Mar 29, 2024  
2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing Major, B.S.N.


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General Program Information


Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Accredited by: Commission Collegiate on Nursing Education (CCNE)

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree program prepares a generalist in nursing with leadership skills, basic research abilities, and a holistic health approach to professional nursing with a focus on the community. A broad foundation in science and liberal arts enables the professional nurse to enter into the collaborative health care process in a variety of settings.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is the foundation for professional nursing practice. The professional nurse practices in collaboration with other health care providers and is responsible for coordinating and practicing comprehensive nursing care for individuals, families, groups, and communities, and assuming management and leadership positions in nursing practice.

A course of study that meets the degree requirements and the university’s General Education Program Requirements will be planned with the student through regular advising sessions each semester.

Students who complete the baccalaureate degree program, and are not already licensed registered nurses, will write the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Graduates of the nursing program who have been convicted of a violation of the law other than a minor traffic violation (i.e., misdemeanor and/or felony) may be denied a license to practice as a registered nurse by the Tennessee Board of Nursing. Questions about eligibility for licensure should be directed to the Tennessee Board of Nursing (1-888-778-4123).

Admission Requirements


Admittance to the university as a pre-nursing major does not assure admission to the major. Because limited numbers of students can be admitted to the nursing major, students must make a separate application to the College of Nursing. Applications for admission to the B.S.N. major and other information can be obtained through the College of Nursing Office of Student Services, Room 230, Roy S. Nicks Hall, (423) 439-4578 or 1-888-37NURSE, by e-mail: nursing@etsu.edu or online at: http://www.etsu.edu/nursing/.

The College of Nursing admits students to the four-year B.S.N. major twice a year. Application deadlines are February 1 (fall) and October 1 (spring). The priority deadline for application to the accelerated B.S.N. track for second-degree students, which begins during the summer term, is February 1. The priority deadline for application to the B.S.N. program for R.N. students is May 1.

 

To be considered for admission to the four-year baccalaureate nursing major, the applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.6 GPA, on a 4.0 scale, on all college-level work as computed by East Tennessee State University. The actual GPA for admission may be higher, depending on the applicant pool. Developmental studies/remedial coursework are not included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average for College of Nursing admission purposes.

The four-year B.S.N. applicant must have completed, or have in progress, all of the following courses, or their equivalents: ENGL 1010 ENGL 1020 , and an approved 3 credit oral communication course; 12 credit hours that will satisfy course requirements under Humanities and Fine Arts and Social and Behavioral Sciences; HSCI 2230  /HSCI 2231 HIST 2010 HIST 2020 MATH 1530  (or equivalent) ; approved literature course; HSCI 2010 /HSCI 2011 ; and HSCI 2020 /HSCI 2021 . In addition, a student must demonstrate computer proficiency or take CSCI 1100 

Additionally, the applicant must have earned a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each of the required health science/math courses. No more than two (2) health science courses may be repeated, and no more than one health science/math course may be repeated more than once in order to achieve a minimum grade of C (2.0).

After the above requirements are met, college administration and faculty evaluate qualified applicants according to established criteria. The College of Nursing applies a two-step evaluation for admission. Step 1 is completion of at least ¾ of required Health Science/Math courses at the time of application. This requirement must be met in order to be evaluated by the criteria in Step 2: overall GPA, Math/Science GPA, and Standardized Admission Testing. The Standardized Admission Testing is waived for students applying with an active RN License.

Class size is limited. Should there be more eligible applicants than there are spaces available, a position in the class will be offered to the top-ranked students in the applicant pool.
Eligible students who cannot be accommodated will be notified in writing and may reapply during the next application period. No waiting list is maintained for admission. A final verification of eligibility will be made once semester grades become available.

Students, who at the end of the semester of acceptance are no longer eligible, will not be permitted to maintain their admission to the nursing major and must reapply.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Curriculum


The ratio of credit hours to clock hours per week is 1:1 for didactic courses and 1:2 for clinical courses, unless otherwise specified. 

TBR General Education Requirements: 41 Credit Hours


Additional Nursing Requirements: 4 Credit Hours


Using Information Technology


CSCI 1100 Using Information Technology  (3 credits) or

UIT Challenge Exam or

Proficiency Exam

Total Hours Required for Degree: 120 Credit Hours


Additional Information


Click here to view the Nursing Major Suggested Course Sequence 

Advanced Placement for R.N. Students


To facilitate the education of registered nurses, the College of Nursing has developed an upper division sequence of courses leading to the B.S.N. degree. Eligible graduates of diploma and associate degree nursing programs who are seeking additional study in nursing may be given advanced standing by articulation, challenge examination, and/or validation processes.

Eligible R.N. students are admitted in the fall semester (deadline for application is May 1st; however, applications are accepted until classes are filled). Eligible applicants will be rank-ordered by college level grade point average; admission will be offered to the top ranked applicants and may be limited by space availability. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a space available basis. Eligible applicants who are not admitted may apply for the next available class. In addition to meeting GPA and science grade requirements, the applicant must be a graduate of an accredited program and hold active licensure as an RN in Tennessee or a compact state. Graduates of diploma and non-accredited programs must also have a minimum of 35 hours of specified courses to be eligible for the major. Coursework must include: English composition – 6 semester credits; Natural Science – 8 semester credits; Behavioral/Social Sciences – 6 semester credits; General education/electives – 15 semester credits. Credit may be earned by taking the courses from a regionally accredited institution or by taking departmental challenge examinations or equivalency examinations such as CLEP.

Students must satisfy a residency requirement of not less than two semesters during the junior and senior years, including the last full semester. This shall be a minimum of 30 hours. Not less than 12 semester hours may be counted as a semester of residence. Courses taken at ETSU off-campus centers are classified as residence credit. A minimum of 50 semester hours of credit must have been completed in a senior-level college or university. The R.N./ B.S.N. major requires 32 semester credits. These 32 credits will partially fulfill the university requirement of 50 semester credits having been completed in a senior-level college or institution and can usually be satisfied while completing the general education requirements. Therefore, an additional 18 semester credits must be completed at a senior-level college or university and can usually be satisfied while completing the general education requirements.

All nursing courses transferred into ETSU, in which a grade of C (2.0) or higher was earned, will be transferred in as elective courses and will count as elective credit in partial fulfillment of the B.S.N. degree requirements inless otherwise specified. Non-nursing credits are transferred and evaluated according to the policies of East Tennessee State University.

Upon successful completion of , NRSE 3200  Advancing to Prof Nursing Prac  NRSE 2030 - Health Assessment , and NRSE 2016 Pathophysiology  graduates of nursing diploma programs will be awarded 39 semester credits in nursing; NRSE 3030 , NRSE 3031 , NRSE 4040 , NRSE 4041 , NRSE 4050 , NRSE 4051 , NRSE 3070 , NRSE 3071 , NRSE 3080 , NRSE 3081 , NRSE 3090 , and NRSE 3091 . Students graduating from a community college where ETSU has an Articulation Agreement will receive eight to eleven (8-11) semester hours credit upon successful completion of NRSE 2030  and NRSE 3200 .

New “cohorts” of students form each fall at Johnson City, Sevierville, Kingsport, Knoxville, and Cleveland, Tennessee. Candidates should schedule an academic advising session with a College of Nursing advisor to plan their program of study.

R.N. to B.S.N. Online Program Plan


Total: 8-11 Credit Hours


Total: 9 Credit Hours


Total: 14 Credit Hours


Total Hours: 31-34 Credit Hours


Note:


* Students who enroll in and successfully complete CSCI 1100  will receive college credit. College credits are not awarded for the proficiency exam.

** Students may receive credit toward their practicum by portfolio submission. Portfolios are submitted and evaluated when students
are enrolled in NRSE 4060  .

t indicates technology intensive courses

y indicates writing and technology intensive courses

x indicates writing and oral intensive courses

Advanced Placement for LPNs


Eligible L.P.N.s who are admitted to the B.S.N. program follow the same admission/progression standards as the traditional baccalaureate student but are given the advantage of advanced standing. An L.P.N. student is required to take NRSE 3170 - Transition to Professional Practice for Licensed Practical Nurses  (3 credits) in lieu of NRSE 3030 - Foundations of Nursing Practice  (3 credits) and NRSE 3031 - Foundations Practicum  (3 credits), but otherwise follow the traditional B.S.N. program.

B.S.N. Accelerated Track for Second-Degree Students


This program is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in another field that was received from a regionally accredited institution. A minimum of a 2.6 on a 4.0 scale on all college work as computed by ETSU is required for admission. Developmental studies coursework is not included in the calculation for admission. Students should have completed or have in progress all the following courses or their equivalents:

Additonal Information


Students must have earned a minimum of a C (2.0) in each of the required health science-related courses. Each HSCI course may be repeated one time and only two HSCI courses may be repeated to achieve a C (2.0). The application deadline is February 1st of each year. The program is designed for full-time study. Classes begin in the summer term only and the curriculum can be completed in five semesters including the summer term of admission into the program. A student who fails to successfully complete one or more nursing courses, if allowed to progress, must then follow the traditional B.S.N. curriculum.

Click here to view the B.S.N. Accelerated Track for Second-Degree Students Suggested Course Sequence 

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