Transfer Nursing Track

At Shenandoah, our role is to help you prepare for success in this challenging and satisfying career. Our programs are challenging, but the rewards of completing your degree and entering this critical profession are many.  Shenandoah University enjoys a strong reputation locally, regionally and nationally.  Our nursing graduates are recognized within the health care community as knowledgeable, capable and able to excel in the workplace. In addition, many return after graduation to pursue master’s degrees, post-master’s certificates and doctoral degrees.

Our programs are dynamic and responsive to the needs of our students and the health care community. Shenandoah Nursing Transfer Track offers classes in Winchester at the Health and Life Sciences Building. We’re excited to share our programs with you.

Simulation Experiences

Shenandoah uses high- and low-fidelity simulation equipment in laboratories that enhance student learning.  Simulation technology, in the form of human models/manikins, allows faculty members to design specific events or scenarios that simulate actual clinical situations and events.  This technology provides an interactive, educational approach to teaching theory, assessment, technology skills, pharmacology and decision-making in a safe environment that allows you to apply and integrate knowledge, skills and critical thinking.

Clinical Experiences

Shenandoah University enjoys collaborative relationships with many regional hospitals and, in addition to our full-time faculty, our clinical preceptors are some of the finest practitioners in the region.  Clinical locations can vary and typically include: 

Winchester Clinical Locations:

• Valley Health System Hospitals including Winchester Medical Center, Warren Memorial Hospital, Shenandoah Hospital
• WVU East Berkeley Medical Center
• Martinsburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• INOVA Health Systems
• Varied community settings including Blue Ridge Hospice, Public Health Departments, Sinclair Free Medical Clinic

Scholar Plaza Clinical Locations:

• INOVA Health System Hospitals including Loudoun, Fair Oaks, Fairfax, and Alexandria 
• Reston Hospital Center
• Virginia Hospital Center
• Children’s National Medical Center
• Fauquier Hospital
• Novant Hospitals

Inter-professional Experience

The Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing fosters interdisciplinary learning and practice through collaboration with our other health care programs, including pharmacy, physician assistant studies, physical and occupational therapy, athletic training, public health and music therapy.

After you’ve completed your studies, you’ll sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), prepared with the skills and knowledge to apply for entry-level professional nurse positions.

Shenandoah’s first-time NCLEX pass rate is consistently above the national average pass rate. Our NCLEX first-time pass-rates are consistently among the highest in the state of Virginia!

Our nursing student’s last semester includes a NCLEX preparation course.

Graduates from our BSN programs are eligible to apply for licensure/registration across the country. Once the NCLEX is successfully completed, graduates are designated as registered nurses.

View Our Recent NCLEX Pass Rates

Nursing is the fastest-growing occupation in the U.S. and the demand is expected to rise. Graduates enjoy high starting salaries and flexible schedules in terms of hours and locations. As a nurse, you’ll have numerous opportunities for specialization and career advancement.

The BSN degree is the entry-level degree for many health care organizations. It prepares you to perform clinical practice in today’s high tech health care environment, using clinical reasoning and critical thinking along with a caring demeanor.

The Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing prepares you to deliver, manage and lead nursing care in a variety of health care settings and participate in personal and professional development. You will be ready to do this in many settings, such as hospitals (acute care), clinics, medical practices, health departments, hospice and the military. You can work in international care, home care, trauma care or school nursing (you may teach in vocational LPN programs) and pursue graduate studies in advanced practice nursing, nursing education and research.

Salary information for nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing can be found at BSN Payscale.com

Our Nursing program has small classes, and faculty with expertise in a variety of specialties.  Our curriculum includes core nursing courses, nursing ethics and genomics, nursing research and evidence based practice and Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief courses. Nursing students are also prepared in our campus learning facilities to develop knowledge, skills, clinical judgment and confidence.

• Synthesize knowledge from the liberal arts, sciences, and nursing science as a basis for professional nursing practice
• Apply evolving information technology to monitor healthcare outcomes
• Integrate concepts of illness prevention/wellness, quality, safety, ethics and leadership into professional nursing practice within complex healthcare systems
• Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration with patients, families and inter-professional teams
• Deliver safe, compassionate, and holistic person-centered nursing care to diverse populations
• Advocate for institutional, professional, and governmental policies to influence positive healthcare outcomes of diverse populations
• Translate research into evidence-based nursing practice to provide quality care for patients, families, and communities
• Examine the influence of social determinants of health on the delivery of equitable care to diverse populations/communities

Course Title	Credit Hours
1st Semester
Pathophysiology	3
Pharmacotherapy	3
Foundations of Professional Nursing Concepts and Practice	3/1**
Health Assessment	3/1**
2nd Semester
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing	3/1**
Nursing Care of Adults I	3/2**
Nutrition Across the Lifespan	3
Advancing Nursing Practice and Clinical Judgment	1/1**
3rd Semester
Theory, Reasoning and EBP	3
Nursing Care of Childbearing Families	3/1**
Nursing Care of Adults II	3/2**
Ethics & Genomics in Nursing Practice (Fulfills Shen Ed Navigating Difference: Ethical Reasoning	3
4th Semester
Nursing Care of Children and Adolescents	3/1**
Nursing Care of Adults III	3/2**
Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing Practice	3
Nursing Elective (All HP Courses, ENG 302, PH 101, or PH 102)	3
5th Semester
Community and Population Health	3/1
Senior Nursing Capstone	0/3
Advancing to Professional Practice	3
Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Nursing	3
	Total Nursing Credits: 71 Total Credits needed for BSN: 121

Learning support services are available to all students in every course at Shenandoah. Free peer tutoring with a student who has previously succeeded in the course is available for any course across the university. The Writing Center is available for every stage of the writing process from thesis development to proofreading and bibliography assistance. The Math Enrichment Center is available for math and science assistance. Professors and Academic Advisors across the university also have office hours and open door policies to ensure Shenandoah students succeed academically.

Learning Support Services at Shenandoah

The tutor that was provided to me by Shenandoah University gave me the tools I needed in order to get my grade from a D to an A in the space of four weeks. Without the help of my tutor, I would not have been able to achieve an A!

Maureen Brock | Transfer Nursing, ’18

We have a low faculty-student ratio with small classes and clinical groups so you’ll receive personal attention from faculty. The result is a close-knit, collaborative community of nursing students, faculty and clinical preceptors.

There’s a special bond between Shenandoah University students and their professors. You’ll enjoy close relationships with faculty members who will mentor you in and out of the classroom. This remains a hallmark of our nursing education.

Shenandoah’s experienced and practicing faculty take every opportunity to provide you with the academic foundation you’ll need to meet the standards and rising expectations for practice in the nursing profession. They provide an environment where you can be inquisitive, grow and excel.

Meet Yvonne Braithwaite, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Programs on main campus

Meet The Nursing Faculty

Students interested in this program should also look into these other majors, graduate degrees, minors, and certificates.

These minors complement this program well:

• Spanish
• Biology
• Public Health

Continue your education by earning a graduate degree:

• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse-Midwifery
• Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner
• Doctor Of Nursing Practice

Shenandoah University works on rolling admissions and accepts applications throughout the year. Applications are reviewed individually and holistically.

Submit your application, review required admissions materials, find our admissions standards, and learn more about our Transfer Admissions Information.

Application Information

Beginning Fall 2024, the Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing at Shenandoah University will offer assured graduate program admission to its BSN or MSN alumni who are interested in earning an MSN, post-master’s specialty certificate, and/or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Alumni must meet minimum admission requirements to the MSN, post-master’s, and DNP programs, and will be required to submit an application by the application deadline. Alumni are strongly encouraged to apply by the priority deadline of February 15 to secure placement within their desired cohort.

School of Nursing alumni are assured entry into the following graduate programs:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) MSN
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) MSN
• Nurse-Midwifery (NM) MSN
• All Post-Master’s Certificates – FNP, PMHNP, NM
• Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

We encourage alumni to learn more about this benefit and our graduate programs. For more information, please contact Associate Dean of Graduate Nursing Programs Robbie McCauley, DNP, at rmccaule87@su.edu.

*Students in our BSN program must graduate and obtain their RN license. They must complete 2080 direct patient care hours prior to starting the specialty courses. 

Transfer students must complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) before entry into the nursing program.  A maximum of two attempts is permitted to achieve a minimum overall score of 65 percent (may be subject to change).