Associate of Science in Nursing

1. Integrate current knowledge from nursing science, the humanities, social and natural sciences in providing nursing care.
2. Perform comprehensive client assessment by collecting information from multiple sources to establish a foundation for provision of client care.
3. Provide safe, competent care and promote positive client outcomes using critical thinking to make clinical decisions.
4. Demonstrate accountability for ethical, legal and professional standards of nursing.
5. Teach the client and significant support person(s) in order to promote and facilitate informed decision making, achieve positive outcomes, and promote self-care activities.
6. Demonstrate caring behaviors toward the client, significant support person(s), peers and other members of the healthcare team.
7. Demonstrate effective therapeutic communication skills to exchange information verbally, non-verbally, in writing and through information technology, directed toward promoting positive health outcomes.
8. Manage client care as a member of the healthcare team, effectively utilizing resources to meet client needs and to support organizational outcomes.
9. Collaborate with the client, significant support person(s) and members of the health care team to achieve positive client outcomes.
10. Use contemporary technology safely in nursing practice.
11. Use evidence-based information to support clinical decision-making.
12. Recognize the impact of social, economic, legal and political factors on the delivery of healthcare.
13. Value life-long learning and professional development.

Transfer Credit

If requested, the ADN Program Director will determine advanced placement in the nursing curriculum for students after the applicant's acceptance into the Nursing program. Advanced placement will be determined through evaluation of official transcripts for transfer credit. In addition to the College's general transfer credit policies, all of the following are criteria for advanced placement in the nursing curriculum.

• The ADN Program Director must evaluate courses considered for transfer credit and determine that they are equivalent in content to the courses being replaced.
• Courses considered for transfer credit must be completed with a minimum grade of "C”.
• Course syllabi and topical outlines must be submitted with the application when requesting advanced placement.
• All general education and nursing course requirements for Level I must be completed prior to advanced placement into Level II.
• Fifty percent of the nursing credit hours must be taken at Jefferson College of Health Sciences.
• Nursing courses considered for transfer credit must have been taken no longer than three years prior to the date of entry into the program.
• The student cannot have more than one failure in a nursing course in a previous nursing program within the last three years.

Minimum Performance Standards

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, nursing students must be, with reasonable accommodations, physically and mentally capable of performing minimal standards to meet program objectives. The Minimum Performance Standards for Admission and Progression include:

Essential Mental Abilities:

1. Follow instructions and rules.
2. Maintain reality orientation accompanied by short and long term memory.
3. Apply basic mathematical skills.
4. Demonstrate safe nursing practice within the defined clinical time period.
5. Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective nursing care.
6. Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment.

Essential Communication Skills:

1. Speak clearly in order to communicate with patients, families, healthcare team members, peers and faculty.
2. Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with diverse individuals, families and groups.
3. Communication abilities sufficient for clear interaction with others in verbal and written form.
4. Ability to independently read and accurately interpret written communications (i.e., test questions, MD orders, etc.)

Essential Physical Abilities:

1. Stand and walk for six to eight hours/day.
2. Walk for prolonged periods from one area to another over an eight-hour period.
3. Bend, squat and kneel.
4. Assist in lifting or moving clients of all age groups and weights.
5. Perform CPR (i.e., move above patient to compress chest and manually ventilate patient).
6. Work with arms fully extended overhead.
7. Use hands for grasping, pushing, pulling and fine manipulation.
8. Demonstrate eye/hand coordination for manipulation of equipment (i.e., syringes, procedures, etc.).
9. Auditory abilities sufficient to monitor and assess health needs.
10. Visual abilities sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing home.
11. Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.
12. Any student who may require accommodations should schedule an appointment with the Associate Degree Program Director.

Professional Behavior

The faculty expects students to exhibit professional behavior.  The following is a list of expected professional behaviors:

• Demonstrates safety in all situations.
• Demonstrates honesty in all situations.
• Incorporates professional and ethical standards, including Patient Bill of Rights and ANA Standards.
• Incorporates agency policies and procedures, standards of care, clinical pathways and practice guidelines as appropriate.
• Demonstrates professional demeanor (e.g., dress code policy per college and agency, respect for others, accepts criticism, cooperative, controls temper, attentive, professional language and no gum chewing).

Academic Policies

Policies (progression and retention. suspension, dismissal, re-admission, graduation) pertaining to students enrolled in the Associate Degree in Nursing Programs are published in the Associate Degree Nursing Program Student Handbook. Students have access to the handbook in the ADN Student Blackboard site. A copy is available in the LRC. Copies may also be requested by contacting the Program Secretary.

NCLEX-RN Testing

Standardized tests facilitate preparation for taking the computerized NCLEX-RN Licensure examination following graduation.  Pre-Licensure ADN students will be required to take nationally normed tests periodically throughout the curriculum and to make a satisfactory score on such tests.  In the last semester of the curriculum, students will be required to take a comprehensive exit exam and meet exit exam requirements prior to graduating and prior to taking NCLEX-RN licensing exam. A fee for testing may be applicable.

Licensure

The application for registered nurse (RN) licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia includes questions regarding previous licensure as an LPN or RN, violations of the law constituting a felony or misdemeanor, alcohol or chemical dependency and treatment for physical or mental disorders. According to Section 54.1-3007 of the statutes and regulations of the Board of Nursing, Code of Virginia:

The Board may refuse to admit a candidate to any examination (refuse to issue a license or certificate to any applicant and may suspend any license or certificate for a stated period or indefinitely, or revoke any license or certificate or censure or reprimand any licensee or certificate holder or place him or her on probation for such time as it may designate) for any of the following causes:

1. fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure a license;
2. unprofessional conduct;
3. willful or repeated violation of any of the provisions of this chapter;
4. conviction of any felony or any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
5. practicing in a manner contrary to the standards of ethics or in such a manner as to make his or her practice a danger to the health and welfare of patients or to the public;
6. use of alcohol or drugs to the extent that such use renders him unsafe to practice, or any mental or physical illness rendering him unsafe to practice;
7. the denial, revocation, suspension or restriction of a license or certificate to practice in another state, the District of Columbia or a United States possession or territory; or
8. abuse, negligent practice or misappropriation of a patient's or resident's property.

For questions regarding individual situations pertaining to the above, students should contact: Virginia Board of Nursing, 6603 West Broad Street, 5th Floor, Richmond, VA  23230-1712, (804) 662-9909.