UPMC Mercy Hospital School of Nursing is a commuter school. The School is located on the UPMC Mercy campus, in the Uptown neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The School maintains two nursing arts laboratories, two simulation laboratories, faculty offices, student lounge, classrooms, conference space, and a computer lab. Locker space is available for all students to store their belongings. In addition, a health sciences library is also maintained on the campus of UPMC Mercy.
The Brady Library of the Health Sciences is dedicated to meeting the health care information needs of UPMC Mercy. The Library’s goal is to support the health professionals involved in patient care, education, research, and the community outreach programs of the hospital.
The Library is located on the 8th floor of the School of Nursing building and is open and staffed Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. After-hours entry is available to students presenting a current UPMC Mercy ID badge.
The Library’s book collection consists of approximately 4,500 titles arranged according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Circulating texts are located on the back wall of the Library. Reference books, which do not circulate, are identified with yellow spine labels. The online catalog is available on MercyNet/BradyLibrary Electronic Resources.
The Library subscribes to more than 200 journal titles and 2000 full-text online journals. Journals do not circulate. Audiotapes and National Continuing Medical Education (NCME) videotapes and CDs are available for loan.
Students may perform their own electronic searches of the nursing and medical literature by accessing MEDLINE, EBM Reviews, or HealthSTAR, which are available on Infonet. Instructional sessions for using these databases can be arranged by contacting a Library staff person. Bibliographic and clinical databases are available via MercyNet/BradyLibraryElectronicResources/HSLS.
The Library’s Computer Training Lab has PCs and docking stations for PDA devices. All computers are networked and have Internet access. Free self-serve printers and photocopiers are available for work- and school-related purposes.
The Brady Library of the Health Sciences is an institutional member of the Basic Health Sciences Library Consortium (BHSL) for Region I of the Medical Library Network, Pittsburgh BHSL Region I and the Pittsburgh East Hospital Library.
There are two computer labs located within the school of nursing. Students may access the labs at any time with their UPMC ID badge. Students must utilize their network ID and password to log into the computers. All computers are networked and internet accessible. Microsoft Office programs are installed on all computers for student usage. Printers are also available in each lab.
Students are required to own a personal computer. The student may prefer a mobile computer such as a laptop or tablet. Students are given email accounts and are expected to check emails at least once a day. School announcements are sent via email. Each nursing course also utilizes the Course Learning Management System. All testing is conducted in electronic format.
Two four-bed Nursing Arts Lab, a simulated patient care unit equipped with a variety of mannequins, models, and equipment, is available, with supervision to students. Additionally, a low-fidelity simulation lab is available. Experiences in skills labs are a component of all nursing courses and assist students in gaining the knowledge and competency needed for delivery of client care.
The clinical facilities of UPMC Mercy are utilized for the majority of clinical experiences. Experiences are provided in various areas throughout the UPMC Mercy campus. Some local, off-campus experiences are used for pediatric, obstetric and mental health courses. Students are responsible for transportation to the off-campus experiences.
Students who experience a personal problem, such as depression, family issues, emotional difficulties, stress, academic difficulty, or grief, may confidentially access the Student Counseling Program through Life Solutions. This program entitles the student to a personal problem assessment interview, counseling, referral to the most appropriate professional, and follow-up services to ensure that the student’s needs are met. All calls are private and are kept completely confidential. LifeSolutions may be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-647-3327.
Tutoring is available through the Academic Advising Program.
As part of the Pre-Admission Orientation Day Program, students must attend the Fire Safety/Crime Prevention Program presented by the UPMC Mercy Security Department.
In compliance with Title II of Public Law 101-542, The Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, the UPMC Mercy Hospital School of Nursing maintains statistics related to crimes and provides an annual security report. These statistics reflect activities occurring throughout the entire UPMC Mercy campus and surrounding areas and parking lots, which also include the UPMC Mercy Hospital School of Nursing.
