Nursing, B.S.

High school students interested in PLNU's nursing program only need to fill out the PLNU undergrad application in order to be considered for admission into our nursing (first-year direct entry) program. Students are required to apply Early Action (November 15 deadline) to be considered for nursing.

Please fill out only the general PLNU Undergraduate Application if you are a:

• Current high school student.
• High school graduate who has taken some college units/credits while in high school.
• High school graduate who has taken zero college units/credits after graduation.

Transfer students at PLNU are any students who have taken college units after high school graduation. 

Eligibility
 

Transfer Nursing Applicants: PLNU is NOT accepting applications into our three-year BSN or LVN to BSN Programs for the 2024-25 academic year.

Please Note: The nursing major has a limited number of spaces. Transfer students must complete all prerequisites for the major prior to applying for the BSN program and will not have priority when they apply. 

Nursing majors at PLNU and prospective students are eligible to be considered for the PLNU nursing major when the following conditions have been met:

1. Submission of a SON application for the nursing program. Application forms are typically available online in late fall and are due in early spring. 
2. Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.
3. Completion of the following prerequisites (or equivalents) with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each one. A student may be considered with a repeat of one prerequisite course. No online courses will be accepted as prerequisites required for the nursing program.
4. Transfer students must have completed all of the below prerequisites courses before their application to PLNU. Students in their semester of completion while applying will not be considered for admission.

Prerequisites

• Inorganic and organic biological chemistry or organic chemistry (4 or 5 semester units with labs)
• Human anatomy and physiology (8 semester units with labs)
• General psychology or personal identity (3 or 4 semester units)
• College-level algebra (determined by PLNU math placement test)
• Microbiology (4 semester units with lab)

Transfer students, please search the transfer agreements database for the transfer agreement for your school.

Explore the Transfer Agreement Database

Please review the community college articulation agreements if you are interested in satisfying prerequisites through a community college in the San Diego area.

PLEASE NOTE: Per agreement with the San Diego Nursing Service Education Consortium and affiliated hospitals, a background check, and urine drug screening will be required. Please view our Background Check — Urine Drug Screen Policy below.

Selection
 

Eligible students are selected for admission to the nursing program by the SON Selection Committee. Spaces in nursing courses are limited.

1. Priority consideration will be given to PLNU pre-nursing applicants who: a) have completed all prerequisite courses by the end of the spring semester preceding the fall entry date; b) have completed at least 15 semester units and two semesters at PLNU; c) have completed the BSN application process prior to February 1, preceding the fall entry date.
2. Secondary consideration will be given to transfer applicants who: a) have completed all prerequisite courses prior to turning in the BSN application; b) have completed the application process prior to February 1, preceding the fall entry date.
3. Selection is made on basis of cumulative GPA and strength of complete application. A point system is not used.
4. The selection committee will meet to finalize the selection process after all spring grades have been received and all students will be notified by mid-June.
5. An interview may be requested.

LVN to BSN Advanced Placement Policy

Health Status
 

Once accepted into the BSN program, students must provide evidence that they are physically and emotionally able to perform the duties required. A physical examination by a healthcare provider with information completed on a form provided by the SON is necessary. The examination includes current immunizations and tests as required by the SON.

CPR
 

Once accepted into the BSN program, students must provide evidence of a current American Heart Association "BLS for Healthcare Providers" card. Cards from the Red Cross ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Background Check — Urine Drug Screen Policy 

For the past several years there has been at least one student who has been dismissed from the program because of a dilute urine sample. This can happen easily if you are accustomed to drinking a lot of water. Drinking excess fluid is normal when you are preparing to participate in an athletic event or working outside, but this also may cause a dilute urine sample. It can also happen because of drinking too much coffee or tea (caffeine) in the morning prior to going in for a drug screen. This is a serious matter and is not taken lightly by the School of Nursing. Because we abide by the hospital standards and there are hospitals that will not accept an American Data Bank report flag caused by a dilute we must dismiss the student. In some cases, we're able to readmit a year later (five-year student), and in other cases, this will be a non-negotiable final dismissal from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

A flag is something that has been identified as needing attention. The flag can occur with the background check or with the urine for drug screening.

Per agreement with the San Diego Nursing Service Education Consortium and affiliated hospitals, a background check, and drug screening will be required prior to your first clinical experience and within one year of your clinical rotation at Rady’s Children’s Hospital. If a flag occurs from either your background check or drug screening, this will result in immediate dismissal from the Point Loma Nazarene University Bachelor of Science in Nursing clinical courses. (Per the Board of Registered Nursing Code CCR 1426 (d) Didactic and Clinical courses must be completed simultaneously for successful completion of any course.)

Dilute urine means there is too much water in the urine causing the test to be inconclusive. If you drink too much water before going for your drug screening, the result may be a dilute reading. If you receive a dilute, it will flag your American Data Bank Drug Screen Report.

We recommend no liquids after midnight until you have submitted your a.m. urine specimen. If you are concerned that your urine may be diluted flush that specimen and reschedule your drug screen appointment. (Note that urine is normally yellow in color. If the color is not obviously yellow it may be diluted.)

If you have questions please contact nursing@pointloma.edu.

Pre-nursing majors at PLNU are eligible to be considered for the PLNU nursing major when the following conditions have been met:

1. Submission of a SON application for the nursing program. Application forms are typically available online in late fall and are due in early spring.
2. Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a four-point scale.
3. Completion of the following prerequisites (or equivalents) with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each one. A student may be considered with a repeat of one prerequisite course. No online courses will be accepted as prerequisites required for the nursing program.

Please Note: The nursing major has a limited number of spaces.

Prerequisites

• Inorganic and organic biological chemistry or organic chemistry (4 or 5 semester units with labs)
• Human anatomy and physiology (8 semester units with labs)
• General psychology or personal identity (3 or 4 semester units)
• NSG150 — Caring Faithfully: An Introduction to Nursing (2 units) with a minimum grade of "B"
• College-level algebra (determined by PLNU math placement test)

PLEASE NOTE: Per agreement with the San Diego Nursing Service Education Consortium and affiliated hospitals, a background check and urine drug screening will be required. Please view our Background Check — Urine Drug Screen Policy below.

Selection
 

Eligible students are selected for admission to the nursing program by the SON Selection Committee. Spaces in nursing courses are limited.

1. Priority consideration will be given to PLNU pre-nursing applicants who: a) have completed all prerequisite courses by the end of the spring semester preceding the fall entry date; b) have completed at least 15 semester units and two semesters at PLNU; c) have completed the BSN application process prior to February 1, preceding the fall entry date.
2. Secondary consideration will be given to transfer applicants who: a) have completed all prerequisite courses prior to turning in the BSN application; b) have completed the application process prior to February 1, preceding the fall entry date.
3. Selection is made on basis of cumulative GPA and strength of complete application. A point system is not used.
4. The selection committee will meet to finalize the selection process after all spring grades have been received and all students will be notified by mid-June.
5. An interview may be requested.

LVN to BSN Advanced Placement Policy

Health Status
 

Once accepted into the BSN program, students must provide evidence that they are physically and emotionally able to perform the duties required. A physical examination by a healthcare provider with information completed on a form provided by the SON is necessary. The examination includes current immunizations and tests as required by the SON.

CPR
 

Once accepted into the BSN program, students must provide evidence of a current American Heart Association "BLS for Healthcare Providers" card. Cards from the Red Cross ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Background Check — Urine Drug Screen Policy 

For the past several years there has been at least one student who has been dismissed from the program because of a dilute urine sample. This can happen easily if you are accustomed to drinking a lot of water. Drinking excess fluid is normal when you are preparing to participate in an athletic event or working outside, but this also may cause a dilute urine sample. It can also happen because of drinking too much coffee or tea (caffeine) in the morning prior to going in for a drug screen. This is a serious matter and is not taken lightly by the School of Nursing. Because we abide by the hospital standards and there are hospitals that will not accept an American Data Bank report flag caused by a dilute we must dismiss the student. In some cases, we are able to readmit a year later (five-year student), and in other cases, this will be a non-negotiable final dismissal from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

A flag is something that has been identified as needing attention. The flag can occur with the background check or with the urine for drug screening.

Per agreement with the San Diego Nursing Service Education Consortium and affiliated hospitals, a background check, and drug screening will be required prior to your first clinical experience, and within one year of your clinical rotation at Rady’s Children’s Hospital. If a flag occurs from either your background check or drug screening, this will result in immediate dismissal from the Point Loma Nazarene University Bachelor of Science in Nursing clinical courses. (Per the Board of Registered Nursing Code CCR 1426 (d) Didactic and Clinical courses must be completed simultaneously for successful completion of any course.)

Dilute urine means there is too much water in the urine causing the test to be inconclusive. If you drink too much water before going for your drug screening, the result may be a dilute reading. If you receive a dilute, it will flag your American Data Bank Drug Screen Report.

We recommend no liquids after midnight until you have submitted your a.m. urine specimen. If you are concerned that your urine may be diluted flush that specimen and reschedule your drug screen appointment. (Note that urine is normally yellow in color. If the color is not obviously yellow it may be diluted.)

If you have questions please contact nursing@pointloma.edu.