Progression and continuance in the
Nursing Program is based upon academic performance and successful achievement
of nursing prerequisites, health maintenance, and adherence to Saint Francis
University policies in the current University Catalog and DoN policies as
stated in the current Student Handbook. The faculty of the DoN has the right
and the responsibility for judging and evaluating the quality of the student’s
achievement, both in the mastery of the theoretical content and in clinical
competence.
1) Students
must earn a minimum grade of “C” in the following prerequisite Natural
Science and Social Science courses. A “C-” grade is not acceptable.
Natural
Science Courses: | Social
Sciences Courses: |
BIOL 111 Biology I
|
PSYCH 101 Introduction to
Psychology
|
CHEM 113 Human Chemistry I
|
SOC 101 General Sociology
|
BIOL 214 Microbiology
|
|
BIOL 205 Anatomy and Physiology I
| Mathematics Course: |
BIOL 206 Anatomy and Physiology
II
|
MATH 107 or higher
|
2) BIOL 205 Anatomy and Physiology I
and BIOL 206 Anatomy and Physiology II must be taken at Saint Francis
University.
3) Students must earn a cumulative
minimum GPA of 2.6 or better in the Natural Science courses of BIOL 111, CHEM 111, BIOL 214, BIOL 205 and
BIOL 206 prior to entry into the professional phase of nursing in the junior
year (300 Level)
4) All Natural Science courses
required by the Nursing Program that are taken at another institution and
transferred into Saint Francis University will be used in the Natural Science
GPA calculation, although they are not calculated into the student’s overall
cumulative GPA.
5) Students must earn a minimum
overall cumulative GPA of 2.75 prior to entry into the professional phase of
nursing in the junior year (300 Level).
6) The only nursing courses that may
be taken prior to entry into the professional phase of the nursing program (300
Level) are: NURS 100, NURS 200, NURS
201, and NURS 311. However, the student must successfully complete the
pre-requisites required.
7) Prior to the junior year, it is
recommended that the maximum number of liberal arts courses the student should
have left to complete is three (3) courses (nine credits maximum). When
scheduling classes, it is the student’s responsibility to schedule classes so
that the classes do not interfere with the clinical experiences.
8) All students must pass a math
proficiency exam with an 80% in the following courses: NURS 200, NURS 300, NURS
303 and NURS 401. The purpose of the
examination is to determine the student’s ability to correctly calculate
medication dosages in the clinical setting. Please refer to the policy on the
Math Proficiency Exam found in the Student Handbook.
9) A maximum of three (3) repeated
courses are permitted in the total
curriculum of the Nursing Program which includes only one nursing course, and any prerequisite Social Science or Natural
Science course.
10) Nursing majors MUST earn a minimum grade of “B-” (80%) in each nursing course in
order to progress to the next course that requires a clinical laboratory
component.
- A grade of less than a “B-“grade
will constitute a failing grade in any required nursing course.
- A student may repeat a nursing
course only once. Dismissal occurs when a student fails any
nursing course the second time. If a
student’s level of clinical practice is unsafe or unsatisfactory, the student
will fail the course BEFORE the end of the semester.
- Any withdrawal from a nursing
course with less than a B- grade is considered a course failure and counts as a
course to be repeated.
- Any student who needs to repeat a
nursing course beyond one year of withdrawal or failure of that course must
repeat all prerequisite and co-requisite nursing courses for that course.
Exceptions are NURS 100, NURS 201, NURS 311, NURS 316, NURS 416, NURS 403, and
nursing electives
11) Nursing majors must maintain at
least a GPA of 2.6 in the pre-requisite Natural Science courses (BIOL 111, CHEM 113, BIOL
214, BIOL 205 and BIOL 206) and minimum “C” grade in the Social Science courses
(SOC 101, PSYC 101) and MATH 107 or higher.
- Only two pre-requisite non-nursing
courses may be repeated.
- Any withdrawal from a core
curriculum prerequisite social or natural science course with a grade of “D” or
lower is considered a course failure and counts as a course to be repeated.
- If a science course has a separate
laboratory grade, and the student earns a “D” or “F” in the lab component, this
is considered a failing grade and counts as a course to be repeated.
- Courses in which “D” or “F” grades
are earned can only be repeated at Saint Francis University.
- Students who need to repeat a
course are subject to the restrictions specified below. Both the original
course and grade, and the repeated course and grade, appear on the academic
record, but only the higher grade is used in the computation of the GPA. A
course which is a prerequisite course for a more advanced course in the same
discipline may not be repeated after a more advanced course has been
successfully completed.
- If a student passes a prerequisite
course with a C grade and elects to repeat a prerequisite course to increase
their GPA, the repeated course will count toward total repeated courses.
12) Nursing students enrolled in the
program of studies will be the first to fill the limited spaces available in
the nursing courses. Students who must repeat a nursing clinical course will
then be given preference over those students reactivating their status in the
program or transferring into the program.
13) A student who requests and receives
a continuance or readmission is responsible for curricular changes in the
program of nursing study which occur during his or her absence. A student
follows the curriculum guide for the class which he or she joins upon returning
to the program.
14) Nursing students who leave the
program for a year or more will be evaluated on an individual basis for a
progression plan in the curriculum.
Students in the nursing program must comply with the
requirements of the Professional Nursing Law of Pennsylvania. Students are
required to submit to PA criminal clearances, FBI fingerprinting clearance, and
child abuse history clearance. Healthcare agencies have the right to refuse
clinical placement or deny employment based on background checks. The PA Board
of Nursing shall not issue a license or certificate to an applicant who has
been convicted of a felonious act prohibited by the Act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.
233, No. 64) known as the "The Controlled Substance Drug, Device and
Cosmetic Act" or convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance
in a court of law of the United States or any other state, territory, or
country unless: (1) at least ten (10) years have elapsed from the date of
conviction; (2) the applicant satisfactorily demonstrated to the Board that
he/she has made significant progress in personal rehabilitation since the
conviction such that licensure of the applicant should not be expected to
create a substantial risk of harm to the health and safety of patients or the
public or a substantial risk of further criminal violation; (3) the applicant
otherwise satisfies the qualifications contained in or authorized by this act.
As used in this subsection, the term "convicted" shall include a
judgment, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere (no contest). An
applicant's statement on the application declaring the absence of a conviction
shall be deemed satisfactory evidence of the absence of a conviction unless the
Board has some evidence to the contrary (Amended June 29, 2002, P. L. 651, No.
99).