ACC Nurse Refresher Course Continuing Education Department Alvin Community College 3110 Mustang Road Alvin, TX 77511 Ph: 281-756-3796 Fax: 281-756-3952 Dear Prospective Nursing Refresher Student, Alvin Community College welcomes you to our innovative online Nursing Refresher course (a.k.a. Nursing ReEntry). Today s learners require the flexibility of an online course and we commit to you an innovative, informative course to prepare you to return to practice. This course is designed for: 1.) Any Registered Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse who allowed her or his license to become Inactive, 2.) Any nurse who wants to update knowledge and clinical skills in a clinical setting before returning to practice, or 3.) You were required by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to take this course. The course includes online theory with interactive discussion boards, a skills lab at ACC, and 80 hours of clinical as mandated by the BON. ACC offers this class twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. The online theory portion of the next class will start about September 24, 2012 and finish about December 16, 2012. The clinical training will begin after the theory course is completed in area hospitals and other facilities. Every student enrolled in this course needs internet access and access to a printer, although most all work will be paperless and online. The speed of your computer and the speed of your internet connection should not play any major role while taking this course. The course will be available through the ACC website online 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. If you question how online classes work, visit our Distance Education webpage at http://alvin.readi.info/ to assess your learner readiness. This will prepare you to be a successful distance learning student. Here is the login info: Username: Alvin Password: student Topics covered are those required by the BON and include, but are not limited to: Trends and Contemporary Issues in Nursing Nursing Roles and the Nursing Process Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Organizational Skills including Time Management New Equipment and Changes in Practice Pharmacology Update, Dosages & Solutions, and more. Skills Lab scheduled for October 6, 2012 at ACC campus Coordination of clinical preceptorships (80 clinical) in an area hospital.
Fees: $1,100 in district/ $1120 OD: This cost includes management of the online theory component, the on-campus skills lab and coordination of clinical preceptorships (80 clinical hours) in area hospital $50 for Skills lab supplies $20 for Malpractice Insurance $20 Student Services fee $20 out of district fee $5 Technical course fee You will need clearance from Stacy Ebert, DC sebert@alvincollege.edu to register for the class. Call the Department of Continuing Education at 281-756-3787 to telephone register. Please mark all mail correspondence to the campus address with this notation: Attn: Continuing Education, Stacy Ebert, DC Prior to enrolling in the course, you must: 1. Email the Program Director (Stacy Ebert: sebert@alvincollege.edu ) to discuss your current status. 2. Receive a Clear to Register email from Stacy Ebert to declare at the time of registration. 3. Complete an ACC Continuing Education Registration Application by calling the Continuing Education Workforce Development Department at 281-756-3787 and registering for the Nursing Refresher program. 4. Assure that you will complete a hepatitis series of vaccinations prior to clinical preceptorships which start about 6 weeks after the start of the online course. The hepatitis series takes several months to complete. If you do not have this yet, you need to start taking it in plenty of time to have the series completed before you attend clinical. Prior to going to clinical preceptorship you must: 1. All documents including: immunizations, current provider CPR, background check, CNEs and proof of social security and driver s license must be provided to the instructor before the end of the didactic portion of this course. You will not be allowed to start clinical without this documentation. 2. Mail or fax the completed Physical Wellness form to Jill Bennett. No student will be allowed to attend clinical without the form completed. Included in this form is validation of your completed hepatitis series or a titer showing adequate coverage for hepatitis vaccination. A physician, NP or PA must sign off on your Physical Wellness form that your immunizations are all current. 3. Complete the attached form entitled Student Profile for Refresher Nursing and email to the instructor at jbennett@alvincollege.edu. 4. Currently hold a license as a Registered Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse in the State of Texas OR obtain a Temporary permit to Practice from the Texas Board of Nursing
that will extend throughout the class. Please DO NOT call or write to activate this temporary permit before the class starts. You must be eligible for a temporary permit prior to enrolling in the course. If you are unsure of your eligibility status, contact the BON. However, do not get the permit until the class starts. This protects you in case theclass is postponed. No refund will be given to a student who registers for the course but is ineligible to get a Temporary Permit to Practice. 5. Hold a current American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers CPR course completion card that is current throughout the length of the Refresher course including the clinical preceptorship. Provide a copy of the CPR course to Stacy Ebert prior to clinical. You will not be permitted to start clinical without it. Contact our Continuing Education Department at 281-756-3787 to schedule a CPR class. 6. Undergo a Consent to Perform Criminal History Background Check by the ACC Campus Police. The cost of this background check is $15. The form has a blank for Department. Please fill in Nurse Refresher to that blank. You must go by the Business Office on campus (Room A-109) to pay the $15 and take that receipt along with the completed form to Campus Police. They will do a quick background check and give you a copy. Your instructor will receive a copy as well. 7. Purchase the textbook Best Practices: Evidenced-based nursing procedures, 2nd ed., published by LWW. (ISBN # 1-58255-532-x), 2007 edition. This book is available at the ACC Bookstore and possibly online at www.amazon.com (Click on New & Used ). This book is not included in the cost of this course. 8. Have a stethoscope, bandage scissors, hemostats and penlight for the course. 9. Obtain and submit a Drug Screen prior to clinical. 10. Expect to purchase scrubs for clinical (dress or pants). Patriot blue is the color many hospitals are using now for RNs. Please wait until you know your preceptorship s expectation for attire. 11. Update your 20 hours of nursing Continuing Nursing Education (CNE). The 20 hours of CNE must be completed before your Course Completion Certificate will be returned to the Texas Board of Nursing to verify you are ready to return to practice. Copies of each offering must be submitted to the course instructor and must be current and equal 20 hours. Online offering examples: www.nursingcenter.com; www.ceu4u.com; www.nurseslearning.com; www.pain.com; http://www.cmecorner.com/index.asp; www.nurseceu.com; http.ce.nurse.com; ww.fastceus.com This Nursing Refresher course remains a source of pride for the Alvin Community College programming for over two decades. In the past, students traveled from as far away as Corpus Christi and Orange, Texas to receive this education and exposure. Now, offering it via an online format, students from remote areas throughout the state can enroll. If there are stipulations on your license or you have a positive background check, you are not guaranteed that a clinical site will accept you into the facility. If the school is having difficulty placing you in a clinical site, due to licensure stipulations or background check, you may be asked to help facilitate this process. Preceptors from area hospitals will supervise the clinical aspect of the program and assist the
Refresher nurse s return to practice. Previous students enjoyed this course and offered enthusiastic reviews. The online packet includes several items. Please be certain you have each. You should receive: a. This Information Letter b. Student Profile for Refresher form (2 pages) c. Wellness form (2 pages) d. Information from ACC Campus Police for a Background Check. The Physical Wellness form, the Student Profile, and the Background Clearance need to be mailed or scanned and emailed to attention Jill Bennett at the address below. As we approach the start of the course, we will begin to exchange emails more frequently to prepare you for your studies. Clinical will be at area hospitals or clinics. More details will be provided closer to the beginning of the course. I look forward to getting to know you and working with you in this exciting and informative course. The clinical training (80 hours) must be completed within four (4) weeks of the conclusion of the online course, unless prior arrangements have been made. We use area hospitals and try to get you into a hospital where you would like to consider working. Please encourage your friends, neighbors or associates considering this to contact me regarding course availability as quickly as possible. We look forward to an excellent experience and helping you to return to the exciting and rewarding responsibilities of nursing. Please note there is a minimum (5) and maximum (10) number of students per course. We understand that this course costs a lot to prepare to take but we must have the class minimum enrollment before we can offer it. If the class fails to make, there should be a large class the next semester and you will be rolled over to that class per your request. Course Preparation Checklist: Emailed Stacy Ebert on current status ACC Continuing Education Application (mail to ACC CE) Payment for course must be made in person at the CE office in H103 or over the phone with a credit card Physical Wellness form including Drug Screen completed and submitted to Instructor Student Profile for Refresher Nursing emailed to Instructor Hold a current RN or LVN license Have current AHA BLS CPR Sincerely, Stacy Ebert, DC Director of Allied Health and Medical CEWD Alvin Community College sebert@alvincollege.edu
Student Profile for Nursing Refresher Course Alvin Community College Continuing Education APPLICATION FOR COURSE ADMISSION Last Name First Maiden Credentials RN/LVN? Active/inactive? Email address Nursing license # Street Address City, State Zip Best telephone # for Course Contact Info in Case of Emergency/ Relationship? Where currently Employed? # of Hours/ Week during course Have you ever had a stipulation with your Nursing License? If yes, please explain.
How long have you been out of nursing since providing bedside care? Where and when did you attend Nursing School? Please profile your employment history including dates, location, supervisors name and contact information and reasons for leaving. Use additional paper if necessary.
Please write a short paragraph describing factors influencing your decision to return to practice in nursing. By signing this 2 page form, I acknowledge that all information is true and accurate. SIGNATURE DATE Please return a.s.a.p. to: Alvin Community College Continuing Education Stacy Ebert, DC Director Allied Health and Medical CEWD 3110 Mustang Road H108 Alvin, TX 77511 Fax (281) 756-3952
ALVIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION 3110 MUSTANG ROAD ALVIN, TX 77511-4898 * Fax to Stacy Ebert 281-756-3952 or scan and * Email: sebert@alvincollege.edu WELLNESS FORM for NURSING REFRESHER COURSE Student Name: Date of Birth NOTE: While confidentiality of this information will be maintained, full health information is necessary for the student s protection as well as that of others. 1. Medical History: (To be completed by Student) Please identify any of the following for which you have received medical treatment within the past five years: rheumatic fever menstrual disorders joint disease back injuries Epilepsy cardiovascular disease hay fever Diabetes sinusitis frequent colds Tuberculosis thyroid disease anemia Asthma ulcer/colitis hypertension frequent headache Please list (with dates if possible) 1. Chronic illnesses 2. Other medical problems 3. Surgeries 4. Current medications 5. Injuries 6. Physical limitations
2. Physical Examination: (To be completed by Physician) The physician is requested to make a complete physical examination of the student and note any deviations from normal. Height Weight Pulse B/P Condition of: SYSTEM NORMAL ABNORMAL COMMENTS SYSTEM NORMAL ABNORMAL COMMENTS skin eyes ENT neck heart abdomen reflexes musculoskeletal lungs Describe any abnormal findings: I examined (student name) on this date and found him/her to be in health. Physician s Name (Print) Office Address (Street) Physician s Signature Telephone City State Zip Date 3. Tuberculosis Screening. Skin test or Chest x-ray (if skin test is positive). Must be within 6 months prior to start of course. TB Test Date: Date Read: Chest x-ray date: Results:
4. Immunizations The Texas Dept. of Health requires the following immunizations for students enrolled in health related courses: Measles (all students born after 1956) 1 dose measles vaccine administered on or after 1 st birthday OR serologic confirmation of immunity Mumps (all students born after 1956) 1 dose measles vaccine administered on or after 1 st birthday OR serologic confirmation of immunity Rubella (German measles) (all students) 1 dose rubella vaccine administered on or after 1 st birthday OR serologic confirmation of immunity Tetanus/Diphtheria (all students) 1 dose Td within past 10 years (mo/day/yr must be recorded) Varicella (Chicken Pox) (all students) 2 doses of Varicella vaccine on or after 1 st birthday OR immunity verified by student/parent/physician OR serologic confirmation of immunity Hepatitis B series of three immunizations OR serologic confirmation of immunity Date (mm/dd/yr ) Vaccine MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) T/D (Tetanus/Diphtheria) Hepatitis B Hepatitis B (1 month after 1 st dose) Hepatitis B (5 month after second dose) Varicella (Chickenpox) Varicella (Chickenpox) Varicella (Chickenpox) Disease History/Date of Disease Validation Signature/Stamp Must complete statement below
Verification of Illness and Varicella Status This is to verify that (Name of student) had varicella (chickenpox) on or about (mo. /yr) and does not need varicella vaccine. Signature and Title: Physician or Parent of Student Serological Confirmation of Immunity {Written physician s statement required or lab report indicating confirmation of the disease (a confirmatory blood titer).} This is to certify that (Name of student) has serologic evidence of immunity for measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B and does not require additional vaccine. Physician signature or person Licensed to sign for Physician Please date: