CARING COMPETENCE. What is an associate degree nursing program?

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1 CARING COMPETENCE The nursing faculty at Motlow State Community College (MSCC) is pleased that you are considering applying to the associate degree nursing program. Motlow College s nursing program has a tradition of graduating students who excel in the nursing profession. What is an associate degree nursing program? The nursing courses in an associate degree program prepare the student to be a generalist, entrylevel registered nurse. Upon completion of the program, the student earns an Associate of Applied Science degree and is eligible to take the registered nurse licensing exam. The information in the admission guidelines will assist you in the process of applying to enter the Nursing Program at Motlow College. If you have questions, please call / x 1628 or nursingeducation@mscc.edu. Sincerely, Pat Hendrix MS, RN Interim Director of Nursing Education and Allied Health Motlow s Nursing Program is accredited through Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN); 3343 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326; phone and approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing; 227 French Landing, Suite 300; Nashville, TN ; phone: Page 1

2 Motlow State Community College Nursing Education Program Admission/Transfer/Readmission Guidelines For the General Nursing Students and LPN Students The Department of Nursing Education has enrollment limitations that necessitate utilizing selection criteria established for the program. The college and nursing program criteria is listed below. All information contained in this document is in agreement with the Motlow College Catalog and Student Handbook. General Application Guidelines for Motlow College and the Nursing Program There are a number of conditions that must be met in order to be eligible to apply to the nursing program. It is the student s responsibility as an applicant to ensure that the conditions are met by the appropriate application deadline. The following checklist should be used to guide the student making application to the nursing program. A student applying to the nursing program will: 1. Be a fully admitted student at Motlow State Community College. If you are not a student at Motlow, you must submit a college application. If you have been a student but stopped taking classes (even for one semester), a readmission form must be submitted to the college s Office of Admissions and Records. 2. Request all previous transcripts and scores (high school/ged and college) be sent to Motlow s Office of Admissions and Records. 3. Provide proof of MMR and Varicella vaccinations/immunity, and sign Motlow s Hepatitis B Immunization Health History Form. (The student will be required to provide proof of Hepatitis B immunity/vaccinations if accepted into the nursing program.) 4. Declare a major. Many students declare General Studies as their major until accepted in the nursing program. 5. If a freshman student under 21 years of age, have an ACT/SAT score. If 21 or older, take the COMPASS test or ACT/SAT. 6. If the COMPASS or ACT/SAT scores indicate the need for Learning Support courses, these courses must be completed before entering the program although students may submit application before the courses are completed. 7. Submit a 2014 Nursing Program application by the January 31st deadline for admission for both general and LPN-RN Transition students. Applications may be submitted through Motlow s website at Page 2

3 Getting Ready to Apply to the Nursing Program Students preparing to apply to the nursing program need to be able to complete all Learning Support courses and prerequisite courses before starting the program. However, students may apply and be conditionally accepted to the program before they have completed these courses. Students may take any of the non-nursing courses in the program of study as well as NURS 1070 prior to admittance to the program. A list of enrichment courses are listed in the nursing section of the catalog for students who want additional courses. Because the nursing program s admission is partially based on cumulative GPA, students should strive for high academic performance in all courses. Students are encouraged to seek advisement with a nursing faculty member and may do so by contacting the nursing secretary for an appointment by phone ( or ) or (nursingeducation@mscc.edu.) Program of Study Prerequisites to the MSCC Nursing Program Biol 2010 Anatomy and Physiology I 4 Credit Hours Biol 2020 Anatomy and Physiology II 4 Credit Hours Fall Semester First Academic Year Spring Semester Courses Credit Hours Courses Credit Hours ENGL BIOL *NURS PSYC NURS NURS NURS Second Academic Year SPCH NURS NURS NURS ENGL ARTA, MUSA or 3 THEA Total hours including prerequisites: 66 Credit Hours *NURS 1070, Dosage Calculation, is a required NURS course that may be taken before acceptance in the nursing program. As a required NURS course, students must make a grade of C or higher. A grade of D or F will be counted as one failed attempt in a nursing course upon acceptance in the nursing program. Page 3

4 2014 Nursing Application Process-General Students (Everyone but an LPN) Students are admitted to the nursing program once a year in the fall semester. For consideration to be accepted, students must do the following: 1. Meet the College Application Guidelines stated above. 2. Submit a 2014 nursing application to the nursing program by January 31st, Take the HESI entrance exam. Information about the dates, costs and study materials are posted when available on the nursing department s web page. A HESI score of 75% or higher is required to be considered for acceptance into the nursing program. Students may take the entrance exam once during the testing dates because of the large number of students and the limited testing dates. If a prior current HESI entrance exam score or a HESI entrance exam score from another institution is to be used, this information must be indicated on the admission application and a copy of the test score submitted with the application prior to January 31. (Current is defined as the test currently being used for entrance exam scores taken within the last five years.) The HESI entrance exam must include the following sections: Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and General Knowledge, Grammar, and Anatomy & Physiology as well as a Learning Style/Personality Profile assessment. Only these sections will be used to calculate the score considered for entrance into the nursing program. Selection Criteria To be considered for admission, students must: 1. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale in all college level courses. 2. Be able to complete all Learning Support courses prior to beginning the nursing program. (May be tentatively accepted if the student is in the process of completing Learning Support courses by the end of the semester prior to entry into the nursing program.) 3. Have completed Biology 2010 and 2020 within 5 years prior to entering the nursing program or be able to complete Biology 2010 and 2020 prior to beginning the nursing program with a grade of C or better. 4. Earn a HESI entrance exam score of 75% or higher. Students are selected for the incoming class based on the total points accumulated from the cumulative collegiate GPA and entrance exam score. The system for awarding points is as follows: There are 800 points possible points are awarded for an entrance exam of 100%. A percentage of points will be awarded for entrance exam scores less than 100%. (Student A makes a 78% on the entrance exam-500 X.78 = 390 points) points are awarded for a cumulative collegiate GPA of 4.0. A percentage of points will be awarded for GPA s less than 4.0. (Student A s GPA is 2.9 -> 2.9 divided by 4=0.725 X 300 = points). The student s GPA at the end of the fall semester in the year prior to admission is used in this calculation. 3. Student A would have points. Page 4

5 The candidates are ranked according to the total points awarded. The candidates with the highest scores will be selected to fill the class. Students will be notified of their position in the class by Motlow . Students who are accepted into the class will be asked to attend a summer orientation day. Applicants who are not accepted should reapply following the guidelines above if they want to be considered for the next year s class. If the entrance exam used for admission changes, the candidate must take the examination being used for the current year rather than the existing score from another examination Nursing Application Process-LPN Students CAREER MOBILITY TRANSITION Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) with a current Tennessee license may apply to the nursing program and upon acceptance, enroll in the Career Mobility Transition course. The Career Mobility Transition s course curriculum is an adaptation of the nursing program s first year curriculum that recognizes the knowledge and skills of the LPN and is offered during the ten week summer term. Upon completion of the Career Mobility Transition course with a grade of C or better, students will progress to NURS Application Procedure LPN s seeking admission to the nursing program course must: Apply and be accepted for admission to Motlow State Community College. Be a graduate of an accredited practical nurse program. Have a current Tennessee LPN license. May be conditionally admitted if awaiting verification of licensure. Submit a nursing program application by January 31st of the year the applicant is seeking to enter the program. Earn a HESI entrance exam score of 75% or higher. Selection Criteria for LPN Admission to the Nursing Program Completion of pre-requisite science courses and general education courses required in the first year of the regular nursing program or be able to complete the courses before beginning Career Mobility Transition course: Biology 2010 Anatomy and Physiology I Biology 2020 Anatomy and Physiology II English 1010 English Composition I Psychology 1030 General Psychology I Biology 2230 Microbiology Have a grade point average of 2.3 for all college work attempted. Completion of all required Learning Support courses or be able to complete the courses before being beginning the Career Mobility Transition course. Completion of Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology courses within the past 5 years with a grade of C or higher. Page 5

6 LPN applicants are selected to enter the nursing program using a points system based upon their cumulative college grade point average (GPA) at the end of the fall semester in the year prior to admission and the entrance exam score. LPN selection will be made from the total points accumulated GPA and the entrance exam score. The system for points accumulation is as follows: 800 Total Points Possible total points if Entrance Exam score = 100% cumulative A percentage of points will be awarded for Entrance Exam Scores less than 100. (Example: Entrance Exam Score 50% (500 points x.50 = 250 points) points if cumulative GPA is 4.0 A percentage of points will be awarded for GPA s less than 4.0: divide current GPA by 4.0. Calculation of GPA does not include developmental courses. GPA at the end of fall semester in the year prior to admission is included in this calculation. (Example: GPA 3.0 divided by 4.0 is.75;.75 x 300 = 225) Based on the points awarded, candidates will be placed on a selection list in numerical order. Those candidates with the highest summed scores will be selected to fill the class. After the class has been filled, the selection list automatically converts to an alternate list. As the need arises, candidates will be selected from the alternate list in numerical sequence until the class is filled. Students with an entrance exam score below the minimum selection will be classified as ineligible for the current class. Upon completion of the Career Mobility Transition course, the student will receive credit for 7 credit hours for NURS 1350 and is granted an additional 13 semester credit hours for NURS 1410 Nursing Care I, NURS 1420 Nursing Care II, NURS 1400 Role of the Associate Degree Nurse, and NURS 1070 Dosage Calculation. Applicants not accepted must reapply if they want to be considered for the next year s class. Transfer Students Students who are transferring to Motlow from another accredited collegiate level nursing program must: 1. Apply and be admitted to the college. (See General Application Guidelines for Motlow College and the Nursing Program.) 2. Submit a letter to the Director of Nursing Education requesting entry into the MSCC Nursing Program. 3. Meet the same requirements as MSCC students desiring readmission into the nursing program: a. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher for all college level courses at time of admission. b. Observe the 2-year currency on last nursing course completed and 5-year currency on all science courses completed. 4. Submit a letter from the nursing Dean/Director from the school from which they are transferring giving information relative to readmission status in the particular program. Page 6

7 Once all requirements have been met, the transfer student is placed on a list along with students requesting readmission to the program in the order that their letter requesting entry in the program is received by the Office of Nursing Education. Demonstration of Nursing Skills Competency Transfer students accepted into the nursing program will be required to successfully demonstrate campus nursing lab skills covered in the MSCC curriculum prior to the semester of nursing in which they plan to enter. Successful demonstration of the designated skills will be required before placement in a particular course can be guaranteed. The student will be provided a copy of critical elements required for successful performance of the skill, scheduled practice time and supplies in the lab prior to the skill demonstrations. A nursing faculty member will evaluate the skill demonstration. If a transfer student cannot successfully demonstrate the skills in three attempts with a remediation session between the second and third attempts, the course entered will be changed based upon the skills successfully demonstrated. Readmission Guidelines Students who fail or withdraw from NURS 1420, NURS 2410, NURS 2130, or NURS 2420 may be eligible for readmission and may re-enter the course in which they were enrolled at the time of withdrawal or failure. Readmission will occur on a space available basis. Students who fail or withdraw from NURS 1400, 1410, 1070 or 1350 are not eligible for readmission but must submit a new application and undergo the selection process for acceptance into the nursing program. In order to be considered for readmission, the MSCC student must: 1. Have an Exit Interview Form on file. 2. Submit a written request to the Director of Nursing Education three months prior to the term of desired admission. Included in the letter should be an explanation of factors that contributed to the unsuccessful initial attempt and actions taken to enhance chances for success if the opportunity for readmission was to be granted. 3. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher at time of readmission. 4. Observe the 2-year currency on the last nursing course completed and 5-year currency on all math and science courses completed. The order of selection into the program for both readmission and transfer students will be: 1. MSCC students who withdraw with documented extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances must be clearly stated on the exit interview form. 2. Transfer students who meet the college s admission and nursing program criteria. 3. MSCC students who failed their last NURS course or withdrew from the program because of low grades or disciplinary actions. The grade average in the NURS course at the time the student exited the program will be used to rank this group of students on the readmission list. 4. Transfer students with a history of academic failure, clinical failure, or misconduct in the program from which they are transferring. Page 7

8 Limitations on Readmission to Nursing Program 1. Students with documented unsatisfactory classroom nursing lab (CNL) and/or clinical field experience (CFE) performance who withdraw from any required nursing course prior to the last day to drop with a W may be readmitted only once. A student with a second withdrawal due to documented unsatisfactory performance in CFE and/or CNL will not be readmitted to the nursing program. 2. Students who have received grades of D or F in any two nursing courses are ineligible for transfer/readmission to the nursing program. Student Performance Criteria The Core Performance Standards of Admission and Progression have been developed by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing and have been adopted by nursing programs within the TBR system. According to these standards, nursing students are expected to demonstrate: Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. Communicative abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form. Physical abilities sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces. Gross or fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective nursing care. Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs. Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care. Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment. Because the college seeks to provide a reasonably safe environment for nursing students, nursing faculty and for the clients entrusted to their care, a student may be required during the course of the program to demonstrate his/her physical and/or emotional fitness to meet the requirements of the course. Such essential requirements may include freedom from communicable diseases, the ability to perform certain physical tasks, and suitable emotional fitness. The nursing faculty reserves the right to ask a nursing student to submit to a physical and/or psychological testing or counseling if deemed necessary. The cost of this testing/counseling will be the responsibility of the student. Any appraisal measure used to determine such physical and/or emotional fitness will be in compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of Students seeking accommodation(s) for a physical or learning disability should follow the procedures set forth in the Motlow College Catalog and Student Handbook. The Director of Disability Services is located in Simon Hall (Moore County campus) room 129 and can be reached at Updated 8/28/13 Page 8