College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
A Mission to Advance Healthcare
The mission of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions is to develop professionals using systems- and evidence-based practice to promote health, wellness, safety and quality care for individual patients and populations supported by an academically rigorous liberal arts education reflecting Christian values.
Preparing the next generation of healthcare's servant leaders is a commitment that is not taken lightly at the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions. Our commitment is evident in the diversity of relevant degree programs offered, an evolving curriculum that keeps up with changing healthcare roles and instruction that connects theories to the real life situations, through hands-on practice, lab simulations and much more. Learn more about the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions.
Clubs and Organizations
We offer a variety of student-run clubs and professional organizations for you to get involved and make connections. Learn more about our clubs, and how joining one can help you grow personally and professionally.
Health & Wellness With Purpose
Keeping up with industry trends, new developments and your college news is easy, with the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions' blog, Health & Wellness With Purpose. Read informative posts from nursing and public health faculty and staff to stay up to date.
Student Success Center
Need a little extra help in a class? Want help studying for a test coming up? Visit the Student Success Center to view materials related your courses, get study tips for the NCLEX and more. The Student Success Center can help you reach your academic goals.
GCU is proud to partner with the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation, a nonprofit organization and leader in recognizing exceptional nurses for the skillful and compassionate care they provide to patients and families.
The DAISY Foundation was created in 1999 by the family of Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 from complications of an auto-immune disease. The family’s sole purpose for starting the DAISY Foundation was to express gratitude for the extraordinary nurses who cared for Patrick during his eight-week hospitalization. Today, they honor nurses throughout the world and throughout their careers, from nursing students through lifetime achievements.
At GCU, we are honored to partner with the DAISY Foundation to recognize extraordinary nursing faculty. This is awarded to faculty whose actions exemplify GCU’s mission to prepare nurses to become global contributors, innovative thinkers, effective communicators, patient advocates and leaders. To nominate a nursing faculty member, please proceed using the button below.
All student nominations are held in the fall and all faculty nominations are held in the spring.
BSN level — Clayton Santillo
MSN level — Sonia Joseph
DNP level — Maria Yolanda Alvarado
BSN level — Colleen Payne
MSN level — Emily Tyler
DNP level — Brandi Wilford
BSN level — Connor McCook
MSN level — Jill Martin
DNP level — Angela Miles
BSN level — Jennifer Womeldorf-Dunn
MSN level — Ann Aschenbrenner
DNP level — David Mulkey
BSN level — Madison Peters
MSN level — Gina Hern-Martinez
DNP level — Christina Arockiam
BSN level — Carol Johnson
MSN level — Dr. Jennifer Brodie
DNP level — Dr. Katherine Fetter
BSN level — Dr. Jean Collins
MSN level — Dr. Emily Tyler
DNP level — Dr. LeAnne Prenovost
BSN level — Megan Carey
MSN level — Janette Reeves
DNP level — Lula Hoskins
Office of Field Experience (OFE): Connecting Classroom Theory to Real-Life Experience
Real-life practice is an important educational component of many of our healthcare degree programs. The Office of Field Experience (OFE) was established to help you gain valuable opportunities to practice what you have learned in the classroom in a supervised care environment. If your degree program requires a field placement in order to graduate, our staff supports you in setting up an approved preceptor and site to meet the educational requirements of your program.
To learn the guidelines for undergraduate or graduate practicums, all students enrolled in a placement program are required to review these resources:
The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions and your FES determine if you have met all of the placement requirements necessary to participate in field experience courses. Our field experience counselor can help advance your education by:
- Ensuring that you understand the nature of the field experience and the expectations involved
- Approving sites for field experience to ensure they meets practicum standards
- Confirming you meet the health and safety requirements of the site
- Assisting you in the practicum or clinical application process, if required
- Counseling you, as needed
- Communicating with the field experience instructors as necessary
Programs that require clinical hours:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Pre-Licensure)
- Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training
- Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology
- Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner
- Post-Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in Adult-Gerontology Certificate
- Post-Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate
- Bridge (Master of Science in Nursing: Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with an Emphasis in
- Adult-Gerontology)
- Bridge (Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner)
Programs that require practicum hours:
- Master of Public Health
- Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education
- Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Leadership in Health Care Systems
- Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Public Health
- Post-Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Education Certificate
- Bridge (Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education)
- Bridge (Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems)
- Bridge (Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Public Health)
Program with practice immersion hours:
- RN to BSN
- Doctor of Nursing Practice
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Pre-Licensure BSN Program Requirements
Clinical coursework for nursing programs begins during the junior year. The number of students admitted into the clinical portion of the pre-licensure program is dependent on the availability of clinical spaces and varies each application period. Admission into the program is competitive, and the college stack-ranks prerequisite GPA, programmatic GPA and HESI A2 scores to determine final admissions decisions.
After two secondary application attempts, a student will be ineligible for secondary admission and will be required to select an alternate program. Additionally, admission cannot be guaranteed. Applications that do not meet the minimum requirements by the application deadline will be denied without consideration. For general academic requirements and regulations, view the University Policy Handbook.
Secondary Admission Requirements for Clinical Coursework
Pre-licensure applicants are required to complete and submit the Secondary Nursing Application (First or Final attempt), through their GCU Student Portal, prior to the secondary application deadline for the semester applying.
Submission of this application will officially count as one secondary application attempt. Unless your secondary application is submitted prior to the application deadline for the semester applying, you will not be reviewed for consideration into the clinical portion of Grand Canyon University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Pre-Licensure) program. Students are allowed to submit a maximum of two secondary applications for consideration into the clinical portion of the Pre-Licensure program. If you are unsure of any of the aforementioned, please contact your Student Services Counselor for assistance before submitting your secondary application.
Secondary Admission Criteria and Information
As a reminder, please reference the University Policy Handbook for additional details and information on the pre-licensure BSN secondary admission requirements, application criteria and more.
All criteria must be completed by the semester deadline(s) specified below: The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions will conduct a review of student's records to determine acceptance into the BSN Pre-Licensure clinical portion of the program.
| Semester | Deadline |
| Spring | Sept. 15 |
| Summer | Jan. 15 |
| Fall | May 15 |
Background Check:
- Pass Grand Canyon University background check (no felonies; misdemeanors will be subject to review by the college). The background check expires six months from the date ordered. GCU recommends ordering one month prior to the secondary application deadline for the semester applying.
myClinicalExchange (mCE):
Clinical rotations are reserved using mandatory database systems that all users must register for and participate in as part of regional pre-licensure nursing education management processes.
Students are required to complete an online orientation program as part of their clinical education experience. Students onboard for clinical experiences through OFE or myClinicalExchange (mCE) — a web-based automated tool used to operate, administer and manage clinical placements.
Students cannot be entered into a clinical rotation unless they are registered in mCE. mCE uses a PayPal system to charge individuals for setting up their account. All mCE fees are at the student’s expense upon registration using the following link.
The year begins with the date the mCE profile is first created. Each student will create their own account by going to the following link.
Students should take immediate action upon receiving this notification. mCE assists in placing students for valuable learning experiences. If students require any additional information, they should contact their OFE Counselor.
Fingerprint Clearance Card:
Obtain a Level One State of Arizona Department of Public Safety Fingerprint Clearance Card; submission of fingerprints and application to AZDPS required prior to application deadline.
- Starting Summer 2025, all new students applying for secondary admission into the pre-licensure and ABSN program in Arizona will need to apply for an Arizona DPS IVP Fingerprint Card to fulfill compliance requirements for the clinical portion of the program.
HESI Admissions Assessment Exam (HESI A2) Requirements:
Complete the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) A2 Admissions Assessment Exam. Upcoming exam dates and details can be found on the HESI A2 Registration page. Please note, access to this page requires a @my.gcu.edu login.
- 80% in Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary
- 80% in Math
- 75% in Human Anatomy and Physiology
Pre-licensure nursing students must pass all required sections during the same exam attempt to meet standards. Students cannot use or combine the highest subtest scores from different exam attempts. You can have up to four total attempts within two years of the secondary application deadline to achieve the required passing scores. Exam results, whether passing or failing, will only be considered if the exam date was within two years of the student’s secondary application deadline. All prior results greater than two years will not be taken into consideration. Results from exams taken prior to Jan. 1, 2024 will be accepted even if taken at other institutions or outside of GCU. Results from exams taken Jan. 1, 2024 and after will only be accepted if taken through GCU.
HESI A2 Retakes: Students must wait 14 full days to lapse in between HESI A2 exam attempts. The count of 14 days will begin the day following the previous exam attempt (e.g., attempt number one taken on day one, 14-day wait time = days two through 15, attempt number two can be taken on day 16). Attempts taken less than the full 14 days in between attempts will be nullified.
GPA Requirements:
- Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher for all General Education Program Major Prerequisite coursework
AND
- Achieve a minimum cumulative programmatic GPA of 3.0 or higher.
(All courses taken under the enrolled program)
General Education Program Major Prerequisite Courses:
Students cannot retake successfully completed pre-requisite courses. This policy includes any completed required pre-requisite courses taken during an approved nursing assistant training program (ex: CNA) or via dual enrollment while attending high school.
CHM-101 with Lab Introduction to General, Organic, and Biochemistry
BIO-202 with Lab Human Anatomy and Physiology II
BIO-205 with Lab Microbiology
BIO-322 Applied Pathophysiology
BIO-319 Applied Nutrition
PSY-357 Lifespan Development
Required General Education Courses
UNV-103 University Success
CWV-101 Christian Worldview
ENG-105 English Composition I
ENG-106 English Composition II
MAT-144 College Mathematics
BIO-201 with Lab Human Anatomy and Physiology I
PSY-102 General Psychology
MAT-274 Probability and Statistics
SOC-102 Principles of Sociology
Additional Application Details and Review Process
GCU’s pre-licensure program only admits students that did not earn credit from another college or university before or since enrolling at GCU, with the exception of credits earned from an approved nursing assistant training program (ex: CNA) or via dual enrollment while attending high school.
Secondary application results regarding potential admission or denial of admission into the clinical portion of the pre-licensure program are emailed to the applicant's my.gcu.edu email account approximately one month after the application deadline of the semester applying.
Visit the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions Student Success Center resource site for more information including the BSN Pre-Licensure Orientation
Students must complete all General Education Program Major Prerequisite and Required General Education courses as listed in the Academic Catalog with a passing grade (with the exception of NSG-310, as this course is taken during the clinical portion of the program, if accepted). Failure to complete the aforementioned courses will result in the rescinding of the secondary acceptance offer, and students will not be allowed to progress into the clinical portion of the BSN Pre-Licensure program.
Athletic Training Program Requirements
Acceptance into the athletic training program is competitive, and not all students will be admitted into the clinical coursework, which begins in the sophomore year. Acceptance is determined by specific admission criteria and the availability of clinical sites. You must attend mandatory advising meetings prior to applying to the clinical portion of the athletic training program. To learn more about the mission, goals and objectives of the Athletic Training program, please review the Guidelines for Undergraduate Field Experiences.
Admission Requirements
You must successfully complete the following courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 prior to admission to the program:
- UNV-103 - University Success
- ENG-105 - English Composition I
- ENG-106 - English Composition II
- MAT-144 - College Mathematics
Prerequisite Courses
- BIO-201 - Anatomy & Physiology I
- BIO-201L - Anatomy & Physiology I Lab
- BIO-202 - Anatomy & Physiology II
- BIO-202L - Anatomy & Physiology II Lab
- ATP-214 - Care & Prevention of Athletic Injuries (only accepted from GCU)
- ATP-214L - Care & Prevention Lab (only accepted from GCU)
- ATP-256 - Health Promotion and Wellness Protection (only accepted from GCU)
Transfer students: Courses must be approved by GCU before transfer. Speak with your student services counselor for more information.
Complete the following paperwork by March 1, for consideration for admission into the clinical portion of the athletic training program. All information must be completed and submitted electronically through the Student Portal. Selection is determined from prerequisite GPA, programmatic GPA, knowledge of athletic training entrance essay score and ATP entrance exam score.
- Admission Form
Complete the form above and submit it to either the Student Portal or [email protected] - Knowledge of Athletic Training Entrance Essay
Describe your understanding of the profession of athletic training. Why do you want to be a certified athletic trainer? How has your previous work or athletic training experience prepared you for what you perceive to be the responsibilities and challenges of the athletic training profession? What character traits do you possess that you feel allow you to meet the rigorous demands of the clinical portion of the athletic training program? The essay will be scored and the results will be factored in to the admission criteria. - ATP Entrance Exam
Upon submission of the admission form, you will be required to take an entrance exam. The information for the exam will be based on prerequisite coursework and general knowledge of the profession of athletic training. You will be notified of dates and times for the entrance exam via the email address provided on the Admission Form. The results of the exam will be factored in to the admission criteria.
Acceptance Letters
By May 31 - After review of all applicant materials, an acceptance/declination email letter will be sent to all applicants. You must respond within one week to express your intent to continue into the clinical portion of the athletic training program.
In order to meet all CAATE accreditation standards and guidelines, as well as liability and health precautions, all students must complete the following information by August 1 prior to starting their first clinical course in the fall. Failure to do so may result in loss of clinical spot and require reapplication to the program.
| Provider Name | Course Title |
| American Heart Association | BLS Healthcare Provider |
| American Red Cross | CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer |
| American Safety and Health Institute | CPR for Professionals |
| Emergency Care and Safety Institute | Health Care Provider CPR |
| National Safety Council | BLS for Health Care and Professional Rescuers |
- AzDPS Fingerprint Clearance Card
Submit a scanned copy of the card (front and back). You are required to complete the regular application (not an IVP) and check off the box for Health Science Student & Clinical Assistant (ARS 15-1881) for your clinical assignment. It is required for clinical rotation sites and completed through the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AzDPS). This process will take six to eight weeks. You may obtain an application packet from AzDPS by either calling 602-223-2279 or faxing your request to 602-223-2947. When requesting an application packet, make sure you specify that you need the "regular" application packet. - Professional Rescuer CPR Certification (current through the academic year)
Submit a scanned copy (front and back). You must sign up and complete an appropriate Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) course as described on bocatc.org/athletic-trainers. Your ECC certification must include: Adult CPR, Pediatric CPR, Second Rescuer CPR, AED, Airway Obstruction and Barrier Device Training. - First Aid Certification (current through academic year)
Submit a scanned copy. You must sign up and complete a first aid certification course. Accepted certifications can be acquired from one of the following:- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
- American Safety and Health Institute
- Emergency Care and Safety Institute
- National Safety Council
- Technical Standards Agreement
Submit a scanned copy of the signed and completed form. - Health History and Physical Examination
Submit a scanned copy of the signed and completed form. This examination includes review of immunization or immunity for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and technical standards review. - Student Liability Insurance
Must be renewed annually. You must also submit an electronic copy of your policy in addition to this form. Liability insurance is meant to protect you during clinical rotations. It is not the same as health insurance. There are many places to get liability insurance, including those listed on the form. - Athletic Training Student Name Badge
Complete the form and submit with the appropriate cost to the vendor as listed on the form. Once you have received your name badge, scan a copy and submit through the Student Portal. This process may take up to two weeks. - Hepatitis B Vaccination
You must submit a scanned copy of the form, proving Hepatitis B vaccination, or sign a waiver form declining vaccination. - Mandatory Athletic Training Student Orientation
Orientation is held on campus each fall. You must attend all sessions, including bloodborne pathogen training, communicable disease lecture, HIPAA and FERPA training.