Nursing students are required to have a nursing elective which may either be a clinical or a non-clinical nursing course. Elective courses include Cross-Cultural Nursing, Congregational Health, Professional Nurse Role related to Nursing Theory, Professional Nurse Role related to Nurse Management, Nursing Care of the Older Adult, Spiritual Aspects of Nursing, and Topics in Nursing History. These elective courses allow students to expand their learning in areas of special interest.
Clinical nursing electives include the summer Extern Program where a student shadows an RN and works side-by-side with the RN for the 10 week summer term. Nursing faculty facilitate the learning experiences and the student nurse extern is paid by the hospital while learning role acquisition, fine tuning those nursing skills that will be used immediately upon graduation. An option for a 5-week term without pay is available to those students who desire a shorter course but want the intensive experience that one-on-one provides in the clinical area.
Other clinical options include mission trips during the summer or for designated semester so that the student "pauses" their nursing coursework and their place is held in the program while they participate in a mission or language placement activity. The MCSON is eager to support mission involvement that links to a local ministry base. These can include partnering with church-led activities, and through mission board requests. Mission trips have been organized to the Blackfoot Nation in Wyoming, Kyrgyzstan, India, Chile, China, Yemen, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Amazon River, Columbia and other destinations.
On these mission trips, students and faculty meet physical needs working in a remote or make-shift clinic, do health teaching, and have an opportunity to share their faith with others. The students voice that this is a highpoint of their nursing education experience.
