School of Nursing
Location: Sorrells Hall, Monticello
Telephone: (870) 460-1069 / Fax: (870) 460-1969
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3606, Monticello, AR 71656
Website: https://www.uamont.edu/academics/nursing/index.html

Faculty/Mission/Goals

Professors Felts and Haley (Dean); Associate Professors Hogue, Shaw, and Walters; Assistant Professors Wilkerson; Clinical Instructor/Simulation Lab Coordinator Allison.

The overall mission of the School of Nursing (SON) is to strive for excellence in the preparation of nursing graduates to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to advance the discipline of nursing. The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs strive for excellence in the preparation of nursing graduates through the following goals:

• Demonstrate competencies through practice experiences with populations across the lifespan and within each of the four spheres of care: 1) wellness and disease prevention, 2) chronic disease management, 3) regenerative or restorative care, and 4) hospice/palliative care.
• Demonstrate clinical judgment to guide nursing interventions that promote, maintain, and restore health.
• Demonstrate accountability through a commitment to nursing practice and lifelong learning.

Advanced Placement

Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Licensed Psychiatric Technical Nurses (LPTNs) may qualify for advanced placement within the BSN course sequence. A student must successfully complete all general education and nursing supportive requirements before entering the nursing sequence which begins in Summer I (Intersession). RN-BSN seeking students may enter the program lacking nine prerequisite credit course hours. All lacking prerequisite courses must be completed the semester prior to graduation. Pathophysiology must be taken during the first session offered after admission. Verification of a current valid, unencumbered Arkansas RN, LPN, or LPTN license is required. The UAM School of Nursing will follow the Arkansas Nursing Education Progression Model to facilitate the educational mobility of graduates from Practical (LPN and LPTN), Diploma, and Associate nursing programs.

Admission Requirements - RN-BSN Advanced Placement Program

RNs with an Associate Degree or diploma from an accredited nursing school may apply for the RN to BSN Advanced Placement Program. RNs complete the same general education and supportive courses as students enrolled in the pre-licensure BSN program but have a specified program for completing theory and clinical nursing course requirements. The RN will receive credit for 33 semester hours to be held in escrow until successful completion of the program. All clinical experiences are preceptored at approved facilities. RNs may progress through the program using a 12-month accelerated option or a 24-month extended option. RN applicants may be required to provide demonstration of nursing skills competency through written and/or performance-based testing as defined by the Arkansas Nursing Education Progression Model. Nursing core courses begin Summer I.

Application for admission to the RN-BSN program must be submitted to the School of Nursing between January 15 and March 1 for admission to the program which begins each year in Summer I (Intersession).

All applicants are required to:

1. Meet all University admission requirements;
2. Have a UAM cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher;
3. Complete all general education and supportive requirements with a grade of “C” or better AND maintain a GPA of 2.0 or better in both sets of requirements. Students may apply to the program who lack nine prerequisite credit course hours. All lacking prerequisite courses must be completed the semester prior to graduation.
4. Submit a letter of recommendation from a current or most recent RN supervisor; and
5. Have a current and maintain an unencumbered Arkansas RN license.
6. Submit a letter of good standing from the dean/director from all BSN programs that the student has ever attended

NOTE: Applicants seeking admission to the nursing program through advanced placement should meet with the School of Nursing dean. Candidates for this degree must complete 30 hours of coursework at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Admission Requirements - LPN to BSN

The School of Nursing will follow the AR State Board of Nursing Progression Model for LPN articulation to an associate or baccalaureate degree in nursing. Students interested in the advanced track should contact the Dean of Nursing to review the progression model parameters.

All applicants are required to:

1. Meet all University admission requirements;
2. Have a UAM cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher;
3. Complete all general education and supportive requirements with a grade of “C” or better AND maintain a GPA of 2.0 or better in both categories of requirements;
4. Submit a letter of recommendation from a current or most recent RN supervisor; and
5. Have a current unencumbered Arkansas LPN license.
6. Submit a letter of good standing from the dean/director from all Registered Nursing programs that the student has ever attended.

Ranking of Students for Admission

Applicants are ranked based on ACT scores, NLN PAX test scores, and GPAs. Applicant GPAs are calculated using only the general education and nursing supportive requirements completed at the time of application. To be considered for admission an application for admission to any nursing program must be submitted to the School of Nursing between January 15 and March 1.

All programs begin annually in Summer I (Intersession). No applications received before January 15 or after March 1 will be considered. Students must complete all outstanding coursework with a grade of “C” or better by the end of the Spring semester to be considered for admission.

Full Admission

Students who have completed all admission requirements and all general education and nursing supportive requirements with a GPA of 2.0 or higher will be considered for full admission to the nursing program.

Provisional Admission

Students who will complete all admission requirements and all general education and nursing supportive requirements by the end of the Spring semester will be considered for provisional admission to the nursing program. Students must complete the coursework with a grade of “C” or better AND maintain a 2.0 GPA.

Students will be ranked in numerical order according to the following criteria:

1. All prerequisites completed with a GPA of 2.0-4.0.
2. Provisional admission with a GPA of 2.0-4.0

Progression in the Nursing Sequence

A minimum grade of “C” in each nursing course is required for progression in the nursing sequence.

Readmission

BSN readmission

A student who discontinues the nursing sequence for any reason must petition the School of Nursing Admissions Committee by December for consideration for readmission into the spring semester and May for consideration for readmission into the fall semester. Students are permitted only one readmission. Readmission is not guaranteed. Acceptance for readmission is based on availability of space, documentation of a plan to correct deficiencies, and approval of the Admissions Committee and faculty. Students who are granted readmission due to course failure will be required to follow a remediation plan designed by their remediation counselor (see Student Success Plan in this handbook). Readmission of students who withdraw from a nursing course for reasons other than failure will be considered by faculty on an individual basis after the student has reapplied for admission and has submitted a letter explaining how the problems that led to withdrawal have been remedied.

Students who are readmitted are accountable for the degree requirements in force at the time of readmission. BSN applicants who are accepted for readmission and have been out of the program for more than one year must restart the nursing sequence with NURS 3333 - Health Assessment .

A student who is accepted for readmission to any Concepts course within one year of failure or withdrawal must do the following:

1. If failed or withdrew from NURS 311V - Concepts in Nursing Care I : retake NURS 311V - Concepts in Nursing Care I . If successfully completed NURS Skills: audit Skills course, pass all Skills check-offs, and resume the nursing sequence;
2. If failed or withdrew from NURS 332V - Concepts in Nursing Care II : retake NURS 311V - Concepts in Nursing Care I  course, pass Skills check offs, and resume the nursing sequence;
3. If failed or withdrew from NURS 444V - Concepts in Nursing Care III : retake NURS 332V - Concepts in Nursing Care II , pass Skills check-offs, and resume the nursing sequence;
4. If failed or withdrew from NURS 452V - Concepts in Nursing Care IV : retake NURS 444V - Concepts in Nursing Care III , pass Skills check offs, and retake NURS 452V - Concepts in Nursing Care IV .

AASN readmission

A student who discontinues the nursing sequence for any reason must petition the School of Nursing Admissions Committee by March 1 for consideration for readmission into the AASN summer or fall semester.

AASN applicants who are accepted for readmission and have been out of the program for more than one year must restart the nursing sequence with NURS 1014 - Principles of Nursing Care I  and pass all Skills check offs.

A student who reapplies for readmission to any Principles course within one year must do the following:

1. If failed or withdrew from NURS 1014 - Principles of Nursing Care I : retake NURS 1014 - Principles of Nursing Care I ; pass Skills check-offs, and resume the nursing sequence;
2. If failed or withdrew from NURS 124V - Principles of Nursing Care II : retake NURS 124V - Principles of Nursing Care II , pass Skills check-offs, and resume the nursing sequence;
3. If failed or withdrew from NURS 225V - Principles of Nursing Care III : retake NURS 124V - Principles of Nursing Care II , pass Skills check-offs, and resume the nursing sequence.

Transfer Credit

Students seeking transfer credit from another institution must submit course descriptions and transcripts to the School of Nursing and meet with the School of Nursing dean. All faculty are included in the evaluation and placement of transfer students in the nursing sequence and make recommendations regarding transfer of nursing credit to the School of Nursing dean. Standardized testing and validation of skills may be required based on the evaluation of the transcript.

Criminal Background Checks

Many healthcare facilities utilized for student clinical experiences require completion of a criminal background check. Therefore, all students entering the UAM School of Nursing programs will be required to complete the criminal background check procedures as instructed by the School of Nursing. In addition, the Arkansas State Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and by the Arkansas State Police for graduates of nursing schools before taking the Registered Nurse Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). One may not be substituted for the other. Criminal background checks are at the expense of the student and remain confidential. Positive background checks may result in dismissal from the program.

Conviction of a Crime

The Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN) has the authority to deny licensure to any person who has been convicted of a crime. Conviction of a crime may prevent a student from taking clinical courses, the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) or becoming licensed to practice as an RN. Successful completion of this program does not assure ASBN’s approval to take the NCLEX-RN per Criminal Background Checks - ACA §17-87-312 and Licensing Restrictions Based on Criminal Records ACA §17-3-102. If you have any questions or have been convicted of a crime of any type, make an appointment with the dean of the School of Nursing. Any violations or convictions during nursing school may result in dismissal from the program.

Drug Testing

Drug testing will occur upon admission into the nursing program and may occur at random, for cause, or as mandated by clinical agencies. Drug testing is at the expense of the student. Any student who tests positive for illegal, controlled, or abuse-potential substances as determined by the designated Medical Review Officer may be dismissed from the program.

Expenses

In addition to the usual student fees and expenses, nursing students can expect the following additional costs: uniforms, professional equipment and supplies, professional workshop fees, licensure examination review course, license examination fees, criminal background checks, supplementary book costs, and travel. Use of multiple clinical sites within a 100-mile radius of the main campus may necessitate overnight travel. These trips are mandatory for completion of the program. All expenses for food, lodging, and travel are the responsibility of the individual student. RN-BSN students are exempt from all expenses related to licensure including review course fees.

Other Information

Nursing students are NOT covered by the University or the clinical facilities for injuries and exposures to illnesses which occur in the course of clinical assignments or when traveling to and from clinical assignments. Additionally, all nursing students are assigned to care for persons with a wide variety of diagnoses including blood-borne illnesses. The UAM School of Nursing strongly recommends that each student be immunized or show proof of injection by date or titer against Hepatitis B virus (HBV). All students will be required to show proof of injection by date for the following immunizations: Influenza, Varicella, (2) MMRs, Hepatitis B and Tetanus (within the past 10 years). All students will be required to show proof of injection by date for the following immunizations: Hepatitis B, Influenza, Varicella, MMR, and Tdap. All students will be required to show proof of two negative TB skin tests, TB titer, or chest x-ray. Personal health and automobile insurance are recommended.

If the applicant’s native language is other than English, an official transcript of the score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be submitted directly from the Educational Testing Service. For undergraduate applicants, the required score for the paper-based test is 500; the required score for the computer-based test is 173; and the required score for the internet-based test is 80.

Information regarding tuition and fees may be found in the UAM catalog Fees and Expenses section. The CNEA serves as an additional resource for this information. The School of Nursing annually provides CNEA with information regarding tuition, fees, and the length of the nursing program. The CNEA may be contacted at National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA), 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037 https://cnea.nln.org/

Major Requirements

All baccalaureate degrees require at least 120 hours of college credit (courses at the 1000-level or above). These courses must include the general education and support courses cited below and must include at least 40 hours of 3000-4000 level courses.