Brief History of the Department
Nursing Science has being one of the courses proposed for the College of Health Sciences at the point of establishment but the decision to run the programme was actualized in 2014 when the National Universities Commission (NUC) was invited and visited for “Resource Verification” to confirm the preparedness of the University to mount the programme. Prior to this, a team of Academics in Nursing assisted in developing the curriculum using the NUC Minimum Academic Benchmark Standard (BMAS) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria’s Standard for Education and Practice (2010) and other relevant curricula (NMCN’s General Nursing and Midwifery curricula and the West African Health Examination Board Curriculum) as guide. Equipment for the Nursing and Midwifery Laboratories were also provided before the Resource Verification Exercise. Clinical sites for students’ clinical learning were identified and Memoranda of Understanding signed with the management of some facilities for clinical experiences of students, and more are being processed with other sites. A departmental library to complement the University library was also provided. Following resource verification in 2014, the University continues to improve resources for the programme by providing more facilities (more offices, more classrooms, the Public Health Nursing Laboratory, e-library supported with e-books and e-journals for use of students and staff of the department; recruitment of more staff). The programme started with a student population of 72 though only 54 of the admitted students successfully passed to 200 level to get to the College of Health Sciences for the 2014/2015 session. The first set of students to the BNSc degree programme was admitted to the College after the NUC Resource Verification Exercise and a positive report from the National Universities Commission for the 2014/2015, 2015/2016 and the students for 2016/2017 have just resumed at the University.

BACHELOR OF NURSING SCIENCES DEGREE PROGRAMME (BNSc )
1.0 Introduction
University education for the nurse within the global framework gives recognition to the professional requirement and challenges of responding to health and health care needs of diverse populations with different health care needs. The professional nurse with university education acquires appropriate knowledge to drive his/her competencies to provide quality care based on new evidence in meeting individual and group health care needs within the lifecycle framework. Providing quality care in a consistently changing health care system driven by evidence in the multidisciplinary environment of care also challenges the nurse in the 21st century to have a responsive education that prepares him/her to function in a technologically moderated environment. The nurse with university education in the Nigeria context would also be expected to function in the health team with high intellectual capacity to resolve peculiar health care needs of Nigeria citizens and yet have high capacity to perform in a dynamic global context of international education.

The BNSc degree programme, through liberal and professional education prepares the nurses who can engage in intellectual discourses and analysis, critical thinking, who can use evidence to inform judgments and communicate thoughts clearly within the context of appropriate value clarifications. The graduate of the BNSc programme is capable of performing nursing skills in a variety of settings and across the three levels of primary, secondary and tertiary health care, therapeutically assisting individuals with diverse backgrounds and health problems. She/he will understand the social, psychosocial, and physical factors involved in the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health and will be able to analyse these factors in the context of how they translate to health needs while also relating them to appropriate health services, programmes and nursing care for the benefits of the consumers of health care. She/he will be able to assess health programmes in their broadest scope, with major emphasis on how such programmes or services contribute to the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health. She/he will be able to relate the role of the health services to the broader social system.

The Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNSc) degree programme is unique in the context of preparing polyvalent graduate nurses who are capable of meeting diverse health care needs of different people as individuals and groups across the life span yet in a health care framework that gives priority focus to primary health care. The graduate from the programme also has desirable base to practice in secondary and tertiary health care settings with high potentials for higher education and advance practice in an ever changing health care environment. These understanding of the nature of the graduate nurse from the BNSc degree programme and the national and international context of practice and professional growth gives guide to the philosophy, the contents of the curriculum and the implementation of the programme at the College of Health Sciences of the Osun State University.

2.0 The Philosophy of the Programme
The philosophy of the BNSc degree Programme derives 
• The nature of human beings who are the consumers of health care and nursing services 
• The professional context of nursing, nursing education and practice globally and in Nigeria
• The objects, vision and mission of the Osun State University
The Programme believes that:
(i) Human beings as bio-psycho-social beings have health and health care needs that are the focus of nursing; all functions and activities in professional nursing practice are directed at helping human beings as members of families and communities to achieve optimal health within the bio-psycho-social framework. It is believed that nursing is a helping process of interactions, working with people as individuals, families and communities to attain, maintain, restore and sustain optimal level of healthy living at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of care. 
(ii) Working within the health team, in which the individual, the family and the community play significant roles, is the most effective approach to promotion, maintenance and restoration of health.
(iii) professional nursing practice in the century and thereafter depends on programmes that can maximise knowledge from the arts, sciences, humanities and nursing for evidence based professional practice as depicted by involvement in research and continued acquisition of new knowledge and promotion of self development through self-directed learning by graduates
(iv) the roles and responsibilities of the nurse are changing and a professional nursing programme should build capacity of learners in analysing the change process, in deciding on change which is desirable or undesirable, possible, probable, or impossible, and in accepting responsibilities to take action for what would be needed to support change.
(v) The nurse, prepared for professional nursing practice through liberal and professional education and capable of using multiple resources (human and material) should have high competence in helping the individual, family and community to manage their health benefitting maximally from health care services with the nurse doing this through the use of the analytic-synthetic process, the application of appropriate technical skills and feeling response, and in cooperation with other disciplines. 
(vi) For the nurse to engage in professional practice that will be protective of consumers of nursing services, he/she must be highly knowledgeable to be able to engage in the cognitive analytic-synthesis process, and must be highly competent as to efficiently apply appropriate technical skills using up-to-date technology in helping clients and must be highly responsive to human feelings as he/she works in cooperation and collaboration with clients and other health and social science disciplines in the multi-disciplinary health care environment .
(vii) The education of the nurse to meet the demands of changing health care needs of individuals, families and communities in a rapidly …..changing 
(viii) Nursing is a science that is based on the knowledge of behaviors that enable changes in the client system to be monitored by utilizing the scientific method of inquiry whilst providing nursing intervention to individuals, families, groups and communities at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care.
(ix) Professional nursing education is built upon a theoretical base that seeks to develop continuous self-directed practitioners who will advance and test knowledge on which practice is based. Current health care demands require an innovative approach in professional preparation, and a curriculum that is responsive to the changing health needs of the society. 
(x) Learners should be assisted in using relevant and proven learning methods that support problem solving based on rational knowledge moderated by emerging trend in technology.

3.0 The Aim of the Programme
The programme aims to develop highly competent nurse clinicians that will service health care needs of people in a scientifically responsive environment and can professionally advance their practice through continuous self-directed learning and higher education.

4.0 The Objectives of the Programme
1. To uphold the academic standard of Osun State University that is highly competitive in meeting national and international requirement as such speaks to the nature of nursing education and practice.
2. To provide a teaching-learning environment that is facilitatory to wholesome development of students and faculty.
3. To promote the institutionalization of the team concept in teaching and service delivery adopting efficient use of technology for optimal outcomes for students and consumers of health care services.
4. To mentor students into leadership responsibilities by facilitating their participation in group and professional association activities. 
5. To develop problem solving potentials and research interest of students by exposing them to problem situations and by mentoring them through the research process and in conduct of research projects.
6. To graduate professional nurses capable of giving high quality nursing care to individuals and communities of diverse backgrounds, and in a variety of social and cultural settings.
7. To cooperate with relevant bodies to advance nursing knowledge especially as such relates to improved learning and improved practice by the students and graduates 
8. To support the participation of faculty members and students in University and professional affairs.
9. To evaluate the educational programmes of the department in the light of:
i. the educational objectives;
ii. the health needs of the nation;
iii. the needs of the learners
iv. emerging trends in nursing education globally; and 
v. emerging trends in curriculum development and implementation
10. To sustain active recruitment process through the quality of programme.
11. To develop and maintain audio-visual, and other learning resources.
12. To formulate future plans and seek funds to maintain high educational standard and training programmes for improved performance of staff in the programme.

5.0 LEARNER FOCUSSED OBJECTIVES.
The student, on completion of the programme, should be able to demonstrate verbally, in writing and practice the following:
A. Knowledge of:
1. Physiological and psychosocial determinants of health and health status
2. Patho-physiological determinants of diseases
3. The scientific principles and nursing theories that are the basis of nursing care of individuals and groups of all ages and of diverse health status in a variety of physical and social settings;
4. The nursing process and standardized nursing language;
5. The communication process and group dynamics;
6. The process of scientific inquiry; and
7. The functions of members of the health team and their inter-relatedness and interdependency
8. Application of information technology in nursing care
9. Economic dimensions of health care programming and health care access.

B. Skills in:
1. Health assessment of individuals
2. Identifying health needs; planning and giving comprehensive nursing and health care to individuals of all ages in a variety of settings.
3. Applying basic scientific, social, medical and nursing theories, principles and concepts in the practice of nursing.
4. Selecting appropriate health and nursing interventions, and performing technical skills with maximal safety.
5. Effective communication by organising thoughts and expressing such in manners that could be easily comprehended.
6. Planning and effecting health promotion, disease prevention and health restorative activities.
7. Working cooperatively as a member of the health team in Primary Health Care by:
i. Sharing information;
ii. Accepting responsibility and limitation willingly;
iii. Participating in group activities;
1. Utilising standard protocols in giving health care.
8. Applying appropriate evaluation tools and instituting desirable changes.
9. Utilising information communication technology in information management, client education and self development.

C. Attitude that:
1. Recognises the essential worth of the individual through her interpersonal responses.
2. Appreciates varieties in behaviour which may influence the care of the individual; and the family. 
3. Shows commitment to the role of nurse and to the nursing profession.
4. Shows sense of responsibility for self-direction and personal growth.
5. Shows respect for the rights of his/her clients as individuals and groups.
6. Reflect positive disposition to use of technology in all aspects of life

6.0 FUNCTIONS THAT WILL BE PERFORMED BY A GRADUATE OF THE BACHELOR OF NURSING SCIENCE 
1. the graduate nurse will engage in direct patient care. This involves:
(a) making appropriate health, physical assessment and nursing diagnoses of individuals through the use of:
i. the acquired observation skills and sensory perceptions ; and
ii. simple diagnostic equipments and procedures in client assessment;
(b) making plans related to identified diagnoses;
(c) giving appropriate treatment in Primary Health Care and Emergency and other care situations and making referrals as necessary for further in depth care.
(d) using obtained data and relevant guidelines to make appropriate care plans for the individual and groups and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan through further observation.
(e) communicating significant information from observed data to appropriate member of the health team.
(f) incorporating the medical plan into nursing activities which are based on safe practices supported by scientific principles and concepts;
(g) assisting individuals in identifying realistic health goals and in planning for ways of achieving or maintaining optimum health.
(h) assessing the limitations and capabilities of individuals in assuming responsibilities for personal care, and the degree of assistance from the nurse that will be useful at all levels of care.
(i) provide nursing care to clients/patients in secondary, tertiary and other health care settings working within the scope of role assignments in the health care team.
(j) performing needed technical skills with refined dexterity and feeling response.

2. He/She will teach and demonstrate high quality nursing care to students, health care personnel, patients and families by:
(a) Identifying individual learning needs and formulating appropriate learning content and method;
(b) Using appropriate educational psychological principles and evaluating and revising teaching plans according to progress made in learning;
(c) Precepts through his/her exceptional positive health practices.

3. He/She will function as a leader by:
(a) Recognising his/her own personal behaviour and needs.
(b) Creating an environment conducive to the promotion of high quality nursing care.
(c) Understanding the role of the various members of the health team, thereby planning responsibility and supervision accordingly.
(d) Organising and implementing team work, and working effectively with people.
(e) Making nursing decisions based on pertinent data and scientific principles.
(f) Understanding institutional policies, legal consideration and professional ethics. 
(g) Accepting responsibility for his/her own actions.
(h) Identifying his/her own capabilities, responsibilities and limitations.
(i) Coordinating the work of various health care and nursing teams.
(j) Applying nursing decisions in order of priority.

4. He/She will serve as an effective member of the health team in the processes of defining, planning, executing and evaluating the total health plan for members of the community.

5. He/She will initiate research and also work with other members of the health team in multidisciplinary research projects.

6. He/She will interpret nursing activities to groups within and outside the professional health teams.
7. He/She continues to learn by:
(a) continuous participation in the field of inquiry;
(b) acquiring new knowledge and new experience for continuous professional growth and development;
(c) using her potentials for graduate study;
(d) continually questioning the basis for defining nursing activities.

8. He/She will function as a change agent by:
(a) constantly evaluating the milieu in which she practices;
(b) identifying factors which affect the direction of nursing and the area of nursing 
chiefly affected;
(c) deciding on change that is imminent and planning strategies for incorporating 
this into existing structures;
(d) working with others in the assessment, introduction and evaluation of change.
(e) creatively using technology to moderate all aspects of learning and professional 
practice

ADMISSION AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Admission to Part I, BNSc programme:
Candidates may be considered for admission to Part I, BNSc degree programme after passing at the required level of the University Matriculation Examination (UME) of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the University moderated post-JAMB selection examination provided they obtain a pass in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination of the West African Examination Council(WAEC) or National Examination Council (NECO) or its approved equivalent at Credit Level in at least five (5) subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics; and provided that all five subjects are taken and passed at one sitting.

Exemption from Part I, BNSc Programme (Direct Entry):
Candidates for admission to Part II, BNSc Programme by direct entry who are exempted from the Part I, BNSc programme are in the following categories:

i. Candidates who have satisfied the Senior Secondary School Certificate requirements for admission into this university (i.e five credit passes as stated in 7.1 above, and who in addition obtain passes in at least two science subjects including Biology/Zoology, Chemistry and Physics at the General Certificate of Education, Advanced Level or the Higher School Certificate, Principal level or at any other equivalent examinations approved by the Senate of the Osun State University. 
ii. Candidates who are holders of the R.N. Diploma of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, or its equivalent as approved by the Senate the Osun State University who have passed at the required Credit level in the Senior School Certificate Examination of WAEC or NECO or its approved equivalents in at least five subjects including English Language, Biology. Chemistry, Mathematics or and Physics and one other subject.
iii After successfully completing a Bachelor of Science degree course in Osun State University or any other University, a candidate may be considered for admission into the BNSc. degree of the University provided such a candidate satisfies the appropriate admission requirements as prescribed in 7.2.(i) above.
7.3 Transfer from other Faculties of Osun State or other Universities:
Candidates who have satisfied the Senior Secondary School Certificate requirements for admission into this university (i.e. 5 credit passes as stated in 7.1 above, and who in addition has passed all the courses expected in part I of the BNSc degree programme with a GPA of not less than 4.0 may be allowed to transfer to part II of the programme.

Duration of the BNSc Degree programme
The BNSc degree programme shall run for five (5) academic years for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) entry candidates and for four (4) years for direct entry candidates depending on a student’s entry qualification.

Programme Format
Mode of study - candidates are required to register fulltime.
Type of course system – A modified course credit system will be adopted. Courses offered outside the College of Health Sciences will follow the regulations binding the offering of such courses. For all courses in the department additional information are provided. There are courses that run over the session as part I in the first Semester and part II in the second semester. 
Course coding system – A system identifying a course using the combination of 3 letters and 
3 digits according to UNIOSUN standard is used. The 3-letter designation of NSG will be for all courses offered in the Department of Nursing Science while the first of the three number digits denotes the level. The same principle applies to courses offered in other departments in the College.
Evaluation
Formative evaluation through Continuous Assessment for lectures, tutorials and practical adopting various methods will constitute 30% of the year grade for every course. Summative evaluation in form of final examination covering theory, projects and practical examinations shall be conducted for all courses at the end of every year.

***Candidates to sit for the second and third professional examination for Midwifery and Public Health Nursing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and West African Health Examination Board respectively when students fulfil all requirements. Candidates take responsibilities for funding of professional examination.