Nursing - RN-BS

Philosophy

Nursing at Norwich University is grounded in the core essentials of baccalaureate education and predicated on the profession’s ideals of compassionate care, respect, integrity, and social justice. Recognizing emerging trends in population health, technology, and cultural diversity and inclusion as inherent components of professional nursing practice, we prepare students for professional nursing roles in a transforming, complex, and dynamic healthcare environment. The Faculty members
believe that through participation in direct clinical care and simulated clinical experiences, students will acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for nursing competence in promoting optimal health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

The Faculty further believes that teaching and learning evolves, through a seamless progression, in competency-based nursing practice. Graduates become proficient in patient-centered care with an emphasis on quality improvement methods and patient safety. The responsibility of the professional nurse is complex, requiring expertise in leadership, communication and teamwork.

The School of Nursing offers a program, accelerated, and RN-BS programs leading to the Bachelor of Science. The traditional four-year and accelerated programs lead to eligibility to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Goals

• Integrate knowledge derived from nursing science, health-related sciences, and humanities when designing and providing patient-centered care.

• Provide patient-centered care in which the dignity, spirituality, and rights of the individual family and community are respected.

• Promote the profession’s obligation to legal, ethical and moral standards.

• Lead, based on the values of commitment, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

• Employ informatics to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.

• Communicate effectively in a manner that fosters respectful and collaborative decision making, thus enhancing patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

• Integrate political awareness, critical thinking, social justice and participation in the policy process with professional role behavior.

• Use the best current evidence coupled with clinical reasoning to minimize risk and improve the quality and safety of patient care.

• Value the pursuit of practice excellence, lifelong learning, and professional engagement to foster professional growth and development.

RN-BS

The Register Nurse to Bachelor of Science (RN-BS) is for students with an associate degree in nursing. This program is entirely online and allows flexibility to complete courses at their own pace.

The RN-BS program is for currently licensed nurses, so they do not take any pre-license exams. Also, the curriculum is different for the purpose of enhancing the nurse’s current skill set. This program is entirely online and does not involve in-person clinical experiences, meaning the students do not need to complete the above clinical requirements.

RN-MSN

The Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing (RN-MSN) mirrors the RN-BS program with the exception of three undergraduate courses that will be replaced with graduate-level course requirements. At the completion of the undergraduate degree, an application to the Master of Science in Nursing is required. Admission is guaranteed to those who meet the admission requirements into the MSN.

Progression Requirements

First Requirement:

• Students must achieve a minimum average grade of 77% on NCLEX-style quizzes and exams in the following courses: NR 103, NR 206, NR 215, NR 217, NR 316, NR 331, NR 341, NR 361, NR 416, NR 421, and NR 431. Failure to achieve the 77% quiz or exam average, exclusive of any other additional graded assignments, will result in a final grade of C or lower and the inability to progress to the next sequential courses.

• Nursing students must earn a minimum grade of C+ in all nursing (NR) courses including theory and practicum courses.

• A nursing student who does not earn the required minimum C+ in a nursing course may repeat the course only once. A student must receive a grade of C+ or higher in the repeated nursing course to progress in the nursing program. If a student receives less than a C+ when repeating a nursing course, the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. Failure to achieve the minimum required C+ in two nursing courses will result in dismissal from the nursing program.

• Students must pass both the theory and clinical components of linked nursing courses to progress in the nursing program. If the student does not achieve the minimum required C+ in one component, the student must retake both components for progression in the program.

• Each grade in a linked course will be recorded individually as achieved. If a student does not achieve the minimum required C+ in both components of a linked course, this is considered two nursing course failures and the student will be dismissed from the nursing program.

** Linked nursing courses: NR 431/NR 431L. Example: If a student achieves a C in the theory component of a linked course and a B in the clinical component, each grade will be recorded, however, both components must be repeated to progress.

Second Requirement:

• Nursing students must earn a minimum grade of C+ in all math and science courses: HHPR 200, BI 215, BI 216, BI 220, MA 232.

• Nursing and science courses must be taken in the order presented on the curriculum map in the appropriate catalog. Deviation requires approval from the School of Nursing. Students who earn below a C+ in science or math courses may choose to repeat a course at an institution other than Norwich. The student must have the course approved by the advisor in advance. When the transfer transcript arrives, the new grade will be used only for progression purposes.

• Failure to achieve a grade of C+ on the second attempt of BI 215, BI 216, BI 220, MA 232 will result in dismissal from the program. These requirements apply to non-nursing major students seeking a transfer to the nursing program.

• The C+ minimum requirement for math and science courses is effective for students admitted to the nursing program for the University catalog year 2016-17 and thereafter.

​Dismissal from School of Nursing

Criteria for dismissal from NUSON:

• Failure to receive the required minimum of C+ in two nursing courses during enrollment in the nursing program.

• Failure to achieve a minimum grade of C+ in any repeated nursing course. Failure to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0.Unsafe laboratory/clinical practice as determined by NUSON.

• Violation of Professional Behavior Expectations. Violation of the ANA Code of Ethics and/or ANA Standards of Practice. Failure to achieve a C+ on the second attempt of BI 215, BI 216, BI 220, MA 232.

• A student who has not been active in nursing major courses for one semester without prior approval of advisor and Director of Nursing.

Dismissal from the nursing program DOES NOT mean the student is dismissed from Norwich University. Upon dismissal from the nursing program, the student will receive a letter from the Director stating the reason for the dismissal. After receipt of the letter, if the student wishes to remain at Norwich they must meet with their advisor and select a new major.

If a student wishes to challenge a progression issue or dismissal, they should follow the NU grievance procedure outlined in the catalog.

Clinical Warning/Suspension

When a student has acted or performed in an unsafe or inappropriate manner, at the discretion and judgment of the clinical instructor, they will be removed from the clinical setting. These situations include, but are not limited to, evidence of recent alcohol or substance use that could impair judgment, patient or agency request, inadequate preparation for assignment, inability to demonstrate technical competence in a skill (previously certified in the laboratory setting), inappropriate dress, illness that may be considered contagious or could impair student’s judgment, client endangerment, or violation of the ANA Nurses Code of Ethics.

See the School of Nursing B.S. in Nursing Student Handbook for further information.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Norwich University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202)-887-6791. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is and approved by the Vermont State Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulations, 89 Main Street 3rd Floor, Montpelier, VT 05520-2482, (802) 828-2396.

RN-BS in Nursing Program Admission Standards:

• An Associate degree in nursing from a regionally or nationally accredited institution and a nationally accredited nursing program.

• Up to 50 credits of nursing equivalent courses (satisfied with an active, unencumbered RN license in the United States).

• An active, unencumbered license as a Registered Nurse in your U.S. state of practice.

• Associate's degree with a 3.0 GPA or higher

There is no SAT or ACT requirement due to an earned Associate’s degree. Additional credits may transfer to meet degree requirements.