Nursing, Associate of Science 6250, A.S. Transfer

A Two-Year Program Leading to the A.S. Degree

The aim of the Associate of Science in Nursing program is to prepare graduates who can function with competency to assess, plan, implement, direct and evaluate nursing care of individuals or groups of clients in a variety of settings. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become Registered Nurses (RNs).

Indiana Code Section 39.IC 25-23-1-11 requires that any person who applies to the board for a license to practice as a registered nurse must not have (a) been convicted of a crime that has a direct bearing on the person’s ability to practice competently; or (b) committed an act that would constitute grounds for a disciplinary sanction under IC 25-1-9. If applicable to you, see the Program Chairperson for further discussion.

The Associate of Science in Nursing Program is accredited by the Indiana State Board of Nursing and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Information on accreditation status may be obtained by contacting the ACEN. They may be contacted at the following address: ACEN, Inc., 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326 (1-404-975-5000), or www.acenursing.org.

The curriculum provides a balance between general education and nursing. The nursing faculty provides instruction and guidance in the College Learning Laboratory, hospitals, community mental health centers,  community agencies, and other healthcare facilities.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of the Associate of Science in Nursing Program, the graduate will:

1. Utilize critical thinking in the implementation of the nursing process to provide safe, evidence-based and culturally competent care to clients in various settings.
2. Effectively communicate by sharing accurate information through various technologies thus promoting multidisciplinary team and client collaboration to provide effective nursing care.
3. Demonstrate caring in order to foster a therapeutic environment.
4. Provide health education for clients to promote adaptation to health changes and achieve optimal levels of wellness.
5. Incorporate legal and ethical guidelines into nursing practice to demonstrate professionalism and adherence to registered nursing practice standards.
6. Communicate a commitment to lifelong learning to maintain professional growth and career mobility.

Selection Process

The selection process for Vincennes University’s Nursing program is based on the premise that student selection is vital to student success in the program and on the NCLEX licensing exam. The standards of selection will also contribute to the quality of care administered by graduates of this program. In order to complete this program successfully, students must be well motivated and have an academic background sufficient to succeed in the curriculum. A limited number of students will be selected for admission, with cancellations being filled from a waiting list. The number of students admitted to the nursing program is limited by the availability of instructional resources and clinical learning sites. Due to the high number of applicants for this program, selection is competitive in nature and involves review of the following criteria by the Nursing Program’s Admission Committee. Each applicant is reviewed individually. Preference will be given to current high school applicants with a High School Academic Honors Diploma that have completed courses for college credit with a B or higher or with previous college experience; applicants who receive a grade of B or higher in college level Math, English, and Science courses; applicants having a higher GPA; and/or applicants who complete General Education courses through Vincennes University.

Any falsification of application information will result in denial of admission or removal from the program. Compliance with all criteria does not guarantee acceptance.

Admission Requirements

1. Meet admission requirements of the University.
2. Qualify for placement into MATH 102 , MATH 103 , or higher as determined by the Vincennes University Placement Test (Accuplacer), or receive appropriate transfer credit.
3. Qualify for exemption from READ 011  as determined by placement test scores (e.g. SAT, ACT, or other standardized placement tests as accepted by Vincennes University).
4. Qualify for placement into ENGL 101  as determined by placement test scores (e.g. SAT, ACT, or other standardized placement tests as accepted by Vincennes University), or receive appropriate transfer credit.
5. Submit a recent placement test if required by the Nursing Admissions Committee.
6. Completion of one year of high school chemistry with a grade of C or better within 5 years of beginning the Program -or- completion of CHEM 100 /CHEM 100L  with a grade of C or better.
7. Earn a high school diploma (students may apply to the program during their senior year of high school) or achieve a minimum average standard score of 500 on the General Education Development (GED) test.
8. Possess physical and mental health acceptable for performance in the occupation as determined by the Department of Nursing and evidenced by examination from a licensed practitioner.
9. Hold a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7. For applicants with previous college credit, the GPA utilized will be the most recent cumulative GPA with courses completed that are required or relevant to the program.
10. Hold no current grade less than C in any required general education course. Applicants with current grades less than C in required general education courses are not eligible for admission. Required non-nursing courses may only be repeated one time in order to raise the grade to a C or better. This includes prerequisites to required courses.
11. Hold no grade of F in any nursing course.

Note: Applicants that are not selected for admission directly from high school must complete nine hours of college courses (100 level or higher) with a 2.7 GPA, with no grade lower than a C. These nine hours must come from the Associate of Science in Nursing Program curriculum (non-nursing courses). CHEM 100 - Elementary Chemistry /CHEM 100L - Elementary Chemistry Laboratory  and HIMT 110 - Medical Terminology for Allied Health  may also be used as part of the nine credit hours.

Note: Transfer credits: The Registrar will determine if credit is to be granted for courses taken at other institutions of higher education.

Note: Time limit on previously completed courses:
a. Only MATH; BIOL 111 - Anatomy and Physiology I  and BIOL 111L - Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I ; BIOL 112 - Anatomy and Physiology II  and BIOL 112L - Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II ; and BIOL 208 - Microbiology for the Health Sciences  and BIOL 208L - Microbiology for the Health Sciences Laboratory , taken less than seven years prior to admission to the nursing program will be considered for credit. Students seeking credit for required math courses that were taken longer than seven years prior to admission to the nursing program may elect to take the University General Education Math test and receive a score of EA 70 or higher, take the CLEP exam, or enroll in the course and seek early completion.
b. Principles of Sociology, General Psychology, Speech/Interpersonal Communication: Courses taken less than fifteen years prior to admission to the nursing program will be considered for credit. Exceptions will be made for applicants with a previous college degree.

*Criminal History Policy

The Department of Nursing requires that all applicants selected for admission submit a criminal history report. Applicants should be aware that any previous or current conviction of a crime or treatment for substance abuse may result in ineligibility to be admitted to the VU Nursing Program(s) and/or affect the ability to be licensed as a nurse. The determination on eligibility to take the licensure exam will be made by the Indiana State Board of Nursing. More information about the Indiana State Board of Nursing Licensure Laws and Regulations may be found on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency’s website at www.in.gov/pla. Please visit www.vinu.edu/content/nursing-associate-degree-rn for the current criminal history procedures.

Standards for Progression and Graduation

1. All required science courses must be successfully completed concurrently with or prior to the recommended course sequence.
2. MATH 102 , MATH 103 , or higher must be completed prior to Semester III..
3. General Psychology, English Composition II and Speech or Interpersonal Communication must be successfully completed prior to Semester IV of the nursing courses.
4. To obtain an Associate of Science in Nursing Degree, students must complete all required courses with a grade of C or better by the completion of the final nursing courses (Semester IV courses).
5. Students may repeat a required academic course one time.
6. Nursing students must achieve a minimum grade of C in all required courses and maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 each semester. Failure to meet this requirement will result in withdrawal from the nursing program at the end of the semester.
   1. If the semester average falls below 2.0 and the student has earned a grade less than C in a required course, the student will be required to enroll in one semester of General Studies. Failure to raise the GPA during this semester of General Studies may result in denial of readmission to the nursing program.
   2. When students are enrolled in a nursing course that has a corequisite and earn a grade less than a C, students may complete the remaining nursing corequisite during the current semester. When students are enrolled in a nursing course that has a corequisite and withdraws from the nursing course, this results in withdrawal from the ASN Program and the student may not complete the remaining nursing corequisite during the current semester.
   3. If a student is unsuccessful in the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program twice, that student may have the option of completing the program of Practical Nursing, if eligible. Then, if eligible, that person, upon becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse, may be admitted into the ASN completion concentration for one time only.
   4. Each application is reviewed individually by a review committee of the Nursing Department Admissions Committee.
   5. Students having extenuating circumstances may petition the nursing review committee for retention in the program.
7. Nursing students who receive an F in a nursing course will not be eligible for readmission to the nursing program regardless of GPA.
8. The effective catalog for ASN students is the catalog of the year when the student was admitted and started the first semester of the program.

Associate of Science in Nursing Readmission Policy

Readmission standards apply to any student that was unsuccessful in passing or withdrew from a nursing course, or any student that did not meet the Standards for Progression and Graduation as listed above.

1. Applicants may be readmitted to the program one time only.
2. Applicants seeking to reenter the program at the point in which they withdrew, must reenter the program within one year. Otherwise, the student may apply for readmission to begin the program in its entirety.
3. The effective catalog for students readmitted to the program in courses beyond the first semester will be the effective catalog at the time of the first admission.
4. Qualified applicants will be readmitted on a space-available basis. In the event that the number of applicants exceeds available space, positions may be offered to applicants with higher qualifications.
5. Applicants for readmission must submit a readmission application by the deadline established by the Nursing Department.
6. All applicants must have a minimum semester GPA of 2.0 in order to be considered for readmission.
7. Applicants that received a grade of F in any nursing course may not apply for readmission.
8. Applicants that have received a grade less than a C in more than one nursing course are not eligible to reapply for admissions.
9. Applicants that did not successfully complete NURS 100  must reapply for consideration for admission. NURS 100  applicants must meet all admission requirements and will be considered alongside all other applicants for the program.
10. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis by the Nursing Department.
11. In accordance with the University Grievance Policy, applicants who believe they have extenuating circumstances to these readmission standards may submit a letter of appeal to the Nursing Department Admissions Committee to explain the situation.

Students are encouraged to visit the Vincennes University website at http://vinu.edu/content/nursing-associate-degree-rn for current policies and procedures.