The Bachelor of Science in Nursing can be completed in four academic years, including one summer session, and is a full-time program of study. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply to the Tennessee State Board of Nursing to take the NCLEX-RN (Registered Nurse Licensure Examination). The BSN nursing program has full approval of the Tennessee State Board of Nursing and the baccalaureate degree program in nursing at the University of Tennessee Southern is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. The application deadline is March 1st of each year. Late applications are accepted; placement of qualified candidates will be based on any openings available in the entering class.
Essential Performance Requirements for Participation in the Nursing Program
Nursing majors are required to meet specific technical and professional standards upon admission and while progressing through the program. These standards are associated with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance and are foundational to the ability to perform the essential duties of a professional nurse. The Nursing program refers to the skills and attributes as Core Performance Standards which are adapted from “The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing” revised (2008), a publication of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Students that are unable, with or without reasonable accommodations, to exhibit Core Performance Standards (as listed in the Nursing Program Handbook) at any time may be ineligible for program admission or continued progression in the BSN program. Students are expected to exhibit sound judgement, ethical conduct, respect for cultural diversity, and appropriate emotional functioning during interactions with patients, faculty, staff, and fellow students in all environments. Nursing faculty evaluate student behaviors according to professional nursing standards as listed in the Nursing Program Handbook.
Clinical Requirements
A variety of agencies in South Central Tennessee are used as clinical learning facilities for students. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the University of Tennessee Southern and assigned clinical agencies. Clinical experiences are selected to augment nursing theory and provide the learner with the opportunity to develop clinical competencies in the delivery of nursing care. Students must complete designated clinical requirements upon admission to the program and keep them current until graduation.
Mandatory clinical requirements are established to protect students as well as patients. Immunization requirements follow the CDC and OSHA guidelines as well as those of the clinical agencies serving as clinical rotation sites. Students who do not demonstrate recommended positive titers may be required to repeat the required immunizations. The mandatory clinical requirements are:
- Measles, Mumps & Rubella titers;
- Varicella (Chicken Pox) titers;
- Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis Booster (DTaP);
- A two-step tuberculin skin test or proof of negative status;
- American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) (may be offered during Fundamentals course);
- A criminal background check, as approved by the Nursing program;
- A 10-panel drug screen, as approved by the Nursing program;
- Discretionary random and/or scheduled drug screen participation required until graduation;
- Health insurance: proof of coverage must be provided each semester;
- Physical examinations by licensed health care provider;
- Professional liability insurance: purchased through the UT Southern Business Office;
- Documentation of blood borne Pathogens/Standard Precautions/Universal Precautions training prior to entering the clinical experience (training provided by the Nursing program);
- HIPAA training (training provided by the Nursing program);
Students who have a positive criminal background check and/or drug screen may not be able to complete the required clinical components of the nursing courses and therefore would not be able to successfully complete the nursing program. See Nursing Program Handbook Drug Screening Policy.
Policy changes by regulatory bodies and/or clinical agencies can result in additional clinical requirements.
Inability to comply with the change may prevent successful completion of any affected course.
Program Costs
In addition to the usual costs for tuition and books, nursing students will be responsible for the cost associated with:
- Equipment, including a watch with a sweep second hand, stethoscope, and clinical/lab kit;
- Personal transportation to and from clinical experiences;
- Health insurance, professional liability insurance (purchased through the UTS Business Office), criminal background checks, and drug screens, as well as communicable disease titers and immunizations;
- Fees associated with nursing courses and simulation lab products;
- Fees associated with optional Student Nurses Organization (SNO) membership;
- Nursing pin and lamp purchased at graduation; and
- Fees associated with application for the NCLEX-RN.
Students should consult the Financial Aid Office for summer financial aid options. Any costs not covered by financial aid become the responsibility of the nursing student. Nursing students should have funds available to pay for summer course work in addition to fees associated with the nursing program during the required summer session.
Admission Requirements
- Admission to the University of Tennessee Southern
- Submission of a copy of all transcripts from previous colleges, universities, or technical schools
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 based on all collegiate work, if the cumulative GPA is less than 3.0, the last 60 credit hours may be used to determine a GPA of at least 2.9.
- The GPA for the last 60 credit hours will include the last 60 credit hours earned while completing the general education requirements.
- BSN applicants are required to have a cumulative grade point average of 2.6 or better for science pre-requisite courses: BIO 201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, BIO 202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II, and BIO 261 Microbiology for Health Sciences. The calculation is based on the highest grade achieved on the first or second attempt in these three courses. However, only one of these science courses (BIO 201, BIO 202, BIO 261) may be repeated to achieve this requirement.
- Science prerequisite courses (Human Anatomy & Physiology I, II, and Microbiology) must be completed within 5 years of the entry term. Applicants who successfully completed the prerequisite course work in Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology more than five years prior to admission to the nursing program may need to repeat these courses for credit, dependent upon the decision of the Admissions and Progression Committee.
- Applicants must have sixty (60) credit hours of non-nursing course work from an accredited US higher education institution (or approved international equivalent) upon entry to the program.
Note: The total academic performance is critically evaluated with attention given to the source, course load, and trends in performance, as well as, to the general commitment of scholarship.
Requirements
Completion of the following courses with a grade of C- or better:
Attendance Requirements for Nursing Majors
The University of Tennessee Undergraduate Catalog under “Class Attendance Regulations” states:
“Due to the specialized nature of some program requirements, (e.g., laboratories, practica, internships, clinicals), programs may of necessity deviate from this policy by establishing more stringent guidelines.”
Nursing is one of these programs that requires “more stringent guidelines” in addition to the university’s minimum attendance statement in the University’s Catalog. The attendance requirement for nursing is defined in the University of Tennessee Undergraduate Catalog and the Nursing Handbook as follows: “Nursing students may not miss assigned classes, clinical rotations, simulation labs or exams resulting from university sanctioned functions (e.g., campus clubs, volunteer work, drama or choral performances, and athletic practices and competitions)."
Nursing majors are required to sign a document to certify they are aware of and agree to abide by the attendance requirements for all nursing majors, as stated above.
Please note: Admission to the Nursing Program is provisionary until ALL general education core and prerequisite courses are completed successfully with a grade point average of 3.0 or greater. Students must be fully admitted into the Nursing Program before they may attend ANY 300-level nursing classes. If a student’s grade point average is below 3.0 or they have failed to complete ANY of the above requirements, their admission status will be immediately withdrawn.
Applicants Seeking to Transfer from Another Nursing Program
Applicants who seek to transfer from another nursing program must have successfully completed all nursing courses on the first attempt with a grade of B- or higher, be in good academic standing, and provide two letters of reference. The two letters of reference shall include:
- One letter from a nursing faculty member who taught the applicant in his or her most recently completed semester, and
- One letter from the director/dean who can address the applicant’s academic standing in the program.
Transfers must furnish the Nursing Program with course syllabi from their previous nursing program to determine if course work, including courses in mathematics and the sciences, is compatible with the courses offered by the UT Southern Nursing Program. They may also be asked to demonstrate competency in these courses.
International Students Seeking Admission
In addition to the basic admission criteria, international students must achieve an acceptable score on the TOEFL Exam. (Please reference admission requirements for international students in the University Catalog.)
Progression Requirements
Nursing majors must earn a grade of B- or higher in all nursing courses to continue in the program. Students earning an incomplete in any course must complete all requirements for the course before progressing to the next semester. Students who earn a grade of C+ or lower in one (1) nursing course will be dismissed from the program and must apply for readmission through the Jeanette M. Travis School of Nursing and Health Science Admissions and Progressions Committee. Readmission is not guaranteed. Students who fail more than one course are ineligible for readmission.
Dismissal from the Nursing Program
Reasons for dismissal from the Nursing Program and for which readmission may not be considered include:
- Excessive class/clinical absences (refer to Nursing Program Handbook);
- Unsatisfactory scholastic performance;
- Earning a grade of C- or lower in any nursing course or dropping below a 2.0 cumulative grade point average;
- Unprofessional conduct (e.g., breaking patient confidentiality, violating professional boundaries, creating a hostile study environment);
- Failure to maintain up-to-date clinical requirements and comply with or meet the standards established for criminal background checks and the use/abuse of drug substances and drug screening;
- Critical incidents that endanger patient safety.
Application for Readmission to the Nursing Program
- Students seeking readmission must reapply for the next academic year.
- Applications must be submitted to the Admissions and Progressions Committee for the Nursing Program.
- Students must meet the current minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 required by the Nursing Program in order to be considered for readmission.
- Readmitted students are expected to meet graduation requirements in effect at the time of readmission.
- Readmission is not guaranteed to any student.
The Nursing Admissions Committee recognizes its responsibility to readmit only those students who satisfy the requirements of scholarship, health, and professional suitability for nursing.
Nursing Requirements
(SLO) Expected Outcomes:
Nursing program graduates will be prepared as generalists for entry-level practice to meet the following competency outcomes:
1. Use evidence-based practice to provide, design, and manage safe, culturally sensitive, and cost-effective patient centered nursing care to clients across the life span in all settings.
2. Incorporate inter-professional communication in all aspects of care with clients, colleagues, and community partners.
3. Integrate evidence-based practice, nursing theory, and knowledge from other disciplines to guide nursing practice.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of legal and ethical accountability in professional nursing practice.
5. Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to current and emerging technology in nursing practice.
Degree Requirements (Semester Hours)
General Education Core
Note: The Core should include:
Other Required Courses (16)
| BIO 201 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 202 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 261 | Microbiology for Health Sciences | 4 |
| ID 201 | Medical Terminology for Health Professions | 1 |
| PSY 211 | Developmental Psychology-Lifespan | 3 |
Required Nursing Courses (60)
All candidates must be officially admitted to the Nursing Program before they may enroll in ANY 300-level nursing classes.
For the Bachelor of Science Degree: Computer Literacy (3)