Nursing, B.S.N.

Pamela D. Ark, Ph.D., RN, BSN Program Director

Frederick S. Humphries
Family and Consumer Sciences and Nursing Education Complex
(615) 963-5273

Faculty: P. Ark, R. Bone, S. Farmerie, L. Gibson, J. Harris, D. Hood, P. Jordan, C. Hines, P. Noble-Britton, S. Parker, D. Wilson, and M. Zsamboky.

BSN Program Outcomes

The BSN Program will:

1. Facilitate successful completion by the student enrolled in the BSN program of study.
2. Achieve competencies appropriate to role preparation as the baccalaureate-prepared nurse generalist.
3. Prepare graduates for successful completion on the registered nurse licensure examination.
4. Prepare graduates for successful job placement following graduation and licensure.
5. Achieve alumni satisfaction in that the BSN Program prepared the graduate for the role of the baccalaureate prepared registered nurse.
6. Achieve employer satisfaction with graduate preparations for entry-level registered nurse positions.

Student Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, the graduate will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the provision of holistic, ethical, and culturally sensitive care for persons across the life span.
2. Use professional standards of practice and the nursing process as a framework for making clinical decisions to deliver safe and effective nursing care for the health promotion, maintenance and restoration of individuals, families, and communities.
3. Apply research findings in the provision of evidenced based nursing care.
4. Demonstrate leadership through participation in professional and community-based collaborative projects.
5. Provide client education at the individual, family and community levels that empowers the client to make appropriate lifestyle changes.
6. Model professional identification, commitment and accountability through involvement with professional organizations.

Admission, Progression, and Retention Requirements:

Students must be accepted into the University and meet with the Division of Nursing faculty each semester to assure completion of the required general education and nursing prerequisite courses in the first two years of college coursework (lower division).

Eligibility for Consideration of BSN Nursing Major Admission Requirements:

1. Each applicant must be fully admitted to Tennessee State University prior to being considered eligible to be accepted for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree Program.
2. An overall GPA of at least 2.8 on a 4.0 scale at the end of the semester prior to submission of application to the BSN Program.
3. Completion of 61 hours of lower division required University and General Education and nursing prerequisite courses before entering upper division nursing courses. Only two courses can remain to be taken during TSU Summer I term. Without exception, all general education and nursing pre-requisite courses must be completed by the end of the Summer I semester, prior to entering the upper division nursing courses in the subsequent fall semester.
4. A grade of C or higher is required in each course in the general education and pre-nursing. All required courses, with grades of D must be repeated before review for admission.
5. Completion of the required basic science courses with a grade of C or above.
6. Students with 2 or more failing science grades (D or F) are not eligible for admission regardless of retaking the courses.
7. Pre-admission nursing entrance examination with scores equal to or above the values designated on the TSU Division of Nursing website.
8. Entering the BSN applicant pool does not guarantee admission to the BSN Program.
9. The BSN application is for the designated admission date; a new application must be submitted in the subsequent year should the applicant not be admitted to the program.

Admission Process for the Nursing Major:

Students who meet the eligibility for consideration of admission requirements for the nursing major need to complete a Division of Nursing BSN application with copies of the following information attached:

1. Student unofficial copies of all college transcripts, current TSU transcript and nursing entrance examination scores.
2. The Admissions Committee will only consider students who have submitted completed application materials for the Fall semester postmarked by March 1st. If March 1st is on a Saturday or Sunday, the application deadline is the Friday prior to the weekend day. The student may submit a postage paid self-addressed postcard that will be sent back to the student as a receipt of the application.
3. Students are admitted to the program on a space available basis and contingent on submission of required health forms by the designated due date.
4. Students who are admitted must have a health examination which indicates satisfactory health, the required immunizations, titers, and tuberculosis screening before starting the nursing major. Immunizations, titers, and tuberculosis screening must be up to date as required by health care agencies for clinical practice. All required documentation must be submitted to the BSN Program Office no later than July 1. Failure to submit the required materials by July 1st will result in loss of admission. All requirements must be updated annually while the student is in upper division nursing courses.
5. Students must show evidence of current American Heart Association Health Care Provider BLS Status certification, a national criminal background report, 10 panel urine drug screen, fingerprinting (if required by the clinical agency), and student nurse liability insurance of $1,000,000/$6,000,000, and basic health insurance prior to admission to classes in the nursing major (i.e. lecture, learning resources laboratory, and clinical). Note: The Division of Nursing will notify students of new requirements from clinical agencies in the admission letter to the student. Without exception, all required documentation must be submitted to the BSN Program Office no later than July 1. Failure to submit the required materials by July 1 will result in loss of admission. All requirements must be updated annually while the student is in upper division nursing courses.

Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen

A drug screen and a designated criminal background check including both the state and federal level may be a requirement for student placement within clinical agencies. Based on the results of these checks, an affiliated clinical agency may determine to not allow a student’s presence at their facility. This could result in your inability to successfully complete the requirements of the nursing program. Additionally, a criminal background may preclude licensure or employment. Check with your Board of Nursing for specific requirements.

Progression and Retention Requirements

1. A grade of C or better in lecture and S (satisfactory) in laboratory and clinical evaluation is passing.
2. A grade of D or F is failing. A student who earns a failing grade in a BSN nursing course is not eligible to progress in the BSN program and cannot transfer to the AASN program at Tennessee State University.
3. All general education courses must be completed by the end of the first summer session prior to the fall semester admission date before beginning junior level nursing courses.
4. Students who withdraw from a nursing course but continue in other nursing courses for that semester must meet with the Program Director to update their plan for progression.
5. All students must pass a medication and dosage calculation test prior to entering the clinical agency in the first semester. A medication and dosage calculation test must be passed at the start of each subsequent semester in order to enter the clinical agency. IF the student is not successful on the examination, the student earns an unsatisfactory grade in the designated course and cannot progress in the nursing program. The passing score is set by the BSN faculty. All students must successfully complete through demonstration and testing a skills competency performance examination at the end of junior year, fall term as well as at the beginning and end of spring term in the junior year and both fall and spring terms in the senior year. IF the student is not successful on the examination, the student earns an unsatisfactory grade in the designated course and cannot progress in the nursing program.
6. All students must earn a passing score on the Clinical Decision Making Comprehensive Exit Examination required by the Division of Nursing faculty before graduation. The passing score is set by the Division of Nursing.

Re-admission Requirements and Process:

Students who withdraw from the program may be reviewed, (one time only), by the BSN faculty to determine, on an individual basis, if they are eligible for re-admission to the program. The student may be readmitted on a space available basis. The student must submit a letter to the Program Director within 14 days from the withdrawal date requesting to be readmitted.

1. Students who apply for re-admission must meet the program admission requirements.
2. A student who withdraws from the program one time by the stated University withdrawal date will be eligible for readmission.
3. Once a student is re-admitted, the nursing courses must be completed in sequence. The student must progress to the next level of the program each semester.
4. A student who withdraws from the program a second time, for any reason, will not be re-admitted.

All lower division University requirements and required courses must be completed with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and a grade of C or higher in each course.

RN-BSN Career Mobility Program Admission:

The Division of Nursing has a Career Mobility Program for RNs to earn a BSN degree. RN students are admitted through the same process as regular students. Admission is once a year in the summer, and the length of the program is one calendar year (3 semesters). English Composition I and II must be completed prior to admission. Statistics must be completed prior to NURS 4220 . RN-BSN students may enter the program with two remaining general education/pre-requisite courses. The last 30 hours towards the BSN must be taken at TSU.

RN-BSN Admission Requirements

1. Officially admitted to Tennessee State University, apply online at www.tnstate.edu
2. A current unencumbered Tennessee license
3. An overall GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale at the end of the semester prior to application submission.
4. Completion of 60 credit hours of lower division courses including general education courses
5. Proof of satisfactory health examination, current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider BLS training, immunizations, titers, tuberculosis screening, a national criminal background clearance, 10 panel urine drug screen and professional liability insurance of $1,000,000/$6,000,000 (required for clinical practice), and basic health insurance. Any new requirements from clinical agencies will be listed in the admission letter to the student. All required documentation must be submitted to the BSN Program Office no later than the designated due date. Failure to submit the required materials by the designated due date will result in loss of admission.