BLADEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAM

 

 

ADMISSION POLICIES

 

Bladen Community College subscribes to an “open door” admissions policy. However, due to the complexity of health care, legal responsibilities of nursing practice, and required academic standards, there are selective admission criteria for the Associate Degree Nursing Program. The ADN Program adheres to the college policy to provide nondiscriminatory, inclusive access for all qualified students who meet these selective admission criteria. Students are admitted to the program once a year in the Fall Semester. They are considered for admission only after all admission requirements have been completed. All requirements must be completed prior to the application deadline in order to be considered for admission in the following Fall semester. Transfer students may enter the program either in the Fall or Spring semester, depending upon available space. The Vice President of Student Services and staff are responsible for administering all admission policies. The nursing applicant is responsible to ensure that all requirements are met by the established deadlines. Guidelines, policies, and deadlines apply equally to all students, thus, there can be no exceptions. All applicants to the Associate Degree Nursing Program must complete the following:

 

1.      Complete High School Biology, Algebra I, and Chemistry, or college level courses (Bladen Community College courses BIO 110 or 111; MAT 070 or higher; and Chemistry 090 or higher), or their equivalents, as determined by the Vice President of Student Services, and must earn a grade of “C” or better in each. All high school or college level Biology and Chemistry courses must have been taken within the last five (5) years (May 1, 2002 through May 18, 2007).

 

2.      Complete the Compass Test with the following minimum scores in order to be eligible to take the Nurse Entrance Test for the ADN Program:

 

Reading       82 (Developmental course is RED 090)

Writing        70 (Developmental course is ENG 090)

Pre-Algebra  65           (Developmental course is MAT 070)

 

Immediately following the Compass Test, the student will meet with a member of the Student Services Counseling staff. If a student scores less than the minimum cut-off scores on the test, he/she will be required to complete the essential sequence of developmental courses.  A student may be tested only once within a one year period.  Students who take the Compass Test more than once in an academic year at any institution will be disqualified for consideration into the Associate Degree Nursing Program.  Compass Test scores are valid if completed within the past five years, and may be transferred from another college (May 18, 2002 through May 18, 2007).

 

3.      Complete the Nurse Entrance Test (NET) after achieving the minimum scores on the Compass Test. The NET may be taken one time per application year. Every student must have completed, or currently be enrolled in, Algebra, Chemistry, and Biology, and have the minimum cut-off scores for the Compass Test, to be eligible the take the NET. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to ensure this eligibility before taking the NET. All of the following minimum scores must be achieved on the NET to be considered for admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program:

 

Basic Math Skills    62

Science Reading Comprehension     55

Composite       60

 

4.      Have official high school transcripts or GED (General Education Development) certificate sent to the college. Student copies are not acceptable.

 

5.      Request official transcripts of all previous post-secondary education sent directly from the forwarding institution to the college. Student copies are not acceptable. The applicant who has taken post-secondary course work within the last 3 years must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. All college level computer and science courses must have been taken within the last five (5) years (May 18, 2002 through May 18, 2007).

 

6.      Submit a completed application to the Office of Student Services with results of the Nurse Entrance Test (NET) which reflects achievement of all minimum cut-off scores. Applications submitted without verification of the above criteria will be disqualified from the selection process.

 

7.      Once all of the above admission requirements are met, applicants will be ranked according to a scoring process (Criteria for Selecting Associate Degree Nursing Students). A waiting list is not maintained for the ADN Program. If an applicant is not accepted, he/she must complete the admission procedures again.

 

8.      Submit health history and physical exam results as determined by a physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner. This report evaluates both physical and emotional health and must include a TB skin test (within 6 months of entering the clinical area) and a chest X-ray if skin test has positive reaction; long distance and color vision check; and an immunization record. Applicants must be current for tetanus or diphtheria, and have documentation of rubeola titer if medically unable to take rubeola vaccine. Individuals born before January 1957 must have proof of the rubeola titer or vaccination. Individuals born after January 1957, must have proof of MMR vaccine given after 1967 and a booster dose of MMR given as a teenager or adult. Applicants may receive conditional acceptance into the ADN Program prior to completion of the health history and physical form. However, the applicant must submit the completed form to the ADN Program office so it is received by specified date on acceptance letter, in order to be granted final acceptance into the program.

 

9.   Submit documentation of current CPR Basic Life Support Adult and Child certification to ADN Program office so it is received by the specified date on the acceptance letter, in order to be granted final acceptance into the program.

 

 

 

                                     

 

 

 

 

 

Revised 6-26-06

 

 

 

 

 

SELECTION PROCESS

 

 

The point system was developed as an objective means for evaluating Associate Degree Nursing applicants. Students with the highest number of points will be selected for admission. A formula is used that assigns numerical values to specific criteria, and then applicants are ranked by adding the total points of the composite score from the Nurse Entrance Test and from related high school and/or college level courses taken prior to the application deadline for the program. In order to earn points for high school or college courses, applicants must have achieved grades of “C” or higher. All college level computer and science courses must have been taken within the last five (5) years. If two or more applicants have an identical point count total, the earliest date of application will be used as the deciding factor. Each applicant’s point total is confidential, and will not be discussed on the telephone. Each applicant will have the opportunity to review and sign a completed sheet entitled Criteria for Selecting Associate Degree Nursing Students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                      

 

 

NOTIFICATION OF ADMISSION

 

 

Twenty four (24) new students may be conditionally admitted to the Associate Degree Nursing Program each fall semester. Alternates are admitted only if someone originally accepted declines the offer of admission, or, if someone originally accepted becomes disqualified, due to the factors listed for denial of admission. Final admission to the program is granted only to those who submit completed satisfactory medical reports and documentation of current CPR certification by the deadline noted in the acceptance letter. Students who register for nursing classes after acceptance, and then withdraw in the first semester of the program, will only be admitted one more time.

 

 

DENIAL OF ADMISSION

 

 

An applicant may be denied admission to the Associate Degree Nursing Program for any of the following reasons:

 

  1. Physical or emotional health which indicates impairment in the ability to provide safe nursing care to the public.
  2. Conduct not in accordance with the standards of a Registered Nurse:
    1. Has given false information or has withheld material information;
    2. Has been convicted of or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to any crime which indicates that the individual is unfit or incompetent to practice nursing or that the individual has deceived or defrauded the public;
    3. Uses any drug to a degree that interferes with his or her fitness to practice nursing;
    4. Engages in conduct which endangers the public health.

 

 

READMISSION POLICIES

 

 

            These policies apply to all students who have interrupted their study in the Bladen Community College Associate Degree Nursing curriculum and desire to continue in the program.

 

1.      All admission criteria will apply to students who wish to re-enter.  This includes submission of an updated satisfactory health history, physical exam, immunization record, and current CPR-BLS certification. 

 

2.      Student will be re-admitted on a space available basis.

 

3.      On the recommendation of the faculty, a student who has been withdrawn for academic reasons may be readmitted one time only to the Program.  The student must be readmitted within 24 months of the date dismissed or withdrawn.

 

4.      Students who exit the ADN curriculum in good academic standing and seek re-admission will be given admission priority over transfer students or students seeking advanced placement.

 

5.      In situations where student behavior jeopardized patient safety and resulted in dismissal, the nursing faculty will review and determine re-admission status.

 

6.      Due to the time interval between leaving the program and re-entry, the student must demonstrate mastery of competency in nursing skills. For example, the student must demonstrate competency of nursing skills in NUR 110 to be readmitted to NUR 120. If the student has been out of the Program for two or more years, the student will be required to start over.

 

7.      Students seeking readmission to the program after being dismissed for physical, behavioral, or emotional problems, or for substance abuse, must submit appropriate documentation of appropriate and successful counseling or treatment.  This information will be used in making readmission decisions.

 

                                                    


TRANSFER POLICIES

 

1.      Students applying for admission who wish to transfer credits from another college(s) must submit an official transcript of all completed college-level courses.  Applicants for transfer must have been in satisfactory academic standing at the institution previously attended.  Prior to acceptance into the College, the Vice President of Student Services and the Registrar evaluate transcripts on a course-by-course basis to determine credit earned, using the following criteria:

 

a.       The institution of origin was accredited at the time of the course work,

b.      The transferred credit(s) show a grade of “C” or better, and

c.       Where subject content and length are comparable to that of a Bladen Community College course, transfer credit will be allowed for grades of “C” or above.

d.      The maximum number of hours accepted for transfer is limited to completion of the college residency requirement. At least 25% of the semester hours required for graduation must be completed in residence study at Bladen Community College in order to satisfy associate degree requirements.

 

2.      Credit by examination to earn Bladen Community College credit may be permitted in selected courses.

 

3.      If the student has more that one (1) credit hour deficiency, in a BIO course, the course must be taken for credit.

 

4.      If the transfer credit for nursing courses is 5 years old or older, the student may be given an evaluation test covering course content.  Satisfactory completion of the evaluation test (76 or above) will result in acceptance of transfer credit.

 

5.      Potential transfer students who have completed nursing courses with a grade of “C” or better at another accredited institution, may submit course descriptions (and syllabi, if available) to nursing faculty for evaluation of transfer credit. Only nursing grades of “C” or better will be considered. In the event questions arise concerning comparability of nursing courses, the student will be offered the opportunity to challenge both clinical and theory components of the course. 

 

6.      The student must provide a letter of reference from previous nursing program (clinical instructor).

 

7.          Transfer students must adhere to all Bladen Community College ADN policies related to academic progression and graduation.

 

ADVANCED PLACEMENT POLICIES

 

1.      All applicants requesting advanced placement in the Associate Degree Nursing Program must meet the same criteria for admission, progression, and graduation as all other students in the program.

 

2.      Applicants for advanced placement must successfully achieve minimum cut-off scores on the Compass Test, complete the essential sequence of developmental courses, and achieve the minimum cutoff scores on the Nurse Entrance Test (NET) prior to admission to NUR 120.

 

3.      No student is registered in NUR 120 or other advanced placement NUR courses until all admission requirements have been met.

 

4.      Five LPN’s will have priority for advanced placement in Spring Semester of the 1st year, if space is available. If additional spaces are still available after LPN’s enter the program, first priority will be given to returning students who withdrew passing in a previous semester. LPN’s and returning students who withdrew passing will be admitted based on the highest scores on the Criteria for Selecting Associate Degree Nursing Students tool.

 

5.      LPN’s who have completed BIO 168 Anatomy and Physiology and PSY 150 General Psychology with a grade of “C” or better will be given credit for NUR 110 and allowed to transition into the second semester of the program on a space available basis.

 

6.      LPN’s who have at least one year of current (within the last two years) medical-surgical experience will be allowed to take the NUR 120 Final Exam. Students who score “76” or better on the exam will be given credit for the course. Students must follow proficiency examination policies in the Bladen Community College Catalog.

 

7.      LPN’s must submit evidence of a current unrestricted license to practice as an LPN in order to be eligible for final acceptance into the ADN program.

 

8.      LPN’s must complete NUR 189 Nursing Transition (2 credits) with a grade of “C” or better, prior to advanced placement into the ADN Program.

 

9.      LPN’s must have graduated from a Board of Nursing-approved PN Program within the last 24 months, or must have completed at least one year of medical-surgical practice in the past two years to be eligible for admission.

 

10.        All applicants must submit completed satisfactory medical reports and documentation of current CPR Basic Life Support certification to the ADN Program office so that it is received by the specified date on the acceptance letter, in order to be granted final acceptance into the program.