NURSING ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the nursing program is highly competitive and may be limited based on availability of qualified faculty and maintaining student to faculty ratios required by standards of the Georgia Board of Nursing. All students who apply to the major may not be admitted.

Many agencies where clinical and practical experiences take place require students to undergo a criminal background check, to complete urine drug screens, and to meet the CDC standards for immunizations for health care professionals. Students desiring to enter the School of Nursing should consider these requirements. Agencies may refuse any student based on failure to meet these guidelines or other agency guidelines. Refusal of an agency to accept a student may delay or prevent a student from completing the program. Professional licensing boards may also refuse to license individuals who have committed certain criminal acts or other acts of moral turpitude.

Pre-nursing - An applicant who meets Georgia College & State University requirements may be admitted to the University for any academic term and be classified as a pre-nursing student. This enables the student to take Core Curriculum courses. Acceptance as a pre-nursing student does not guarantee acceptance into the upper division nursing major.

Nursing Major - Enrollment in the nursing major is limited to the most qualified students as determined by the Admission, Progression, and Recognition Committee of the Nursing Faculty Organization.

Minimum criteria for admission to the upper division nursing major:

Completion of NRSG 0002 Sophomore Seminar
Completion of all Core Curriculum requirements for health science majors
Attainment of cumulative and pre-nursing GPAs of at least 2.75
Attainment of a grade of C or better in each of the following courses: Introductory Sciences (Survey Chemistry (1151 & 1152 or Biology 1100 & 1120), Human Anatomy and Physiology I (BIOL 2160), Human Anatomy and Physiology II (BIOL 2170), Microbiology (BIOL 3180), English Composition (ENGL 1101), and Probability and Statistics (MATH 2600)
Successful completion of legislative requirements
Submission of official SAT or ACT scores to the Admissions Office
A Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

Students who have met these minimum criteria must apply to the School of Nursing for acceptance into the upper division nursing major. Students who satisfy the basic requirements for admission as described above, are evaluated by an admission's formula and ranked. Applicants placed on standby list and not admitted will be required to reapply as new applicants or request to be considered for the next cohort group. Applications for Fall admission into the nursing major should be submitted by the second Friday in February. Applications for Spring admission into the nursing major should be submitted by the last Friday in July. Enrollment for the RN-BSN program is open, provided that admission criteria has been met and the student have been admitted to the University. All potential students are encouraged to communicate with their advisors as admission dates and admission criteria are subject to change.

TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION TO AND RETENTION IN THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Nurses have an obligation not only to themselves and the profession but also to the public to provide safe, competent and responsible care. Nursing students shall be in reasonably good health, and any disability should not hinder the student in administering safe nursing care. The following is a list of examples of essential functions that a student must be capable of performing while in the nursing program at Georgia College & State University. The examples are not intended to be exhaustive.

Core performance standards for admission and progression as recommended by the Southern Educational Region Board (SERB)

Issue	Standard	Examples of Necessary activities (not all-inclusive)
Critical thinking	Critical-thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment.	Identify cause/effect relationships in clinical situations, develop nursing care plans.
Interpersonal	Interpersonal abilities sufficient for interaction with individuals, families and groups from various social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.	Establish rapport with patients/clients and colleagues.
Communication	Communication abilities sufficient for verbal and written interaction with others.	Explain treatment procedures, initiate health teaching, and document and interpret nursing actions and patient/client responses.
Mobility	Physical abilities sufficient for movement from room to room and small spaces.	Move around in patient's room, work spaces, and treatment areas; administer cardiopulmonary procedures.
Motor skills	Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient for providing safe, effective nursing care.	Calibrate and use equipment; position patients/clients.
Hearing	Auditory ability sufficient for monitoring and assessing health needs.	Hear monitor alarm, emergency signals, auscultatory sounds, and cries for help.
Visual	Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care.	Observe patient/client responses.
Tactile	Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment	Perform palpation, functions of physical examination and/or those related to therapeutic intervention (such as insertion of a catheter)

http://www.sreb.org/page/1390/the_americans_with_disabilties_act.html

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Students who are accepted into the professional nursing program must submit evidence of health status, health insurance, immunizations, TB screening, professional liability insurance, RN or other professional license if applicable, current American Heart Association Health Care Provider certification (CPR), ability to meet technical standards, documents as specified by clinical agencies and other laboratory tests specified by the agency.

Any student who is licensed by the State of Georgia must submit evidence of current licensure annually including those who are Registered Nurses.

ADDITIONAL FEES FOR NURSING STUDENTS

Nursing students should expect the following additional fees: HESI testing (may be included in some course fees), uniforms, watch with sweep-second hand, physical assessment equipment, official GCSU picture identification, malpractice insurance, health insurance , criminal background screens, clinical travel expenses and laboratory fees (for additional health screening such as urine drug screens, titers, etc. as well as academic laboratory and testing fees). Estimated costs of additional fees for the professional nursing program are approximately $1,000.00 excluding health insurance premiums. In addition, nursing textbooks tend to be more costly than books for core courses, but are often used in several courses. Other fees related to licensure may include passport size pictures, NCLEX testing fee and fingerprinting.

The large number of health care agencies in the region makes it possible for the College of Health Sciences to offer a variety of clinical learning opportunities; however, students can anticipate driving up to 70 miles for clinical learning on occasion. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the student.