Nursing, BSN Program - (Day and Evening Option)

Curriculum

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The BSN Program blends the live classroom setting with the use of electronic resources such as interactive video and pre-recorded lectures, and offers on-site clinical settings, and local clinical rotations. This blended learning modality provides easy access to course content at any time and helps students apply the knowledge gained in the classroom in a practical way. The theory portion of courses are taught to students in Denver. The curriculum for the BSN requires 3.0 calendar years or a minimum of nine trimesters of full-time study. Upon completion of the BSN requirements, students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Students have up to seven years (84 months) from their admission to the University to complete the program.

Policies

The Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program Student Handbook Supplement contains the policies of the Department of Nursing. By accepting enrollment as a nursing student, each applicant agrees to abide by the department’s regulations.

All nursing students must present:

• Up to date immunizations verifying the following:  Hepatitis B, MMR, Tetanus-Diphtheria, Varicella vaccine or proof of immunity (titer).
• Verification of tuberculosis screening prior starting NURS 215 - Introduction to Professional Nursing  course. If test is positive, refer to the Communicable Disease Policy for more information.
• Annual verification of the Influenza Vaccine for the current flu season (defined as October through March 31).
• Evidence of physical examination within three months prior to beginning a professional program.
• Verify current certification in Basic Life Support professional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association, including infant, child, and adult CPR.
• Provide documentation of annual TB Respirator (Mask) Fit testing for Orlando campus students. 
• All health records, immunizations, and CPR certifications must be submitted by the Nursing Department Orientation the week prior to the start of classes. Failure to submit these documents by that day may result in forfeiture of a seat in the program.

Mental and Physical Requirements for Applicants

Applicants seeking admission to the nursing program must be able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to:

• Visually observe and assess a patient, discriminate color and depth, read and accurately complete reports, and visualize diagnostic/monitoring equipment in dimmed light.
• Auditorily monitor and assess patient health needs, monitor various equipment and background sounds, and communicate by telephone.
• Verbally communicate in a clear and concise manner.
• Communicate sufficiently to interact with others in appropriate professional verbal and written forms.
• Read and interpret relevant medical data from patients’ charts, reports, and orders.
• Safely lift and transfer patients to accomplish bed/chair/stretcher transfer with assistance or assistive devices.
• Safely push a gurney or wheelchair.
• Stand or sit for an extended period of time.
• Demonstrate sufficient manual dexterity necessary to perform activities specific to each professional program.
• Possess critical thinking skills sufficient to think clearly and act professionally, safely, and accurately in stressful situations.
• Professionally interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.

A professional program fee will be charged to cover the additional costs of the Nursing program (see the Fee Schedule of the Financial Information section).

All students who will participate in a clinical environment are required to carry health insurance upon admission to the program and must maintain this insurance for the duration of the program.

A student in the Nursing Program must own or purchase a laptop. More information about the laptops is available on the Software and Hardware Requirements section in the Academic Catalog.

A level II background check is required to begin nursing classes. The Florida State Board of Nursing and the nursing boards of other states reserve the right to deny licensure in their states to an applicant who has an unresolved felony on record in any state. This background check may impact eligibility for licensure and should be determined in advance of beginning an educational program. For further information, see the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Student Handbook Supplement.

With the approval of the University, the Department of Nursing reserves the right to revise, add, or withdraw courses and policies as necessary to ensure a quality nursing program.

Admission

Applicants¹ are considered for admission when they meet General Studies admission requirements (see General Studies admission in the Admission Information section) and they have:

1. Submitted the BS Nursing Program Application once admitted to the University. The application can be accessed at http://my.ahu.edu.
2. A minimum 3.00 GPA in prerequisite and cognate courses. A grade of C or better is required for all cognate and prerequisite courses.
3. Repeated only two (2) cognates, one time each, to be eligible for admission into nursing courses, including transfer credits. Must have a grade of C or better for required courses.
4. Achieved ATI TEAS Composite score of 62.5%.  All four sections of the ATI TEAS must be taken for the Composite score to be accurate. See AHU ATI TEAS re-test policy. 

Admission into all professional programs is competitive. Each program has a maximum number of students that can be admitted annually. Students meeting the admission requirements for a given program qualify to be considered for admission to that program. However, due to the competitive nature of each program’s admission process, meeting minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Students may be given preferential consideration for admission to degree and certificate programs when they have successfully completed 12 college-level hours at AdventHealth University.

Each applicant accepted to an on-campus professional program is expected to pay a nonrefundable deposit of $200 to reserve his or her place in the program. The applicant’s acceptance letter will contain a deposit amount and a deadline indicating when the deposit must be received by the University. Once the student enrolls in the program, this deposit will be applied toward the student’s account. Students who have paid the deposit, but decide not to enroll in the program, will forfeit the deposit. If that student is admitted to the same program at a later date, he or she will be required to pay the full deposit amount again. If an applicant is admitted to a program with prerequisites in progress and becomes ineligible for admission due to his or her grades, a full refund will be provided. A professional program deposit is not transferable to another department. Distance Education students are not required to pay a program deposit.

¹ Applicants who wish to transfer from another nursing program will be evaluated individually, according to the Nursing Student Transfer Policy.

Conditional Admission for Nursing Undergraduate BSN Programs.

• Students will be considered for conditional admission to the undergraduate BSN programs with the following criteria:
• Minimum combined GPA of 2.75 and Minimum Composite TEAS Score of 62.5 or
• Minimum combined GPA of 3.0 and Minimum Composite TEAS Score of 58.7.
• Students with both combined GPA < 3.0 and a composite TEAS score of < 62.5 will NOT be eligible for conditional admission into the Undergraduate Programs.
• The student will need to have a nursing GPA of 3.0 at the end of the second trimester to continue in the nursing program. During the conditional period, failure to obtain a nursing GPA of 3.0 or being unsuccessful in any nursing course will result in dismissal from the nursing program. Once the student has successfully completed the first 2 trimesters, they will no longer be on conditional status.

Mandatory Information Sessions

All students admitted to the AdventHealth University Nursing Program must attend a Mandatory Information Session prior to the trimester in which they are planning on enrolling. Information sessions are the most accurate resource to have questions answered.

Program admitted students who have not attended one of these sessions may delay starting the program.

Nursing Student Transfer Policy

Students currently enrolled in a nursing program who wish to transfer to the AdventHealth University BSN Program must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:

1. Meet the BSN degree option admission requirements.
2. Complete all cognate and general education courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 prior to enrolling in nursing courses.
3. Obtain a current minimum cumulative nursing GPA of 2.50 in all completed nursing courses.
4. Submit two recommendations on AHU Recommendation Forms, including one from the nursing program from which they are transferring.
5. Submit a one- to two-page letter explaining their desire to be considered for transfer to AdventHealth University, and their interest in becoming a nurse.
6. Demonstrate satisfactory validation of nursing knowledge and skills.

Students requesting to transfer to the BSN Program in the AdventHealth University will be considered for placement into 200-level nursing courses only. Acceptance is not automatic and is contingent on available clinical/class space.

Progression

Students may progress in the BSN Program when they attain the following requirements:

1. Achieve a minimum grade of “C+” (2.33) in each nursing course, and a “C”(2.00) in each cognate and general education course and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in nursing courses. The nursing GPA will be calculated at the completion of 200-level and 300-level nursing courses, and at the completion of the nursing program to ensure eligibility for progression and graduation.
2. After entering the nursing program, a student may repeat only two nursing courses for any reason. Each nursing course may be repeated only one time. Students who do not complete courses or do not progress with their cohort cannot be assured of placement in their choices of subsequent courses.
3. Fulfill any remedial contracts (see the Department of Nursing Baccalaureate Degree Student Handbook Supplement).
4. Up to date immunizations verifying the following: Hepatitis B, MMR, Tetanus-Diptheria, Varicella  vaccine or proof of immunity (titer). 
5. Verify current certification in Basic Life Support professional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association, including infant, child, and adult CPR.
6. Provide documentation of annual TB Respirator (Mask) Fit testing for Florida Campus students.
7. All students must complete their level’s general education courses indicated on the BSN Course Schedule before progressing to the next level.
8. All nursing students who are unsuccessful in the dosage calculation exam after three attempts in any trimester will meet with the faculty instructor of the course and choose either of the following options:
   1. Withdraw from all nursing courses immediately. The student will receive a full financial refund, and may return to the Nursing program at the next available trimester, based on space and clinical availability.
      OR
   2. Choose to enter the Dosage Calculation Remediation Program (DCRP) immediately after the failed third attempt. This student will be allowed to remain in the program pending successful completion of the DCRP and retesting.

Readmission

A student who has used all of the options stated in number two (2) of the Progression Policy is not eligible for readmission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Readmission is not automatic and is contingent on available clinical/class space. Students will be readmitted under current program policies. Students who are eligible will be considered for readmission to the program when they complete the following:

1. Submit a Readmission Form to the Department of Nursing no later than six weeks prior to the beginning of the trimester in which they wish to enroll.
2. Hold a cumulative GPA of 2.75.
3. Verification of tuberculosis screening. If the test is positive, refer to the Communicable Disease Policy in the Student Handbook for more information. Verify current certification in professional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from the American Heart Association, including infant, child and adult CPR.
4. Meet specified requirements as set forth by the Department of Nursing regarding the individual student.
5. Successfully demonstrate validation of nursing skills (see the Fee Schedule in the Financial Information section for Nursing Competency Validation exam fees).

If a lapse of time greater than two years occurs in a student’s program of study, prior nursing credits will not automatically be accepted. The student may petition to validate nursing knowledge and skills and have prior nursing credits accepted through written examinations and clinical performance evaluations.

Completion

AdventHealth University will consider students for graduation and conferral of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing when they have met the general requirements for graduation (see Graduation in Academic Information section), and when they:

1. Complete a minimum of 120 trimester hours of credit.
2. Complete the prescribed course of study for the degree with a minimum nursing GPA of 2.75 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (see Curriculum in the BSN Day Program in the Nursing section).
3. Achieve a minimum grade of “C+” (2.33) in each nursing course and a “C”(2.00) in each cognate and general education course. There will be no rounding of any final course grade in all nursing courses for the BSN program.
4. Complete the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Course Standardize Exams, Mid Curricular Exam and the Exit HESI examinations and the required remediation for the HESI exams. Please refer to the BSN Student Handbook Supplement for more information.
5. Successfully complete a minimum of 50% of the college-level credits required for the degree at AHU to satisfy the University Residency Policy.
6. Complete the service-learning requirement. Please refer to the BSN Student Handbook Supplement for more information.
7. Complete the Kaplan NCLEX preparation training package as assigned within the NURS 475 Transition into the Nursing Profession   .