.
3. The NSL will notify the Department of Nursing Chair and advisor of each individual student’s status. Students will be classified as having met or not met academic and additional requirements.Criteria Met: Students beginning the program in the following semester who have met all academic and additional admission requirements satisfactorily (with enrolled prerequisite courses still in progress) and are classified as meeting academic and additional requirements will be approved to begin the nursing program as a contingently admitted student. Students will be instructed to complete contingent admission requirements (see below) upon notification from the Clinical Compliance Coordinator.Criteria Unmet: Students who have not met all academic and additional admission requirements satisfactorily (excluding prerequisite courses they are currently enrolled in at the time) will no longer be considered eligible to begin the nursing program. These students will be advised to change from Pre-nursing track to a major other than Nursing.
4. Students failing to successfully complete any/all requirements on time will be advised to change to a major other than Nursing.

Adapted from Jameson Health System Department of Nursing

Revised 5/17​

Nursing students providing direct patient care, under direct faculty supervision, perform essentially the same physical and emotional activities as a professional nurse. In order to meet the objectives of clinical courses, agreements with our clinical agencies, and ensure the safety of both student and patients, a student must be able to meet these physical and mental demands and fit for duty to attend clinical.

The following information is a description of the physical and mental activities required in nursing.  The listing is not all-inclusive, but is meant to provide information related to these major areas in performing safe patient care.

These activities are considered to be in the medium duty category as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor.

• Walking/Standing: Extended periods of walking/standing may occur while in the clinical area.  Stairs must be negotiated. Clinical shifts in each clinical course vary and can be up to 12 hours.
• Sitting: Occurs in the classroom, computer lab, during clinical conferences and when documenting in the patient’s medical record.
• Lifting/Carrying: Average lifting requirement is 50 pounds.  Nursing requires lifting of patients and carrying of medical equipment, charts, supplies, and medications.  In the clinical area and clinical lab experiences, students are required to lift, move, and transfer patients.  Requesting assistance when lifting or positioning patients is expected, however, the exertion can be up to 50 pounds.
• Pushing/Pulling: Required in positioning and moving of patients and medical equipment.  Pushing on a patient’s chest with considerable force is required in performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Able to pull or push a Code Blue cart.
• Stooping/Kneeling/Reaching/Climbing: Considerable twisting, bending, stooping, kneeling, and reaching are required during many aspects of patient care (moving patients, bathing patients, making beds, setting up and monitoring medical equipment). Able to climb on to patient’s bed for CPR.
• Eyesight/Vision: Utilized in assessment of patient’s health status when inspecting and observing for changes in color, physical appearance, and non-verbal behavior.  Able to accurately read medication labels and prepare medications.  Reads written communication and monitors medical equipment findings.
• Depth Perception: Required for the ability to recognize that objects have depth as well as height and width.  Assists in description of wounds, lesions, etc.  Required for fine task performance when using medical supplies for insertion into the body or medication administration by injection.
• Fine Motor Skills: Needs manual dexterity and coordination to write clearly and precisely to perform various nursing procedures and grasp and control medical equipment as necessary.
• Tactile Sensation: The ability to utilize the hands and fingers as a means of “hands-on” during a physical assessment and medication administration.  The individual must be able to feel vibrations, temperature changes, and pulses.
• Temperament: The skills vital in nursing include the ability to adapt to continually changing environment and critical thinking abilities.  Must demonstrate professional behavior at all times, especially while caring for patients.  Must be able to accept constructive criticism and accept own limits.  Must be aware that they will be exposed to communicable diseases and body fluids.  Students will be provided knowledge on how to handle their own protection as well as the protection of others.  Emotional stability is needed to maintain a therapeutic relationship with patients, families, and health team members.  A student nurse may not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of those in the clinical area.