Nursing, B.S.N.

Basic to BSN Track

Admission into the Department of Nursing takes place at the end of the fall semester of the sophomore level. The Department of Nursing Admission, Progression, Retention, and Graduation (APRG) Committee adheres to the department admission policies and makes recommendations to the department chairperson regarding student admission.

Admission Requirements

• Meet the general admission requirements of the university.
• Successfully complete the required university placement examinations in English, mathematics, and reading. Math placement examinations may be waived if transferring in college math and physics. University placement examinations are waived for second baccalaureate degree students, Associate of Arts degree students and Associate of Science degree students.
• Successfully complete the battery of standardized examinations for the nursing program.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale. Admission to the program is on a competitive basis, and applications will be rank ordered based on the selection criteria: Applicants having the highest performance score will be given preference for admission. Only those prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better will be accepted.
• Submit a letter of intent, nursing data form, and three letters of reference to the Department of Nursing. Have a personal interview with a nursing faculty advisor. Credentials will be reviewed by the APRG Committee for formal acceptance into the professional component of the program. (Applications and supporting documents from sophomore and transfer students must be received by September 30th to be considered for January admission into the professional component of the program. Registered Nurse (RN) students see RN to BSN Track.
• Adjustments in the basic nursing curriculum may occur from year to year. Upon admission to the nursing program, each student will be given a curriculum pattern indicating the courses for which they will be held responsible. Any student who drops/withdraws or leaves the nursing program for any reason and is re-admitted will have to meet the requirements of the current nursing curriculum. Any consideration for re-admission of the student is dependent upon space availability.

Specific Requirements

• Students admitted to the university must complete the following: 6 hours in composition; 3 hours in mathematics; 19 hours in natural sciences; 3 hours in communication; 9 hours in fine arts; and 3 hours in humanities; 9 hours in social science; 6 hours of health science courses; 3 hours of biostatistics; 59 credits of nursing courses.
• Prerequisite courses required for admission may be repeated only once, when a grade of D or F has been achieved. BIOL 2059  will be accepted if taken within the past five years. BIOL 1080 , BIOL 2020 , BIOL 2021  and CHEM 1050  do not have an expiration date. Admission to the program is not guaranteed. A competitive ranking scale is used for admission.
• Students admitted into the professional program are expected to: (1) assume responsibility and cost for transportation in connection with clinical experiences and field trips, (2) carry health insurance and CPR certification, (3) pay program fees required for the professional courses, and (4) file a current and complete medical examination, specifying immunizations, and background check.

Progression Policy

Junior Level Progression Requirements

Freshmen and transfer students must comply with the general admission requirements of the University, complete the prerequisite courses and attain the expected level of academic achievement prior to admission to the professional sequence. Students are admitted into the professional sequence at the junior year.

• Students must meet the requirements for nursing practice outlined in (225 ILCS 65/50-35) (was 225 ILCS 65/5-23) http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?ActID=1312&ChapterID=24
• Students must meet the clinical affiliate’s requirements for compliance prior to attending clinical. Failure to meet these requirements will result in failure in the course. Two course withdrawals or unsuccessful clinical attempts will result in dismissal from the nursing program.
• Students who pass all nursing courses including the end-of-course (EOC) examinations at the Junior Level will progress to the Senior Level.
• Students with a “D” or “F” grade in a nursing course must repeat the course. Students can only repeat any nursing course once.
• An individualized plan of study (IPS) will be identified for students with specific academic needs for any student who fails a nursing course.

Senior Level Progression Requirements

Please see specific course syllabus for required levels of End-Of-Course (EOC) achievement for each course based on national standards.

• Students who pass all required nursing courses and EOC examinations at the Senior Level are eligible to take the Comprehensive Exit Examination.
• In order to graduate, a student must pass the Comprehensive Exit Examination (HESI) with a minimum score of 900 points.
• A student who fails the Comprehensive Exit Examination (HESI) on the first attempt must participate in an individualized plan of study (IPS) that is based on the content analysis of the performance on the Comprehensive Exit Examination (HESI) results. The student must show progress towards individualized plans to sit for the retake. Students must complete the review and EOC exam within 90 days.
• If the student fails the Comprehensive Exit Examination (HESI) for the 2nd time, the student must enroll in a nursing review course (chosen by the student) before re-taking the Comprehensive Exit Examination (HESI) for the 3rd time. Students must successfully pass the Comprehensive End of Program Exit Exam before eligibility for graduation and completion from the program.

Dismissal Policy

Failure in any required course for a second time will result in dismissal of the student from the program.

Failure in a second nursing clinical and/or theory course or a second nursing course will result in the dismissal of the student from the program.

Failure in Nursing Fundamentals course will result in dismissal and a student will not be considered for readmission to the professional sequence of the nursing program

Readmission Policy

For students who were once admitted and are re-applying for admission, a letter of intent form for re-application to the nursing program may be submitted in lieu of a complete application packet to APRG.

The following rules also apply:

1. Readmission applications must be received by May 1 for Fall readmission and October 1 for Spring readmission consideration.
2. All readmissions will be dependent upon space available in the upcoming course sequence.
3. The amount of time granted for a leave of absence (LOA) from the program will be up to a maximum of one year.
4. Students requesting a LOA for one year must be aware of the possibility of repeating nursing courses to ensure competency with current program expectations and must meet the requirements of the existing curriculum pattern.
5. Any student attempting readmission to the nursing program must meet all current undergraduate program admission requirements including cumulative GPA (minimum of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale).
6. For readmission, a student will contact the Chairperson of the Department of Nursing in writing.
7. The letter submitted by the student requesting readmission must include the following:
   1. A description of the circumstances surrounding dismissal or withdrawal from program/school.
   2. A description of activities during the interval of leaving school and reapplying that justifies readmission into the program.
   3. The student’s academic plan to promote success upon readmission.

The department reserves the right to terminate students’ enrollment in the nursing program when their health, academic record, or nursing performance indicate that it would be inadvisable and/or unsafe for them to continue in the preparation for the practice of professional nursing. If at any time during the program a student exhibits behavior that the faculty regards as unethical (disruptive, dishonest, disrespectful, or involving alcohol or drug abuse), the APRG Committee will give the student a hearing, and a recommendation will be made to the chairperson regarding retention or dismissal from the nursing program. The department chairperson will convey her/his decision to the student. All nursing majors must follow the policies, procedures, and curriculum in the Department of Nursing Student Handbook on admission, progression, retention, and graduation, and adhere to all university policies including academic conduct (e.g. plagiarism, cheating, etc.).

CNA to BSN Track

Consistent with the Illinois Articulation Initiative, certified nurse assistants who have graduated from a state-approved nurse assistant course and have passed the Illinois Nursing Assistant Competency Evaluation are awarded 3 credit hours in nursing. The department of nursing will award these 3 credit hours after admission into the professional nursing sequence and these students will not have to take a nursing elective. Certified nursing assistants admitted under this pattern will subsequently follow the same curriculum pattern as Basic nursing students.

RN to BSN Track

The nursing major provides registered nurse graduates from a state approved and nationally accredited associate degree or diploma program in nursing an opportunity to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Faculty in the Department of Nursing recognize that the RN student differs from an undergraduate student beginning a course of study. These differences reflect the RN student as an adult learner who has successfully completed either an associate degree or diploma program with a major in nursing and is also licensed to practice professional nursing. Licensure is seen as meeting minimum competency standards in nursing. The RN student, in contrast to the beginning basic nursing student, has therefore met and in many cases exceeded minimum competency.

The RN to BSN track curriculum was developed to build on this prior knowledge and skills so as to avoid redundancy. The RN to BSN Track consists of 120 credit hours distributed among the natural sciences, social sciences, general education, humanities, nursing, and electives.

Students interested in the RN to BSN track may call the Nursing Office at 773/995-3992 for an appointment to discuss the requirements and for an unofficial transcript evaluation prior to applying for admission to the University.