Essential Abilities

The School of Nursing faculty have specified Essential Abilities (technical standards) critical to the success of students enrolled in any of the school's nursing programs. These essential abilities are essential judgment skill, essential neurological functions, communication skills, essential emotional coping skills, essential intellectual/conceptual skills and other essential behavioral attributes. Once admitted to an academic program, students are expected to meet School of Nursing standards for these essential abilities in order to participate in the nursing education program and progress through the program. Copies of the school's "Essential Abilities Policy" are available upon request from the division office.

Modifications in the learning environment to assist students in meeting these essential abilities and all other abilities and all other progression requirements will be made in accordance with federal and university guidelines and in consideration of individual needs.  It is the student's responsibility to request adaptive assistance for documented disabilities.

Student Responsibility

Students admitted to the School of Nursing are responsible for knowing and completing the degree requirements for their undergraduate degree program. Students are responsible for acquainting themselves with all policies pertaining to their admission, progression, and graduation. Prior to admission to the nursing program, students must comply with university academic standards and policies. Students interrupting their progression, part-time study students, transfer students, or full-time students taking longer than three years to complete their BSN program once accepted, may be subject to policy or curriculum changes as they progress.

Professional Liability Insurance

All undergraduate nursing students have liability insurance under IU’s malpractice contract. This policy covers students only while caring for patients/clients in the student’s role. This insurance does not cover students who are working for pay or in any other capacity outside program-sanctioned learning experiences.

Health Requirements

All IUS nursing students must provide evidence of compliance with health requirements including immunizations, CPR certification and blood-borne pathogens. Failure to meet campus-specific health requirements will prevent the student from participating in clinical learning experiences.

Immunizations

All IUS nursing students are required to provide proof of immunization against a variety of diseases. Students not meeting immunization requirements are not allowed to remain in their clinical nursing courses. You should have received most of these immunizations as a child, but others must be more recent. If you are admitted to IUS, you will be asked to provide the dates of your vaccinations. In anticipation of admission, you may want to gather records of your previous vaccinations and obtain the immunizations you have not yet received. The required immunizations are listed below.

Tetanus—Must have been immunized within the last ten years.

Rubella (German measles)—Required to have either a Rubella titer or received Rubella vaccine. The current standard at Indiana University is that rubella immunization is required if the titer indicates susceptibility to the disease. Must have proof of one dose of vaccine or a positive titer.

Rubeola (measles)—Must show proof of two measles vaccines or a positive titer or documented disease by a physician.

Mumps—Immunization or titer.

Tuberculosis—All students must have a PPD Tuberculin Skin Test annually. If you have a positive reaction to the skin test, a chest X-ray is required. A copy of the x-ray report is filed with the nursing office. Your physician should indicate what treatment, if any, was prescribed for you as a result of a positive skin test or chest X-ray.

Hepatitis B—This vaccination is mandatory for your protection. The vaccine is administered in a series of three injections over a six-month period. The series only needs to be started (i.e., receive the first shot) prior to beginning the clinical nursing courses.

CPR certification

Students are required to hold a current CPR certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.

Bloodborne Pathogens

Annual training in Universal Precautions standards is required. The training will be scheduled in designated courses prior to clinical.

Health Insurance Portability and Privacy Act (HIPAA) Training

HIPAA training is required every three years. Initial HIPAA training will be completed in the first sophomore clinical course. Students who are in the program more than three years will be required to repeat HIPAA training to ensure compliance with Federal standards.

Clinical Attire

The scrub tops and bottoms worn by IUS Division of Nursing students are purchased at Scrubs Central, 3831 Charlestown Road, New Albany, IN. Polo shirts and fleece jackets are purchased through the IUS Student Nurse Association.

The attire for the hospital setting is:

• red scrub top and bottom,
• white, 3/4 length, long sleeved lab coat with IUS Division of Nursing patch on the left sleeve,
• white, long sleeved, mock turtle neck shirt with IU logo on the neck may be worn under the red scrub top,
• white, closed toe and heel shoes, clean and polished.

The clinical attire for senior nursing students in community health settings through the spring of 2009 is:

• navy blue dress slacks,
• white, short sleeved, polo shirt with the IUS Division of Nursing logo,
• dark, closed toe and heel, flat heeled shoes,
• white, long sleeved, mock turtle neck shirt with IU logo on the neck may be worn under the polo shirt

Beginning in the Fall, 2008, for sophomores and returning juniors, the clinical attire in psychiatric and community health settings is:

• navy blue or khaki dress slacks,
• a red, short sleeved, polo shirt with the IUS Division of Nursing logo in white letters,
• a navy, fleece jacket, zippered closure with the IUS Division of Nursing logo in red letters.

A name tag containing the first name and first initial of the last name that identifies the student as an Indiana University Southeast Division of Nursing student will be worn.

In addition, the Division of Nursing Faculty also has adopted the following policies:

• No artificial fingernails may be worn in the clinical setting.
• Tattoos will be covered by attire or band-aids.
• Tongue piercing will not be acceptable in a clinical setting. No other visible piercings will be permitted (i.e., eyebrow, nose, chin, or lip).
• Earrings are limited to one per ear.
• Additional jewelry is limited to a watch, wedding band and/or engagement ring.

Students with Disabilities

The university is committed to helping temporarily and permanently disabled students make the transition to student life. Students with physical, mental, or learning impairments are encouraged to consult with counselors from the School of Nursing and the IU Southeast Disability Services Office in the Library Building Room 022, (812) 941-2579 or http://www.ius.edu/UD/DisabilityServices/ for assistance in meeting degree requirements. Students with disabilities must meet all academic and technical skill requirements of the program.

Writing Competencies

The School of Nursing faculty has specified writing competencies critical to the success of students in any IU nursing program. They are as follows:

1. The writing has a focus, or a topic which the student will examine from a particular point of view in order to arrive at a conclusion (thesis).
   
2. The writing shows the student’s sense of the target audience and of the effect the writing is meant to have on that audience.
   
3. The writing reveals the student’s ability to introduce the topic and his or her approach clearly and to develop ideas with balanced and specific arguments. The conclusion is relevant and clearly stated.
   
4. The writing is logically organized, showing coherence within and between paragraphs. Transitions from one point to the next are clear and easy to follow.
   
5. The writing reflects critical thinking. The specific is linked to the general; the general is tested against the specific.
   
6. The writing has been revised to substitute direct, precise terms for vague ones and to cut out unneeded words and phrases.
   
7. The writing has appropriate sentence structure and variety. Grammar, spelling and punctuation have been carefully checked and are accurate.
   
8. The writing follows APA style and format, unless another style and format are specified for a particular purpose.
   
9. The writing represents the student’s original work. Where the ideas or materials or others are discussed or are used for support, the students has taken responsibility to understanding and following the academic rules on giving appropriate credit to original sources.

Failure to appropriately represent work of others constitutes plagiarism, which may result in a course failure and dismissal from the program.

Intercampus Transfers

Students in good academic standing may seek intercampus transfer by petitioning the Admission, Progression, and Graduation (APG) Committee on the campus to which they desire to transfer at least one semester in advance of the requested transfer. Intercampus transfer requests will be evaluated individually on the basis of the student’s academic record and the availability of course positions, faculty and facilities to meet the student’s needs and program objectives. Please note that students completing prerequisite course work required for applications to the baccalaureate nursing major are given priority consideration on the campus where the majority of work was completed. Students should contact the academic counselor on their current campus to determine if an intercampus transfer will affect their status.

Transfers from Other Universities or Colleges

Students must be in good academic standing to be considered for transfer as a pre-nursing or nursing student. Pre-nursing students must be able to complete 51 percent or more of their prerequisite course work at Indiana University to be considered for priority admission to the baccalaureate nursing major. Students seeking transfer into the BSN major must gain approval by the APG Committee. Approval is based on curriculum compatibility, space, resources, and progression and graduation requirements. Students should see an academic counselor at their current university or college prior to making transferal requests.

Application Ineligibility

A student shall be ineligible for application to the B.S.N. nursing program if a grade of C (2.0) is not achieved in each program course taken to satisfy degree requirements. A pattern of course withdrawals may reduce a student's changes of admission to the undergraduate nursing program. Check with the IU Southeast Academic Counselor for further clarification of policies related to withdrawals. Individuals convicted of sexual crimes will be ineligible for admission to nursing. Please direct all questions related to the policy to the Dean, Division of Nursing.

Course Time Limit for Undergraduate Programs

Knowledge and competencies developed in courses that fulfill the requirements for anatomy, physiology, microbiology, statistics, and lifespan development are considered to be time-limited for all individuals pursuing an undergraduate degree in nursing. If any of these courses were taken more than seven years prior to admission to the nursing undergraduate degree, the program applicant must validate the related knowledge and competencies through testing, portfolio, or repeating the course to be eligible for admission and progression. (The Registered Nurse (RN) student pursuing a bachelor degree is exempt from this policy.)

Repeat of Prerequisite Courses

To be considered for admission, a student must earn a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all required prerequisite courses (C- is not acceptable). These courses may be repeated no more than once. Effective Fall 1994 and thereafter, all incoming freshman and transfer students may repeat no more than 11 credit hours of required courses.

Academic Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation when the cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 or when the semester point average is below 2.0. Academic probation will be removed when the cumulative grade point average and the semester grade point average are 2.0 or higher. Students on academic probation may not enroll in more than 12 credit hours per semester unless special permission is obtained from the University Division. Students on academic probation may be required to complete remedial course work.

Dismissal

Faculty reserve the right to dismiss any student whose personal integrity, health, or conduct demonstrates unfitness to continue preparation for professional nursing.

Reinstatement

Immediately following dismissal, a student may seek reinstatement to the School of Nursing by writing the Admission, Progression, and Graduation (APG) Committee chair. Students who are reinstated must adhere to the policies and curriculum of the School of Nursing in effect at the time of reinstatement. Reinstatement decisions are campus specific and not transferable among IU campuses.