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NURSING PROGRAM INFORMATION

The minimum of 125 semester-hours required of all nursing majors are distributed as follows:

General

Nursing (55 hours)

Electives

* required for R.N.-B.S.N. students only

The field education and cross-cultural requirement are met by clinical practice in the nursing major.

RN Baccalaureate Program

Registered nurse students (graduates of associate degree or diploma programs) may complete the baccalaureate degree through full- or part-time study. The RN student must meet the entrance requirements for the undergraduate program and provide evidence of:

1. Graduation from an NLNAC-accredited associate degree or diploma nursing program.

2. Licensure to practice in the state of Illinois as a registered nurse.

RN students are required to take Nursing 290, Nursing Concepts, as well as all other nursing program and college requirements. For graduates of NLNAC accredited programs within the preceding 10 years, 29 hours of nursing credit will be held in escrow until Nursing 290 and 308 are satisfactorily completed. Other applicants will be awarded credit for Nursing 309, 313, 315, 316, 405, 407, 408 (29 hours) after successful completion of Excelsior College examinations in Maternal-Child Nursing (457), Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (503), and Adult Nursing (554). Credit is granted for Nursing 310 and 312 following successful completion of faculty prepared examinations. Interim and the physical education requirement are waived. Transfer hours for non-nursing coursework completed at other institutions are evaluated by the registrar. (See requirements under Transfer Students, Admission, and Academic Regulations.) Such credit may be accepted on the basis of advanced placement tests or on the basis of transcripts of student records from another college. RN students must complete a minimum of 30 of the required 125 credit-hours for graduation in residence.

Admission to the Nursing Major
Admission to the College and admission to the nursing major are separate processes. Before enrolling in junior-level courses in the nursing program, students must be accepted formally into the clinical component of the major. The application process takes place in the sophomore year, and all criteria for admission must be met before registering for the junior year or by the summer before matriculation.

Criteria for Admission
1. Sophomore standing. Students currently enrolled must submit application forms by March 15. Students transferring from another institution should submit their applications as soon as possible following acceptance to the College. The deadline for transfer applicants is June 15.

2. Satisfactory completion of the following nursing prerequisite courses based on requirements listed.

    A. Must achieve a minimum grade of C- in each course.

    B. Must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 (B/C+) in the following
        group of science courses and a minimum grade of C- in each course.

    C. Note: No more than two of the above nursing prerequisite courses may be
        repeated to achieve grade or grade-point requirements. An individual course
        may be repeated only once to achieve the required grade or grade-point
        average.

3. Satisfactory completion of sophomore level nursing courses based on requirements listed.

     A. Must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 2.3 (C+) and a minimum
         grade of C (2.0) in each course.

     B. Nursing courses, including sophomore, junior and senior level courses,
         may be repeated only once. Students may repeat only two nursing courses.

4. Reading proficiency as demonstrated by a raw score of 96 or better on the vocabulary and comprehension subtests of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (maximum number of attempts: two). This exam must be completed successfully in order to pass Nursing 313.

Progression Policies
To remain in good standing students must meet the following requirements:

1. Successfully complete a nursing math proficiency exam (maximum number of attempts: three). This exam must be completed successfully in order to pass Nursing 313. Information regarding this exam will be sent to students once they are accepted into the major.

Successfully complete a nursing medication administration proficiency exam during each clinical semester. Maximum number of attempts: three per semester.

2. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 in all junior and senior nursing courses.

Acceptable courses are those with a grade of C (2.0) or above.

Nursing courses may be repeated only once. Students may repeat only two nursing courses. A student may withdraw only once from a nursing course.

Students must complete both the theory and clinical components of clinical courses successfully. If a grade below C (2.0) is earned in theory and/or a fail is earned in clinical, both theory and clinical must be repeated. A student earning a grade of fail in the clinical component of a course during the first rotation of the semester may not participate in the second clinical rotation of the semester. This will necessitate withdrawal from both clinical courses for that semester. Requirements may be placed on the student’s subsequent return to clinical.

3. Demonstrate safe clinical practice. Faculty determine what constitutes unsafe clinical practice and may take immediate action. Students demonstrating unsafe clinical practice are subject to dismissal from the course with a grade of F, and may be dismissed from the program.

4. Satisfactorily complete standardized national nursing exams as designated in current Nursing Student Handbook and course syllabi.

5. Satisfactorily complete a standardized comprehensive examination on nursing content as designated in current Nursing Student Handbook and course syllabi.

6. All students must file an NCLEX-RN study plan with their adviser prior to graduation.

Requirements for admission, progression, curriculum, and graduation are subject to change in order to maintain a quality education program and to meet requirements of the current Illinois Nursing and Advanced Practice Nursing Act.

Clinical Requirements
1. Prior to the beginning of clinical nursing courses the student must have submitted the following:

     a. a complete health history and physical examination,

    b. evidence of up-to-date immunizations and laboratory test results in accordance with institutional
         requirements (current requirements are available in the nursing office),

    c. evidence of TB skin testing done within 12 months of the conclusion of the current semester (chest
         X-ray required if test results are positive),

    d. evidence of current health insurance,

    e. evidence of CPR certification (health care providers module), valid through the current semester, and

    f. evidence of a criminal background check and drug screen.

Without satisfactory evidence of all of the above, the student will not be permitted to participate in clinical experiences.

2. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from all clinical experiences.

3. Additional clinical requirements are described in the Trinity Christian College Nursing Student Handbook and in course syllabi.

There are three contact-hours per week for each hour of lab or clinical credit.