Nursing

Nursing is an interdisciplinary program grounded in the liberal arts. The major offers two options: a Pre-Licensure option and an RN Completion option. Pre-licensure students are undergraduates who do not have an RN license. RN Completion students are those who hold an associate's degree in nursing from a community college and a license to practice as a registered nurse. The integrated curriculum is designed to provide meaningful learning experiences for Pre-Licensure students and RN Completion students and to ensure that graduates possess the knowledge, skill, and attitude reflecting the standards of the State of New Hampshire Board of Nursing (BON) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The program of study in nursing, with the identified course learning outcomes, expectations, and cumulative semester competencies, is designed to reflect the academic integrity expectations of all Keene State College programs while also achieving the requirements of state and national accreditation for our nursing graduates.

INTEGRATIVE STUDIES REQUIREMENTS

40 credits minimum

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

(28-92 credits)

ELECTIVES

Select courses to reach a total of 120 credits for the degree.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

120 credits

FEES

Additional expenses associated with the Nursing program include payment for immunizations, differential fees for clinical courses, travel expenses to and from off-campus clinical assignments, uniforms, professional memberships, and occasional conferences and workshops.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

PRE-LICENSURE ADMISSION AND PROGRESSION CRITERIA

Students are accepted to the College as Nursing majors. Students are advised and assisted with program planning throughout the program of study.

Progression within the Nursing course sequence occurs in the fall each year for the next January admission cycle, with 48 pre-licensure students in each cohort. Previously unlicensed nursing candidates are eligible to sit for the RN licensure exam following the completion of their fourth semester in the Nursing major.

Because of the professional nature of nursing and its responsibility to the public, the Nursing program has established the following admissions, progression, and graduation standards for student selection and graduation.

Pre-licensure Nursing candidate declaration

Entering first-year students must meet minimum entry requirements of the college.

Students must have a high school GPA of 3.25.

Students must complete a Declaration of Major form in Nursing at the time of First-Year Orientation.

Program in Nursing

Pre-Licensure Track

• A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and GPA of 3.0 in science classes.
• Students must attend a mandatory nursing orientation meeting in the fall of their junior year.

Non-Nursing Majors (internal transfers) and Transfer Students from Other Institutions (external transfers)

Each cohort of Nursing majors is limited to 48 students; and few openings for transfer students are expected. Should openings become available, individual students may apply to become Nursing majors. Eligible students must be able to complete the ISP and Allied Discipline requirements by December of their Junior year in order to begin the Nursing course sequence in January.

Selection to the Nursing major will be based on:

• the availability of open seats, and
• the applicant's cumulative GPA (minimum 3.0).

In the event two or more students have the same cumulative GPA, the tie will be broken based on:

• their cumulative GPAs in Science courses and/or
• the discretion of the Director of Nursing.

Students transferring from other institutions must apply to the College and be accepted.

All interested students must contact the Nursing program in the first week of September for potential progression to the Nursing course sequence in January. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis when they are submitted, and candidate applications are not carried over year to year.

Additional expectations and responsibilities for program progression and fees

• Students are responsible for the purchase of uniforms and expenses associated with required criminal background checks prior to clinical placement.
• Students must provide proof of immunization prior to clinical placement. Immunizations include: Tb, Varicella, MMR, Hepatitis B series (HEPVAC). HEPVAC requires that the series start around the time of application submission to ensure the six-month series is entirely complete by January.
• Students must provide proof of certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for health care providers at the point of application and must maintain certification until after graduation.
• Travel outside of the Keene area is required for clinical experiences, and students are responsible for their own transportation.
• Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for required nursing courses and allied discipline requirements for credit toward the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.
• A minimum of 120 credit hours is required to complete the degree.

RN COMPLETION ADMISSION AND PROGRESSION CRITERIA

Registered Nurses who have completed an associate's degree in nursing with a licensure as a registered nurse (RN Completion students) must apply for admission to the college.

All applicants must have an unencumbered New Hampshire license as an R.N.

All applicants must be accepted to the college.

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for required nursing courses toward the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

For the RN Completion option, the courses listed under the option requirements must be completed at Keene State College.