Nursing, A.A.S., Major #0622

The mission of the SUNY Morrisville Department of Nursing is to foster the development of the intentional learner who is prepared to transition to practice as a member of the interdisciplinary health care team. The nursing program will provide educational opportunities that promote student learning across the lifespan, cultures, and the health/wellness continuum. The nursing faculty are committed, collaborative partners with students and healthcare agencies, supporting nursing workforce needs and interests in our communities while striving to meet its continual and changing health care needs. The focus of the program is mastery of graduate level competencies reflecting the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the delivery of safe, quality care. Upon completion of the program students receive the A.A.S. degree and are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

The program is accredited by:

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326

(404-975-5000), www.acenursing.org

 The State Education Department Division of Professional Education

89 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor

West Wing, Albany, NY 12234

(518)-486-2967, OPPROGS@nysed.gov

Student Learning Outcomes

The curriculum is compatible with the philosophy and conceptual framework of the Division of Nursing and provides educational experiences that prepare a graduate to:

• Advocate for the patient and their families to promote a partnership in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient’s preferences, values, and needs.

• Conduct self in a way that reflects integrity, responsibility, and ethical practices necessary to function effectively within nursing and interdisciplinary teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making to achieve safe and quality patient care.                         

• Use their clinical reasoning ability to integrate nursing science in the provision of safe and quality care necessary to minimize risk of harm to patients, family, and providers.

• Integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise based on the patient and family’s values and preferences for delivery of optimal healthcare.           

• Examine the evidence that supports clinical practice and question underlying assumptions necessary to improve the quality and safety of health care systems.    

• Make judgements in practice based on information and technology to communication, manage knowledge mitigate error, and support decision- making.  

Career Opportunities

The Nursing program prepares the graduates for careers in a variety of settings such as: acute care hospitals, long term care facilities, home care, community-based agencies, and rehabilitative facilities. Candidates for licensure must meet all requirements as determined by the State Education Department. In addition to meeting the educational requirements for the NCLEX-RN; applicants must also answer questions establishing “good moral character”. Anyone who has been convicted of/and or charged with:

• felony

• misdemeanor professional misconduct

• unprofessional conduct and/or

• negligence, in any state or country, may experience problems or delays with the licensing process

 Inquiries should be directed to the Division of Professional Licensing Services, Offices of the Professions, New York State Education Department

(www.nysed.gov/nurse.htm).

 The application fees for licensure, due at the time of application (NURS 250) are approximately a total of $ 375 payable to the testing vendor and State Education Department.

Transfer and Non-Traditional Students

Transcripts will be evaluated on an individual basis. Transfer students are required to complete 30 credit hours at SUNY Morrisville for degree completion per college policy.

 Any student who has repeated two nursing courses or repeated the same nursing course twice (dropping/withdrawal or failing grade) at another college/nursing program will not be eligible for admission to the associate degree nursing program.

 Prior to admission, students who have been enrolled in nursing courses at another institution must submit a letter of reference from the Dean or Associate Dean or Chairperson of that program to Director of Nursing at SUNY Morrisville in order to determine the applicant’s past performance and potential. There are established enrollment numbers for each course.

Once enrolled, a student may only repeat any nursing course once, for a maximum of two repeats for the entire curriculum. Repeats include instances of dropping/withdrawing/ failing. When a student fails to complete any/all course(s) required to progress to the next semester, they will not be scheduled for the nursing sequence until documentation of completion has been received and approved. Following approval, scheduling will occur on a space available basis. This may delay the student’s time to degree completion.

Readmission to the program is on a “space available” basis. In some instances a student seeking readmission will be required to meet with the Director of Nursing to describe remedial actions undertaken and to address the factors that will enhance their success. It is the responsibility of the student to prove their behaviors have changed in a substantive fashion.

Program Entrance Requirements

• Minimum Regents score 75 in Biology

• Minimum HS average B (80) in Biology

• Minimum GPA: 2.75 for transfer students

• Completion of MAGN 101, 106, or 107 with a grade of C or better or placement testing in MATH 102

• TEAS test with a minimum composite score of 62 (maximum 2 attempts)

 Students who do not meet the admission requirements for the Nursing program may be admitted to the Individual Studies curriculum. A minimum cumulative average of 2.75 is required for admission to Nursing.

 Health Requirements:

All health clearance requirements must be on file at the Student Health Center three weeks prior to the start of the semester.

• Annual physical examination

• Annual Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) or follow up X-Ray

• Annual Influenza vaccination

• 2 MMR’s or Titers

• Rubella Titer

• Chicken Pox (documented history of disease, vaccination and or a varicella titer)

• Hepatitis B Vaccine or signed waiver

• Meningitis Vaccine or signed waiver

• Tetanus/diphtheria

• Current certification in CPR – Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers through the American Heart Association is required and must be maintained for the clinical components of all nursing courses. Certification must be obtained prior to enrollment in any clinical course.

• Proof of health insurance

Nursing students are to adhere to the same public health laws and facility regulations as employees. Students must meet the facility health requirements and have the ability to meet clinical outcomes with or without reasonable accommodations. Students must demonstrate:

•  The strength and manual dexterity to perform in all laboratory and clinical settings and to maintain the safety of clients without posing a threat to himself/herself.

•  The visual, hearing and speech skills requisite to client assessment and professional performance including reading, recording client information, performing ausculatory exams, and performing any and all other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Students with a suspected or documented allergy/latex hypersensitivity are responsible for being tested prior to entering the program. The test results and a written plan of accommodation/treatment sighed by a licensed health care provider must accompany the annual physical examination.

 Background Checks

Students enrolled in the nursing program must conform to the rules, policies, and procedures of the clinical affiliates in order to participate in practical experiences, which may include background checks. The cost of the background check will be the responsibility of the student. Failure to consent to and submit the appropriate background screening findings will prohibit the student from continuing in the nursing program.

Transportation Information

Transportation is available from the SUNY Morrisville campus to area hospitals and other health care facilities. Throughout the program, clinical experience is correlated with the theoretical content presented in the classroom. Each of these experiences is planned to meet the learning needs of the students. Students will need to provide their own transportation to clinical for the preceptor experience; the second half of NURS 250.

Additional Expenses

The following are approximate additional expenses: uniforms/special equipment

• Course fees range from $16-60 per semester.

• Lab Kits: Required for NURS 120 and NURS 150. Approximate total $300

• Achievement tests approximately $250/ semester (this includes the cost for NCLEX-RN review materials).

Program Outcomes

• Eighty percent (80%) of the graduates of the first time test takers will meet or exceed the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN).

• Ninety percent (90%) of the program graduates will be employed in nursing within six (6) months of graduation.

• Sixty percent (60%) of students will complete the program within three (3) years of matriculation into the nursing programs.

Graduation Requirements

All AAS programs require a minimum of 60 credit hours including 20 credit hours from Liberal Arts and Science courses. To fulfill these requirements along with the required courses for this program, 64 credits are required for this program. These requirements are fulfilled in the following list of courses for this program.

 GPA: Overall GPA of 2.00 or higher A student must maintain a 2.0 grade point average to remain in good standing. To progress to the next sequential nursing course, a student must achieve a minimum grade of C+ in each nursing course and a minimum of a C + in anatomy and physiology courses. A mathematics course may be required dependent upon placement test scoring, however, all nursing courses (through NURS 250) require that each student pass mandatory medication mathematics proficiency exams. Demonstrated Proficiency through MAGN 101 is required

Curriculum Requirements - 64 Credits

Suggested Course Sequence