ACCESS EVENING / WEEKEND BSN Program Admission & Progression Policy

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1 ACCESS has combined the strengths of the DeSales nursing education with an accelerated format that enables busy adult learners to earn a BSN degree while continuing to work, care for a family, and handle other responsibilities. I. Admission Requirements: 1. Once an applicant has applied to the ACCESS program they must contact an ACCESS academic advisor. 2. Students will remain under the advisement of the ACCESS academic advisor until they reach the professional phase of the curriculum. Once the student reaches the professional phase, they will be advised by the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program coordinator. 3. Admission is rigorous; demonstrating minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into a DeSales nursing program. 4. Application to the professional phase of the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program must be submitted to the ACCESS office by May 15 of the year that the student wishes to be considered for all admission to the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program. A completed application includes: a) An application to the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program. b) A minimum of a two (2)-page essay that outlines career goals and speaks to the student s interest in becoming a nurse. c) Two (2) letters of recommendation. One letter must be from someone qualified to gauge the applicant s academic aptitude (i.e., a former teacher or professor). The other letter may not be from a personal friend or family member. d) Official transcripts reflecting all previous coursework at an accredited college or university. All previous coursework will be considered in the application and acceptance process. e) Completed drug testing, criminal background check, FBI fingerprinting, and child abuse check (forms to be provided to applicant for completion). Positive results of any clearance testing may jeopardize a student s acceptance into the program, may be cause for revocation or acceptance, or be a cause for dismissal from the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program. f) All applicants who were not born in the United States will be required to take the TOFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The TOEFL must have been taken within the last two (2) years. The test can only be taken in TOEFL ibt (internet-based). Passing scores for the ibt version of the TOEFL for students in undergraduate nursing programs (traditional, traditional transfer students, RN to BSN, accelerated BSN, ACCESS evening-weekend) at DeSales University are as follows: TOEFL ibt Passing Standard Reading 26 Listening 26 Speaking 26 Writing 26 Total Score 104

2 Students must score a minimum of 26 in each section and must also have a minimum total score of 104. An official copy of test results must be sent from TSE directly to the ACCESS department at DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley, PA The student must complete the following courses or course equivalents either at DeSales or another accredited college or university before entry into the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program. The student must have received a grade of C or better. Science courses must have been completed within five (5) years of program entry. Biology 263 Anatomy and Physiology I with lab component (4 credits) Biology 264 Anatomy and Physiology II with lab component (4 credits) Chemistry 107 Physiological Chemistry with lab component (4 credits) Biology 154 Microbiology with lab component (4 credits) Math 111 Probability and Statistics (3 credits) Psychology 109 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits) Psychology 240 Human Development (3 credits) 6. Students will be notified by June 1 of that year if they have been accepted into the ACCESS eveningweekend BSN program that will start in August of that same year. 7. Accepted students must attend an orientation session before the start of the professional phase of the Evening-Weekend BSN Program. 8. Once accepted into the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program, the student must complete all further coursework at DeSales University. II. General Progression Policies: To progress through the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN nursing program: 1. The student must earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA equal to 2.75 or higher at the conclusion of each professional phase year to progress to the next level (sophomore, junior, senior). Cumulative GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded when determining progression in the nursing program. GOAs are reviewed at the end of Session 4 for sophomores, end of Session 5 for juniors, and end of session 4 for seniors. 2. If the student s GPA falls below 2.75 before the next level (sophomore, junior, senior), the student will be dismissed from the program. 3. The student must earn a C or higher in all required science courses in order to progress to the next session. Any student who does not obtain a C may not progress to the next session. 4. The student must earn a C+ or higher in all nursing courses in order to progress to the next session. Any student who does not obtain a C+ may not progress to the next session. 5. Any student who must repeat a required science or nursing course has the opportunity to repeat a course as outlined by the Repeat Course Policy and the Nursing Progression Policy, providing they have met the 2.75 cumulative GPA requirement at the time GPAs are evaluated for each level. GPAs are reviewed at the end of Session 4 for sophomores, end of Session 5 for juniors, and end of Session 4 for seniors.

3 6. The student can repeat no more than a total of one (1) nursing course in the entire curriculum in accordance with the DeSales Repeat Course Policy. 7. The student can repeat no more than one (1) science pre-requisite course throughout the entire BSN curriculum in accordance with the DeSales Repeat Course Policy. 8. To pass a nursing course with a minimum of a C+, the student must pass both the theory portion of the course as well as the clinical component of the course. If the student passes ony one part, this will constitute a course failure, and the student may not progress in the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program. Failure of a nursing course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C+. 9. If a student fails a clinical ACCESS evening-weekend BSN course, the student may not retake the course in a different track (i.e., accelerated or traditional format). 10. During a nursing course with a clinical component, the student must complete the required number of clinical hours in order to successfully pass the course. 11. The student must follow the program plan. Failure to adhere to the curriculum plan will result in dismissal from the program. 12. The maximum time for completion of the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN program is five years from the date of enrollment in the first nursing course. This includes any time elapsed due to an approved leave of absence or time associated with failure to progress. 13. Any dismissed, withdrawn, or inactive student, as defined by University policy, must formally reapply to the nursing program. Re-admission is not guaranteed. Re-admitted students will be required to repeat all nursing coursework and are subject to the progression policies outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog under which they are re-accepted. 14. Students are required to participate in the Kaplan Review Course during their senior year of nursing courses. As part of the Kaplan Review Course, students are required to take the Kaplan NCLEX Readiness Test and achieve a minimum score of 65%. All remediation requirements must be satisfactorily met in order to receive permission to take the NCLEX-RN exam as assigned. 15. The student must meet all of the basic University core requirements in order to graduate. 16. All nursing students must adhere to and abide by content in the Nursing Student Handbook. Any deviation may warrant dismissal from the nursing program. 17. Requested academic references for students who have been dismissed from the nursing program will include only the dates of attendance. III. Academic requirements: To continue as a Nursing Major students must remain in good academic standing as described under the Acceptable Academic Standing in the Undergraduate Catalog. In addition to these general requirements, ACCESS evening-weekend BSN nursing students must be continuously enrolled in nursing courses as outlined in the catalog. Inability to do this will result in the student s removal from the ACCESS evening-weekend BSN nursing program. If the student wishes to continue on at a slower pace (decelerate), there is no guarantee of student placement in any other nursing programs at DeSales University.

4 All clinical nursing courses must be taken in sequence at DeSales. NU Fundamentals of Nursing NU Health & Physical Assessment NU Therapeutic Nursing Interventions NU The Chronically Ill Adult NU Mental Health Nursing NU Nursing of the Childbearing Family NU Nursing Care of Children NU 370 -The Older Adult NU 430 -Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill Adult NU Community and Public Health Nursing NU Senior Integrating Seminar NU Clinical Nursing Internship The following courses may be considered for transfer into the ACCESS Evening-Weekend BSN nursing program: NU Pharmacology NU Therapeutic Nutrition NU Health Risk Models and Research IV. Clinical Requirements: All ACCESS evening-weekend BSN student are subject to all health and clearance requirements as outlined for traditional undergraduate nursing students under Clinical Requirements. 1. No student will be allowed to participate in the clinical laboratory experience without documentation that he/she meets all of the following clinical requirements. Some documents and clearances may need to be updated on a yearly basis. Completed health forms with evidence of specific immunity Certified Background Check FBI fingerprinting Drug testing CPR certification Any additional health documentation or certification requirements as set forth by the clinical agencies Orientation requirements specific to each institution used for the clinical experience

5 This documentation must be complete and on file before starting a clinical course. These forms are available in the nursing office. Students should obtain these forms at least three months before deadline dates. Follow the directions on the form carefully. Original documents must be submitted to the nursing office each year. It is the student s responsibility to obtain these forms and submit the documentation. 2. Students are expected to notify the chair of the Department of Nursing and Health immediately of any changes in the following while in the nursing program: Health status Criminal Record Check (term inclusive of all clearances such as drug testing, FBI fingerprints, elder abuse, etc.) All changes will be evaluated by the chair of the Department of Nursing and Health. These changes may jeopardize a student s progression in the Nursing program and may result in a student s dismissal from the program. Failure to notify the chair of the Department of Nursing and Health of any changes may result in immediate dismissal from the nursing program. Pending court dates, pending charges, and arrests are considered a change in criminal history. Regardless of whether or not a student graduates from DeSales University, individuals who have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be denied licensure or the ability to test for licensure as a health professional. 3. A student will not be permitted to begin a clinical assignment unless all the above requirements are met. Students who do not have all clinical requirements listed above completed and submitted to the proper office by the required date will not be permitted to participate in a clinical course. This may result in the inability to meet course objectives, and the student may fail the course. 4. Clinical agencies retain the right to refuse any student a clinical placement based on results of health and criminal clearances. This may result in the inability to meet course objectives, and the student may fail the course. 5. Students must meet the functional abilities essential for nursing practice as outlined in the Nursing Student Handbook. 6. Students will be assigned to clinical sites and rotation times according to clinical site availability and concurrently running nursing courses. Specific clinical site placement and rotation times cannot be guaranteed to any student. 7. The financial cost of clearances, immunizations, and examinations is the responsibility of the student.