School of Nursing

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Purpose and Focus

The Bachelor of Science degree provides students the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, competencies and attitudes of the professional nurse by developing skills in assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of health care with individuals, families, and groups in a variety of settings.

Degree Objectives

At the conclusion of the program of study, graduates will:

1. Utilize the nursing process as a framework for nursing practice, incorporating critical-thinking skills.
2. Provide clinically competent culturally appropriate, patient-centered care that encompasses principles of holism, caring, advocacy, spirituality, and global awareness.
3. Demonstrate effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills in the practice of nursing.
4. Use emerging information technology in the process of planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care.
5. Integrate appropriate standards of care, protocols, research findings, and quality improvement in providing evidence-based nursing care.
6. Incorporate health promotion/disease prevention and illness management strategies in working with patients, families, groups and communities.
7. Effectively manage human, fiscal, and material resources to achieve quality health care outcomes.
8. Integrate professional values, attitudes, knowledge and behaviors into nursing practice.

Accreditation

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC)
Nevada State Board of Nursing

Undergraduate Majors

Nursing

Area of Concentration

B.S. in Nursing

Offers preparation for licensure as a registered nurse.

RN to BSN Pathway (RN Completion)

Through a collaborative agreement with Nevada State College, registered nurses with associate’s degrees or diplomas take two courses from UNLV School of Nursing (SON) to fulfill their B.S. in nursing requirements from Nevada State College. These courses are NURS 410 Physical Assessment and NURS 426, Pathophysiological Processes in Secondary Prevention. The student may also elect to take these courses at the graduate level from UNLV SON. This shortens the graduate pathway by six to nine credits. Contact Nevada State College School of Nursing for more information at 702-992-2000.

Licensure Programs

Graduates of the BS in Nursing Program must successfully complete the NCLEX-RN examination to obtain licensure.

Admission to the Major

Minimum GPA: 3.00

Admission Policies

Students are admitted each semester. Students utilize the admission criteria published within the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at the time of admission to UNLV pre-nursing (PRN) major.

B.S. in Nursing

Students admitted into pre-nursing (PRN) must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50. Students with a GPA between 2.00 and 2.50 may be admitted as nursing probationary students. Students are eligible for admission to the nursing major (NURS) when a UNLV GPA of 3.00 is established and the student has earned a B (3.00) in the following prerequisites: Fundamentals of college mathematics (MATH 120) or higher, Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL 223/224), Microbiology (BIOL 251), Nutrition and Development Across the Lifespan (NURS 299) and has earned a minimum of a C (2.00) in all other general education and prerequisite courses. For acceptance into the nursing program, the B (3.00) grade in the identified courses must be earned in either the first or second enrollment in the course. In addition, students will be required to complete the Nursing Entrance Test (NET) prior to admission to the nursing program. Students must achieve a NET score at or above the North American mean to be eligible for admission. Students may complete the NET only twice. The NET will be offered at scheduled times. Contact the Pre-Nursing Advisor for fees and exam dates. Students may formally apply three times a year. Eligibility is verified by the pre-nursing advisor. Students are rank ordered based on GPA, number of times courses are repeated, and the results of the NET. Admission will be offered to those students achieving the highest rank scores first until all openings are filled. Demonstration of sufficient English proficiency by a non-native English speaker is required. A satisfactory score on the language proficiency exam is necessary for admission. Please contact the Pre-Nursing Advisor for information about these exams. Refer to the admission ranking worksheet which is available online at http://nursing.unlv.edu or at the School of Nursing office. Students not accepted must reapply for admission in subsequent semesters. Policies regarding process for notification and response are available from the BSN Coordinator.

Transfer Policies

B.S. in Nursing

Transfer students may gain admission eligibility into pre-nursing (PRN) via several routes. If the transfer GPA is 3.00 or above and the prerequisite course work has been completed with the required grades, the student will be admitted into the B.S. in nursing program based on rank scoring as noted above. If the transfer GPA is 2.50-2.99, nine credits of UNLV core requirements or prerequisite course work at UNLV must be completed with a GPA of 3.00. If the transfer GPA is 2.00-2.49, students must complete a probationary contract in which 15 UNLV core requirements or prerequisite course work must be completed with a 3.00 GPA to remove the probationary status.

School of Nursing Policies

Nursing Student Handbook

Students accepted into the B.S. in Nursing Program should obtain a copy of the Nursing Student Handbook from the School of Nursing website for identification of additional policies and procedures. Students are accountable for observing the policies in the handbook. Prior to beginning nursing courses, students will be asked to:

1. Sign a waiver releasing the School of Nursing and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, from responsibility for injury or illness resulting from exposure to disease, medicines, or treatments while in the clinical setting.
2. Present evidence of a negative tuberculosis test within the past year, The admitting TB test must be two step test. Subsequent yearly tests may be a one-step. If a student has a positive skin result, a chest X-ray is required.
3. Provide documentation of measles, mumps, rubella, varicella diphtheria and tetanus immunizations according to the most recent CDC guidelines. While attending the program, the vaccinations must be within the 10-year time frame.
4. Provide evidence of completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series, a titer indicating presumptive immunity, or a statement from a health care provider indicating that the vaccination is contraindicated for health reasons.
5. Provide documentation of physical examination within one year prior to admission to nursing program demonstrating the student’s ability to perform the essential functions of the registered nurse, with or without reasonable accommodations (Essential functions can be found on the School of Nursing website.)
6. Provide evidence of a negative drug screen. Further information provided in the nursing orientation.
7. Provide certification of completion of BLS health care provider skills offered by the American Heart Association.
8. Complete a background check as identified on the School of Nursing website.
9. Provide evidence of current health insurance. The student is responsible to determine that health insurance coverage includes provisions of a needle stick or other high-risk exposure in the clinical setting, as well as the cost of anti-HIV drugs if warranted.

Credit

Contact hour ratio: one credit = three contact hours.

Progression

To progress in the B.S. in Nursing Program, students must achieve a minimum of a C (2.00) in each of the required nursing courses.

If a student receives less than a C (2.00) in a nursing class and it is the first occurrence, the student will be allowed to repeat the nursing course. (The student must renegotiate the nursing program contract and will be placed in the needed course at the next opportunity that class space is available.)

If a student is nonsuccessful in an additional course with the NURS prefix (in the same semester or later semesters), the student will be suspended from the school. Nonsuccessful is defined as:

1. Dropping a class in which the student has an average below C at the date of withdrawal from classes.
2. Completion of the course with a grade average below C (2.00).
3. An F grade resulting from failure to withdraw from the class.
4. Having an average below C (2.00) at the time of complete withdrawal from the university.
5. Failing the clinical portion of a clinical course.

Reinstatement to the baccalaureate program requires approval of the School of Nursing Student Affairs Council. If reinstatement is recommended, the recommendation may include stipulations. Reinstatement is not automatic and is dependent upon the student’s total record of performance. The privilege of reinstatement is granted only once.

If the failed course in which the student was nonsuccessful is a prerequisite or corequisite (requiring concurrent enrollment) to other nursing courses, as identified in the current catalog, the student will not be allowed to progress. All prerequisite or corequisites must be successfully completed prior to progression to any course scheduled in subsequent semesters. This policy would affect students as illustrated in the following example: NURS 320 identifies the following courses as prerequisites (NURS 305, 306, 307, and 308). If the student has not completed all of those courses with a satisfactory grade, he or she could not enroll in NURS 320.

Policies Specific to B.S. in Nursing

Incoming Student Orientation

Incoming students are required to attend a student orientation. At the orientation session, information concerning the program will be provided and student data collected.

Medication Calculation Policy

Students must demonstrate continuing and growing competence in medication calculation specific to various clinical areas. The student must demonstrate on the designated exam a grade of 100 percent prior to the end of the semester in each course that has a clinical component. Procedural aspects of the policy are identified in the Student Handbook.

Standardized Competency Exams

Standardized competency exams are required each semester of the nursing program. See Student Handbook for procedural aspects of this policy.
Additional information regarding school policies can be obtained from the student handbook or through advisement.

Advisement

After admission to the nursing program, all students will be assigned a nursing advisor from the undergraduate nursing faculty. Students are encouraged to meet with their advisor once a semester or as needed.

Nursing Program Contracts

All pre-nursing (PRN) and nursing majors (NURS) are required to negotiate a program contract. Pre-nursing students meet with the Pre-nursing Advisor. The Pre-nursing program contract provides a semester-by-semester schedule identifying prerequisite classes needed to establish eligibility for admission to the nursing program. Nursing majors (NURS) meet with the BSN Coordinator to sign nursing program contracts.

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