Victoria Vaughan Dickson, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN, Dean
Nancy Redeker, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FAAN, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship
Annette Jakubisin Konicki, Ph.D., APRN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
Annette T. Maruca, Ph.D., PMH-BC, CNE, CCHP, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Studies

The School of Nursing offers two pre-licensure programs: a traditional 4-year baccalaureate program and an accelerated second degree Certificate Entry into Nursing/B.S. (CEIN/B.S. program). The traditional undergraduate program provides an opportunity to combine a general education with professional preparation in nursing. This curriculum requires four academic years. The accelerated second degree CEIN/B.S. program is a one-year program designed for individuals with baccalaureate degrees in other areas. The programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the Connecticut State Board of Nurse Examiners.

Criminal Background Check

The School of Nursing requires all students to have a criminal background check prior to the start of each academic year in which clinical placement is a required component of the program. The School of Nursing contracts with an outside entity to obtain relevant background check information. The ‘satisfactory’ or ‘needs further follow-up’ outcome of the background check will be released to the School and to the agencies where clinical experiences are planned. Students must apply directly to the outside entity and pay all associated costs. The outside entities’ contact information, as well as the costs associated with the criminal background check, can be found in the student handbook.

It is important to note that the results of a student’s criminal background check may prevent a student from completing a clinical placement. The agency of clinical placement will make the determination whether a student can receive experiences within that site. The School cannot guarantee that a student will be accepted into any required clinical placement sites. Failure to complete all required clinical activities will prevent a student from graduating from the School of Nursing.

The following is a partial list of crimes and offenses that may negatively impact a student’s ability to complete required clinical placements: any sexual crime, any crime of violence, any drug crime, any weapon crime, property crimes, theft, robbery, burglary, embezzlement or fraud, public intoxication or substance abuse, other felonies or serious offenses which would not be appropriate in a healthcare/patient care environment.

Drug Testing

Use of drugs, prescribed or otherwise, may create a risk of being denied a clinical placement. This includes, but is not limited to, prescribed medical marijuana or opiates. If the findings of a required drug screening prevent you from being placed in a clinical agency for your experience, you will not be able to complete the nursing program. If you have any concerns about your current prescriptions in relation to securing a clinical placement, please contact your health care provider.

The faculty reserve the right to recommend a student’s withdrawal from the program for reasons of health.

Transportation

The location and shift times (day/evening/weekend) required by clinical experience providers vary greatly, and the SON cannot guarantee the availability of a particular location or shift. Some students may be required to travel distances of more than 75 miles; therefore, ride-sharing services can prohibit the clinical experience and it is the student’s responsibility to ensure their own transportation to clinical. Students are responsible for arranging transportation to and from all clinical experiences and any travel costs, e.g., fuel and parking fees. Students with questions or concerns about transportation should contact the program director before the beginning of each semester.

Computers

All students are required to have their own laptop computer with wireless capability at the start of their first year for baccalaureate students and prior to the start of the accelerated second degree CEIN/B.S. program. See current student handbook for laptop technical specifications.

Licensure

Under the provisions of Section 19a-14(a) of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended by Public Act 86-365, the Department of Public Health and Addiction Services of the State of Connecticut may deny licensure to applicants who have been convicted of a felony or are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Copies of this law are available in the School of Nursing Admission and Enrollment Services Office. Students are responsible for being aware of what the licensure requirements are in the State in which they intend to apply for a license.

Books, Uniforms and Professional Equipment

All pre-licensure students are expected to purchase books, uniforms, and the professional equipment required before beginning the clinical experiences.

Students in the Pre-Licensure program who return from a Leave of Absence during the clinical component of the program are required to complete a one-day mandatory reorientation/skill refresher in the clinical resource lab (simulation lab).

Majors

Admission Requirements

See Admission to the University. Student applications for admission to the School of Nursing are accepted only for the Fall semester. Qualified students are admitted directly to the School of Nursing as first-year students. See First-Year Student Admission. Admission is competitive and applicants should have credentials placing them in the upper range of their high school graduation class. First-year, transfer, and change of major students must have completed a high school (or college) course in chemistry for admission consideration.

Transfer students should see Transfer Admission. Such students should have made substantial progress toward completing the 1000-level requirements, particularly those courses that are an indication of their academic ability in math and science. Number of credits earned, grade point average in all courses taken, and space availability are key considerations in the school’s admission decision.

Students not admitted into the School of Nursing at the time of entry to the University may apply for admission through the School of Nursing School Change procedures. Such students should submit a completed School of Nursing Change of Major form online including a statement as to why they desire the School change. Change of Major forms are due by February 1 for fall acceptance consideration. Decisions will be based on several criteria including the applicant’s academic record, courses taken and space availability. Change of Major applicants are expected to have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 as well as a math/science GPA that is equal or higher than a 3.0 in two or more math/science prerequisite courses to be competitive in the petition or transfer process.

Students taking non-degree course work in a non-matriculated fashion may petition for a change of classification to degree-seeking matriculated status.

Admission Requirements for Accelerated Second Degree CEIN/B.S.

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree with cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. The following required science courses must be completed prior to admission with “B-” or better grades in each:

• Human Anatomy and Physiology (PNB 2264 Human Physiology and Anatomy and PNB 2265 Human Physiology and Anatomy or equivalent),
• Chemistry (CHEM 1122 Chemical Principles and Applications or equivalent),
• Biology (BIOL 1107 Principles of Biology I or equivalent),
• Genetics (MCB 2400 Human Genetics or equivalent and must be taken within five years of enrollment in the program),
• Microbiology (MCB 2610 Fundamentals of Microbiology) or equivalent).

An undergraduate statistics course must be completed with grades of “C” or better.

Applicants to the UConn Accelerated Second Degree CEIN/B.S. program are individually and holistically reviewed. A holistic review allows the admissions committee the opportunity to consider multiple factors rather than focusing on any one factor. We consider your experiences and unique qualities in addition to your academic performance. We believe both tangible and intangible factors are essential to success in the nursing profession and in our program. The UConn School of Nursing is committed to diversity and the excellence it facilitates. Our application process seeks to identify globally minded nurses who are well prepared to care for our diverse communities.

Preclinical Requirements for Pre-Licensure Programs

In addition to pre-entrance University requirements, students admitted to the School of Nursing must present evidence of the following prior to clinical experiences per Office of Clinical Placement Coordination (OCPC): physical exam with color vision testing and clearance to participate in clinical activities, TDAP (Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) booster with tetanus immunization in the past 10 years; one poliomyelitis booster following initial immunization; annual tuberculin test (with chest x-ray for positive reactors); rubella, rubeola, hepatitis B titers (with vaccine if titer is negative); and varicella titer, an annual flu vaccine, clear criminal background and drug screenings and any other requirements of affiliating agencies.

It is mandatory that all students carry comprehensive health insurance when they are involved in practice in clinical areas.

A current American Heart Association Basic Life Support certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (professional level: covering infant, child, adult, and two-person) is a prerequisite for entry into the clinical courses and must be current through graduation.

Students who fail to provide written documentation that they have met the above stated health requirements will not be allowed in the clinical areas.

Clinical practice experiences in healthcare and other agencies are a required component of program completion and graduation with a baccalaureate degree in nursing. Students must meet all standards and requirements necessary to complete required clinical placements including, but not limited to health requirements, drug testing, fingerprinting and/or criminal background checks. Failure to do so will result in an inability to complete the program.

Requirements for Clinical Practice

Assessment of Clinical Practice skills is determined through the American Association of Colleges for Nursing (AACN) Essentials competency levels. Competency levels for Clinical Practice are assessed in multiple ways: motor, sensory, communication, behavior, and critical thinking (see Technical Standards)

1. Motor: Unless a reasonable accommodation exists, the student must possess sufficient motor capabilities to execute the movements and skills required to provide safe and effective nursing interventions. These include, but are not limited to:
   1. Coordination, speed and agility to assist and safely guard (protect), with safe and proper body mechanics, patients who are ambulating, transferring, or performing other activities.
   2. Ability to adjust and position equipment and patients, which involves bending or stooping freely to floor level and reaching above the head.
   3. Ability to move throughout the classroom or clinical site, and sit and stand for long periods of time to carry out patient care activities.
   4. Ability to perform patient care duties for up to 12 hours at a time, day or night.
   5. Ability to move or position patients and equipment, which involves lifting, carrying, pulling up to 30 pounds.
   6. Ability to guide, resist, and assist patients, or to provide emergency care, which involves standing, kneeling, sitting, or walking.
   7. Ability and dexterity to manipulate the devices used in giving nursing care.
   8. Ability to administer CPR without assistance.
2. Sensory: The student must be able to obtain information in classroom, laboratory, or clinical settings through observation, auscultation, palpation and other measures, including but not limited to:
   1. Visual ability (corrected as necessary) to recognize and interpret facial expressions and body language, identify normal and abnormal patterns of movement, to read or set parameters on various equipment, to discriminate color changes, and to interpret and assess the environment.
   2. Auditory ability (corrected as necessary) to recognize and respond to soft voices, auditory timers, equipment alarms, call bells, and to effectively use devices for measurement of blood pressure, breath sounds, etc.
   3. Tactile ability to palpate a pulse and to detect changes or abnormalities of surface texture, skin temperature, body contour, muscle tone, and joint movement.
   4. Sufficient position, movement and balance sensations to assist and protect patients who are ambulating, transferring, or performing other activities.
3. Communication: The student must be able to communicate effectively with peers, faculty, patients and their families, and other health care providers. This includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Ability to read at a competency level that allows one to safely carry out the essential functions of an assignment (examples; handwritten chart data, printed policy, and procedure manuals).
   2. Ability to effectively interpret and process information.
   3. Ability to effectively communicate (verbally and in writing) with patients and their families, health care professionals, and others within the community.
   4. Ability to access information and to communicate and document effectively via computer.
   5. Ability to recognize, interpret, and respond to nonverbal behavior of self and others.
4. Behavior: The student must be capable of exercising good judgment, developing empathic and therapeutic relationships with patients and others, and tolerating close and direct physical contact with a diverse population. This will include people of all ages, races, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, as well as individuals with weight disorders, physical disfigurement and medical or mental health problems. This also includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Ability to work with multiple patients, families, and colleagues at the same time.
   2. Ability to work with classmates, instructors, health care providers, patients, families, and others under stressful conditions, including but not limited to providing care to medically or emotionally unstable individuals, situations requiring rapid adaptations, the provision of CPR, or other emergency interventions.
   3. Ability to foster and maintain cooperative and collegial relationships with classmates, instructors, other health care providers, patients, and their families.
5. Critical Thinking: The student must possess sufficient abilities in the areas of calculation, critical problem solving, reasoning, and judgment to be able to comprehend and process information within a reasonable time frame as determined by the faculty and the profession. The student must be able to prioritize, organize and attend to tasks and responsibilities efficiently. This includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Ability to collect, interpret and analyze written, verbal, and observed data about patients.
   2. Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, integrate information, and make decisions.
   3. Ability to apply knowledge of the principles, indications, and contraindications for nursing interventions.
   4. Ability to act safely and ethically in the college clinical lab and in clinical placements within the community.