Nursing

Jeanette H. Lupinacci, Chair
lupinaccij@wcsu.edu
White Hall 221A, Midtown campus
(203) 837-8570
(203) 837-8550 (fax)

Terri-Ann Rago, Department Secretary
ragot@wcsu.edu
White Hall 221, Midtown campus
(203) 837-8556
(203) 837-8550 (fax)

Faculty

J. Lupinacci, Chair	L. Dalessio
K. Bridges	J. Mazurak
P. Cumella	M. Sousa
D. Graham	D. Bennett
B. Padykula	E. Campbell
E. Abate	T. Puckhaber
	L. Warren

Supportive Staff:
Andrew Hull – Simulation Lab Coordinator
Patricia Lamb – Clinical Coordinator
Allyson Cosgrove – Mental Health Clinical Coordinator

Mission

The Department of Nursing strives to provide a nursing education that is aimed at preparing beginning and advanced practice nurses to meet the ever-changing health care needs of Connecticut and the surrounding region. This can be achieved through:
- providing a dynamic curriculum that is responsive to students and community needs; based on a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, and a commitment to challenge students to be lifelong learners.
- developing clinical competency, scholarship and research.
- contributing to the improvement of and services to the university, the profession and communities.
- sustaining a vibrant inclusive program that reflects the diversity of the communities served.
- advocating for the nursing profession and for those whom we serve.

Program Information

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing and master’s degree program in nursing at Western Connecticut State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. http://www.ccneaccreditation.org/

Program Outcomes

Synthesize knowledge from the arts, sciences, and humanities with nursing theory as the basis for making nursing practice decisions.
Exercise clinical judgement in using the nursing process to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate care provided to individuals, families and communities.
Apply clinical judgement in the provision of preventive, curative, supportive, and restorative care for individuals, families, and communities in both structured and unstructured settings.
Use a variety of communication techniques, in the process of assessment, counseling, and therapeutic interventions with clients, families, and populations.
Develop and implement a variety of strategies in the provision of health teaching for clients, families, and populations.
Utilize scientific inquiry, technology and research findings to improve nursing care delivery and to advance the profession.
Identify information and resources to achieve optimum client outcomes.
Demonstrate leadership, management, and collaborative skills as a member of an interprofessional team within the health care delivery system.
Apply autonomous ethical decision making and advocacy in the care of clients.
Demonstrate accountability in accordance with standards of professional nursing practice.

Degree Programs

B.S. in Nursing

R.N. to B.S. in Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.)

Description: The Department of Nursing’s Mission is to provide a nursing education that is aimed at preparing beginning and advanced practice nurses to meet the ever-changing health care needs of Connecticut and the surrounding region.

Degree Requirements
All degrees at WCSU require 120 semester hours (SH). This includes major requirements, general education requirements, cognates (where applicable), and free electives. This structure provides room for minors, internships, and study abroad.

Required Courses in the Major: 72 SH.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing Core
NUR 106 Pre-Nursing First Year Seminar OR HON 100 OR Another FY course	1 SH
BIO 105 Anatomy & Physiology I (SI)*	4 SH
BIO 106 Anatomy & Physiology II (SI)*	4 SH
BIO 215 Microbiology*	4 SH
HPX 205 Nutrition & Health*	2 SH
NUR 105 Applications of Math Prior to Medication Administration	1 SH
NUR 201 Introduction to Physical Assessment	4 SH
NUR 205 Fundamentals of Nursing	4 SH
NUR 225 Scientific Principles Underlying Nursing Practice	3 SH
NUR 235 Clinical Nursing Practice I	5 SH
NUR 255 Clinical Nursing Practice II	6 SH
NUR 300 Mental Health Nursing	4 SH
NUR 325 Nursing Care of the Childbearing/Childrearing Family	7 SH
NUR 327 Community Health Nursing	6 SH
NUR 335 Clinical Health Nursing Practice III	8 SH
NUR 361 Research Process in Nursing (IL)	2 SH
NUR 374 Leadership & Management in Contemporary Nursing Practice	2 SH
NUR 475 Nursing Practicum (CE, W3)	6 SH
Cognates
CHE 120 Survey of Chemistry I * and CHE 121 Survey of Chemistry II (CT)* OR CHE 108 Chem for Nursing Professionals	4-8 SH
MAT 115 Biostatics OR MAT 120 Elementary Statistics (QR)	3 SH
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology	3 SH
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (CT, IC) OR SOC 120 Principles of Sociology, Writing Intensive (CT, W2)	3 SH
COM 262 Interpersonal Communication (CT, IC) OR OC Competency Course (OC)	3 SH
Students must earn a minimum of C+ (2.33) or better in BIO 105, 106, CHE 108 (fall 2024), 120/121. Students must earn a minimum of C (2.0) in BIO 215, HPX 205 and all NUR courses.
Minimum GPA for those Enrolled as a Nursing Major = 2.5 overall.

General Education: All students must complete the General Education curriculum. General Education Requirements include both competency and breadth requirements. In some cases, major courses will satisfy competencies. These are indicated in the parentheses after the course title. For a complete description of the General Education program, follow this link. https://catalogs.wcsu.edu/ugrad/academic-programs-degrees/

Cognates: In some programs there are courses outside of the major that are required as pre-requisites or enhancements to the major course work. These courses may satisfy competencies and they will count toward the general education breadth requirement. If cognate courses are required, they are included in the list of courses required in the major.

Electives: All degrees require 120 semester hours. Elective credits are opportunities for minors, internships, study abroad, and just following general interests. We encourage all students to speak with their advisors about great opportunities for their elective courses.

Sample Four Year Plan: BS Nursing
Four-year plans are suggestions. Plans change. Consult your advisor to adjust your plan.

Semester 1	SH	Semester 2	SH
NUR 106 Pre-Nursing First Year Seminar (FY) OR any FY	1	COM 262 Interpersonal Communication (CT, IC) OR Oral Communication Course (OC) (COM 162, 262, 163, or other OC)	3
BIO 105 Anatomy & Phys I (SI)*	4	BIO 106 Anat. & Phys II (SI, Rpt.1)	4
CHE 120 Survey of Chemistry I* OR CHE 108 Chem for Nursing Professionals	4	CHE 121 Survey of Chemistry II OR Gen Ed: Breadth	3
WRT 101 Composition I (W1)	3	Writing Tier 2 (W2) (Ex. SOC 120)	3
PSY 100 Intro to Psychology	3	SOC 100 Intro to Sociology (CT) OR SOC 120 Principles of Sociology, Writing Intensive (CT, W2)	3

Semester 3	SH	Semester 4	SH
NUR 105 Applications of Math Prior to Medication Administration	1	NUR 225 Scientific Principles Underlying Nursing Practice	3
NUR 201 Introduction to Physical Assessment	4	NUR 235 Clinical Nursing Practice I	5
NUR 205 Fundamentals of Nursing	4	NUR 300 Mental Health Nursing**	4
BIO 215 Microbiology	4	MAT 115 Biostatistics OR MAT 120 Elementary Statistics (QR)	3
HPX 205 Nutrition & Health*	2

Semester 5	SH	Semester 6	SH
NUR 255 Clinical Nursing Practice II	6	NUR 335 Clinical Health Nursing Practice III ***	8
NUR 361 Research Process in Nur (IL)	2	NUR 374 Leadership & Management in Contemporary Nursing Practice***	2
NUR 300 Mental Health Nursing** (if not taken in SO Spring, take Fall junior year)	4	Gen Ed: Health & Wellness (HW)	2
Gen Ed: Creative Process (CP)	3	Gen Ed: Breadth or Repeat Competency if needed	3
Gen Ed: Oral Communication (OC) OR Repeat Competency if needed	3

Semester 7	SH	Semester 8	SH
NUR 325 Nursing Care of the Childbearing/Childrearing Family***	7	NUR 475 Nursing Practicum (CE, W3)	6
NUR 327 Community Health Nursing***	6	Free electives	7
Total Credits Required for the BS in Nursing = 120; Minimum GPA 2.5

*Foundational Science Courses in Nursing require students to place into General Education Math (above MAT100 or MAT100P.) If you place into MAT 100 or 100P Intermediate Mathematics, we strongly recommend that you complete this requirement prior to the start of the fall semester. Those who do not will be on a 5-year plan.

**NUR 300 can be taken Spring Sophomore Year of Nursing and or Fall Junior Year**

***NUR 335 & 374 can be taken either Spring Junior Year of Nursing and or Fall Senior Year of Nursing as a pair, Same for NUR 325 & 327***

RN to BS in Nursing

Required Courses for the RN to BS: 30 SH minimum

Nursing Courses Transferred from the RN program (29 SH)
BIO 105 Anatomy & Physiology I (SI)*	4 SH
BIO 106 Anatomy & Physiology II (SI)*	4 SH
BIO 215 Microbiology*	4 SH
NUR 205 Fundamentals of Nursing	4 SH
NUR 225 Scientific Principles Underlying Nursing Practice	3 SH
NUR 235 Clinical Nursing Practice I	5 SH
NUR 255 Clinical Nursing Practice II	6 SH
NUR 300 Mental Health Nursing	4 SH
NUR 325 Nursing Care of Childbearing/Childrearing Families	7 SH
Nursing Courses Completed at WCSU (28 SH)
NUR 301 Leadership in Health Care Organizations	3 SH
NUR 309 Transition to Professional Nursing Practice	3 SH
NUR 311 Physical Assessment Across the Lifespan (IC)	3 SH
NUR 329 Principles of Community Health Nursing	3 SH
NUR 330 Nursing in the Community (IL)	4 SH
NUR 332 Pharmacology, Pathophysiology & Nursing Practice (IL)	3 SH
NUR 336 Human Health Experience and Nursing Practice (HW, CP)	3 SH
NUR 361 Research Process in Nursing (IL)	2 SH
NUR 376 Professional Nursing Role Development (W3, Culm Exp)	4 SH
Required Elective Credits (students must complete at least 30 SH at WCSU)	2 SH
Cognates (if not completed as part of the 2-year degree)
MAT 115 Biostatistics OR MAT 120 Elementary Statistics (QR)	3 SH
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology	3 SH
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (CT, IC) OR SOC 120 Principles of Sociology, Writing Intensive (W2)	3 SH
*Students must earn a C (2.0) or better in BIO 105, 106, & BIO 215) and in all NUR courses
Minimum GPA for the BS in Nursing = 2.5 overall.
Students must earn a minimum of 120 SH to complete the BS. Up to 90 SH may be transferred to WCSU.

General Education: All students must complete the General Education curriculum. General Education Requirements include both competency and breadth requirements. In some cases, major courses will satisfy competencies. These are indicated in the parentheses after the course title. For a complete description of the General Education program, follow this link. https://catalogs.wcsu.edu/ugrad/academic-programs-degrees/

Electives: All degrees require 120 semester hours. Elective credits are opportunities for minors, internships, study abroad, and just following general interests. We encourage all students to speak with their advisors about great opportunities for their elective courses.

Sample Post-Transfer Plan: RN to BS Nursing
The transfer path depends on completing your general education requirements in as part of two-year degree. Consult your advisor to address any gaps in your earlier program.

**Please note this program can also be completed in one year, if this is an option for you, if this is an option for you, please see Nicole Sandt, Transfer Counselor, Associate Director of Admissions, email: Sandtn@wcsu.edu **

*RN transfer Sample 2-year plan*
Semester 1	SH	Semester 2	SH
NUR 309 Transition to Professional Nursing	3	NUR 311 Physical Assessment Across the Lifespan	3
NUR 329 Principles of Community Health Nursing	3	NUR 336 Human Health experience (HW, CP)	3
MAT 115/120 (Biostats and or Elementary Stats) QR *(if required)	3	NUR 361 Nursing Research	2

Semester 3	SH	Semester 4	SH
NUR 330 Nursing in the Community	4	NUR 376 Professional Nursing Role Development	4
NUR 332 Pharmacotherapeutics	3	NUR 301 Leadership in Healthcare Organizations	3
Elective (if MAT 115/120 is not req).	2

*RN transfer Sample 3-year plan*
Semester 1	SH	Semester 2	SH
NUR 309 Transition to Professional Nursing Practice	3	NUR 311 Physical Assessment Across the Lifespan	3
NUR 329 Principles of Community Health Nursing	3	NUR 336 Human Health Experience and Nursing Practice	3

Semester 3	SH	Semester 4	SH
NUR 332 Pharmacotherapeutics	3	NUR 361 Nursing Research	2
MAT 115/120 (Biostats and or Elementary Stats) QR *(if required)	3	NUR 301 Leadership in Health Care Organizations	3

Semester 5	SH	Semester 6	SH
NUR 330 Nursing in the Community	4	NUR 376 Professional Nursing Role Development	4
General Electives (MAT 115 is not required)	2
Total Credits Required for the RN to BS in Nursing = 120; Minimum GPA in the major is 2.5
Transfer students must take a minimum of 30 SH at WCSU. For the RN to BSN that includes 28 SH in 2 SH in electives. The examples above do not include additional coursework necessary to meet the 120 SH minimum for a bachelor’s degree. The total number of SH necessary will depend on the total number of transfer credits. Up to 90 credits from Community College/or prior college work may be transferred in.

RN-BS Program

The Nursing Department offers the nursing courses for the RN-BS degree completion program online. Students earn a BS with a major in Nursing. The program is only available to students who hold a current RN license.

Registered nurse graduates of associate degree and hospital diploma nursing programs, who hold a current RN license in Connecticut or another state, are encouraged to apply to this program. A current RN license is required from the state in which clinical affiliations are scheduled. RN-BS degree completion students must complete all college and department course requirements satisfactorily to be eligible for the B.S. degree with a major in Nursing. The RN-BS program is a participant in the Connecticut Articulation Model for Nurse Educational Mobility.

For more information about this program, please contact Nicole Sandt, Transfer Counselor, Associate Director of Admissions, Sandtn@wcsu.edu.

Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing Program (ABiN)

Western Connecticut State University welcomes any student with a Bachelor’s degree in any other field the opportunity to pursue nursing. This new Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing (ABiN) degree will apply some of your past classes towards this second Bachelor’s degree. There are pre-requisite courses that must be complete prior to completing the nursing degree. Overall, the academic history will be reviewed looking for completion of the pre-requisite courses and an evaluation of the overall academic record.

What is required:

Bachelor’s Degree Completed
GPA at minimum 2.7
Sciences not more than 10 years old (Anatomy and Physiology Part I and II C+ or higher, one organic/inorganic chemistry course C+ or higher)
Microbiology C or higher
Health and Nutrition C or higher
Elementary Statistics or Biostatistics Class
Writing Intensive II
Intro to Sociology
Intro to Psychology
An Oral Communications Class

This program will begin Summer Session I Year I and will end Summer Session III in Year II (total months 15). This is primarily a day program. There may be clinicals on weekends and in the evenings on occasion. Currently this program has been approved by the Board of Regents and the State Board of Nursing. It is awaiting approval of Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Program Outcomes:

Synthesize knowledge from arts, sciences, and humanities with nursing theory as the basis for making nursing practice decisions
Exercise clinical judgement in using the nursing processes to assess, diagnose, plan, implement, and evaluate care provided to individuals, families, and communities
Apply clinical judgement in the provision of preventive, curative, supportive, and restorative care for individuals, families, and communities in both structured and unstructured settings.
Use a variety of communication techniques, in the process of assessment, counseling, and therapeutic interventions with clients, families, and populations.
Develop and implement a variety of strategies in the provision of health teaching for clients, families, and populations.
Utilize scientific inquiry, technology and research findings to improve nursing care delivery and to advance the profession.
Identify information and resources to achieve optimum client outcomes.
Demonstrate leadership, management, and collaborative skills as a member of an interprofessional team within the health care delivery system.
Apply autonomous ethical decision making and advocacy in the care of clients
Demonstrate accountability in accordance with standards of professional nursing practice.

The following information must be submitted either before or by the start of ABiN classes.

Current health form
Results of either PPD skin test or chest x-ray or QuantiFERON blood test
Evidence of measles, mumps, and rubella/rubeola, and varicella vaccinations or antibody titers
Evidence of Hepatitis B vaccination, Hepatitis B titers or signed declination to receive vaccine
Tdap vaccine completed within the last 10 years
Initial Covid vaccine series and booster
CPR certification Basic Life Support (Health Care Provider) American Heart Association or American Red Cross (Professional Rescuer)

Clinical health requirements are subject to change depending on Department of Public health guidelines and/or clinical agency requirements. Students without documentation of health requirements and/or CPR certification will not be allowed to participate in clinical experiences and may receive a clinical warning.

Retention

In order to remain in the Nursing program, students must earn at least a “C” grade in all courses with a NUR designation (200, 300, 400 level) including Microbiology (BIO 215) and Health and Nutrition (HPX 205). **Please be reminded that ABiN students who are transitioning between summer I and summer II/III are required to complete a Medication Math Test and must pass with > 85**. This is administered during the Final Exam Period for NUR 105.
In order to remain in the Nursing program, nursing students must fulfill academic requirements and must also show evidence of meeting the behavioral objectives (cognitive, psychomotor and affective) of preparation for professional nursing as described and distributed in each nursing course with a NUR 200, NUR 300, and NUR 400 designation.
A student who receives a grade of “C-” or lower in a Nursing course, whose cumulative grade point average has dropped below 2.50, who has withdrawn from a NUR 200, NUR 300, or NUR 400 level nursing course, who has taken a leave of absence from the Nursing program (whether medical or otherwise), or who has withdrawn from the Nursing program must apply for readmission to the Nursing program. The student may be readmitted to the program provided that, in the judgment of the nursing faculty, the student meets the criteria for readmission.
Any student who receives more than one course grade below “C” in any of the nursing courses will not be readmitted to the Nursing program. In addition, any student who has for any reason reapplied and been readmitted and then subsequently withdrawn or fails, will not be allowed to reapply a second time.
Students who demonstrate an unsafe level of patient care will not be permitted to continue in the clinical area.
Under provisions of Public Act 86-365, students whose ability to function is impaired or who have engaged in unethical or illegal acts, or whose behavior does not conform to accepted standards of the Nursing profession may jeopardize their eligibility for obtaining or retaining professional nurse licensure in the State of Connecticut. (A copy of the act with explanatory material is available for review in the department office.) Such conduct or behavior may also be grounds for disciplinary action, including suspension or dismissal from the program, by the Nursing faculty or departmental administrator.

Graduation

The student must have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 based on at least 120 credits earned (nursing major, general education, and free elective requirements).
The student must have at least a “C” grade in all Nursing courses (200, 300, or 400 level).
The student must have sustained evidence of academic and behavioral characteristics acceptable for professional nursing as set forth in the philosophy and objectives of the Department of Nursing.

Professional Nurse Licensure

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply to the State Board of Examiners for Nursing in Connecticut, or in any other state of their choice, for examination for Professional Nurse licensure. Each state board may have additional criteria for eligibility according to the laws of the state. In Connecticut, the limitations for eligibility for licensure are delineated in Public Act 86-365. A copy of this act is available for review in the department office.

Health Policies and Other Requirements

Because of the nature of the clinical experiences and regulations of various clinical agencies utilized in the nursing program, all Nursing students are required to adhere to departmental policies in addition to the immunizations required of all university students. This information may be obtained directly from the department.

In addition to the above stated health requirements, students may need to meet additional requirements identified by a clinical affiliating agency, including a criminal background check, drug testing, and or finger printing checks. Clinical agencies reserve the right to refuse clinical placement to students who are not up to date with required immunizations, and do not pass the background check, drug testing, and or fingerprinting testing.

If a student’s physical or emotional health status is deemed unsafe for clinical laboratory experiences by the Nursing faculty, the student may not attend clinical laboratories. Appropriate clearance may be required prior to the student returning to the clinical laboratory.

Additional Requirements

Students are required to furnish their own uniforms and to provide their own transportation to clinical facilities. Students may also be required to have health insurance and are responsible for any medical care administered as a result of clinical assignment.

All students must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as a healthcare provider prior to entering the summer clinical sessions and must maintain current certification to be eligible to attend clinical experience. It is recommended that students obtain their CPR certification from the American Heart Association and/or the American Red Cross. In addition to liability protection under the Statutes of Connecticut [Chapter 170, Section 10-235(a)], the university carries professional liability insurance coverage for nursing students.

Elementary statistics or Biostatistics Class

Summer Session I

NUR 105 Medication Math Course Online (1 credit)
NUR 201 Health Assessment MW 8:00am to 11:30am (class), TR 10:00am to 2:00pm (College Lab) (4 Credits)
NUR 205 Fundamentals of Nursing MW 12:20pm to 4:00pm (class) (4 Credits)

Summer Session II-III

NUR 225 Scientific Principles Underlying Nursing Practice MW 8:00am – 10:40am (class) (3 credits)
NUR 235 Clinical Practice I MW 12:30pm to 2:45pm (class), Clinical 7am-1:00pm T, R, or F (5 credits)

Fall Session (Schedule will be made by Department)

NUR 255 Clinical Practice II Class MW 1.5 hours, College Lab (T, R, or F) 2:00pm to 5:00pm, Clinical will be T, R, or F 7:00am to 1:00pm. (6 credits)
NUR 327 Community Health Nursing Class MW 2 hours, Clinical will be a T, R, or F (8:00am to 2:00pm) (6 Credits)
NUR 300 Mental Health Nursing Class MW 2 hours, Clinical 7:00am to 1:00pm T, R, or F (4 credits)

Spring Session (Schedule will be made by Department)

NUR 325 Maternal Child Nursing Class MW 2 hours, College Lab will be either a Monday or Wednesday 3 hours lab, and Clinical – T, R, or F. This can also occur on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday- depends on availability). (7 credits).
NUR 335 Clinical Practice III Class MW 2 hours, College Lab either Monday or Wednesday 3 hours, Clinical 9 hours 6:30am to 4:00pm. (8 credits).

Second Summer Session I

NUR 361 Nursing Research Online (2 credits)

NUR 374 Leadership & Management in Nursing Practice online (2 credits)

These classes will either be Hybrid and or Online for 3 hours of class per course

Second Summer Session II-III

NUR 475 Nursing Practicum Class one day a week 3-hour class and 135 hours of Clinical (6 credits)
Online Preparation Program for NCLEX

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) – Admission, Retention and Graduation Requirements

Admission

Anyone admitted to pre-nursing/nursing major will automatically have a seat in the nursing program provided pre-requisite courses are completed and GPA meets criteria for entry.

Initially, students must be accepted into the University. Once accepted to the University, any pre-nursing/nursing major will be considered for entry to nursing program in December/January. A link will be made available for students through WCSU email and department of nursing website to confirm intent for entry and desire to be evaluated for the nursing program. The link survey must be completed by the first Monday of February. Incomplete or late entries may not be considered by the Department of Nursing (DON). The applicant pool is not limited to pre-nursing students. The decision to admit an applicant to the Nursing major is made by the DON. Qualified students may not be accepted because of a limited number of clinical placements and limited DON resources.

In evaluating students for acceptance into the nursing program, the following criteria are used:

GPA (3.0)
Completion of prerequisite courses (from next page)
Evaluation of overall academic records
Academic history at other colleges and universities.

Students must earn at least a C+ in the four science prerequisite courses (BIO 105, BIO 106, CHE 120 and CHE 121 or CHE 108 (combines 120/121) for consideration of acceptance. Sciences may not be more than 5 years old. Consistent with the university admission requirements, preference is given to those candidates who, in the judgment of the DON, have academic and personal qualifications with the greatest potential for program success.

Applicants must have successfully completed or be enrolled in the following courses:

Writing Intensive Course (WI) or (W2)
Oral Communication Competency (OC) completed by graduation.
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology or SOC 120 (W2)
BIO 105 and BIO 106 or equivalent with a grade of “C+” or better
CHE 120 and CHE 121 or CHE 108 or equivalent with a grade of “C+” or better
Students may be ineligible to apply for admission to the nursing program if they have been dismissed for either academic or clinical reasons from another nursing program.

Students newly accepted into the program must adhere to the Health Policies of the DON. The following information must be submitted on or before June 1 prior to starting nursing classes.

Current health form
Results of either PPD skin test or chest x-ray or QuantiFERON blood test
Evidence of measles, mumps, and rubella/rubeola, and varicella vaccinations or antibody titers
Evidence of Hepatitis B vaccination, Hepatitis B titers or signed declination to receive vaccine
Tdap vaccine completed within the last 10 years
Flu Vaccine
Initial COVID Vaccine Series and Booster
CPR certification (Professional level) Basic Life Support American Heart Association (Health Care Provider) or American Red Cross (Professional Rescuer).
Information about a background check and drug testing will be communicated at time of entry to major.

Information about a background check and drug testing will be communicated at time of entry to major.

Transfer students coming into the University must first apply to the Admissions Department and must meet the same standards listed above. University students wishing to change their major to Nursing must apply to the DON for admission to the Nursing major and must meet the same requirements as pre-nursing students. Please refer to the above criteria.

Retention

In order to remain in the Nursing program, students must earn at least a “C” grade in all courses with a NUR designation (NUR 200, 300 and 400-level)designation and BIO 215 and HPX 205. **Please be reminded that sophomore nursing students who are transitioning between the fall and spring semester are required to complete a Medication Math Test and must pass with > 85**. This is administered during the Final Exam Period for NUR 105.
In order to remain in the Nursing program, nursing students must fulfill academic requirements and must also show evidence of meeting the behavioral objectives (cognitive, psychomotor and affective) of preparation for professional nursing as described and distributed in each nursing course with a NUR 200, 300 and 400-level designation.
A student who receives a grade of “C-” or lower in a Nursing course, whose cumulative grade point average has dropped below 2.50, who has withdrawn from a NUR 200, 300 or 400-level nursing course, who has taken a leave of absence from the Nursing program (whether medical or otherwise), or who has withdrawn from the Nursing program must apply for readmission to the Nursing program. The student may be readmitted to the program provided that, in the judgment of the nursing faculty, the student meets the criteria for readmission.
Any student who receives more than one course grade below “C” in any of the nursing courses will not be readmitted to the Nursing program. In addition, any student who has for any reason reapplied and been readmitted and then subsequently withdrawn or fails, will not be allowed to reapply a second time.
Students who demonstrate an unsafe level of patient care will not be permitted to continue in the clinical area.
Under provisions of Public Act 86-365, students whose ability to function is impaired or who have engaged in unethical or illegal acts, or whose behavior does not conform to accepted standards of the Nursing profession may jeopardize their eligibility for obtaining or retaining professional nurse licensure in the State of Connecticut. (A copy of the act with explanatory material is available for review in the department office.) Such conduct or behavior may also be grounds for disciplinary action, including suspension or dismissal from the program, by the Nursing faculty or departmental administrator.

Graduation

The student must have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 based on at least 120 credits earned (nursing major and general education requirements).
The student must have at least a “C” grade in all Nursing courses 200, 300 and 400-level.
The student must have sustained evidence of academic and behavioral characteristics acceptable for professional nursing as set forth in the philosophy and objectives of the Department of Nursing.

Professional Nurse Licensure

Health Policies and Other Requirements

In addition to the above stated health requirements, students may need to meet additional requirements identified by a clinical affiliating agency, including a criminal background check, drug testing, and or finger printing checks. Clinical agencies reserve the right to refuse clinical placement to students who do not pass the background check, drug testing, and or fingerprinting testing.

Additional Requirements

All students must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as a healthcare provider prior to entering sophomore year, and must maintain current certification to be eligible to attend the clinical experience. It is recommended that students obtain their CPR certification from the American Heart Association and/or the American Red Cross. In addition to liability protection under the Statutes of Connecticut [Chapter 170, Section 10-235(a)], the university carries professional liability insurance coverage for nursing students.