McKenzie-Elliott School of Nursing

Return to: College of Health Sciences

Interim Chair: Jennifer Jones-Locklear

Faculty: Tamara Adams, Christopher Barnes, Kelly Blackmon, Martha Hepler ², Deborah Hummer⁴, Mary Kozub, Keenya Locklear, Karen Manning-Britton, Jennifer Jones-Locklear¹, Elizabeth Miller Walters, Astrid Oviedo, Eleni Pellazgu, Amy Purser, Ronnie Tunstall³ , Lisa Valverde

¹Chair, Chief Nursing Officer

²Director, Clinical Learning Center
³Director, Undergraduate Programs
⁴Director, Graduate Programs

Program Overview

At the McKenzie-Elliott School of Nursing, we prepare compassionate, culturally aware professionals to lead in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. Our programs blend academic excellence, clinical experience and a deep commitment to service. Whether you’re starting or advancing your career, our nursing degrees offer a transformative education rooted in hands-on learning and community impact. The McKenzie-Elliot School of Nursing provides students with the educational experiences needed to excel as competent, professional nurses and leaders who will continue to shape health care in an ever-changing healthcare environment. The School of Nursing offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program offers three options for study: 1) Pre-Licensure BSN option which is open to all high school graduates and college students who wish to pursue a nursing major, and 2) RN-BSN Completion option for registered nurses with evidence of having earned an Associate’s Degree in Nursing or a Hospital Diploma in nursing from an accredited program. 3.) The Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN) program is a dual-degree, four-year pathway designed to increase the number of prepared BSN-level nurses while making nursing education more affordable and accessible. Students earn both: Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) from a partner community college and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from UNC Pembroke. A bachelor’s degree with a major in Nursing at UNCP requires a total of 120 semester credit hours of study.

The Master of Science in Nursing degree program has two entry pathways: 1) Direct entry pathway for registered nurses with a BSN, and 2) RN-MSN pathway providing educational mobility for registered nurses, with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing. The Master of Science in Nursing offers three concentrations: Nursing Education, Clinical Prevention and Population Health, and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). For information about requirements leading to a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), see the Master of Science in Nursing section within The Graduate School section of this catalog.

Mission and Purposes

The McKenzie-Elliot School of Nursing programs are grounded in evidence-based practice and emphasize interprofessional collaboration, cultural competency, and lifelong learning.

The primary purposes of the McKenzie-Elliott School of Nursing programs are to: 

1. Provide accessible, seamless, high quality undergraduate and graduate nursing education to diverse student populations.

2. Our faculty and staff create and empower nurse leaders in professional nursing practice, to provide safe, high-quality, cost-effective healthcare and improve health across the life span.

The McKenzie-Elliott School of Nursing is committed to the recruitment of a diverse, achievement‐oriented, and socially responsible student body that will enrich the intellectual, cultural, and social community of the University and the community at large. 

Courses

NOTE: The numbers enclosed in parentheses immediately following course numbers indicate the semester hour credits, lecture contact hours, and laboratory hours respectively. Lecture and laboratory hours are normally scheduled each week - for one semester in the course. Credit hours for laboratory experiences are calculated as one semester credit hour for 3 contact hours.

Graduate Courses

For information about courses leading to a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), see the Graduate Program in Nursing  section of this catalog.

Programs

• Nursing Practice in Population Health, D.N.P.

• Nursing, Clinical Prevention and Population Health Specialization, M.S.N.
• Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Specialization, M.S.N.
• Nursing, Nurse Educator Specialization, M.S.N.

• RN-BSN Completion, B.S.N.

• Pre-Licensure, B.S.N.

Courses

• NUR 2010. Medical Terminology for Professional Nursing (3 credits)
• NUR 3000. Transition to Professional Nursing (3 credits)
• NUR 3010. Introduction to Professional Nursing (2 credits)
• NUR 3030. Foundations of Professional Nursing Practice (5 credits)
• NUR 3050. Pharmacology for Clinical Practice (3 credits)
• NUR 3100. Transcultural Nursing (3 credits)
• NUR 3150. Adult Health Nursing I (5 credits)
• NUR 3200. Health Assessment Across the Life Span (3 credits)
• NUR 3250. Pathophysiology Across the Life Span (3-3-0 credits)
• NUR 3300. Gerontological Nursing (3-3-0 credits)
• NUR 3450. Family Nursing I (5 credits)
• NUR 3500. Family Nursing II (5 credits)
• NUR 4000. Nursing Research and Theory (3 credits)
• NUR 4120. Leadership in Nursing (5 credits)
• NUR 4150. Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-Being (3 credits)
• NUR 4210. Nursing and Women’s Health (3 credits)
• NUR 4350. Community Health Nursing (5 credits)
• NUR 4400. Professional Nursing Honors Practicum (1 credit)
• NUR 4450. Adult Health Nursing II (5 credits)
• NUR 4510. Transition to Professional Nursing: A Capstone Experience (5 credits)
• NUR 4550. Professional Nursing Issues in Practice (3 credits)

• NURS 4xxx. Special Topics in Nursing (x credits)

Return to: College of Health Sciences