Carr College of Nursing
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Undergraduate Programs
Meet our Students
Harding University’s nursing program, founded in 1975, holds a legacy of preparing highly skilled nurses who are in high demand across the U.S. and worldwide. Our Bachelor of Science in nursing program has been ranked No. 1 in the state of Arkansas since 2018. Our distinctiveness will interest the individual who likes a challenging and exciting profession and endless career and service opportunities. Our mission, “developing nurses as Christian servants,” is evident in the Christian heritage that permeates classroom and clinical instruction. Our graduate programs foster close teacher-student relationships and mentoring as well as providing a variety of clinical experiences including wellness and health promotion. Our health care missions program offers local as well as international experiences.
Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Through this traditional track, which includes 50 credit hours of upper-level nursing courses, teaches students that nursing is an art and a science; it is a process of assessment, analysis, planning, implementation and evaluation that utilizes a systematic approach to the provision of evidence-based nursing care. The practice of safe, holistic care based upon the nursing process requires the utilization of research, critical thinking, leadership knowledge and Christian principles as well as the ability to communicate, the use of professional standards and clinical competence. In addition to in-class learning, students gain a number of clinical hours through area hospitals and within our state-of-the-art facilities.
An individualized track for students who hold a current unencumbered nursing license (registered nurses, licensed practical nurses) without a bachelor’s degree. A full-time or part-time individualized degree completion plan is collaboratively designed with the student to culminate in the awarding of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
BSN Program
Hybrid Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Our hybrid accelerated BSN program empowers you to leverage any bachelor’s degree into a career as a nurse. This program makes it possible to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing in as few as 16 months. Our hybrid track blends online coursework and hands-on learning in nursing skills and simulation labs multiple days each week at our location in Rogers, Arkansas. Clinical rotations will allow you to work alongside experienced nursing faculty, Arkansas’ top doctors and professional nurses so you can gain the real-world experience you need to graduate as a practice-ready nurse.
Resources
Handbooks
Program Outcomes
The Dean and Faculty measure undergraduate program outcomes in order to foster continual quality improvement.
Selected program outcomes related to new graduate achievement include the first time pass rate on the national licensing exam, the program completion rate and the employment rate after graduation. The findings are presented below:
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| NCLEX Pass Rate | 100% | 98.1% | 98% | 97.9% | 93.48% |
| BSN Completion Rate | 81.54% | 86.54% | 84.91% | 98.11% | 95.24% |
| BSN Job Rate at 9 months | 97% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Other program outcomes are related to student learning. These student learning outcomes are measured in class and clinical activities. In the undergraduate program, student learning outcomes are summarized below:
| Curriculum Strand | Competencies/Outcomes |
| Nursing Process | Uses the nursing process effectively as a basis for making evolving clinical judgments while intervening therapeutically with patients in various health states, and developmental levels to restore, maintain, and promote health and to prevent illness. |
| Critical Thinking | Demonstrates use of critical thinking in making clinical judgments and decisions relevant to patient and nursing problems in a variety of settings. |
| Research | Uses clinical judgment to apply research findings in the provision of nursing care to enhance the quality of care. |
| Communication | To facilitate clinical judgment, the student communicates and collaborates, and listens effectively with patients, peers, and health team members to ensure quality patient nursing care, and to foster supportive, personal, and professional growth. |
| Leadership | Functions appropriately in leader and follower roles when using clinical judgment to provide safe, organized, and holistic nursing care, being a change agent, and serving as a patient advocate. |
| Teaching/Learning | Demonstrates clinical judgment through the use of teaching/learning principles to provide patients in various health states with the knowledge and skills necessary for health living: physically, spiritually, psychologically, and socially. |
| Christian Principles | Demonstrates commitment to Christian principles, professional ethics and standards of practice and is accountable for using clinical judgment in nursing practice and professional growth. |
| Global Perspective | Uses clinical judgment and global perspective to provide nursing care including cultural consideration, servant-leadership, and principles of resource conservation and stewardship. |
A summary report of all program outcomes including student learning outcomes can be obtained by contacting Dr. Susan Kehl, Dean of Nursing at nursing@harding.edu.
Honors College
The Carr College of Nursing has designed a course of study for students who wish to earn Honors courses while pursuing a nursing degree.
| Course | Subject | Credits |
| NURS 1000.H1 | Introduction to Nursing | 1 |
Limited enrollment, students must be enrolled in the Honors College.
Honors Contract Courses and Honors College Graduation Recognition:
Students in the Carr College of Nursing who maintain a 3.25 overall grade point average will be named an Honors College Participant by earning ten honors credits.
Students in the Carr College of Nursing who maintain a 3.25 overall grade point average will be named an Honors College Graduate by earning a minimum of 20 hours of honors credits. Students must complete at least four honors contracts, and any courses designated as (H) sections or HNRS courses.
Students in the Carr College of Nursing who maintain a 3.50 overall grade point average will be named an Honors College Graduate with Distinction by earning a minimum of 26 hours of honors credits. Four (H) classes or HNRS courses must be included, along with four honors contract courses. NURS 4620, the Nursing capstone course, will serve as the required honors capstone course.
| Course | Subject | Credits |
| NURS 3450 | OB and Women's Health | 5 |
| NURS 3510 | Nursing Adults/Chronic Health | 5 |
| NURS 3540 | Gerontological Nursing | 2 |
| NURS 3550 | Pediatric/Child Health | 5 |
| NURS 3630 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURS 4120 | Research | 3 |
| NURS 4200 | Nursing Adults/Acute Care | 5 |
| NURS 4530 | Community Health | 5 |
| NURS 4540 | Advanced Med-Surgical | 5 |
| NURS 4550 | Leadership and Management | 4 |
Honors Capstone Course:
NURS 4620 may be taken as an Honors Capstone course by those who meet the prerequisites to be an Honors College Graduate with Distinction. Contact the Honors College for more information.
| Course | Subject | Credits |
| NURS 4620 | Capstone | 3 |
Scholarships
Registered Nurse Jobs: Search Thousands of Entry Level Jobs, Externships, & Scholarship Opportunities on CampusRN.
NSNA Scholarship Opportunities: Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association (FNSNA)
F.A. Davis Scholarships: Scholarships are offered in Fall and Spring. Visit the F.A. Davis website to apply.
Computer Requirements
Computer Requirements: All students involved in the nursing degree program must have ready access to a laptop computer that can run our test software. Up to date computer requirements are found on the right panel of our Examsoft page. (Courses that require the student to regularly bring a laptop to class include all nursing courses numbered 3000 and above.)
Licensing
The professional nursing programs seek to provide information regarding licensing for all US states and territories.
| State or Territory | Approved |
| Alabama | Yes |
| Alaska | Yes |
| American Samoa | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | Yes |
| California | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Yes |
| Florida | Yes |
| Georgia | Yes |
| Guam | Yes |
| Hawaii | Yes |
| Idaho | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes |
| Indiana | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes |
| Kansas | Yes |
| Kentucky | Yes |
| Louisiana | Yes |
| Maine | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes |
| Minnesota | Yes |
| Mississippi | Yes |
| Missouri | Yes |
| Montana | Yes |
| Nebraska | Yes |
| Nevada | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes |
| New Mexico | Yes |
| New York | Yes |
| North Carolina | Yes |
| North Dakta | Yes |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Yes |
| Ohio | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes |
| Puerto Rico | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes |
| South Carolina | Yes |
| South Dakota | Yes |
| Tennessee | Yes |
| Texas | Yes |
| Utah | Yes |
| Vermont | Yes |
| Virgin Islands | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes |
| Washington | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes |
Contact Us
Fax: 501-279-4669
Mailing address:
Harding University
Carr College of Nursing
HU 12265
Searcy, AR 72149-5615