Nursing (B.S.) - Hegis Code 1203.00

(Bachelor of Science Degree)

At Utica University, the traditional nursing program is designed to provide students with a liberal arts education as well as a professional foundation that integrates nursing theory with skills required for nursing practice. The program leads to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in nursing. During the first two years of the traditional undergraduate nursing curriculum, students will complete all General Education Core and prerequisite liberal arts and sciences courses. The nursing courses will be taken in four (4) semesters at the junior and senior level. Students must successfully complete all the nursing courses in each semester before they can take courses in the next semester; they must follow the program sequence.

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 American Heart Association CPR, Healthcare Provider, have health and liability insurance, and meet the health requirements of the respective agencies. Transportation is the responsibility of the student.

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).

Freashman Track

• Required overall GPA of 85% or equivalent.
• Satisfactory completion of three years of science and mathematics on high school transcripts, with a required minimum grade of 85% or equivalent letter grade.
• Letters of recommendation and personal essay consistent with University application requirements.
• SAT or ACT preferred.
• Students must complete both General Education Core and major related courses with a GPA of 2.80 prior to beginning the nursing courses.

Transfer Track for Traditional Nursing Program

• Transfer students, either internal or external to the University, must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or better and a minimum grade of C for major-related courses for admission to the nursing program.
• Students must complete both General Education Core and major-related courses with a GPA of 2.8 prior to beginning the nursing courses.

Advanced Standing Track (Post-Secondary Pathway)

1a. 60 credit hours in liberal arts courses, including all non-nursing courses that are nursing program degree requirements; or

1b. A conferred associate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

2. Students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 or better with minimum grade of C for major-related courses for admission to the nursing program.

3. Post secondary students admitted to the Advanced Standing Track must meet Gen Ed Core requirements and major cognates.

Transfer Students or Advanced Standing Program** For transfer and or advanced standing students, the baccalaureate nursing curriculum at Utica University includes a minimum of four (4) semesters of study in nursing. All General Education Core and major-related courses must be fulfilled before entering the nursing courses.

Program Goals

The program goals for the Nursing program are:

1. Apply contemporary nursing knowledge as well as knowledge from other disciplines, including a foundation in liberal arts and natural and social sciences in the care of diverse patients within a variety of settings.
2. Provide evidence-based person-centered care that is holistic, individualized, just, respectful, compassionate, coordinated, and developmentally appropriate across the lifespan.
3. Engage in population health care activities from prevention to the management of health care needs across diverse populations through partnerships with communities, public health, government entities, and others to promote social justice and close the gap for health inequity for the improvement of population health outcomes.
4. Evaluate and apply nursing knowledge to inform practice, improve patient outcomes, and influence health care.
5. Apply established and emerging principles of quality and safety in the delivery of care as core values of nursing practice, to enhance quality and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
6. Collaborate across professions and with care team members, patients, families, and communities, to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and improve outcomes.
7. Utilizes available resources to coordinate safe, quality, and equitable care across diverse populations within complex systems.
8. Utilize informatics and healthcare technologies to inform care and deliver safe, high-quality, and efficient healthcare services in accordance with best practices and professional and regulatory standards.
9. Cultivate a sustainable professional identity that includes accountability, integrity, perspective, collaborative disposition, respect for others, inclusivity, and ethical comportment that reflect nursing’s characteristics and values.
10. Participate in activities and self-reflection that foster personal health, resilience, and well-being, contribute to lifelong learning, and support the development of nursing expertise and leadership qualities.

Special Requirement

The faculty at Utica University 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:

• Complete all General education core and Major related courses prior to progression into upper-division nursing courses.
• Achieve and maintain a minimum 2.8 cumulative G.P.A. in order to progress into upper-division nursing courses.
• Achieve and maintain a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.8 in all major related courses.
• Have earned 65 credits prior to entering the nursing courses.
• 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 University 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. Major-Related Courses
   1. A minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.8 is required in Major-related courses.
   2. A minimum grade of C is required for all major-related courses
   3. A student who achieves a grade of less than a C in a major-related course has one (1) opportunity to repeat the course. A maximum of two major-related courses may be repeated. Failure to achieve the minimum grade of C in the repeated course will result in academic dismissal from the nursing program.
4. Students who are placed on academic probation by the College will be suspended or requested to withdraw from the nursing major.
5. 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 College and/or the program. Expected behaviors include but are not limited to:
   1. Attend all classes, labs, and clinical experiences and arrive on time. In the case of illness or an emergency, the appropriate faculty member must be telephoned prior to class/lab/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

​Policies Specific to Nursing

​Nursing has additional policies that are unique to their program. Please visit the following link for the Nursing Program Handbooks: https://www.utica.edu/directory/nursing-department