College of Nursing & Health Care Professions

Nursing students have once again proven that GCU prepares them for the field. In the second quarter of 2018, the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions’ posted a 95.65 percent first-time pass rating on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). That brings the College’s year-to-date rate to 92.86 percent — higher than the Arizona Board of Nursing’s year-to-date statewide average of 91.89. The NCLEX is administered to nursing students after they finish their pre-licensure program and is required before they can obtain their professional license and begin working as a Registered Nurse. The College’s Dean, Dr. Lisa Smith, attributed much of the success to the College’s NCLEX Success Manager, Amy Leach, and countless others who have devoted themselves to preparing students for the exam.

The terminology might sound the same, but when it comes to “nonprofit” and “not-for-profit,” there are subtle differences between the two. So when it comes to referring to Grand Canyon University, it’s important to use the correct terminology: We are a nonprofit.

Campus construction projects are barreling forward this summer, from the addition of 1,000 field-level seats at GCU Ballpark that will put spectators right in the action, to a new Lope Shop, two new residence halls, a soon-to-be-completed parking garage, a new Colangelo College of Business building, a new Canyon Activities Center, and perhaps the most exciting addition for students — a long-anticipated Taco Bell. The projects are on track, many of them expected to be completed by the time students arrive for the fall semester.

The Commuter Lounge is one of the busiest places on the Grand Canyon University campus during summer school, but the students who use it love its more relaxed ambiance this time of year. As Ruben Garcia said, “I have more time to talk to some of the students I see in the lounge. Now that it is summer, we dive and delve.’’

They blink. They cry. They yell — but they don’t get hurt. The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions’ new immersive lab features manikins (the medical spelling for mannequins) that challenge students in intense, real-life scenarios. The lab is outfitted with interactive cameras, audio, hospital rooms and a control room where facilitators can pick their poison.

The end of Dr. Rose Saunders’ nearly 50-year career as an educator of nursing students was capped by her nomination for the March of Dimes Nurse of the Year in the Nursing Leadership and Administration Management category, one of 12 awards that will be presented on Friday at The Camby Hotel. Saunders, who served as Associate Dean at GCU before entering semi-retirement as an adjunct professor, is enthralled with the authentic Christian worldview at GCU.

GCU online nursing student Nowman Karram was no shrinking violet when it came to putting in several hours of research to make sure a patient’s pacemaker was compatible with an MRI. His efforts led to him being recognized as a Daisy Award winner for exceptional patient care.

The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions traded spaces this summer with the College of Theology. Deans Lisa Smith and Jason Hiles talk about the move and how it has been a benefit for their respective colleges.

Gone are the days of only having the option of earning the traditional bachelor’s degree in English or bachelor’s degree in history. Administrators want to make sure the University’s degrees lead to getting a job. So they’ve consulted with experts in the field and have reshaped many of GCU’s degree offerings, which are now “career-focused,” from a bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis in public history, for example, to a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in professional writing.

Construction is a staple of summer at Grand Canyon University, but this year it’s even more noticeable. There’s a long list of projects, many of them major additions. Here’s everything you need to know.