Nursing B.S.N.
The School of Nursing has extended the Upper Division fall 2020 semester deadline to June 1st.
Launch Your Calling to Heal
The best nurses are those who feel a calling to the field and who truly want to help, heal and serve others. In our nursing program, you’ll explore concepts of empathy, compassion and servant leadership. You’ll engage in a proven curriculum and train with state-of-the-art lab and simulation facilities. And you’ll be prepared to deliver a higher level of patient care.
A Holistic Approach
Our four-year program offers students a holistic approach to the nursing profession. You’ll begin with nursing courses in your junior year. And you’ll have abundant opportunities to apply what you learn in local hospitals, clinics and community outreach programs to needy communities around the world through PBA’s Gregory Center for Medical Missions. A number of area hospitals offer internship programs including the VA’s summer Valor Program, and upon the successful completion of your first semester of your junior year, you’ll qualify to work as a nurse technician at most local hospitals.
Distinctively PBA
PBA is known throughout the region for the quality of nursing graduates we produce each year. This is a result of our proven curriculum and exceptional instructors who serve as student mentors and bring decades of real-world experience. Other distinctives include:
- Christ-Centered Experience—concepts of faith and biblical principles are at the center of everything nursing students experience.
- Holistic Approach—we strongly believe, and teach our students, that true healthcare involves sociocultural understanding and spiritual encouragement in addition to the physical.
- Advanced Labs and Technology—you will benefit from training with the most advanced nursing lab technologies and patient simulation resources, preparing you to step in and succeed on day one.
- Personalized Learning—you will be guided by expert faculty who bring years of nursing experience at places such as Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center; Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida; Good Samaritan Medical Center; and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Learn More
1. Freshman Direct Admission
High School Students applying for Freshman Direct Admission only need apply to the university and indicate nursing as their major. Admissions will send qualified applicants a link to the web page form with the additional information required. Spots are limited, so early application is encouraged. Freshman Direct Admission students do not need to apply again to the Upper Division.
2. Competitive Application Instructions
- Currently enrolled lower division students will fill out a form on myPBA > Schools > Nursing. (login required)
- Students transferring directly into the upper division (with an AA or Bachelor's degree)
The following additional elements are required for the application.
- Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)
- Two recommendations are required for transfer students (academic or professional)
- Transcripts (from all colleges or universities attended)
- Students applying to lower division (sometimes called "pre-nursing") simply apply to the university.
Timeframe for Competitive Applications and What to Expect if you are Accepted:
- All upper division students start in the Fall, but there are three lower division nursing courses that must be completed in the prior Spring or Summer. You must choose whether you intend to start in Spring or Summer. (Both Spring and Summer groups will join together in the Fall.)
- There is a rolling admission for both Spring and Summer starts, however, your chances of being accepted are higher earlier in the process
- The initial deadline for the Spring is October 1 the year before
- The initial deadline for Fall is May 1
- If you are accepted, you have two weeks to accept or decline
- Students must complete their background check, fingerprints, and drug screen by the date indicated in the acceptance letter.
- All acceptances are provisional on passing the above nursing courses and completing all other outstanding course requirements before gaining full acceptance and beginning clinical courses in the Fall
- If you are new to PBA, then you are required to submit a Health History and Physical to Health and Wellness. If you are currently a PBA student, you must complete a Health History/Vaccination Update Form and inform the School of Nursing as to any changes in your health status
- Accepted students should reserve an important date on their calendar:
- Mandatory Commitment Ceremony: During Family Weekend--Saturday, at 4:00 pm. (Family and friends are invited.)
Guaranteed Admission Requirements:
Only students who entered PBA as freshman (or directly from high school) are eligible for Guaranteed Admission.
Currently enrolled Palm Beach Atlantic University students who meet the following criteria receive Guaranteed Admission to the Upper Division Nursing Major.
- Started at PBA as first semester freshmen (though you may have brought in hours)
- 3.0 + GPA in required classes
- 2.75 + Science/Math GPA
- TEAS Total Individual Score of 68.7 +
- Apply and meet all admission criteria by the October 1 deadline
Regular Competitive Admissions Minimum Requirements:
- 3.0 + GPA in required classes
- 2.75 + Science/Math GPA
- TEAS Total Individual Score of 68.7 + (74+ recommended to be competitive)
*GPA is the GPA in required courses, not the overall GPA. This is designed to encourage students to take difficult science classes without fearing that they will hurt their chances of acceptance.
Meeting the minimum requirements is NOT a guarantee of acceptance.
Transfering Your A.A. Degree (or prior bachelor's degree)
If you have an A.A. degree and have completed required prerequisites, you are ready to apply to Palm Beach Atlantic’s Upper Division Nursing program
- Application to the Upper Division is available for spring and summer terms only.
- You will need to have your A.A. degree conferred by the beginning of the first semester of Nursing school if you are accepted into the program.
- TEAS version exam (Version 6). The TEAS may ONLY be taken up to three times, with 30 days between exams.
- Application to the Upper Division means that you have completed the following courses:
- General Psychology
- Life Span Development (Human Growth and Development)
- Principles of Chemistry w/ Lab
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/ Lab
- Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/ Lab
- Microbiology w/ Lab
- Nutrition
- Statistics
*All courses must be completed by the time of program entrance. You may still be enrolled in these courses during the application process.
Transfer Nursing Students Needing to Complete Prerequisites at PBA
- Apply for admissions
- Submit transcripts
- Make a phone appointment to go over a basic degree plan
Application Exam Scheduling Instructions (TEAS)
Palm Beach Atlantic University is not an official TEAS testing site. TEAS tests are administered only for currently enrolled lower division nursing.
Entrance Exam: Test of Essential Academic Skills Version 6
Scheduling:
- T.E.A.S. sessions are limited to currently enrolled PBA students only. If you are not currently a PBA student you may search for testing locations on ATI's Website
- Enrolled students should contact their advisor for the testing schedule
Before the test:
- Study and prepare ahead of time
- Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test
- Eat breakfast or lunch the day of the test
- Go to www.atitesting.com and create a student account. Bring your login information to the test. (If you do not bring the information to the test, you will have to reschedule!)
- Apply to the Upper Division by going to myPBA/Schools/Nursing and clicking on the Upper Division BSN Program application link
The day of the test:
- Arrive at the stated time above. Plan on being here for 4 hours. (Oceanview Hall, School of Nursing on the Corner of S Dixie Highway and Pembroke Place, West Palm Beach)
- You will not be allowed to bring anything into the testing lab; no purses, backpacks, cell phones, PDA, beverages, food, calculators, etc.
- You will need to show a photo ID and have a credit or debit card to pay for the test. (Test is paid directly to ATI.)
- The test fee is $55. You will be prompted to pay by credit card prior to starting the test. Please have a major credit card for payment.
- You are encouraged to dress in layers as the lab ranges from very warm to very cold. Dress comfortably but stay within the university dress policy.
Launching Brighter Futures
Graduates of the program are ready for licensure as nurses with careers in bedside nursing, leadership and community nursing. Many program alumni also pursue a graduate degree. PBA nursing graduates consistently achieve a 94 percent pass rate on the national licensure exam, and are employed by respected healthcare organizations around the country, some of which include:
- Canasi Medical Institute
- Cleveland Clinic
- Community Health Clinic of West Palm Beach
- Emory Healthcare of Atlanta
- Florida Cancer Specialists
- Florida Department of Health
- Jupiter Medical Group
- Marcus Neuroscience Institute
- Palm Beach Cardiology
- Mary’s Medical Center
- Team Health
Emory Healthcare of Atlanta
Amanda Marie Sanz ’18 is a nurse specializing in neonatology at Emory Healthcare’s Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
St. Mary’s Medical Center
Cody Peters ’18 is a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital.
“They really put us in a position to excel as nurses. It prepares you to be not only
a standout nurse but also a standout person.” Marissa Pacheco ’16
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