School of Nursing

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Purpose and Focus

Graduates of the program are expected to demonstrate competencies consistent with being a critical thinker, a culturally competent caring provider of health care, an effective communicator, and a responsible manager of health care. Graduates are prepared to be successful on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is required to practice and be licensed as a Registered Nurse in all states.

Program Outcomes

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

1. Use emerging patient care technologies and information systems to support safe and effective nursing practice.
2. Integrate leadership concepts, skills, and decision making in the provision of high-quality nursing care delivery in a variety of settings.
3. Apply knowledge of health care policy, finance and regulatory environments, including local, state, national and global health care trends in nursing practice.
4. Integrate professional values, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors into nursing practice.
5. Demonstrate sound clinical judgment in the planning, provision, and evaluation of evidence-based nursing care at the individual, group, and community levels.
6. Apply principles that enhance safety for patients and health care providers through both individual performance and system effectiveness.
7. Demonstrate effective inter- and intra-professional communication and collaboration for improving patient outcomes.
8. Use clinical prevention strategies to promote health and prevent disease across the life span at the individual and population levels.

Accreditation

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Nevada State Board of Nursing 

Undergraduate Majors

Nursing

Area of Concentration

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Offers preparation for licensure as a registered nurse.

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  Guidelines

Students are admitted 3 times per year for the Traditional BSN Track and 1-3 times per year for the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track. Students utilize the admission criteria published within the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at the time of admission to UNLV pre-nursing (PRN) major. Once admitted to the nursing program, students are expected to maintain continuous full-time enrollment, thus allowing completion of the nursing course work in 16 months for the Traditional BSN Track and approximately 1 year for the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track. Students may apply up to four times and be accepted only twice into the nursing program, regardless of track. Once  a student has begun the nursing program, they may not reapply as a new student if they are unsuccessful in, or withdraw from, their nursing courses. UNLV offers no part-time undergraduate B.S. in Nursing degrees. Students will not be able to switch tracks once admitted into the Nursing program.

B.S. in Nursing

GPA Requirements

Students must first be admitted into PRN and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 for admission to the University. Students with a GPA between 2.00 and 2.50 may be admitted as nursing probationary students.

Prerequisites

Students are eligible for admission to the nursing major (NUR-4YR) when a UNLV GPA of 3.00 for the Traditional BSN Track is established, or a Bachelor’s Degree GPA of 3.00 for the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track and the student has earned a minimum of a B (3.00) within two attempts in the following prerequisites:

MATH 124 - Fundamentals of College Mathematics or higher (except MATH 132)

KIN 223 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I

KIN 224 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II

BIOL 251 A- General Microbiology (Lecture)

BIOL 251L- General Microbiology (Lab)

NURS 299 - Nutrition and Development Across the Lifespan

The student has also earned a minimum of a C (2.00) in all other general education and prerequisite courses.  A withdrawal or audit in any of these courses count as an attempt.

HESI Requirements

Students will be required to complete the HESI A2 Entrance Exam prior to admission to the Traditional BSN Track. Students must achieve a 75% average or higher on their first or second completion of the HESI A2 exam to be eligible for admission. UNLV PRN students applying to the Traditional BSN Track are required to take only four HESI A2 sub-exams: Math, Grammar, Reading Comprehension and Anatomy & Physiology. A 75% average or higher must be obtained on all sub-exams to be eligible to apply.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

To be admitted into the School of Nursing, an applicant who is a non-native English speaker must provide proof of English language proficiency. A non-native speaker is an individual whose primary language in the home was a language other than English (or a non-English language) or who received a K-12 (or equivalent) education in schools where English was not the medium of instruction. Admission will only be considered if the student scores 100 points or above on the TOEFL iBT (internet) language proficiency exam, a 68 or above on the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic), or a 120 or above on the Duolingo English Test These are the only proficiency exams the SON will accept.

Application Information

Students may formally apply three times a year to the Traditional BSN Track and 1-3 times per year for the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track. Eligibility for the Traditional BSN Track is verified by a PRN advisor in the Division of Health Sciences Advising Center during a mandatory in-person BSN signing appointment. Please call (702) 895-5448 to schedule an appointment. Eligibility for the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track is verified by the School of Nursing. Students applying to the Traditional BSN Track are ranked based on the GPA of their required science, math and NURS 299 courses, number of times courses are repeated, and the results of the HESI A2 Entrance Exam (Traditional BSN Track only). Admission will be offered to those students achieving the highest rank scores first until all openings are filled. The admission ranking worksheet for the Traditional BSN Track is available at the Division of Health Sciences Advising Center.  The admission ranking worksheet for the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track is available by contacting the School of Nursing. Students not accepted must reapply for admission in subsequent semesters.

B.S. in Nursing

Students must first be admitted into PRN and 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 (NUR-4YR) Traditional BSN Track when a UNLV GPA of 3.00 is established and students are eligible for admission to the Accelerated Second Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing when their prior earned bachelor’s degree cumulative GPA is 3.00 or higher. Students must have earned a B (3.00) in the following prerequisites:

MATH 124 – College Algebra or higher (except MATH 122, 123, 132), 
KIN 223 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I and KIN 224 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II),     
BIOL 251 - General Microbiology
NURS 299 -Nutrition and Development Across the Lifespan      

Students must have 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, including a withdrawal or audit in the course. 

In addition, students applying to the Traditional BSN Track will be required to complete the HESI A2 Entrance Exam prior to admission to the nursing program. Students must achieve a 75% average or higher on their first or second completion of the A2 exam to be eligible for admission. UNLV pre-nursing students are required to take only four HESI A2 sub- exams: Math, Grammar, Reading Comprehension and Anatomy & Physiology. A 75% average or higher must be obtained on all sub-exams to be eligible to apply. 

Students applying to the Accelerated Second Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing do not need to take the HESI A2 Entry Exam. 

Students are ranked based on the GPA of their required science, math and NURS 299 courses, number of times courses are repeated, and the results of the HESI A2 Entrance Exam. Admission will be offered to those students achieving the highest rank scores first until all openings are filled. Refer to the admission ranking worksheet  which can be obtained from the Division of Health Science Advising Center. Students not accepted must reapply for admission in subsequent semesters

Transfer Policies

B.S. in Nursing

Transfer students may gain admission eligibility into 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. 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. Transferring into the program from another nursing program is considered on a case-by-case basis. Transfer students must have a letter of “good academic standing” from their prior School of Nursing Dean sent directly to the School of Nursing Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

BSN Student Nurses Handbook

Students accepted into the B.S. in Nursing Program should obtain a copy of the BSN Student Nurses Handbook from the UNLV Academics website https://www.unlv.edu/degree/bs-nursing for identification of additional guidelines and procedures. Students are accountable for observing the guidelines 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. Evidence of IGRA blood testing (QuantiFERON-TB Gold in tube (QFT)); or evidence of chest x-ray and medical follow-up for those with past history of positive reactivity.
3. Provide evidence 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 evidence of the flu vaccination every fall.
6. Provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination.
7. Provide documentation of physical examination  demonstrating the student’s ability to perform the essential functions of the registered nurse, with or without reasonable accommodations.
8. Provide evidence of a negative drug screen from the School of Nursing’s specified vendor.
9. Provide certification of completion of BLS health care provider skills offered by the American Heart Association.
10. Complete a criminal background check from the School of Nursing’s specified vendor.
11. 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. Proof of health insurance coverage is required each semester.
12. Proof of completion of required health care trainings.

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 unsuccessful in an additional course with the NURS prefix (in the same semester or later semesters), the student will be dismissed from the program. Unsuccessful is defined as:

Dropping a class in which the student has an average below C at the date of withdrawal from classes.

Completion of the course with a grade average below C (2.00).

An F grade resulting from failure to withdraw from the class.

Having an average below C (2.00) at the time of complete withdrawal from the university.

Failing the clinical portion of a clinical course.

Reinstatement to the baccalaureate program requires approval from the School of Nursing administration.

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 unsuccessful is a prerequisite or co-requisite (requiring concurrent enrollment) to other nursing courses, as identified in the current catalog, the student will not be allowed to progress. All prerequisite or co-requisites must be successfully completed prior to progression to any course scheduled in subsequent semesters

Guidelines 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 will be collected.

Medication Calculation 

Students must demonstrate continuing and growing competence in medication calculation specific to various clinical areas. The student must demonstrate on a designated exam a grade of 100% in each course that has a clinical component. If a 100% score is not obtained in three attempts, the student will not progress to the following semester.

Standardized Competency Exams

Undergraduate students participate in a standardized testing program throughout the nursing program. Selected tests are required each semester and are calculated as part of the student’s final grade. 

Fees

Students will be assessed course fees each semester.

Advisement

Nursing Program Contracts

All B.S. in Nursing applicants are required to negotiate program contracts. For the Traditional BSN Track, 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. For the Accelerated Second-Degree (BSN) Track, the program contract is part of the application packet. Once admitted to one of the tracks, nursing majors will sign the applicable nursing program contract.

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