Prelicensure
Program
Unlicensed first
year and transfer students are identified as Prelicensure
Students as opposed to the RN students who are licensed
nurses without a BSN. Prelicensure students require four
years of college course work. Students work on prerequisite
classes in their freshman year and first semester of
sophomore year with admission and immersion into the nursing
major in the second semester of the sophomore year.
The
nursing major is 53 semester credit hours. Students complete 12 credits of
nursing during their sophomore spring term. Faculty encourage basic nursing
students to be employed in a nursing setting while studying nursing. Early
exposure in the clinical environment assists students to develop
communication skills, to become familiar with the clinical environment and
to improve organizational skills. This introduction to the socialization
process for nurses and the early acquisition of nursing intervention skills
assist the learner to solidify the career choice in nursing and to gain
employment skills for the summer recess in a nursing environment.
At the junior level students
complete 12 nursing credits in the fall and 11 nursing credits in the
spring.
Nursing students gain nursing skills in the
university’s nursing learning laboratory and at selected clinical sites
during their third year of study and practice. During the senior year
students complete 11 nursing credits in the fall and 10 nursing credits in
the spring. Students have the opportunity to further develop and refine
their nursing practice as members of the health care team. Students
receive an introduction to nursing informatics skills throughout the
program. In addition to the required Biology support courses listed in the
Department of Nursing Plan of Study, students may graduate with a minor in
biology by taking one of the following courses: Biology 107, 109, 110, 310
or 321.
Advancement to the spring junior clinical course
is qualified by whether the student has attained 80 hours of work experience
(beyond the employer’s orientation) in a nursing environment. If the
student cannot demonstrate completion of clinical work experience by
November 30th of the junior fall semester the student will not advance to
the junior level clinical course. Work experience should include repeated
application of nursing skills learned in Nursing 160. Work experience will
be verified by a member of the nursing faculty. Work experience must have
been completed within the last five years.
Program Assessment
At the end of the junior and
senior years students will complete a national competency exam to assist
them with determining their readiness for the licensure exam.
All senior students must
achieve a score of 850 on the competency examination. Students not earning
a score of 850 by the end of their senior year will be given an incomplete
grade in Nursing 460. The Department of Nursing uses the HESI competency
exam because it provides a good prediction for passing NCLEX.
According to the State of Iowa Board of Nursing, a nursing
course with a clinical component may not be taken by a person:
-
Who
has been denied licensure by the State Board of Nursing
-
Whose
license is currently suspended, surrendered or revoked in
any U.S. jurisdiction.
-
Whose
license/registration is currently suspended, surrendered
or revoked in another country due to disciplinary action.
Students
can apply to the Board
of Nursing and the licensure testing company after
graduation.
The Board of Nursing notifies the testing company after
student's final transcript has been received.
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