Nursing (B.S.N.)

The School of Nursing offers a pre-licensure undergraduate program, the completion of which results in educational eligibility for the graduate to write the Registered Nurse Licensing Examination for R.N. Licensure. Additionally, the School of Nursing offers an online post-licensure undergraduate program through which the licensed registered nurse may complete the requirements for the B.S.N. degree. A Graduate M.S.N. program is offered through the RODP that includes multiple tracts. Students must review their course of studies with a designated School of Nursing Advisor each semester.

Accreditation

The B.S.N. Program is approved by the Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). These organizations may be reached at:

Tennessee Board of Nursing
665 Mainstream Dr
Nashville, TN 37243

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850  Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
www.nlnac.org

Additional Admission Requirements

B.S.N. Admission Requirements

(See www.apsu.edu/nursing for latest admission criteria)

General Information

1. There are 3 semesters of pre-requisite classes that must be completed before beginning nursing classes.
2. There are 2 application periods. Fall (application deadline May 1) and Spring (application deadline September 1).
3. The application and information about admission testing is posted on the School of Nursing website at www.apsu.edu/nursing (March 1 and July 1).
4. The TEAS admission test composes 1/3 of your ranking for admission to the School of Nursing. This is administered in April and August.
5. READ the admission criteria on the website if you have not yet done so.
6. Core classes and deficiencies must be completed before beginning nursing classes (no grade lower than a “C” is acceptable in nursing prerequisites).
7. GPA must be 3.0 (based on the BSN Core Curriculum courses which follow) to be eligible to apply. To be competitive your GPA should be closer to 3.5. (Any course that has been repeated, within the past seven years, will have all grades included when computing your average admission purposes.)

In order to apply the student must:

1. Be admitted to Austin Peay State University by the School of Nursing application deadline.
2. Complete and submit the School of Nursing application by the application deadline, Only completed applications will be considered for admission.
3. Have completed at least 30 hours with no grades lower than a “C” in nursing prerequisites and APSU general education requirements. These hours must include:
   1. 8 hours of science from BIOL 2010/2011, BIOL 2020/2021and/or BIOL 2300/2301
   2. 6 hours nursing prerequisites from PSY 1010, PSY 3100, SOC 1010, and/or MATH 1530
   3. 16 hours of APSU core from ENGL 1010, ENGL 1020,  ENGL 2030 , HIST 2010, HIST 2020, Humanities 6 hours, and/or COMM 1010
   4. APSU 1000 (not required for transfer students with more than 12 hours)
4. Have a documented plan for completion of remaining core and prerequisite courses prior to starting nursing courses.
5. Have completed all prerequisite Biology courses within seven (7) years of the time of application.
6. Have cleared any high school deficiencies.
7. Meet core performance and professional (technical) standards.

Further admission requirements (for ranking of applicant pool) that students must have:

1. A minimum calculated GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale based on grades received in APSU general education requirements and nursing prerequisites.
   1. Consideration is given to students who have a calculated GPA greater than 3.0 and/or who have completed all core and prerequisite courses at Austin Peay.
   2. If a student attempts a course more than once, within the past seven years, the grades from every attempt will be used to calculate the admission GPA.
2. Completed the required standardized nursing entrance examination by the School of Nursing application deadline. The required examination may be taken once per application period.
   1. The fee-based examination must be taken on campus at APSU unless there are extenuating circumstances recognized by the School of Nursing Admission and Retention Committee.

Following acceptance into the B.S.N. program, students must:

1. Provide a complete program package with evidence of health insurance.
2. Comply with criminal background checks and drug screening as required for eligibility to access entrance into specific clinical agencies as related to clinical course objectives.

Pending review by the Tennessee Board of Nursing, persons who have been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation could be ineligible for Registered Nurse Licensure in the State of Tennessee, even though they have successfully completed the program.

Undergraduate Progression and Graduation Requirements:

1. A grade of “C” or better is required to pass any nursing course and to progress in the curriculum.
2. When a course has a clinical component, the student must pass both the theory and clinical component in order to pass the class.
3. If a student fails two courses (including failing one course two times) with a “D” or “F” they will be dismissed from the nursing program for not meeting the program requirements.
4. A grade of “D” or “F” is considered failure to achieve course standards.
5. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will not be conferred upon any student who receives two grades below “C” while in the School of Nursing.

RN to BSN Track Admission Criteria

Registered Nurses enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (RN to BSN) complete online courses in an asynchronous format available 24 hours a day via eCourseware, the University’s web based instructional program.  RN to BSN clinical courses may be scheduled at sites near to the student’s home with appropriately credentialed preceptors. The sites must be approved by the course faculty and there must be a contract in place between the facility and the University.

1. The RN to BSN Program is designed for Registered Nurses who have an active unencumbered license or new graduates with an ADN who are eligible for licensure.
2. The student has 2.5 years to complete the RN to BSN track from the start date of the first nursing course.  Extensions may be granted on an individual basis.

Requirements for the RN to BSN Program

1. Be admitted to Austin Peay State Univesity as a degree seeking undergraduate student.
2. Have a minimum college cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
3. Have completed specified nursing prerequisites (listed below) with a minimum  grade of “C” in all courses.
4. Clear any high school deficiencies.
5. Have an active, unencumbered RN license or be eligible for licensure.
6. Provide evidence of liability and health insurance.  Evidence of physical and/or mental health may be required following admission or at any time during the program.
7. Provide verification of a negative report of a two step tuberculin skin test dated no more than two months prior to enrollment in nursing courses (a negative chest X-ray will be required in context of a positive tuberculin skin test), proof of immunity to rubella, varicella, rubeola, and Hepatitis B series and a tetanus booster within the last 10 years.
8. Provide verification of current certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support (CPS), the Health Care Provider Course of the American Heart Association.
9. Comply with criminal background checks and drug screening as required for eligibility to access entrance into specific clinical agencies as related to clinical course objectives.
10. Validation of current science knowledge:  if sciences are older than seven (7) years, please provide a letter from current employer validating current employment.
11. Complete and submit:  APSU_RNtoBSN_Application.final_version.pdff or admission:  APSU School of Nursing, ATTN:  Gerri Gass, 218 McCord Building,   P. O. Box 4658, Clarksville, TN 37044

 

 

	Credit Hours
General Education (see TBR Common Core) University-Wide Freshman Seminar Requirement	41 1