PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM ADMISSIONS HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM ADMISSIONS HANDBOOK CENTRAL GEORGIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE Warner Robins Campus 80 Cohen Walker Drive, Warner Robins, GA (478) Macon Campus 3300 Macon Tech Drive, Macon, GA Milledgeville Campus 54 Highway 22 West, Milledgeville, GA Effective for Fall Semester 2015 Selection / Revised March 2015

2 PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM SELECTION Admission to the college and selection into the Practical Nursing program are two distinct processes. Students are responsible for understanding both processes. Questions regarding admission to the college should be directed to the Office of Admissions. Warner Robins Campus: (478) Macon Campus: (478) Milledgeville Campus: (478) Questions regarding Practical Nursing program selection should be directed to: Warner Robins Campus: Mrs. Monecia Walton, RN, MSN; Program Chairperson, (478) , OR Mrs. Terry Wilkins, RN, MSN; Division Head for Practical Nursing and Related Programs, (478) , As set forth in its Student Catalog, Central Georgia Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, political affiliation or belief, disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam Era, or citizenship status (except in those special circumstances permitted or mandated by law). The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the administration of the College nondiscrimination policies: Linda Hampton Executive Director of Conduct, Appeals and Compliance 3300 Macon Tech Drive Macon, GA Building J, Room FAX

3 CGTC ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or its equivalent to be admitted to the PN program. Submit an application for college admission, along with a $20 non-refundable application fee. Schedule to take the COMPASS placement exam (offered in the Testing Center) in order to be admitted to the college. There is no charge for initial administration of the COMPASS exam. (Other placement exam scores may be acceptable, for example, SAT or ACT.) Request transfer credit for courses completed at accredited college(s) or other educational institutes, if applicable. Complete a Request for Transfer Credit prior to admission, and submit official transcripts to the Registrar s Office. PRACTICAL NURSING ADMISSION FILE CHECKLIST An applicant s official student record must contain the following items in order to be accepted for admission: Application for admission High School/GED or College Transcript Proof of age Placement Exam Scores (COMPASS, SAT, ACT) PSB (Psychological Services Bureau) Health Aptitude Examination, 3 rd Edition *The PSB exam is not required for admission to CGTC; however, it is required prior to selection into the Practical Nursing Program. No minimum score is required to be selected into the program. More information about the PSB exam may be obtained in the college Testing Centers or Media Centers or on-line at

4 CGTC PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM SELECTION PROCEDURE Students are admitted to CGTC s Practical Nursing Program through a process of competitive admission that includes three steps. Only those students who meet the minimum academic eligibility requirements (outlined below) will be considered for selection. 1) Successfully complete the required core courses. ENGL 1010 (Fundamentals of English) Associate degree-level (ENGL 1101 or ENG 191) accepted. MATH 1012 (Foundations of Mathematics) successful completion within the last five (5) years in lieu of MAT 1012, MATH 1111 (College Algebra), MATH 1013 (Algebraic Concepts) or MATH 1101 (Mathematical Modeling) or a higher course such as college calculus are accepted PSYC 1010 (Basic Psychology) Associate degree-level (PSYC 1101 or PSYC 191) psychology accepted. ALHS 1011 (Anatomy and Physiology) successful completion within the last five (5) years. Associate degree-level A&P courses will be considered provided all body systems are covered and previously mentioned time limits and other requirements are met. For example, students must complete the entire BIOL 2113, 2113L, 2114 and 2114L sequence successfully to meet the ALHS 1011 requirement. Transfer Credit: Core courses requested for transfer credit from another institution must meet the above criteria in order to be accepted by CGTC. Other courses requested for transfer credit will be accepted as follows: ALHS courses successfully completed within the last five (5) years and PNSG courses successfully completed within the last year (any specific grade requirements mentioned later in this pamphlet are applicable). The student requesting transfer credit into PNSG courses must have taken the PSB Health Aptitude Examination, 3 rd Edition as outlined in the next step of this procedure. Additionally, the student must be able to successfully perform all competencies of the PNSG course(s) for which transfer credit is requested. 2) Complete the PSB Health Aptitude Examination, 3 rd Edition. Only PSB Health Aptitude Examination, 3 rd Edition scores will be considered in the selection process. Students must complete the exam no later than mid-term in the semester prior to the semester for which you wish to be considered for selection. This PSB procedure is also applicable to students requesting to transfer into PNSG courses. Students may take the test two times in a year. The exam is administered in the CGTC Testing Center. There is a $20 testing fee.

5 3) Submit Progression/Application Form to the Admissions Office. a. Students will not be considered for selection for any given semester unless they have applied for admission to the Practical Nursing program. The application for the PN program is called a Progression Form. The student must submit a Progression Form by mid-term of the semester prior to the semester for which they wish to be considered for selection. All requirements for selection must be completed and official documents submitted (including all items listed on the Practical Nursing Admission File Checklist) by midterm of the semester prior to desired admission into the program. In the event that the student is not selected for the program and wishes to be considered for the following semester selection, it is the student s responsibility to submit a progression form/application again and realize that all required course grades and time frames are still applicable. b. To submit the Progression Form go to the CGTC home page at page Current Students Student Affairs Registrar Progression Form Request log in to your BannerWeb account. This will automatically open the form. You will then fill in the form and submit it electronically. Please make sure you print a copy of the form for your records. NOTE: Selections are made for the Warner Robins and Macon campus for cohorts to begin each semester, however, the Milledgeville campus makes selections for only the Fall and Spring semesters; no selection is made for the Summer semester.(subject to change) Selection Criteria Upon successful completion of the required core courses and having taken the PSB test, students will be considered for selection into the PN program based on the following criteria: 1. GPA for the required core courses, as well as any courses that are part of the program curriculum, will be calculated according to the following guidelines: a. Scoring: GPA X 100 plus highest PSB score. b. In the case of multiple attempts at a course(s) to achieve the required course grade or improve a grade, only the two most recent attempts will be calculated in the GPA. In the event that a student previously attempted coursework at institutions other than CGTC, official transcripts will be evaluated to include the two most recent attempts, and grades from any applicable coursework will be calculated in the GPA accordingly. c. Only courses taken within the required timeframe will be calculated in the GPA. In the case of English and/or Psychology, course grades for courses taken over five (5) years will not be computed in the GPA, unless it is the student s only grade for the specific course. d. In the event that the student has achieved equivalent course credit at both the degree and diploma level (e.g., ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1010), only the higher of the two course grades will be calculated.

6 2. Selection consideration will be given to the student who was previously selected into the CGTC PN Program and did not successfully complete PNSG 2030 and/or 2035 and to the student who has previously taken PN coursework at another TCSG College as follows: *In addition to the guidelines for GPA calculation as listed above, grades for all other ALHS and PNSG courses within the curriculum will be calculated into the competitive GPA, including those taken at institutions other than CGTC (by transcript verification). The program s minimum course grade requirements and time limits will apply. 3. The number of students selected for any given semester is based on the number of available clinical slots in the program as a whole and may vary by campus and semester. Tiebreaker: In the event of a tie in the ranking, the student s current PSB score will be used as the tiebreaker. In the event that a student has taken the PSB exam more than once, the current PSB scores will be averaged and the average of the two scores will be used in the tiebreaker process. Students will receive notification from the Admissions Office by phone or regarding selection results. At that time, instructions will be given as to registration for the upcoming semester and mandatory PN Program orientation. Post-selection Requirements Following selection, in order to progress in the program, the student must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or a minimum grade of C in each course for all required PN program courses. In the event that a student achieves a course grade below C but maintains a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, the student may be allowed to continue in the program, if they meet certain requirements described below. In the event that a student earns a course grade below C and does not maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, the student will not be allowed to continue in the program and will not be eligible for re-entry for a period of one year (three semesters). After the period of one year, if this student wishes to re-enter the PN program, they will be required to begin the program at the beginning with the PNSG 2030, PNSG 2035, and PNSG 2010 sequence of courses. Re-admission will be based on a competitive basis and is not guaranteed. These students will not be allowed any further unsuccessful attempts of PNSG courses for the remainder of their program. Any further failures or unsuccessful attempts will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. An unsuccessful attempt is defined as grades of W, WP, WF, or course grades of D or below. Regardless of the student s cumulative GPA, students may only repeat one unsuccessful PNSG course throughout the program. The second unsuccessful attempt at a PNSG course will result in program dismissal for a period of one year or three semesters. Additionally, if the same PNSG course is unsuccessfully attempted twice, program dismissal will occur and student will not be allowed a third attempt at that course. As above, if the student desires re-entry into the PN program after the one year time period, then they will be required to begin the program at the beginning with the PNSG 2030, PNSG 2035, and PNSG 2010 sequence of courses. These students will not be allowed any further unsuccessful attempts of PNSG courses for the

7 remainder of their program. Again, an unsuccessful attempt is defined as grades of W, WP, WF, or course grades of D or below and will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. Any student who does not complete a course successfully will be required to enter into a Curriculum Completion Contract in order to be allowed to reenter the Practical Nursing program. See sample contract (Appendix A). Students must successfully complete all courses within the semester that they are currently enrolled before they can progress into the next semester s courses. i.e.: a student who fails PNSG 2210 (MS 1) but passes PNSG 2220 (MS II) and PNSG 2230 (MS III) cannot progress into the next semester until the MS 1 requirement has been met. Re-admission into the failed course the next semester will be based on availability and is not guaranteed. Transfer, re-entry (any break in successive semester enrollment), and transient students will be accepted into the program based on availability. In order to receive transfer or re-entry credit for the courses below, in addition to the requirements stated previously regarding the academic eligibility for core courses and their expiration dates on p.4 of the Health Technology Programs Competitive Selection Process Information - PN Admission Handbook, ALHS 1060 must have been taken within the last five (5) years, and PNSG courses must have been taken within the last year. If PNSG courses are older than one (1) year, they will not be accepted for credit, and the student must compete for selection (as previously outlined in this packet) and begin the program at the beginning. (see below). Before any student s first clinical experience in the program, proof of required immunizations, a drug screen and background check are required (re-entry students must fulfill the drug screen/background check requirements upon re-entering the program as well). PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM CURRICULUM Required Core Courses for Competitive Admission All previously mentioned requirements apply for selection eligibility. These courses can be taken in one or more semesters, depending on the student s schedule and course availability. COURSE CREDIT HOURS CONTACT HOURS ENGL 1010 Fundamentals of English 3 45 MATH 1012 Foundations of Mathematics 3 45 PSYC 1010 Basic Psychology 3 45 ALHS 1011 Anatomy and Physiology 5 75 Total Hours

8 PRE-REQUISITES AND CO-REQUISITES These courses have been developed to provide didactic (classroom) instruction supported by practical application of skills (clinical experience). Co-requisite classes are considered as a single instructional unit and must be attempted concurrently. A minimum grade of C is required to be successful in each course. Failure to complete one of the co-requisite courses with a minimum grade of C will require that both be repeated. 7 sets of co-requisite courses are: 1. PNSG 2030 Nursing Fundamentals PNSG 2035 Nursing Fundamentals Clinical 2. PNSG 2210 Medical Surgical Nursing I** PNSG 2310 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical I 3. PNSG 2220 Medical Surgical Nursing II** PNSG 2320 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical II 4. PNSG 2230 Medical Surgical Nursing III** PNSG 2330 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical III 5. PNSG 2240 Medical Surgical Nursing IV** PNSG 2340 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical IV 6. PNSG 2250 Maternity Nursing** PNSG 2255 Maternity Nursing Clinical 7. PNSG 2410 Nursing Leadership** PNSG 2415 Nursing Leadership Clinical NOTE: PNSG 2010 Introduction to Pharmacology has no co-requisite but a minimum grade of C must be acquired in order to progress in the curriculum sequence to the next semester. ** pre-requisite for this class is PNSG 2030/2035. NOTE: Sequence of courses after PNSG 2030 may vary among campuses and entry dates.

9 Suggested Course Progression for Students Selected into the PN Program In each of the semesters listed below, the student must successfully complete all four courses prior to progressing to the following semester. FALL ADMISSION- Student s Expected Progression 1 st Semester ALHS Diet and Nutrition for Allied Health Sciences (Fall) PNSG Clinical Calculation and Pharmacology PNSG Nursing Fundamentals PNSG Nursing Fundamental Clinical 2 nd Semester PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing I (Spring) PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical I PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing II PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical II PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing III PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical III 3 rd Semester PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing IV (Summer) PNSG Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical IV PNSG Maternity Nursing PNSG Maternity Nursing Clinical PNSG Nursing Leadership PNSG Leadership Nursing Clinical GRADUATE

10 SPRING ADMISSION- Student s Expected Progression 1 st Semester ALHS 1060 Diet and Nutrition for Allied Health Sciences (Spring) PNSG 2010 Clinical Calculation and Pharmacology PNSG 2030 Nursing Fundamentals PNSG 2035 Nursing Fundamental Clinical 2 nd Semester PNSG 2210 Medical/Surgical Nursing I (Summer) PNSG 2310 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical I PNSG 2220 Medical/Surgical Nursing II PNSG 2320 Medical/Surgical Nursing II Clinical 3 rd Semester PNSG 2230 Medical/Surgical Nursing III (Fall) PNSG 2330 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical III PNSG 2240 Medical/Surgical Nursing IV PNSG 2340 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical IV PNSG 2250 Maternity Nursing PNSG 2255 Maternity Nursing Clinical PNSG 2410 Nursing Leadership PNSG 2415 Leadership Nursing Clinical GRADUATE SUMMER ADMISSION- Student s Expected Progression 1 st Semester ALHS 1060 Diet and Nutrition for Allied Health Sciences (Summer) PNSG 2010 Clinical Calculation and Pharmacology PNSG 2030 Nursing Fundamentals PNSG 2035 Nursing Fundamental Clinical 2 nd Semester PNSG 2210 Medical/Surgical Nursing I (Fall) PNSG 2310 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical I PNSG 2220 Medical/Surgical Nursing II PNSG 2320 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical II PNSG 2230 Medical/Surgical Nursing III PNSG 2330 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical III 3 rd Semester PNSG 2240 Medical/Surgical Nursing IV (Spring) PNSG 2340 Medical/Surgical Nursing Clinical IV PNSG 2250 Maternity Nursing PNSG 2255 Maternity Nursing Clinical PNSG 2410 Nursing Leadership PNSG 2415 Leadership Nursing Clinical GRADUATE

11 APPROXIMATE COST EXPECTATIONS (AFTER PN SELECTION) After selection, Practical Nursing students should expect three semesters of full-time instruction. The hours are typically 8am to 3pm each theory day and 6:45am to 3:15pm each clinical day. Textbook expense for the first semester is approximately $300, with approximately $500 more for the last two semesters combined, for a total of approximately $800 book expense. A more complete list of expected expenses will be provided at PN Fundamentals orientation, but the following is a basic list of other expected expenses (not including tuition): Physical Examination: approximately $60-100(plus possible additional immunizations) during 1 st Semester Immunizations & TB test: may be up to $400, depending on what is needed Drug Screen & Criminal Background Check through Pre-Check : $99.50 on-line, $ paper during 1 st Semester Liability Insurance: payable with PNSG 2035 tuition 1 st Semester approximately $11.00 Nursing Uniforms: approximately $ $ (depending on student size) total cost; 2 required (most students purchase 3-4 over their clinical experience) during 1 st Semester. Required Supplies for Clinical: approximately $60 during 1 st Semester Expenses After Graduation Required To Apply For Licensure: Licensure Application Fee: $40 end of 3 rd Semester NCLEX-PN Licensure Examination Fee: $200 end of 3 rd semester Cogent Background Check: approximately $50 end of 3 th Semester Costs above may vary, and students will be given detailed information about requirements in program orientation, but the intent of the above information is to give the prospective student an idea of the financial obligations that the Practical Nursing student will incur. Financial Aid may assist with these costs, but may not cover all of the costs of the program and supplies. The above expense list does not include costs for housing, food, and mileage to travel to and from campus and clinical sites. CGTC s PN program is supported by area nursing homes, hospitals, and urgent care centers which serve as clinical sites for the program. In order to obtain the required clinical practice for each course, the student is required to meet certain criteria for these clinical sites including, but not limited to, health clearance through physical examination, negative drug/alcohol screening, and negative criminal background history. The clinical sites (independent of the CGTC PN program) determine those students who meet their criteria for clinical practice and who may or may not use their facility for clinical experience.

12 INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THE PROFESSION The mission of CGTC s Practical Nursing Program is to provide educational opportunities to individuals that will enable them to obtain knowledge, skills, and work ethics necessary to succeed in the field of practical nursing. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) practice under the supervision of licensed physicians and registered nurses. CGTC s PN students are trained through a variety of learning experiences to give competent patient care for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled so that they will be prepared to practice as LPNs in healthcare environments including nursing care facilities, home health, doctors offices, clinics among others. Licensure Information: After a PN student has completed a formal nursing program of study and receives a diploma, they may be eligible to write the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN) and apply for licensure with the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON). CGTC s PN program has practice exams, computer labs, and books available to prepare students for this required State Board examination for licensure. Although CGTC PN program graduates will have received the knowledge and skills necessary to practice nursing, the graduate cannot deliver patient care as a practical nurse in the State of Georgia without obtaining a practical nursing license from the Georgia Board of Nursing. Upon graduation from the CGTC PN program, the program chairperson, on behalf of the student, will submit to the GBON verification of program completion. The student may then submit the application online to the GBON. In order to be eligible for licensure, the student must meet all requirements as set forth by the GBON, including passing the NCLEX-PN. Although the student with a criminal history may be accepted by the PN program s clinical sites for clinical practice, the Board has the right to use the same criminal history to deny licensure to a student, even if the student successfully completes the PN program. In the State of Georgia, the decision to license a graduate of a PN program rests solely with the GBON. CGTC is not a licensure board and does not guarantee licensure to its PN program graduates. The statements in this publication are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as the basis of a contract between the student and the College. For more information about the PN program, contact CGTC Admissions Warner Robins Campus, (478) , (478) Macon Campus, (478) Milledgeville Campus or Mrs. Monecia Walton (478) , at the Warner Robins Campus or Mrs. Terry Wilkins, (478) , at the Macon or Milledgeville Campuses.

13 APPENDIX A CENTRAL GEORGIA TECHNICAL COLLEGE CURRICULUM COMPLETION CONTRACT I,, (Student s name) CGTC ID # during Fall/Spring/Summer Semester (circle), (year) did not successfully complete the class listed below. PNSG 2010 Introduction to Pharmacology/Clinical Calculations PNSG 2210 Medical Surgical Nursing I PNSG 2310 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical I PNSG 2220 Medical Surgical Nursing II PNSG 2320 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical II PNSG 2230 Medical Surgical Nursing III PNSG 2330 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical III PNSG 2240 Medical Surgical Nursing IV PNSG 2340 Medical Surgical Nursing Clinical IV PNSG 2250 Maternity Nursing PNSG 2255 Maternity Nursing Clinical PNSG 2410 Nursing Leadership PNSG 2415 Nursing Leadership Clinical I understand that I must repeat the following courses without an enrollment break: PNSG PNSG during Fall/Spring/Summer Semester (circle), (year). Upon successful completion of these courses I will be allowed to sit for the Exit exam and I am aware that I may be responsible for any additional cost associated with the administration of this exam. I will repeat these courses on the campus that it will be offered on that will allow me to continue without an enrollment break. I understand this may not be my home campus or campus of choice and may require travel. I understand that my reentry into this semester is not guaranteed and depends on space availability. My curriculum sequence will be as follows: Campus Location: Semester (year): PNSG,,,,, Semester (year): PNSG,,,,, Semester (year): PNSG,,,,, I will sit for the live NCLEX review at the end of Semester. My signature below indicates the following: a.) I understand that I am allowed only two attempts in the LPN program in a one year period. b.) I understand that my unsuccessful completion of the class indicated above was my first attempt. c.) I must achieve a grade of C or better and have no further withdrawals in all courses attempted in the remainder of my Practical Nursing curriculum in order to continue in the LPN program. Student s Signature; Date: Program Chair s Signature; Date: Division Chair s Signature; Date: Original to student and a copy kept on file in the student s records Revised 3/16/15 tew

14 Practical Nursing Advisement Tip Sheet The selection process for the PN program includes use of the PSB test in addition to GPA. The formula for the selection for students into the PN program is: 1Completion of the PSB test; PSB (Psychological Services Bureau) Health Aptitude Examination, 3rd Edition. Important note! Students who have taken the PSB Aptitude for Practical Nursing Examination, 3rd Edition previously will need to retest and take the PSB (Psychological Services Bureau) Health Aptitude Examination, 3rd Edition by the deadline in order to be considered for selection beginning Fall Semester 2015 (201612) and forward. 2GPA x 100 to yield a whole number. (ENG 1010, MATH 1012, PSY 1010, & ALHS 1011). The GPA score is then added to the PSB score. The scores will be ranked from highest to lowest and the top 25 will be selected in Macon, top 20 in Warner Robins and the top 18 in Milledgeville for each admission cycle. (Subject to change) 3Macon and Warner Robins admit a class each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer), Milledgeville admits a class twice a year (Fall, Spring) (subject to change) 4To be considered for admission into the Practical Nursing program PN students need to make sure they have completed all of the requirements before the deadline which is mid-term the semester prior to entrance to the program. For example: Fall Semester 2015 (201612) program admission, Summer Semester 2015 mid-term and the deadline for completion and submission of all items). 5Students transferring in to CGTC from another institution must meet all of the above requirements by the deadline stated in the bullet above (4). 6For currently enrolled CGTC students, all required core classes (ENG 1010, MATH 1012, PSY 1010, & ALHS 1011) must be completed by the end of the semester prior to admission to the program. 7If a course has been taken more than once, then the last two attempts which meet the time requirement will be counted in calculating the GPA. 8Some courses have expiration dates. MATH and ALHS 1011 (or whatever course has been taken to meet the A & P requirement) are valid for five (5) years. After this time, the course(s) must be repeated. 9Submit progression form on-line for the PN program before the deadline. Student to should print a copy of the progression form for their records. Information on how to submit the progression form is below. 10Take the PSB test before the deadline (the PSB can be taken twice but no more than twice in one year). The highest score will be used for selection consideration. Information regarding the PSB test is below. To access information about PSB Testing, fees and Testing dates, go to the CGTC Home page Current students Student Affairs Registrar Health Technology Programs Competitive Selection Process Information PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Examination To submit a Progression form, go to the CGTC Home page Current students Student Affairs Registrar Progression Forms Request To view the Practical Nursing Competitive Selection Policy, go to the CGTC Home page Current students Student Affairs Registrar Health Technology Programs Competitive Selection Process

15 Information Health Technology Programs Competitive Selection Process Information then click on link for Practical Nursing Program It is the student s responsibility to assure that they have completed all requirements such as required coursework, assuring that transcripts are on file, PSB testing and that the Progression Form is submitted by the deadline. If you have questions feel free to contact any Practical Nursing advisor, or call or Monecia Walton at or mwalton@centralgatech.edu or Terry Wilkins at or twilkins@centralgatech.edu. Revised 03/11/2015