Nursing - Licensed Practical Nurse Entry

As a student with an LPN license, the nursing major prepares you for the NCLEX-RN exam and careers in any health care setting after you’re licensed as a Registered Nurse. . You can receive credit for 11 credit hours of previous nursing fundamentals courses into the major.

Preparing You For Success

Because nurses play critical roles in health care, your classes and clinical hours expose you to community health, critical care (ICU), mental health skilled care, surgeries, pediatrics and other settings. You begin clinical experiences your junior year, which allows you extra time to explore nursing settings. When completed, you’re ready for the nursing licensure exam.

Peoria is an ideal place to learn nursing because of its growing medical community and blend of urban and rural health care. The city boasts three major hospitals, including a Level 1 trauma center and a children’s hospital affiliated with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Peoria also has nursing homes, social service agencies and public health organizations. Rural health organizations are in communities a few minutes from Bradley.

By the time you graduate, your experiences include:

  • Networking and professional development through the Bradley Nursing Student Association, Sigma Theta Tau International honor society and other student organizations
  • Participating on small clinical teams
  • Opportunities to be mentored by faculty through one-on-one advising, research and campus organizations
  • Flexibility to participate in Division I sports

Making Your Mark

Nurses with bachelor’s degrees are in high demand as health care becomes more complex. In fact, many employers prefer BSNs because they excel at patient assessment and critical thinking on the floor. Graduates who don’t want to enter the workforce immediately can pursue graduate nursing degrees in advanced practice, health care administration or education.

Graduates are working in outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, correctional facilities, schools, public health departments, military bases, research facilities and religious health care organizations.

Major Requirements

The LPN may earn up to 11 semester hours of credit for prior learning (NUR 200, 203, 206 and 207). Following completion of NUR 300 and 310 or 204 with a minimum grade of “C," the licensed practical nurse student may enroll in required junior nursing courses. Sixty-six hours may be transferred from a community college.

Required Courses - 102 hrs.

  • BIO 111: Introduction to Cell Biology - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 202: Microbiology - 4 hrs.
  • BIO 230: Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophys. - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 231: Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • BIO 232: Anatomy, Physiology and Pathophys. - 3 hrs.
  • BIO 233: Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 100: Fund. of General Chemistry - 3 hrs. (NS)
  • CHM 101: Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hr.
  • CHM 162: Fund. of Organic Chemistry - 3 hrs.
  • COM 103: Oral Communication Process - 3 hrs. (OC)
  • ENG 101: English Composition - 3 hrs. (W1)
  • ENG 300 level: Junior Composition - 3 hrs. (W2)
  • FCS 202: Food and Nutrition - 3 hrs.
  • MTH 111: Elementary Statistics - 3 hrs. (QR)
  • NUR 300: Conceptual Basis for Professional Nursing - 3 hrs.
  • NUR 310: Health Assessment - 2 hrs.
    or NUR 204: Introduction to Health Assessment - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 306: Maternal/Newborn Nsg Nursing (T) - 3 hrs.
  • NUR 307: Maternal/Newborn Nsg Nursing (P) - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 308: Nursing of Children (T) - 3 hrs.
  • NUR 309: Nursing of Children (P) - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 318: Pharmacology and Nursing Implications - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 303: Research in Nursing - 3 hrs. (WI tag)
  • NUR 314: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (T) - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 315: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (P) - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 316: Adult Health II (T) - 4 hrs.
  • NUR 317: Adult Health II (P) - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 403: Community Health Practicum (P) - 2.5 hrs.
  • NUR 404: Community Health Nsg Nursing (T) - 2 hrs.
  • NUR 408: Adult Health III (T) - 3 hrs.
  • NUR 409: Senior Practicum I (P) - 2.5 hrs.
  • NUR 411: Senior Practicum I Med Surg (P) - 2.5 hrs.
  • NUR 410: Adult Health IV (T) - 3 hrs.
  • NUR 413: Leadership Practicum (P) - 2.5 hrs.
  • NUR 414: Senior Seminar - 1 hr.
  • NUR 417: Senior Practicum II (P) -  2.5 hrs.
  • NUR 418: Contemporary Nursing Leadership (T) - 2 hr.
  • PSY 101: Principles of Psychology - 3 hrs. (SB)
  • PSY 303: Lifespan Developmental Psychology - 3 hrs.
  • PSY 311: Principles Abnormal Psychology - 3 hrs.
  • SOC 100: The Sociological Perspective - 3 hrs. (SB)

Please Note

  • If a student enrolls in NUR 404 and 408, he/she will take NUR 403 and 409 practicums. If a student enrolls only in NUR 408, he/she will take NUR 409 and 417 practicums.
  • If a student enrolls in NUR 404 and 410, he/she will take NUR 403 and 413 practicums. If a student enrolls only in NUR 410, he/she will take NUR 413 and 417 practicums.