Division of Nursing

Kathy L. Martin, Ph.D., RN, CNE Executive Director and Associate Dean
Frederick S. Humphries Family and Consumer Sciences and Nursing Education Complex
(615) 963-5251

General Statement

The Division of Nursing contributes to the health and welfare of the citizens of Tennessee by preparing registered nurses who have the knowledge and skill to provide quality nursing care in many different settings. The Division of Nursing offers two undergraduate nursing degrees, an associate of applied science degree (two year program) and a baccalaureate degree (four year program). Both programs are approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The ACEN may be contacted at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326 phone 404-975-5000, www.acenursing.org. The Tennessee State Board of Nursing may be contacted at 665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd floor, Nashville, TN 37243, 615-532-5166. Graduates of both programs are eligible to apply to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.

Division of Nursing Mission Statement:

The mission of the Division of Nursing is to prepare nurses at the generalist, specialist, and advanced practice levels who provide safe, culturally sensitive, evidence-based, compassionate care to diverse populations in multiple settings. This mission is accomplished through the preparation of nurses to serve as clinicians, leaders, educators, and advocates, with a commitment to service and lifelong learning.

Legal Requirements of State Boards of Nursing:

Eligibility for licensure for graduates who have been convicted of a violation of the law will be determined by a State Board of Nursing on an individual basis.

Criminal Background Check and Screening for Substance Use:

A specified drug screen and a designated criminal background check including both the state and federal level is a requirement for student placement within clinical agencies. Based on the results of these checks/screenings, an affiliated clinical agency or site may determine not to allow a student’s presence at their facility. This could result in the student’s inability to successfully complete the requirements of the nursing program. Additionally, a criminal background may preclude licensure or employment. Students are required to cooperate fully with the process and to pay all associated costs. Tennessee State University and the Division of Nursing are not liable if the results of a criminal background check or drug screening indicates that a student is unable to complete the requirements of the program or if such results preclude an individual from obtaining licensure or employment.

Special Fees and Expenses:

Students in the nursing programs are required to pay clinical fees and to pay expenses for required equipment, uniforms, criminal background checks, drug screens, specified learning resources and standardized examinations. Students are required to pass a physical examination and to submit proof of immunizations and titers, purchase student liability and health insurance, and provide their own transportation to and from assigned clinical sites. Clinical agencies may require students to undergo fingerprinting, drug screening, and have criminal background clearance, each of which are the financial responsibility of the student.

Requirements for Graduation:

Students are eligible for graduation upon completion of all the University and Division of Nursing program requirements. All nursing students must earn a passing score on the comprehensive program examination before graduation. A minimum of 60 credit hours is required for graduation from the AASN program and 120 credit hours from the BSN program.

Transferring Between TSU Nursing Programs:

Students may not transfer from one TSU nursing program to another if they have failed (grade of D or F) a nursing course or are ineligible, for any reason, to continue in their current program.

Core Performance Standards

Nursing is a practice discipline, with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance requirements. The following Core Performance Standards identify essential eligibility requirements for participation in the nursing program.

ISSUE	STANDARD	EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES (NOT ALL INCLUSIVE)
Critical Thinking Ability	Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment.	Transfer knowledge from one situation to another. Process information, evaluate outcomes, problem solve and prioritize. Use long and short-term memory, identify cause-effect relationships. Plan activities for others. Synthesize knowledge and skills. Sequence information.
Interpersonal Skills	Interpersonal skills sufficient to interact with individuals, families and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.	Negotiate interpersonal conflict. Respect cultural diversity in clients. Establish rapport with clients and co-workers.
Communication Ability	Communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form in English.	Explain health conditions, diagnostic and treatment procedures and initiate health teaching. Interpret and document client responses to health status. Convey information through written and oral reports. Organize work and perform multiple tasks within given time constraints and under stressful conditions while maintaining the ability to communicate clearly.
Mobility	Physical abilities sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces.	Move within confined spaces. Sit or stand and maintain balance for extended periods of time. Reach above shoulders and below waist. Twist, bend, stoop, climb on stool or stairs, and move quickly in response to potential emergencies. Push, pull, lift or support a minimum of 25 pounds. Use upper body strength. Squeeze with hands and fingers and maintain physical tolerance for repetitive movements and demands of the work environment.
Motor Skills	Gross and fine motor skills sufficient to provide safe and effective nursing care.	Grasp small objects with hands. Manipulate small objects with fingers. Write with a pen. Type on a computer keyboard.
Hearing Ability	Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs.	Hear normal and faint voices. Hear faint body sounds such as blood pressure, heartbeat, etc. Hear in situations when not able to read lips. Hear auditory alarms such as monitors, fire alarms and call bells.
Visual Skills	Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care.	Visual objects from 20 inches to 20 feet away. Use depth perception and peripheral vision. Distinguish colors and color intensity. Read and understand written documents in English.
Tactile Ability	Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.	Feel vibrations to detect pulses, etc. Detect temperature. Feel differences in sizes and shapes and detect surface characteristics.
Emotional Stability	Emotional stability sufficient to tolerate rapidly changing conditions and environmental stress.	Establish therapeutic interpersonal boundaries. Provide clients with emotional support. Adapt to changing environment and stress. Deal with the unexpected. Focus attention on task. Perform multiple tasks concurrently. Appropriately respond to strong emotions.
Source: Southern Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing (1993) and National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.: Guidelines for Using Results of Functional Abilities Studies and other Resources (1990) and Armstrong Atlantic State University (2010).

The performance standards are used to assist students in determining whether accommodations or modifications are necessary and provide an objective measure upon which informed decisions can be based about whether students can meet requirements.

If an otherwise qualified student believes that he or she cannot meet one or more of the standards without accommodation or modifications, the nursing program will determine, on an individual basis, whether or not the necessary modifications can be made reasonably. The following process will be used:

Before admission to the nursing program, all students will have information regarding Core Performance Standards.
After admission to the major, students will be given a copy of the Core Performance Standards.
A student with disabilities who believes that he or she may need assistance in meeting the Core Performance Standards should contact Disabilities Services at Floyd Payne Campus Center room 117.

Interruption of Participation within Nursing Courses due to Health Care Needs

The Division of Nursing requires each student who has been hospitalized (inpatient, outpatient, one day center, etc.) for any condition requiring treatment to provide a written notice of medical clearance for participation in classes, labs, or clinical in order to return.

Programs

Major

Courses

Nursing