Nursing Major
Salve Regina University's nursing program prepares you to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care across diverse settings. Through hands-on learning in state-of-the-art simulation labs and clinical experiences in hospitals and healthcare facilities, you’ll build the knowledge, skills and confidence to care for patients at every stage of life.
Direct-Admit, CCNE-Accredited Nursing Program
Our direct-admit, CCNE-accredited program gives qualified high school seniors guaranteed admission to the nursing major as first-year students. You'll skip the competitive secondary application process required by many other programs, allowing you to begin nursing coursework and clinical experiences earlier in your college career.
The program is designed to be completed in four years, with nursing courses starting in your first semester and clinicals starting in your sophomore year. We encourage our students to participate in athletics, research, internships and short-term study abroad opportunities.
After graduation, you'll be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) exam to become a licensed registered nurse. You'll also be well-prepared to pursue advanced degrees, such as our Master of Science in nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice programs.
99%
99% of our graduates pass the NCLEX licensure exam, with a first-time pass rate of 88%.
8:1
Our clinicals have an 8:1 student to faculty ratio, ensuring greater individual attention and skill development.
100%
100% of our nursing graduates are employed, with 35% of students accepting a job prior to graduation.
Build Skills in Simulation Labs
Our nursing simulation labs provide hands-on training that connects your classroom learning to real-world clinical practice. The labs feature the same advanced manikins used by medical schools around the world, with 12 models ranging in age from newborn to adult. Using realistic simulation exercises, you'll learn to care for patients with acute, chronic and complex health conditions across the lifespan.
Gain Confidence in Clinical Experiences
In your clinical rotations, you’ll gain the practical experience needed to provide professional, holistic care for patients from diverse backgrounds. Precepting at partner sites throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, you’ll learn to deliver ethical and cost-effective nursing interventions that support the well-being of patients and their families.
Study Public Health in Ireland
Our summer study abroad program in Ireland is a great opportunity for nursing majors to gain international experience. The three-credit course Public Health in Ireland starts on campus in the spring and ends with two weeks in Limerick, Ireland. You’ll compare the public health education, policies and delivery of healthcare in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the U.S., gaining a broader understanding of global health systems.
Career Paths in Nursing
Our graduates are highly sought after by hospitals and healthcare systems, and they are very successful at securing competitive specialties. In addition, they are well-equipped to pursue advanced degrees, including our M.S. in nursing, with specializations in family nursing and psychiatric mental health, or our Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Our alumni are registered nurses and nurse practitioners in facilities such as:
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Boston Medical Center
- Brown University Health
- Connecticut Children’s
- Duke Cancer Institute
- Hasbro Children’s
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
- Tufts Medical Center
- Yale Health Center
Many also become nurse managers and take other leadership roles.
Alumni Making Waves
Maraline Burke '22
Post-anesthesia care nurse, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
"My capstone experience at Rhode Island Hospital in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit is my most treasured educational experience because of how much I learned from the registered nurses on that floor. In this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I watched in awe as registered nurses and physician assistants worked together to stabilize patients after open-heart surgery, seemingly helping to bring their patients back to life."
Mikayla Lewandoski '21
Registered nurse, Hartford Hospital
"My time as a Salve Regina nursing student was the most rewarding experience, opening the doors to new opportunities and a successful future. I was challenged to think critically and holistically, enabling me to better care for my patients' complex needs. Undoubtedly, the classroom education and clinical experience I gained at Salve assisted me in securing a nursing position three months prior to Commencement."
Benjamin Silva '24
Registered nurse, Brown University Health
As a nursing student at Salve, Benjamin Silva rotated through labor and delivery, pediatrics, psychiatric care, medical-surgical units, geriatrics and more before choosing a specialty area for his capstone – the intensive care unit (ICU) at South County Hospital. There he spent 12-hour shifts paired one-on-one with an ICU nurse, gaining a full picture of patient care. In his senior year, he completed an internship in the Brown Health system. Today, Silva works in the surgical intermediate intensive care unit at Miriam Hospital, treating a wide range of complex, high-acuity cases. He is preparing for the PCCN certification and considering long-term paths to become a nurse practitioner or CRNA. Read more about Silva's Salve experience.
Degree Options
Bachelor of Science in nursing
Nursing majors complete a minimum of 120 credits, including 97 credits in the major and an additional 29-32 credits in the Core Curriculum.
Admission Requirements
Due to site requirements for experiential learning, the number of students that we accept into the nursing program is limited to ensure clinical placement. You must apply by Nov. 1 to be considered.
In general, a successful applicant meets the following standards:
- Four years of high school science, including biology, chemistry and an upper-level science such as anatomy and physiology, physics or AP/IB biology or chemistry.
- An advanced mathematics progression, with four years of mathematics preferred, including algebra, algebra 2, geometry and pre-calculus or calculus.
- Remaining core curricular courses are expected to be taken at a rigorous level, preferably in honors, AP or IB.
The average GPA of an admitted student is a 3.8, with no grade lower than a B in the prescribed science and mathematics courses. While Salve is test optional, nursing applicants are encouraged to submit their results. The median and average SAT score is 1270, while the median and average ACT composite score is 30. Admitted students are ranked in the top 15% of their graduating class on average, but this varies based on the strength of the secondary school program and curriculum.
Transfer and Second-Degree Applicants
We welcome transfer applicants for all majors except nursing. If you're interested in the healthcare industry, we recommend a degree in biology, chemistry, psychology, healthcare administration, social work or other related areas. Visit our program finder for more details.
If you're pursuing licensure as a registered nurse, we hope you'll consider our continuing education program in nursing (RN-BSN).
Wellness Without Barriers
Our health and wellness community outreach program helps to educate the next generation of healthcare and mental health professionals while serving Rhode Island communities in need. Staffed by nursing students and faculty, the program’s mobile wellness unit provides on-site care and preventive screening education, aiding in the effort to reduce healthcare access disparities across the state.
Meet Our Nursing Faculty
Our dedicated faculty are experienced practitioners who prepare students to practice competently in a variety of settings and to provide for the health and healing of patients across the lifespan and along the continuum of health.
Dr. Elizabeth Bloom
- Associate professor
- Chair, Nursing
Dr. Debra Cherubini
- Associate professor
- RN-BSN program director
Kayla Dion
- Lecturer
Regina Dublin
- Lecturer
Clarisse Fairbanks
- Assistant professor
- Lead clinical instructor
Elizabeth Fenton
- Assistant professor
Amy Joyce
- Lecturer
- SIM lab coordinator
Dr. Sharon Keating
- Associate professor
Dr. Terri Legare
- Assistant professor
- Associate chair of nursing, undergraduate program
Jenna Ribeiro
- Lecturer
Denise Sullivan
- Lecturer
Dr. Louise Sullivan
- Associate professor
Beyond the Classroom
Our students can join campus organizations and honor societies such as the Student Nurse Organization, Building Animal Research Connections and Sigma Theta Tau.
Student Nurse Organization
The Student Nurse Organization is dedicated to professional growth, academic excellence and community engagement. Through leadership, advocacy and service, students learn more about the nursing profession while building friendships with fellow nursing majors and responding to community needs. They also gain hands-on experience through mentorship, volunteer work, skill-building sessions and an opportunity to attend the National Student Nurse Association conference.
Building Animal Research Connections
Building Animal Research Connections (BARC) explores the benefits of animal-assisted therapy by organizing research projects that evaluate how interacting with therapy dogs impacts stress levels in college students. Guided by faculty, nursing students act as research assistants by measuring blood pressures and surveying students who interact with therapy dogs during “stress buster” events on campus. The students often present their findings at Salve Regina’s SRyou Student Exposition. Read more about BARC.
Sigma Theta Tau
In their junior year, qualified nursing majors are invited to join Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of professional nurses. Sigma Theta Tau aims to advance world health and celebrate nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.
