NURSING PROGRAM — BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING

The bachelor of science degree awarded to graduates of the program is recognized by professional nursing organizations as the degree for entry into professional practice. UMass Boston nursing graduates are prepared to work with individuals, families, and groups in homes and neighborhoods, as well as in a wide variety of hospital and community settings to foster, promote, maintain, and restore health. They are also prepared for further study at the graduate level. Nursing graduates of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences are prepared to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) as a Registered Professional Nurse (RN).

At the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, students work with faculty members distinguished for their achievements as educators, scholars, and practitioners—dedicated men and women involved in the continual development of their own and their students’ professional and intellectual interests. Many are conducting research in such areas as quality of life, health policy, and health care issues addressing urban populations. Faculty are also actively involved in service projects at the local, state, regional, national and international levels.

General Academic Requirements

After admission to the nursing major each student is assigned a faculty advisor. Students are required to review their program of study with their faculty advisors each semester in order to register for the next sequence of courses. They are also encouraged to meet regularly with their faculty advisors, who will guide them through their academic program. Specific academic requirements and policies may be found in the latest issue of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Undergraduate Student Handbook, available at the College office or online at www.cnhs.umb.edu.

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences requires 123 credits for graduation as a nursing major. Because each semester of the curriculum is built upon prior learning, courses in the nursing major (all required nursing and non-nursing courses, with the exception of electives) must be taken in sequential order. Students must complete

• all required 100-level courses before taking any 200-level course
• all required 200-level courses before taking any 300-level course and
• all required 300-level courses before taking any 400-level course.

Students must also pass the Writing Proficiency Requirement. For more information about this requirement, please see “Graduation Requirements” in the College of Liberal Arts and College of Science and Mathematics section of this publication.

Admission and Progression Requirements for PreLicensure and RN-to-BS Undergraduate Nursing Majors Who Entered Prior to Fall 2004

Nursing students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher, and to receive a grade of at least a “C” for all prerequisite and nursing courses. No prerequisite course or nursing course may be taken pass/fail. A grade of “C-” or below in any prerequisite or nursing course is considered a failing grade. In nursing courses with two components, theory and clinical, each component must be successfully completed. A student failing the course must repeat both components. A student will receive an academic warning if s/he 1) receives a grade of “C-” or less in one required prerequisite or nursing course; or 2) demonstrates a pattern of withdrawal from courses. The conditions of the academic warning are determined by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Student Affairs Committee based on a review of the student’s record.

Failure to successfully repeat a prerequisite or nursing course or failure in a second prerequisite or nursing course may result in dismissal from the College. Students may appeal dismissal through a procedure outlined in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Undergraduate Student Handbook.

Admission and Progression Requirements for PreLicensure Undergraduate Nursing Majors Entering Fall 2004

Nursing students entering Fall 2004 are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher each semester to progress in the nursing major, and to receive a grade of at least a “C+” (2.25 or 77%) in all required science and nursing courses. No required, required science or nursing course may be taken pass/fail. A grade of “C” or below in any required science or nursing course is considered a failing grade. For all other required courses a grade of “C-” or below is considered a failing grade. In nursing courses with two components, theory and clinical, each component must be successfully completed. A student failing the course must repeat both components. A student will receive an academic warning if s/he receives a grade of “C” or less in one required science or nursing course; and/or demonstrates a pattern of withdrawal from required courses. The conditions of the academic warning are determined by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Student Affairs Committee based on a review of the student’s record.

Failure to successfully repeat a required or required science or nursing course, or failure of a second required or required science or nursing course will result in dismissal from the College. In addition, a student who withdraws from more than two nursing or required science courses will be dismissed from the College. Students may appeal dismissal through a procedure outlined in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Undergraduate Student Handbook.

General Education Requirement

All nursing students must complete the following distribution courses to meet the university’s General Education requirement: four in Natural Sciences (BIOL 207, 208, 209 (BIOL 111 is a prerequisite for these courses); and CHEM 130); any combination of two in Arts (AR) and/or Humanities (HU); any combination of two World Languages and/or World Cultures (WL or WC); and two Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB) (SOCIOL 101 and NURSNG 230).

Students must also complete

• one year of freshman composition (ENGL 101 and 102),
• NURSNG 212, and
• a statistics course.
• Students matriculating with fewer than 30 credits will be required to complete, in addition to the above, a First-year Seminar. To meet this requirement, nursing students are encouraged to take NURSNG G107 (Understanding HIV Disease). Any other First-year Seminar, however, may also be taken to meet the requirement. A complete list of these courses can be found in the “First-year and Intermediate Seminars” section of this publication.

University Honors Program

The University Honors Program offers the academically talented student special challenges and opportunities. For complete information, see the “University Honors Program” section of this publication.

Diversity Requirement

Nursing students meet the university’s diversity requirement through the integration of diversity concepts and practices into many required nursing courses.

Learning Resource Center

The Learning Resource Center provides CNHS students with the opportunity to practice clinical skills designed to support their academic studies. The center is well equipped with audiovisual materials and has many computer-assisted programs. Tutors are available to provide additional or special instruction related to nursing courses.

Office of Academic Support Programs

This office offers a comprehensive array of programs designed to enable students to succeed in their studies. The focus of the office is on academic skills instruction and tutorials for non-nursing courses, but students are also invited to seek assistance here with any problems that affect their academic careers. Office location: M-3-421; 617.287.6550.

Academic Advising

Professional staff are available to complement faculty advising and are responsible for orientation of new students, review and monitoring of academic student progress, and scholarships.

Clinical Clearance Requirements

Before beginning clinical nursing courses, all nursing students are required to present documentation of certain immunizations and certifications to CNHS even if previously submitted to University Health Services:

1. two MMR vaccinations or a positive measles and rubella titer
2. completion of the Hepatitis B vaccine series upon acceptance into nursing
3. positive varicella titer indicating immunity or documentation of having taken the varicella vaccine
4. a tetanus/diphtheria (T/D) injection obtained within the last ten years
5. a negative TB test or, if the test is positive, documentation of a chest x-ray within the last five years, and a letter from a physician stating contagion status
6. CPR Certification: American Heart Association CPR for Health Care Provider, valid for two years, is the only acceptable certification
7. Proof of Health Insurance
8. For RNs only, items 1-7 plus evidence of current unrestricted Massachusetts licensure

Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)

To ensure public safety and to avoid unacceptable risk to vulnerable populations, nursing students submit to a CORI check every semester in order to qualify for clinical placement. Students are required to give permission to their assigned clinical agencies and CNHS to seek this background information. The Commonwealth has established stringent criteria that disqualify an individual with certain criminal convictions from working or studying in a health care agency or from taking the licensure exam. A clinical disqualification means that a student would be unable to successfully complete required clinical nursing courses.