Nursing: BSN Co-op Essential Facts

How soon would I be able to enter courses in the nursing major?
Students take 2 introductory nursing courses, Nursing in Society and Health Promotion, Teaching, and Self-Care, during freshman year. In addition, students also take University 101, a course that explores college expectations and experiences, which is taught by a nursing faculty member. You are a nursing student and are connected with nursing faculty, as soon as you begin your freshman year of college.

What innovative courses does Drexel’s BSN Co-op Program offer?
Some of our unique courses include Nursing Informatics, Genetics in Nursing and Health, Synthesis of Nursing Knowledge, Senior Seminar, and Senior Project in Nursing. Take a look at the course descriptions to see these and our other BSN courses.

What is Co-op education?
Co-operative education involves employment experiences in the nursing major integrated into every student’s plan of study. During Co-op experiences, students are employed at major health care agencies and have opportunities to gain health care and nursing experience as paid employees.

What kinds of Co-op experiences do students in the program have?
In the 5-year program, students have 3 Co-op experiences that last 6 months each. The first, Nursing in the Contemporary Health Network, provides students an introduction to the health care world and takes place during sophomore year. Students work in administrative support roles during this Co-op. Next, students go to their Acute and Chronic Illness Co-op in the prejunior (3rd) year. Finally, during junior year, students have a Specialty Nursing Co-op experience. In the 4-year program, students complete only the Acute and Chronic Illness Co-op experience.

Will I need to find my own Co-op positions?
The College of Nursing and Health Professions partners with the Drexel University Steinbright Career Development Center (SCDC) to find appropriate Co-op positions for nursing students. Students work with SCDC Co-op coordinators to develop resumes, learn professional work behaviors, interview for Co-op positions, and work in health care settings. In addition, the SCDC staff assists students with career management as they graduate and take positions as registered nurses.

For specific questions about the Co-op component of the BSN Co-op program, you may also contact:

Gerrie Betka Assistant Director of Co-op
Phone 215-762-7469

What about clinical experiences?
In addition to Co-op, students have faculty-supervised clinical experiences in all nursing specialty areas including adult health, women’s health, pediatrics, psychiatric and mental health, community, gerontology, and complex/critical care. Clinical experiences are integrated with academic coursework.

What technological enhancements will I have access to as a student in the BSN Co-op Program?
Drexel has a completely wireless campus and all on-line resources, including many library resources, are available this way. All nursing courses are web-enhanced. During Co-op experiences, students take on-line synthesis courses and have access to a special Co-op community website.

Students receive a Pocket PC (Personal Digital Assistant/PDA) and learn to access information with this technology at the beginning of sophomore year. Our informatics faculty reviews all PDA’s periodically, and selects the most robust and advanced models for student use.