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Scott and White College of Nursing

Philosophy

The Scott and White College of Nursing is an integral part of the University. The philosophy of the College of Nursing is consistent with the purpose of the University which emphasizes instruction in a Christian environment and service to individual students and the community.

The College of Nursing prepares graduates who, as professional nurses, contribute to the health and welfare of the individual, the family, and the community. This outcome, supported by the liberal arts foundation and the nursing curriculum, enables graduates to realize their own potential as individual citizens and practitioners in the health care system. The curriculum is reflective of the Essentials of Baccalaureate Education from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the Texas Board of Nursing Differentiated Competencies (DECs).
The faculty believe:
• Humans are bio-psycho-social-spiritual beings.
• Nurses serve a diversity of patients including individuals, families, groups, and communities across the lifespan.
• The role of the nurse is to be a leader in providing safe and effective care in a dynamic health care environment.
• The professional nurse must demonstrate leadership in assessing, analyzing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care.
• As a member of the inter-disciplinary team, the nurse must effectively communicate and collaborate with team members and the individual, family, or community.
• Clinical reasoning based on knowledge of the natural, behavioral, and social sciences, humanities, and nursing science is an essential component of nursing practice.
• The nurse must use therapeutic interventions, which include the provision of physical, psychological, and spiritual care, health teaching, and advocacy. These interventions require skillful utilization of the nursing process, informatics, communication, and inter-disciplinary referral.
• The professional nurse must assume responsibility and accountability for his/her nursing practice.
• The nurse must continuously strive to improve as a professional and to contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession.
• Learning is a dynamic process, which is influenced by the learner’s individuality and experiences, and is manifested by changes in behavior. The responsibility for acquiring and applying knowledge lies with the learner. The faculty is responsible for assisting the learner in achieving the program outcomes by providing learning experiences that are concept-based and founded on the best educational practice.

Program Goals

To provide a concept-based curriculum which:

1. Prepares graduates for entry level professional nursing practice.
2. Focuses on persons across the lifespan and throughout the health continuum.
3. Encourages life-long learning and provides a foundation for graduate study.
4. Promotes involvement in professional and community organizations and activities.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Exhibit safe and effective concept-based patient centered care across the life span in an increasingly complex and evolving healthcare environment.
  2. Apply the nursing process to guide clinical reasoning in providing concept based nursing care to diverse individuals, families, groups and communities across the life span
  3. Assume responsibility and accountability for one’s concept based nursing practice.
  4. Employ effective and therapeutic communication with patients and members of the inter-disciplinary health care team to deliver concept based patient centered care across the life span.
  5. Integrate the use of information systems to coordinate concept based-patient care delivery.
  6. Generate decisions utilizing evidence based practice in caring for patients and families across the life span.
  7. Synthesize leadership and management strategies in the delivery of concept based health care services to improve patient health outcomes across the life span.
  8. Integrate professional, ethical, moral, legal and spiritual concepts into one’s concept-based nursing practice within a multi-cultural, global environment.

Accreditation Information

  • Texas Board of Nursing

    333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-430

    Austin TX 78701

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

    One Dupont Cir NW Ste 530

    Washington DC 20036-1120

Admission to the Program

Students desiring to seek admission to the nursing program must first be admitted to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, but admission to the University DOES NOT constitute automatic admission into the nursing program. Admission to the College of Nursing requires a separate application and is determined by the College of Nursing's Admission, Progression and Retention Committee.

Students must have a minimum of 43 semester hours of specific courses which will count toward the BSN degree, and be selected by the nursing Admission, Progression and Retention Committee. The committee considers a student's GPA (3.00 minimum on specific prerequisite courses and on all courses taken toward the nursing degree plan), and other factors relevant to a student becoming a professional nurse.

The standards listed in this catalog and other College of Nursing criteria represent minimum requirements. Students seeking entrance into the nursing program will be evaluated on the basis of present admission criteria which may exceed requirements listed within this catalog. In the case of competitive admissions, requirements over and above the minimum may be necessary. Applications are available in the nursing office and on the website. The application deadline for the fall semester is March 1 and for the spring, October 1.

To be eligible for admission, students must meet the following requirements PRIOR to their admission to NURS  2460 and 2350.

  1. A student must have completed the following required prerequisite courses. With respect to those courses indicated with an *, a student must earn a minimum grade of “C” in each prerequisite course.

    *a. English — 6 semester hours

    *b. Biology and Chemistry — 16 semester hours: Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology and Intro to Chemistry, College Chemistry, or General Chemistry I. (Either Microbiology or Chemistry can be taken with the first 6 hours of Nursing.)

    *c. General Psychology — 3 semester hours

    *d. Introductory Sociology — 3 semester hours

    *e. Public Speaking — 3 semester hours

    *f. Developmental Psychology — 3 semester hours

    In addition to these prerequisite courses, the following classes are required for the BSN degree with an overall GPA of at least 3.0. in all courses combined:

    a. Literature — 3 semester hours

    b. Math (Statistics required prior to NURS 3325) — 3 semester hours [The Math Department requires College Algebra as a prerequisite for the Statistics course.]

    c. Christian Studies — 6 semester hours

    d. World Ideas — 3 semester hours

    e. Global Issues — 3 semester hours

    f. Exercise & Sport Science — 2 activity courses

    g. Upper division electives — 3 semester hours

    h. Arts — 3 semester hours.

    i. Freshman Seminar — 1 semester hour

    In addition to these courses students must attend chapel (UMHB 1002) and fine arts experiences (UMHB 1005) as outlined by the number of credit hours achieved before attending UMHB. For example first semester freshman must have 4 semesters of chapel and 8 fine arts experience credits.
    Note*: Science courses which were completed more than 10 years prior to admission to the CON must be repeated

  2. Upon receiving a conditional offer of admission, every student must present evidence that he or she is physically and mentally qualified to participate in the nursing program.  The following health records must be submitted prior to enrolling in nursing courses:

    a. Submit a report of health history and physical examination within the past six months prior to entry into NURS 2460 and 2350. (Form provided)

    b. Submit evidence of a negative TB skin test within two months prior to admission to NURS 2460 and 2350 and annually thereafter. Those students with a positive TB skin test are required to submit an initial chest x-ray report and every year thereafter a TB Symptom Checklist form is. Students may also complete the QFT blood test from the health department.

    c. Certification of immunizations:

    (1) A minimum of three doses of tetanus/diphtheria, the last dose of which was within 10 years.

    (2) Measles (rubeola), mumps, rubella (2 doses), and varicella (2 doses) (if no history of chicken pox or titer does not indicate immunity)

    (3) Hepatitis B series (3 injections)

            (4) An annual flu immunization is required

    d. All physical health information will be submitted by the student to the online tracking system, www.certifiedbackground.com.

  3. All students will be required to be fingerprinted according to the guidelines of the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). The BON requires all applicants seeking licensure in Texas to submit a complete set of fingerprints for the purpose of obtaining a criminal history from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Participation in the clinical setting may be dependent upon the outcome of the criminal background check completed by the BON. Applicants who may have a background that could prevent them from obtaining licensure in Texas upon completion of a nursing program are urged to complete a Declaratory Order application. The Declaratory Order process permits the BON to make decisions regarding an applicant's eligibility for licensure prior to entering or completing a nursing program.

  4. An American Heart Association Health Care Provider CPR/AED course completion card is required prior to admission to clinical nursing courses and must be kept current while in nursing courses. Note: NO online courses are acceptable. No provider other than the American Heart Association is acceptable.

     

Transfer Students

The Dean or the Chair of the Nursing Admissions Committee reviews all potential transfer students’ records. Recommendations about admission and placement in the nursing program are determined by the Admission, Progression and Retention Committee of the CON.

Students seeking transfer from another nursing program must be in good standing with that school. A prospective transfer student who has two failures, defined as “D”, “F”, “WQ”, or “W” (when “W” is due to failure), in previous nursing courses in two different semesters will not be eligible for admission to the UMHB nursing program.

Students planning to take any prerequisite courses at another college should seek guidance from the Dean of the CON at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor before enrolling in the course(s) in order to avoid problems with transferring credits.

Scholastic Progress and Readmission Policies

  1. To progress to the junior level courses a student must have completed all science courses and a minimum of 57 identified academic credits that are part of the curriculum requirements.
  2. A student must achieve at least a “C” in all nursing courses in order to pass each course. Within each course, a student must receive at least 73 on all identified critical components to pass (refer to the College of Nursing Student Handbook, and course syllabi).
  3. A satisfactory performance (“C” or better) is achieved in a course only if all identified critical components (this includes both theory and clinical laboratory components) in the course are satisfactorily completed.
  4. A student who receives a “D”, “F”, or “WQ” (when “W” is due to failure) in a nursing course must seek readmission to the nursing program. Eligibility to repeat a nursing course is determined by the Admission, Progression and Retention Committee of the College of Nursing. If the class is a prerequisite to the next nursing course, the student must repeat the class before proceeding to the next curriculum level of courses. If the student receives another “D”, “F”, “WQ,” or “W” (when “W” is due to failure) in a nursing course during a subsequent semester, the student is not eligible for readmission. 
  5. A student who withdraws from or has an interruption in his/her enrollment in nursing for any reason must seek readmission to the program.
  6. A student seeking readmission will be evaluated on the basis of current criteria for admission and progression and space availability.

Expenses

In addition to tuition and fees, students majoring in nursing will have the following expenses:

  1. Laptop computer with the identified system requirements.
  2. Textbooks must be purchased each semester at an average cost of $1,500.
  3. Name pin, watch with a second hand, scissors, stethoscope, and goggles or side shields must be purchased at an approximate cost of $120. This expense should be a one-time cost and occurs on entry into the clinical nursing courses.
  4. Uniforms, lab coat, shoes, and required picture ID badge must be purchased the semester the student is admitted to the clinical program at an approximate cost of $300. This expense should be a one-time cost.
  5. Students are required to provide their own transportation to clinical facilities.
  6. Outside workshops costs are about $50 per year.
  7. Fees related to RN licensure are approximately $400 and must be paid the first week of the last semester of the program.
  8. Students will be required to participate in an NCLEX review course. The fee for the course as well as other standardized testing is included in the course fees for nursing courses through the nursing program. For incoming students this fee is approximately $90 per semester.
  9. Online testing: $50.00 (each semester)
  10. Online electronic medical record software: $50.00 (each semester)
  11. Graduation costs are approximately $160.
  12. The College of Nursing pin is purchased when the student has successfully completed the nursing program. Cost, presently around $150, is elated to current gold prices.
  13. Students must present yearly evidence of a negative TB skin test or a negative chest x-ray if medically indicated. Cost will vary.
  14. Students may be required to provide additional evidence of medical/health clearance during the clinical program at their own expense.
  15. Finger printing through designated agency, approximately $45.
  16. Urine drug screen, approximately $28. 'For Cause' random drug screens may also be required. 
  17. Gasoline costs to travel to clinical facilities, approximately $400.00 per year.

General Information

  1. The College of Nursing reserves the right to deny an applicant admission or readmission to the program for any legal reason. A student may be dismissed from the program for a violation of the academic or conduct standards of the program or the University, or if the student is no longer qualified for the program. 
  2. It is the responsibility of the student to become familiar with the policies and regulations (i.e. health forms, liability, dress) of the College of Nursing and professional standards and to comply with them. Also see the current College of Nursing Student Handbook.
  3. It is the responsibility of the student to keep the College of Nursing secretary and faculty informed of changes in name, address, telephone number, e-mail or any other requested information.
  4. It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with the current Texas Nurse Practice Act and with the rules of the Texas Board of Nursing governing eligibility for taking the licensure exam to become a Registered Nurse.
  5. Students must also complete five service (volunteer) hours each semester.

Curriculum

Because the nursing curriculum is sequential, certain prerequisites exist for both admission to and progression in the nursing program. Within each level there is a first and a second semester. All courses in the first semester must be completed before progressing to the second semester. Likewise, all courses in the junior level must be completed before progressing to the senior level.

Note: Nursing students will take courses in their proper sequence. Students must complete each course in a grouping before moving to the next group: NURS 2460 and 2350 (soph); NURS 3300, 3210, 3620 3213AND 3320 (J1); NURS 3315, 3325, 3621 and 3321, (J2); NURS 4620, 4310 and 5510, (S1), and NURS 4230, 4330, 4700 and 4000, (S2).

NOTE: A student may submit an application to take the National Council for Licensure Examination - RN during their final semester if all course work has been successfully completed and the requirements for graduation met.

Nursing students may minor in several fields of study. Degree plans for these minors are available in the Registrar’s Office or the Nursing Office. It is most helpful if the student declares a minor as early as possible.