One of the most stressful tests students take is the NCLEX, which provides BSN graduates with their official nursing license. Thanks to FinnU’s individualized attention, hands-on experience and rigorous curriculum, our BSN graduates are better prepared to take the NCLEX test. We have an abundance of support programs in place like the online NCLEX prep program, ATI, to help our graduates pass their exam. In 2016 and 2019,100 percent of Finlandia’s BSN graduates passed the NCLEX on the first try.
A nursing degree is one of the best a student can obtain in today’s job market. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nursing jobs will increase by seven percent in the next decade. 100 percent of Finlandia nursing graduates are able to secure a job within six months of passing their NCLEX exam.
Our faculty believes the best way to learn is with hands-on experience, which is why our students participate in over 1170 clinical hours over three years. And while the College of Health Sciences has the latest technology available for you to practice on with our HAL Simulations, our students’ main experiences come from hands-on actual patient care, not hands-on simulation mannequin practice care.
While other programs do clinical in large hospitals, it’s not unusual for those nursing students to watch a procedure several times, but only actually get to perform the procedure once on a patient. That’s because their nursing program is large and clinical sites have many other students to accommodate. Thanks to our small class sizes, our students have the opportunity to work with real patients every day. They don’t just watch. They do.
At some Michigan universities, prospective nurses have to wait as many as three years to get into a nursing program. Finlandia has no waiting list for admission, which means qualified students can get started right away.
Graduating high school students are known as pre-nursing students and begin taking nursing pre-requisites their freshman year at Finlandia. After their freshman year, pre-nursing students can apply to be in the BSN major, which is reserved for sophomore-level students.
A transfer student who has completed his or her freshman year and all pre-requisites (found in the BSN Handbook) can begin the nursing program as a sophomore right away. Finlandia also understands the importance of nurses with BSN degrees and is proud to be Western U.P.’s only accredited program.
Study abroad opportunities are an interest for many students. For nursing students, finding a program or class that allows them to study abroad in their speciality can be difficult. At Finlandia, the spring service and learning trip to Tanzania provides nursing students with the unique opportunity to work in a Tanzanian hospital for a few weeks over summer break.
In several pre-trip seminars, students explore the culture, history and language of Tanzania, and examine their own cultural identity in preparation for this intense cross-cultural experience. In a post-trip seminar, the participants gather to reflect on their experiences in East Africa.
"Finlandia's BSN degree is a challenging program that I feel prepares us more for our career when we're done. The clinical hours are higher than any other campus I've heard of. 180 minimum per semester and a summer semester with 72, so we get a lot of hands-on in-the-field experience with patients and that prepares us as well."
"Finlandia was great for me because, not only did it not have a waiting list, it offered great pass rates on the NCLEX and three years of intensive clinical experience. So when I found Finlandia, I felt like I was on my way."
"The faculty is also so knowledgeable and supportive. I maintain contact with some of my professors even now. It’s really like a small family. At times, it felt like school would never end. The clinical hours were intensive, but they challenged us. The learning experience was 100 percent worth it. People at Finlandia really care about me."
Academic families is a tradition where junior-level students “adopt” freshman and transfer students to help guide them through the first year of the educational program. The practice of academic families is well known in some European universities and is a great way to make first-year students feel more comfortable in a new environment.
“With this tradition, we want to make sure that the new incoming students feel supported in their journey.” – Assistant Professor of Nursing Irina Sergeyeva
May 16, 2023
Updated May 16, 2023
On Thursday, March 2, Finlandia University’s Board of Trustees announced that FinnU will not enroll students for the 2023-2024 academic year. Announced Tuesday, March 14, the University’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to dissolve the institution and wind up affairs in an orderly manner.
Finlandia has finalized eight Teach-Out Agreements with Adrian College, Bay College, Michigan Technological University, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Northern Michigan University, University of Dubuque, Waldorf University, and Wartburg College. Several non-partnering institutions have […] Read More
May 11, 2023
Finlandia University held its final Spring Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 7, honoring 92 graduates in the Class of 2023. Following commencement, a commendation service was held for Finlandia University students, staff, faculty, alumni, neighbors and friends, commending the University and its 126 years of service.
Full High-Res Photos from Spring 2023 Commencement: On-Demand Livestream of Spring 2023 Commencement: Full High-Res Photos from Service of Commendation:May 10, 2023
Founded in 1896 as Suomi College, Finlandia University held its final spring commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 7, honoring 92 graduates in the Class of 2023. In March, the University announced the decision to dissolve the institution and not enroll students for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Delivering the welcome address was Board Trustee Stephen Nikander, whose great-grandfather founded the institution and whose grandfather served […] Read More
The Michigan State Board of Nursing of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Board of Nursing, 611 W. Ottawa Street, P.O. 30670, Lansing, Mich. 48909, (517) 373-7484, approves the Finlandia University Nursing program.
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Finlandia University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
Initial Approval Received from the MI Board of Nursing: January 10, 2003. Program Accreditation Received from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE): April 21, 2007; Renewed October 18, 2021; Next renewal date is June 30, 2032
Students considering pursuing an academic program that leads to professional licensure are advised that the Finlandia Nursing Program prepares students to practice in the state of Michigan and are not intended to prepare students for out of state licensure. Finlandia has not determined whether its curriculum prepares students for licensure in any other state.
Students enrolled in Finlandia’s Nursing program seeking to practice outside the state of Michigan are advised to contact the appropriate licensing agency within their home state to seek information and additional guidance before beginning a program outside of their home state. Graduates who want to practice in other states should also review those requirements via the NCSBN website.
Coordinator, RN to BSN Program; Associate Professor, Nursing; Academic Advisor
irina.sergeyeva@finlandia.edu