Cara Bonfiglio
Student Admissions & Progressions Coordinator
School of Nursing - BSN Program
Why earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing?
With a nationwide shortage of nurses, and an increased demand for travel nurse candidates, a nursing degree is a smart move if you want to secure a good-paying, flexible health care job.
Graduates from our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are workforce-ready nurses, thanks to a nursing education that includes a focus on clinical experience and compassionate patient care.
What makes Baker University’s
Bachelor of Science in Nursing different?
Baker University BS in nursing students are encouraged to spend their first two years at Baker’s College of Arts and Sciences in Baldwin City, Kansas. Once you meet the 62 hours of prerequisites at Baker’s College of Arts and Sciences, you’ll complete an additional 62 hours of required nursing courses at the Stormont Vail Health campus in Topeka, which is designated a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Earning a BS in nursing from Baker University gives you the best of both worlds. You’ll enjoy two years of the traditional undergraduate experience. That means clubs and organizations, sorority and fraternity life, residential living, campus events, friendships, varsity athletics, and more. Then you get to dive deep into preparation for a meaningful nursing career.
What about our NCLEX first-time pass rate for BSN students?
We’re proud of our NCLEX pass rate. Over 90% of Baker University nursing students pass the NCLEX on the first try thanks to our emphasis on clinical experience and patient care. You can expect NCLEX tutoring and plenty of NCLEX review questions and valuable preparation.
In addition, 95% of graduates, licensed and staying in Kansas, are employed and earning a good nursing salary within three months of graduation.
Baker University is recognized as one of the best nursing schools in Kansas
Our BSN program is known for its rigorous curriculum, early access to clinical experience, and outstanding first-time NCLEX pass rates. That’s not just us saying that. We’ve been recognized by Colleges of Distinction as a top nursing school.
What can you do with a nursing degree?
Once you earn your nursing license, the opportunities are wide open. Nursing career paths differ based on your goals and desired specialization (which may require further schooling).
Consider some of the following possibilities:
- Acute care nurse
- Community health nurse
- Vital nurse
- Travel nurse
- Military nurse
- Nurse case manager
- Nurse researcher
- Mental health nurse
- Neonatal intensive care unit nurse
- Operating room nurse
- Emergency room nurse
- Trauma care nurse
- Pediatric nurse
With advanced education:
- General nurse practitioner
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist
- Family nurse practitioner
- Surgical nurse practitioner
Where technology and nursing education meet
As a Baker University nursing major, you’ll receive valuable clinical experience, including the opportunity to practice medical research techniques on a lifelike mannequin. The human patient simulator moves its eyes, speaks, breathes, and displays a heartbeat. It can signal conditions such as heart attacks, collapsed lungs, and severe strokes. The high-fidelity simulator reacts like a real patient and can be programmed for multiple patient scenarios, from a young person in great health to an elderly smoker with diabetes. Our nursing students observe a variety of diseases, then decide on a treatment and various interventions.
Service learning that takes you beyond nursing classes
Every year a group of nursing students and faculty travel to Kenya to assist Streams of Hope International, a medical mission to bring quality health care resources to the country. The program was developed by Baker University SON graduates Ephantus Kimori Mwangi and Hottensiah Kimori in 2008. During the 12-day trip, our global citizens teach equipment usage, promote compassionate patient care, and educate locals about a variety of clinical practice guidelines.
Meet the Faculty
Libby Rosen
Dean and Professor; RN, PhD
B.S.N. Washburn University, Ph.D. University of Kansas
Office: School of Nursing
Ranee Seastrom
Assistant Dean-BSN program
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. & M.H.A. University of Phoenix
Office: School of Nursing
Marlene Eicher
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, Professor, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Washburn University, D.N.P. Pittsburg State University
Office: School of Nursing
Diane Bortoff
Assistant Professor; RN, MSN, CNE
B.S.N. University of Kansas, M.S.N. University of Kansas
Office: School of Nursing
Tamara Heine
Program Manager; RN, MSN, CNE
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Nebraska Methodist College
Office: School of Nursing
Amanda Schuster
Assistant Professor; MSN, BSN, RN
B.S.N. University of Arkansas, M.S.N. Fort Hays State University
Office: School of Nursing
Ashley Seematter
Assistant Professor; BSN, RN
B.S.N. Fort Hays State University, M.S.N. Baker University
Office: School of Nursing
Dustin Thiessen
Assistant Professor & Simulation Lab Coordinator; RN, BSN
B.S.N. Baker University
Office: School of Nursing
Jessica Shippee-McDaniel
Instructor; RN, BSN, MSN
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Baker University
Office: School of Nursing
Jeri Harvey
Assistant Professor; RN, BSN, MSN
B.S.N. Washburn University, M.S.N. Washburn University
Office: School of Nursing
Elizabeth Deng
Assistant Professor; MSN, BSN
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Baker University
Office: School of Nursing
Hannah Branham
Assistant Professor; MSN, RN
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Baker University
Office: School of Nursing
Hottensiah Kimori
Assistant Professor; MSN, RN
B.S. Kenyatta University, B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Aspen University
Office: School of Nursing
Jessica Hachmeister
Instructor
B.S.N. Baker University, M.S.N. Baker University (in progress)
Office: School of Nursing
Vicky McGrath
Assistant Professor
B.S.N. Washburn University, M.B.A. Baker University, D.N.P. University of Kansas
Office: School of Nursing
Esperanza Garza
Instructor, BSN
B.S.N., M.S.N Emporia State University (M.S.N. expected May 2023)
Office: School of Nursing