Academic Standards and Progression (BSN Pre-licensure)

Purpose

To outline for students, standards to meet for progression in the baccalaureate nursing program.

Standards for Progression (BSN Pre-licensure)

1. Complete each required course in the required curriculum with a minimum grade of "C."

2. Achieve a minimum grade of "C" in nursing, general education and/or support courses at each semester level prior to progressing to subsequent nursing courses.

3. Achieve a satisfactory in clinical for nursing courses with a clinical component.

4. Cease to attend clinical immediately upon receiving two grades of "U" (Unsatisfactory) at any time during a clinical rotation.

5. Repeat both theory and clinical components of a nursing course in which less than a "C" grade is achieved; or when the clinical component is evaluated as unsatisfactory.

6. Repeat required nursing course/general education/support courses in which less than a "C" grade is achieved prior to progressing to the next nursing course.

7. Maintain 2.0 total cumulative GPA in order to continue in nursing program.

8. Complete the nursing program within five years after official acceptance into the program.

9. Maintain compliance with immunization requirements.

10. Maintain compliance with technical performance standards.

11. Present evidence of having current certification in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers by the American Heart Association before progressing to a clinical nursing course that requires patient/student interaction.

12. Present evidence of current liability insurance coverage payment before progressing into a clinical nursing course that requires learning activities within a health care facility.

13. Present evidence of professional treatment prior to registering for subsequent nursing courses in the event that there is evidence of emotional instability or drug or alcohol abuse that could affect the ability to provide safe nursing care (Please refer to the Department of Nursing Drug Screening Policy located within the student handbook for further details).

14. Adhere to the following guidelines with respect to deficiencies:

a. Students who perform below 900 on any custom or nationally normed standardized examination, are required to meet with the course leader to develop a HESI Remediation Plan of Action. A HESI Remediation Plan of Action must be developed, initiated, and completed successfully by the last official day of the semester in order to progress to the next nursing course. If a student scores less than 900 on a HESI exam, it is a progression requirement that they perform identified remediation activities and/or assignments as outlined in the HESI Testing & Remediation Policy. HESI Remediation Plans of Action are graded as Pass/Fail. Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to provide evidence of successful completion of remediation and to schedule a conference with the course faculty. If the student does not take these steps or does not complete the HESI Remediation Plan of Action as outlined, their lack of action will result in the grade of an “E” for the course. This will impact the student’s ability to progress and may result in not only course failure, but dismissal from the BSN program depending on the number course failures the student has obtained.

b. In the event of having to repeat a nursing course or required support course, the student must submit a written request at the time of course failure to the Coordinator of BSN Program stating the desire to repeat the course. This statement must be received no later than one week after the registrar’s office has released the grades to the student’s Self-Service account. If a written statement is not received it will be considered an unofficial withdrawal from the program. (See Resumption of Program Policy for details regarding statement).

c. All courses repeated due to failure to achieve a course grade of “C” or above will be counted in determining the number of course failures.

d. Students who are unsuccessful in a course are considered an out of sequence student if they have not exceeded more than one course failure. Out of sequence students who are eligible to resume programming may register for the course they were unsuccessful in for the subsequent semester. Students who register to resume programming for the subsequent semester will not be required to take a HESI resumption exam(s). However, students who opt not to resume programming during the subsequent semester, and opt to resume the following semester (e.g. should resume programming in spring semester but opts to wait until fall semester to resume), will be required to take a standardized HESI exam(s) (at cost to student) to show that they have maintained currency with previously learned course content/skills. Students will have one opportunity to test (the week prior to the start of the desired re-entry semester) and will be required to achieve a score of a 900 on the standardized HESI exam(s). During the time students are considered out of sequence, students are strongly encouraged to remediate on previous deficiencies identified on all custom/standardized HESI exams taken during the program and any additional deficiencies identified during program course work in order to successfully complete the re-entry custom/standardized exam(s). See table below for information regarding custom/standardized exams to be administered:

Note: If a student is successful in all NURB courses, but fails a required support course, or takes a LOA, the student will still be required to take the standardized exam(s) that corresponds to the semester the courses above were required if they do not return in the subsequent semester.

e. Students will be required to complete an additional background check prior to the start of the semester if a student has not been continuously enrolled in the program.

f. Students will be required to complete a random drug screen. Date will be provided by the program. 

g. Out of sequence students who do not register/return to repeat the course in which they were unsuccessful in and sit out for one semester will be required to schedule a time with faculty one week prior to the start of the reentry semester to satisfactorily perform random skills checkoff(s).

h. With successful completion of the above requirements and providing space is available within the class, the student will be eligible to re-enter the BSN. If the student is not successful with the requirements above, the student will not be eligible for readmission to program.

i. All courses repeated due to failure to achieve a course grade of “C” or above will be counted in determining the number of course failure.

15. Be dismissed from the nursing program for any of the following situations after admission to the nursing program:

a. Achievement of less than a "C" grade twice in the same course.

b. Achievement of less than a "C" in any two required courses in the program curricular sequence.

c. Inability to complete the nursing program within five years after beginning the program.

d. Placing a patient in extreme emotional or physical jeopardy.

16. The Department of Nursing and the BSN expects students to conduct themselves in a professional manner that is in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Nursing. The Code of Ethics for Nurses serves as a guide for carrying out nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality in nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession. A student demonstrating any of the following will be dismissed from the program prior to the end of the semester:

a. Inability to transfer theory into practice.

b. Consistent lack of understanding of his/her limitations.

c. Inability to anticipate the consequences of action or lack of action.

d. Consistent failure to maintain communication with faculty and staff about client care.

e. Dishonesty about client care.

f. Commitment of a civil/criminal act in the educational area.

g. Breach of patient confidentiality.

h. Impaired behavior.

i. Academic dishonesty.

j. Unprofessional behavior or acts of incivility (bullying/harassment) that place a client or colleague in physical or emotional jeopardy. Examples of incivility include, but are not limited:

• Using the silent treatment;
• spreading rumors;
• badgering or back-stabbing;
• rude or obnoxious behavior;
• sabotaging a project;
• damaging someone's reputation;
• using humiliation, put-downs, and intimidation;
• failing to support a peer in collaborative relationships;
• setting someone up for failure;
• undermining of work;
• verbal abuse;
• public reprimands;
• sarcasm;
• destroying confidence;
• losing one's temper or yelling at someone;
• continual criticism; and
• encouraging others to turn against a peer.

k. Failure of acceptance to a clinical site based on denial of the clinical placement due to failure to comply with all hospital policies and procedures.

l. Failure of acceptance to a clinical site based on unprofessional behavior.

Resumption of Program Policy (BSN Pre-licensure)

PURPOSE: To outline the requirements to be met when normal program sequencing is interrupted by the student.

DEFINITION: Students who do not complete the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program in six consecutive semesters are considered “out of sequence.” Students may be out of sequence because of elective program interruption or course failure.

Required courses taken when the student is out of sequence will be counted toward graduation requirement whether the student voluntarily interrupted the program or was required to interrupt the program for course failure. Required courses that are failed while the student is out of sequence will be counted in total course failures as explained in Academic Standards and Progression Policy.

ELECTIVE PROGRAM INTERRUPTION:

1. A student may elect to interrupt the sequence of the nursing program with permission of the program coordinator for one of the following:
   1. Leave of Absence-student may request a leave of absence from the nursing program for one year for personal reasons.
   2. Withdrawal from one nursing course - students may elect withdraw from a nursing course one time during the program.
2. A student who is out of program sequence related to interruptions outlined in #1 above will be automatically enrolled into the appropriate nursing course(s) providing:
   
   1. A written statement of intent to remain in the nursing program was submitted to the program coordinator prior to the interruption (See attached form at the end of this policy). This statement must be received no later than one week after the Registrar’s office has released the grades to the student’s Self-Service Account. If a written statement is not received it will be considered an unofficial withdrawal from the program.
   2. Space is available in the appropriate nursing class.
   3. Students who elect to interrupt program sequencing by taking a leave of absence or withdrawal from a nursing course will be considered an out of sequence student if they have not exceeded more than one course failure. Out of sequence students who are eligible to resume programming may register for the course they were enrolled in at the time they elected to take a program leave of absence or course withdrawal in the subsequent semester. Students who register to resume programming for the subsequent semester will not be required to take a HESI resumption exam(s). However, students who opt not to resume programming during the subsequent semester, and opt to resume the following semester (e.g. should resume programming in spring semester but opts to wait until fall semester to resume), will be required to take a standardized HESI exam(s) (at cost to student) to show that they have maintained currency with previously learned course content/skills. Students will have one opportunity to test (the week prior to the start of the desired re-entry semester) and will be required to achieve a score of a 900 on the standardized HESI exam(s). During the time students are considered out of sequence, students are strongly encouraged to remediate on previous deficiencies identified on all custom/standardized HESI exams taken during the program and any additional deficiencies identified during program course work in order to successfully complete the re-entry custom/standardized exam(s). See table below for information regarding custom/standardized exams to be administered:

*Note: If a student is successful in all NURB courses, but fails a required support course or takes a LOA, the student will still be required to take the standardized exam(s) that corresponds to the semester the courses above were required.