Nursing - Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) (B.S.)

(Bachelor of Science Degree)

At Utica College, the nursing program is designed to provide students with a liberal education as well as a professional foundation that integrates nursing theory with skills required for nursing practice. The program leads to a bachelor’s of science (B.S.) in nursing. This accelerated track is designed to provide education for generalist nursing roles. Students in this track must have completed all prerequisite courses prior to admission. Students will take the nursing courses outlined below in a hybrid delivery model. It is accelerated because the four semesters run consecutively with only small breaks between semesters.

Professional nurses are liberally educated practitioners who function as primary providers of health care services to individuals, families, groups, and communities. Nurses work collaboratively with physicians, social workers, therapists, and other health professionals. Graduates of the program have opportunities in a variety of settings including acute care, community agencies, home care, and schools. All students enrolled in clinical courses must hold current certification in CPR, Basic Life Support, have health and liability insurance, and meet the health requirements of the respective agencies. Transportation is the responsibility of the student. Details about these requirements are available from the program office.

The nursing program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and is approved by the New York State Education Department. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN).

Utica College’s Florida campus is headquartered at 9400 4th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, (866) 890-9340. The St. Petersburg facility is designed as a training facility for nursing students.  The St. Petersburg facility houses all teaching and learning facilities serving 200-300 students and a full time staff of six to eight.  This facility is 8000 sq. ft., housing one large classroom, one computer laboratory, and one large clinical laboratory, several smaller training rooms, general meeting areas, administrative offices, and abundant storage. The clinical laboratory is modeled after the main-campus nursing laboratory.

Utica College Incorporated is registered with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, to do business in Florida as a non-profit corporation. Utica College is licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education, effective March 2013. Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, (888) 224-6684. Utica College President Todd S. Hutton is the administrator of the Florida campus. Students will be notified of any administrative changes. The transfer of credits received by Utica College from another institution, or transferred from Utica College to another institution, is solely at the discretion of the accepting institution; no guarantee of transfer is made or implied by Utica College.

Florida students dissatisfied with the outcome of their grievances may appeal to the Commission for Independent Education at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400, (888) 224-6684.

The program delivery is a hybrid format of online didactic delivery and hands-on clinical and skills lab instruction. Didactic courses include interactive exercises that can be finished at a location and time convenient to students with an Internet connection, and repeated as often as necessary. The Canvas learning management system allows for primarily asynchronous delivery of the curriculum, with additional features to allow for synchronous communication between staff, faculty, and students. A new student orientation is delivered at the start of the first semester and includes a training session to the learning management system. For didactic courses, students are assessed through proctored exams and written coursework. Students are assessed and evaluated separately for skills lab and clinical activities by expert instructors on-site.

Students are provided additional learning resources such as access to the Utica online library, and links to scholarly articles and video demonstration.

Hardware and software requirements are loaded into the introduction pages of every course, but can also be found through Canvas Guides online at the following website (http://guides.instructure.com/m/4214/l/41056-which-browsers-does-canvas-support). Technical support to both faculty and students is provided through 24/7 support services via phone, email, or online ticket submissions.

Learning Objectives

• Assimilate theories and concepts from liberal education into generalist nursing practice.
• Practice leadership concepts to deliver high quality health care
• Incorporate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal conduct into practice.
• Provide safe, competent entry -level care across the life span.

ABSN - Special Requirement

The faculty at Utica College strive to provide a successful educational experience for every student. Each student is required to meet the following criteria in order to remain in the Nursing Program:

The student must:

• Achieve and maintain a minimum 2.8 cumulative G.P.A. throughout the entire nursing program.
• Demonstrate the professional and ethical behaviors required for successful performance of professional nursing practice as noted by faculty and clinical instructors.
• Adhere to established course sequence in nursing major.
• Adhere to Utica College academic rules and regulations. (See undergraduate catalog)

Retention Criteria

1. Students are expected to be aware of prerequisite course requirements. Prerequisites will not be waived.
2. A minimum grade of C+ (77%) will be required for all nursing courses. A student who achieves a grade of less than a C+ in a nursing course has one opportunity to repeat the course. A maximum of one nursing course may be repeated. Progression in the nursing program is based on seat availability in the course. Failure to achieve the minimum grade of C+ in the repeated course will result in academic dismissal from the nursing program. A student who withdraws from any nursing course jeopardizes their progression in the program.
3. Students who are placed on academic probation by the College will be suspended or requested to withdraw from the nursing major.
4. Students are expected to maintain standards of professional behavior within academic and clinical settings. The student who fails to meet these standards may be subject to dismissal from the ABSN program and the College. Expected behaviors include but are not limited to:
   1. Attend all labs, exams and clinical experiences and arrive on time. In the case of illness or an emergency, the appropriate faculty member must be telephoned prior to lab/exam/clinical.
   2. Prepare for class/lab/clinical according to course requirements identified in each course syllabus.
   3. Complete all assignments according to the time frame posted in the syllabus.
   4. Demonstrate respect and courtesy toward faculty, staff, and fellow students.
   5. Demonstrate honesty and integrity in all academic and clinical settings.
   6. Contribute to the educational growth of self and fellow students.

Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Clinical Experiences

Clinical experiences are designed to provide support and integration of the academic coursework. A nursing faculty member will provide direct, on-site supervision for clinical experiences except for selected clinical courses.

1. All students must provide their own transportation to clinical settings. Parking at clinical facilities is at the student’s expense.
2. All students must meet orientation and health requirements for each clinical prior to clinical start date.
3. NO cell phones allowed in the clinical setting.
4. Excused student absences from clinical will be evaluated by the course instructor relative to meeting course objectives. Recommended remediation will be determined conjointly by faculty and the student. Initiation of remediation is the student’s responsibility.
5. Clinical experiences are graded on a pass/fail (P/F) basis. Outcome criteria for clinical evaluation are clearly stated in the course syllabus and clinical evaluation tool.
6. A student who is found to endanger the health/welfare of a client will be considered to have engaged in misconduct. The following constitute cause for immediate dismissal from the clinical setting and failure of the clinical course, as well as dismissal from the nursing program:
   1. Coming to clinical under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
   2. Emotional or physical jeopardy–Any action by the student toward a patient, family/significant other of patient, or staff member(s) such as, but not limited to the following: threat to emotional and/or physical well-being; willfully harassing; physically, verbally or emotionally abusing; use of intimidation.
7. Students who commit acts judged by the clinical instructor to be unsafe may be dismissed from the clinical setting and/or course. Examples of unsafe acts include, but are not limited to:
   1. Error in medication administration.
   2. Administration of a medication without having knowledge of the drug.
   3. Inaccurate recording or failure to record medication administration.
   4. Error in administration of intravenous fluids.
   5. Failure to report changes in patient’s condition.
   6. Failure to seek supervision when necessary.
   7. Failure to report and document nursing care.
   8. Compromising patient care by inadequate preparation for clinical experience.
   9. Breach of confidentiality.
   10. Neglecting personal safety.
   11. Creating or causing personal safety hazards.
   12. Sleeping in the clinical area.

Upon the incidence of an unsafe act by a student, the clinical instructor will:

1. Inform the student immediately of the unsafe act.
2. Provide the student with written documentation concerning the unsafe act.
3. Review the incident and counsel the student, recommending remediation as needed.
4. Place copy of incident report in student’s academic file.
5. Follow the policy for reporting an incident as required by the clinical agency or institution.

Total hours required for degree: 127