Skip to content

Nursing

UHH Home > Academics > College of Arts and Sciences

The Baccalaureate Nursing Program supports the mission of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo in providing a learning environment that is responsive to the needs of a diverse student population and that stresses rigorous high quality education in a caring, personalized atmosphere. This educational experience encourages student-faculty interactions and offers hands-on learning and leadership opportunities. The Nursing Program places emphasis on learning about the challenges of delivering culturally congruent nursing care in a rural environment. The UH Hilo B.S.N. mission is summarized below:

C – Culturally caring
A – Active learning, critical thinking
R – Responsive to the needs of diverse student population and communities
I – Invested in quality and research
N – Nursing professionalism
G – Global peace

Degree Requirements

See degree requirements for a detailed listing of the Nursing B.S. requirements.

Nursing Web Site

Visit the Nursing web site at http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/depts/nursing/.

Program Goals

The program is committed to the following:

  • Providing quality nursing education with a strong focus on transcultural caring and an emphasis on critical thinking skills
  • Maintaining currency with nursing practices and standards in the delivery of therapeutic nursing care to individuals, families and communities
  • Developing effective communication skills that are congruent with cultural values and beliefs
  • Fostering community engagement through service and research projects which develops skills in collaboration, resource management and program development
  • Satisfactorily meeting the needs of students as well as those of clients and employers

The Baccalaureate Nursing program prepares students for careers in professional nursing. The Nursing program is accredited by the Hawaii State Board of Nursing and the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission. The B.S.N degree will be granted by UH Hilo upon the recommendation of Nursing faculty to those students who have successfully completed the prescribed curriculum.

Goals for Student Learning in the Major

The baccalaureate nursing graduate will be able to function at the beginning practice level:

As a Provider of Care and as a Teacher and Communicator, a bacalaureate nursing graduate

  • Organizes and prioritizes transcultural nursing care for individuals, families, and communities using the nursing process by demonstrating clinical proficiency in the delivery of care
  • Uses critical thinking to provide therapeutic nursing care derived from current research and recognized state and national (professional) standards
  • Communicates effectively with healthcare providers and consumers in order to assess, plan, implement and evaluate health care
  • Advocates for positive changes in the health care delivery system in partnership with the community
  • Provides culturally congruent health education to a diverse population

As a Manager of Care, a bacalaureate nursing graduate

  • manage care of individuals, families, and communities with complex health problems using current, research based nursing practices
  • collaborate with other professionals to provide preventive health education and research-based interventions to promote, maintain, and restore health to clients of all age groups and varied cultures
  • involve others in meeting the health needs and nursing goals with the leadership and management roles
  • foster engagement through community and research activities which develop skills in collaboration, resource management, and program development

As a Participant Investigator, a bacalaureate nursing graduate

  • integrate theory, knowledge, and experiences gained from general education and nursing courses in refining critical thinking skills
  • read, interpret, and evaluate nursing research and begin to apply the knowledge and/or findings to nursing practice
  • begin to be involved in research activities, especially within the community

As a Member of the Profession, a bacalaureate nursing graduate

  • assume personal responsibility for professional growth, such as membership in nursing  organizations, attendance at professional meetings, or reading professional literature
  • administer nursing care in an ethical and legal manner in accordance with accepted state and national nursing standards
  • incorporate leadership skills to effect change to enhance the health of individuals, families, and communities and improve the health care delivery system

As a Promoter of Transcultural Caring, a bacalaureate nursing graduate

  • identify the caring values, beliefs, and practices of health and illness and work with individuals, families, and communities to provide competent culturally congruent health care

Program Options

Students have two program options to earn the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Option 1 is for the basic student. Option 2 is for the returning R.N. who wishes to acquire the bachelor's degree.

Option 1

Students may enter the Basic B.S.N. program, whereby two years are spent fulfilling UH Hilo General Education and pre-nursing or pre-core requirements. Nursing courses are introduced in the third year after formal admission into the Nursing program on a competitive basis (See B.S.N. admissions criteria.)

Option 2

The R.N./B.S.N. program provides the candidate the opportunity for educational and professional advancement. Students may enter the R.N./B.S.N. program only if they have a current R.N. license and after being formally admitted into the upper-division nursing program (see B.S.N. admission criteria). Students may elect to complete the program on a part-time or full-time basis. Full-time students are expected to complete the one-year (30 semester hours) course sequence described below. Part-time students are expected to take all non-clinical courses prior to taking courses that include practicums. Regular advisement with faculty is critical for successful completion of requirements for graduation.

Nursing Faculty and Staff

  • Andrews, Mary L., MSN, RN, University of Phoenix, Hawaii, Case Management
  • Commendador, Kathleen A, PhD, APRN, RN, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Women’s Health, Maternal-Child, Fundamentals
  • Daub, Katharyn F “Kay”, EdD, CTN, CNE, RN, California Coast University, Santa Ana, Medical Surgical, ICU Nursing, Nursing Fundamentals
  • Delaney, Kimberly, PhD, APRN, RN, Oregon Health Sciences University, Mental Health, Health Assessment
  • Field, Susan, MSN, FNP, RN, Idaho State University, Adult Health Care, Medical Surgical, Psychiatric
  • Flood, Jeanie L., MSN, IBCLC, RNC, University of Phoenix, Arizona, Perinatal Care, Pediatrics, Community Health
  • Hirakami, Lynda, MSN, FNP, RN, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Medical Surgical
  • Lovell, Eileen P., MSN, APRN, RN, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Community Health, Fundamentals
  • Mukai, Cecilia, Ph.D., APRN, RN, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Health Assessment, Medical Surgical
  • Thompson, Joan N., MSN, FNP, NNP, RN, University of Phoenix, Hawaii, Maternal-Child, Neonatal, Adult Health Care, Family Health Care