Nursing, B.S.N.

Admission and Progression in the Pre-nursing Curriculum Admission and Progression in the Upper-division Nursing Curriculum

Special Provisions for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) Special Provisions for Licensed Two-Year and Hospital Diploma Graduates

School of Nursing 
615-904-8488
Jenny Sauls, program coordinator
Jenny.Sauls@mtsu.edu

The Nursing Program consists of four academic years. Students enter the program as pre-nursing majors and must complete the first three semesters of a pre-nursing curriculum consisting of General Education courses and nursing prerequisites. Students then apply for admission to the last five semesters which include 71 semester hours of upper-division nursing courses. When a student applies for admission to the last five semesters and is accepted and becomes enrolled, he/she is then classified as a Nursing major. The number of students accepted into the nursing courses is limited, making the application process competitive.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are awarded the B.S.N. and become eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurse (RN) licensure.

Pre-nursing students enrolled in the University and pursuing the first three semesters of the curriculum should maintain a minimum 2.80 cumulative grade point average and are required to earn no less than a C (2.00) in any prerequisite course. Nursing clinicals may be offered in evening, night, or weekend shifts.

Admission and Progression in the Pre-nursing Curriculum

1. Any student formally admitted to the University may pursue the pre-nursing curriculum.
2. Information form, obtained from the School of Nursing (www.mtsu.edu/nursing), must be completed and on file in the School of Nursing.
3. Pre-nursing students are expected to seek advising from the academic advisor for nursing each semester to ensure the proper sequence for program completion.

Admission and Progression in the Upper-division Nursing Curriculum

1. Updated information and application forms must be on file in the School of Nursing by published application deadlines.
2. Transcript validation of all prerequisite courses must be on file in the MTSU Records Office and in the School of Nursing by published application deadlines.
3. Student must have completed BIOL 2010/BIOL 2011 with a grade of C (2.00) or better before making application to upper-division nursing.
4. Applicants must have no grade less than a C (2.00) in any prerequisite and General Education course by the end of Summer Term (for those entering in Fall Semester), or by the end of Fall Semester (for those entering in Spring Semester).
5. Scores from a standardized examination and an interview, along with the cumulative college grade point average will be used to calculate a composite score and to rank candidates for progression to the upper division. To be considered for admission to upper-division nursing, a minimum GPA of 2.80 is required.
6. Add 1/2 point to composite score for any student who can provide documented evidence of clinical experience providing direct patient care for a period of at least 380 hours within the two years prior to making application to upper-division nursing.
7. Students must attain a minimum grade of C (2.00) in all theory courses as well as a “pass” in each corresponding lab/clinical course.
8. Comprehensive assessment tools and/or standardized exams are administered throughout the curriculum.
9. Students will be asked to present evidence of physical and/or mental health prior to or at any time during their enrollment in the nursing courses. Students must be physically, emotionally, and cognitively able to meet the criteria required for clinical skills. Students must be able to perform clinical skills without physical or psychological threat to themselves or others. Students who have chronic health problems which are controlled and which do not put themselves or others in danger are eligible to be considered for admission.
10. Faculty reserves the right to determine each student’s eligibility to participate in clinical rotations based upon satisfactory preparation, meeting School of Nursing and clinical agency’s policies, and performance at a safe level of practice. If any of these are not satisfactory, faculty may give a student an unsatisfactory grade and ask a student to leave the clinical agency for the day.
11. Students with infectious diseases will not be permitted to participate in clinical experiences. Causes for clinical absences must be cleared with the instructor and reported to the clinical agency before the clinical experience is to begin. Unexcused absences will be counted as unsatisfactory clinical performance.
12. Students will be dismissed from the Nursing major if they
    1. commit a breach of ethics or gross professional negligence, or
    2. use mind-altering drugs or alcohol when engaged in any nursing activity in or outside of class, or
    3. fail to progress due to unsuccessful attainment of requirements. Students who fail to progress will be readmitted on a space-available basis. Only one readmission for failure to progress will be allowed. Students admitted from other nursing programs in which a grade of D (less than 2.00) was made in nursing will not be readmitted after one failure.
    4. violate the student honor code.
13. If a student fails a nursing course at MTSU, he/she must repeat that course at MTSU.
14. Further specific details regarding admission and progression are available in the School of Nursing.

Special Provisions for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)

• Students holding the LPN license must meet freshman standards for admission to the University. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80 is required for admission into upper-division nursing. Applicants must have no less than a grade of C (GPA 2.00) in all nursing courses.
• Each applicant pool will be considered separately. Students not admitted must reapply for consideration in the next pool of applicants.
• Each LPN who has graduated from an NLN-accredited program and holds an LPN license will satisfy 11 credit hours of required courses (NURS 3350, NURS 3360, and NURS 4005).
• Those students holding the LPN license from nonaccredited or foreign nursing schools will have to complete proficiency exams in addition to the other sophomore- and junior-level nursing courses.

Special Provisions for Licensed Two-Year and Hospital Diploma Graduates

Students holding the RN license must meet freshman and sophomore requirements. Each registered nurse who has graduated from an NLN-accredited program with an associate degree in nursing or a hospital diploma in nursing will satisfy 38 credit hours of required courses in addition to HLTH 1530/HLTH 1531. This credit, however, will be held in escrow until the student has matriculated and successfully completed NURS 3010, NURS 3030, NURS 3040, NURS 3111, NURS 3170, NURS 3370, and NURS 3570. Those holding degrees from non-NLN accredited or foreign nursing schools will have to complete proficiency exams in addition to the other junior-level nursing courses before credit is awarded for nursing courses.

Students holding R.N. licensure complete the following:

Junior Level

• NURS 3010 - Pathophysiology   3 credit hours
• NURS 3030 - Health Assessment   2 credit hours
• NURS 3040 - Health Assessment Laboratory   1 credit hour
• NURS 3111 - Professional Role Development   3 credit hours
• NURS 3170 - Clinical Pharmacology in Nursing   3 credit hours
• NURS 3370 - Health and Gerontology   3 credit hour
• NURS 3570 - Health Care Research   3 credit hours

Subtotal: 18 Hours

Senior Level

• NURS 4530 - Caring for the Community as Client   3 credit hours
• NURS 4560 - Community and Mental Health Clinical   3 credit hours
• NURS 4570 - Professional Practice and Leadership   4 credit hours
• NURS 4590 - Capstone Clinical   3 credit hours
• Guided elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 16 Hours