Wellstar School of Nursing

(770) 423-6061
www.kennesaw.edu/chhs/schoolofnursing/

The WellStar School of Nursing offers a program of study in nursing leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. This program leads to eligibility for initial licensure as a registered nurse and consists of a traditional curriculum plan and an accelerated option for students holding a bachelors degree in another field. A BSN completion option is also available for persons who are already registered nurses. Both programs combine nursing courses with general education courses. The curriculum includes courses in the humanities and the biological and social sciences as well as the theoretical and clinical practice background necessary for the practice of professional nursing.

The BSN completion option is based on the statewide articulation plan formulated by nursing programs in the State of Georgia. Nursing courses for the RN-BSN Program are offered in both online and onground formats. Upon completion of a bridge course and other prerequisites, registered nurse students receive credit for 25 semester hours of sophomore and junior-level nursing courses and enter the senior-level courses. This program admits students once a year and is planned to provide flexible options for the working nurse. Emphasis at the senior level is on community and family nursing, career development and professional growth. Learning experiences in health care settings are individually tailored to meet student needs.

Cooperative study and internship programs are available through the baccalaureate nursing program for students to gain work experience in conjunction with their academic and clinical education.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

The WellStar College of Health and Human Services offers a program of study in nursing leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. This program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). In addition, this program leads to eligibility for initial licensure as a registered nurse and consists of a traditional curriculum plan and an accelerated option for students holding a bachelors degree in another field. A BSN completion option is also available for persons who are already registered nurses. All three program options combine nursing courses with general education courses. The general education courses provide a broad scope of liberal education for the nursing program and serve as a foundation for functioning in a civil society and learning nursing concepts. Students may declare nursing as a major and begin taking the general education component of either program, at any time.

The baccalaureate degree sequence for prelicensure students is offered every semester. Since there are a limited number of spaces in the program, prospective students must apply to the BSN program for admission with a cohort for each clinical sequence of the program.

The four semester Accelerated Program provides an excellent career migration for those with previous baccalaureate or higher degrees. The curriculum includes a combination of on-campus and several online courses, which incorporate both theoretical and clinical nursing classes. Accelerated program students are admitted each semester as full-time students. Sections of the accelerated classes are taught at our main KSU campus and at the Rome and Jasper satellite locations. These satellite programs, established to serve the needs of Northwest Georgia residents, gives priority to those students living in the Northwest Crescent of Georgia.

Nursing Program Admission Requirements

Requirements for students include:

1. Annual health history and physical exam
2. Initial proof of immunity to specified communicable diseases
3. Annual tuberculosis screening (more frequently for some clinical agencies)
4. Health Insurance
5. Certification in health care provider cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the American Heart Association
6. Uniforms (must be purchased from designated School of Nursing vendor), stethoscope, and a suitable watch.
7. An initial fee of approximately $320 to cover the cost of achievement exams taken during the program, $15 for professional liability insurance, and $35 per semester for clinical lab fee.
8. Attend mandatory all day nursing orientation session prior to entry to the nursing program.
9. Criminal background check and drug screen (cost incurred by student) must be conducted by vendor designated by the School of Nursing. Dismissal from the program may result if student is not capable of meeting clinical agency requirements for criminal background check and/or is found to have a positive drug screen. 
10. Students health records will be released to clinical agencies if requested. Students enrolled in clinical nursing courses who have not met the above requirements may be administratively withdrawn from the course.

Baccalaureate Program Admission Criteria

1. Must have met Kennesaw State University admission requirements.
2. All nursing students must complete developmental studies requirements prior to application to the nursing sequence.
3. All nursing students must complete the Regent’s requirements prior to admission to the nursing program.
4. The following prerequisite courses must be completed prior to beginning the clinical sequence: ENGL 1101, ENGL 1102; MATH 1101, MATH 1107; CHEM 1151/1151L, CHEM 1152/1152L; BIOL 2221/2221L, BIOL 2222/2222L, BIOL 2261/2261L; PSYC 2201, PSYC 3305; and SOCI 2105.
5. Applicants must complete seven of the prerequisite requirements to be considered for admission,and five of the seven must be math and natural science courses. Note: courses with a lab  component will be considered one prerequisite. Students will receive one calculated grade for the class and lab (weighting the course grade 75% and lab grade 25%)
6. Applicants must have a 2.7 cumulative grade point average with a minimum grade of “C” in each required science and mathematics course. In addition, an applicant who repeats two different natural science courses or repeats the same natural science course twice because of grades below “C” within the past 5 years will not be considered for admission to the program.
7. To be considered for admission, applicants must not have more than two withdrawals per course from any prerequisite nursing courses on their academic transcripts.
8. Admission will be based on a combination of grades received in prerequisite courses required in the program of study, the total number of required prerequisite courses completed and the total number of college credits completed. Personal qualities important to nursing and longevity at Kennesaw State University may also be considered.
9. Applications for entry into the baccalaureate nursing sequence must be completed by published deadlines.
10. Decisions regarding admission into the nursing sequence and progression in the program will be made by a nursing admissions committee.
11. All applicants must complete a pre-entrance admission exam (limited to two attempts) as designated by the School of Nursing for admission consideration. Cost for the exam is incurred by the student.
12. Finalists for admission will be notified and must attend a mandatory interview session as the final step in the admissions process.
13. Students who were previously enrolled in a nursing program and not eligible to return to the former nursing program will not be eligible for admission to the KSU Nursing Program.
14. All applicants must be aware that the state examining board has the right to refuse to grant a registered nurse license to any individual regardless of educational credentials under circumstances of (1) falsification of application for licensure (2) conviction of a felony or crime of moral turpitude; other moral and legal violations specified in the Georgia law.

Advanced Placement for RNs

The Baccalaureate Nursing Program ascribes to the Georgia RN-BSN Articulation Model. Copies of the model are available in the WellStar School of Nursing Office. Advanced placement for registered nurses is available in the baccalaureate program. Successful completion of NURS 3320 - Concepts of Professional Nursing, a 3-hour non-degree credit course, allows these students to receive 27 hours of sophomore, junior, and NURS 4414 credits and enter the clinical sequence at the senior level. This course can be taken only once. In the event that the student does not successfully complete NURS 3320, no validation credits will be granted, and the student must complete the sophomore and junior levels of the nursing sequence. All required courses for completion of the BSN must be completed within 5 years. Criteria for progression are the same as the baccalaureate degree program.

The requirements for entry into NURS 3320 are:

1. Must have met Kennesaw State University admission requirements.
2. Must have met Kennesaw State University baccalaureate nursing program admission criteria and the testing requirements of the Georgia RN-BSN Articulation Model.
3. Must have successfully completed the following prerequisite courses: ENGL 1101, ENGL 1102; MATH 1101, MATH 1107; CHEM 1151/(add slash) 1151L, CHEM 1152/1152L; BIOL 2221/2221L, BIOL 2222/2222L, BIOL 2261/2261L; PSYC 2201, PSYC 3305; SOCI 2105; BIOL 3317; NURS 3303; and corequisite course NURS 3309.
4. A student with a grade less than “C” in nursing courses, (including BIOL 3317 – Human Pathophysiology), limited to two attempts per course, will not be eligible for admission to the Advanced Placement Program for R.N.s.
5. Must present a current, valid Georgia RN license.
6. Must apply by published deadlines.

Transfer Credit for Nursing Courses

In order for any course to be considered for transfer credit, the nursing course must be from an accredited nursing program within the past two years and a grade of “B” or better, received in the course. Nursing courses older than two years will be considered only if the student has been out of the former program for two terms or less and was continuously enrolled in the former nursing program. A letter must be obtained from the School of Nursing Chair/Department Head stating that the student is eligible to return to the nursing program and is in good academic standing. Students who are not eligible to return to their former nursing program will not be able to apply to the nursing program. In addition, students will need to successfully complete a medication calculation test at 90% or better (limited to two attempts) and a nursing skills checkoff (limited to three attempts) before beginning a clinical nursing course.

Progression and Readmission within the Baccalaureate Nursing Program

Criteria for progression to the junior and senior year and graduation from the baccalaureate degree program are as follows:

1. Receive at least a ”C“ in all nursing, natural science and mathematics courses.
2. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7.
3. A student may repeat only one nursing course (including BIO 3317, Human Pathophysiology). A grade less than “C” in any two nursing courses will result in being dropped from the program. Students who are dropped are not eligible to reapply. Students must earn a minimum of “C” in each nursing course and BIOL 3317 (Human Pathophysiology) to progress.
4. Successful completion of a nursing exit exam administered in final semester of nursing program (limited to two attempts). A remediation plan will be developed for a student not successful on the first attempt. Failure to successfully complete the exit exam will prevent the student from graduating from the baccalaureate nursing program.

If a student leaves the program temporarily, whether by choice or because of failure, readmission to the nursing sequence is not guaranteed. Eligible students who drop out of the nursing sequence for any reason will be readmitted to the sequence on a space-available basis. Students will be accommodated in rank order according to their GPA. Students interested in reentry must notify the chair in writing of their interest. A student who has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.7 or less than a ”C“ in all completed natural science and mathematics courses will not be considered for readmission. If a student has been on a leave from the nursing program for more than two calendar years the student will need to reapply for admission to the program and repeat the entire sequence of required nursing courses.

Admission, Progression, and Retention Decision Appeals

A formal appeal of a decision to deny admission, to delay progression, or to dismiss a student from the WellStar School of Nursing may be made to the Admissions, Progression and Retention Committee within 30 days of notification. Instructions and forms for such appeals are available in the School Office. An appeal must be on exceptional and extenuating circumstances or other pertinent information not previously available or considered or both. The committee will review the student appeal and notify the student of its decision in writing. If a student wishes to appeal the decision of the Admissions, Progression and Retention Committee, a formal appeal must be submitted in writing to the dean of the WellStar College of Health and Human Services or designee within 30 days of receipt of notification of the Committee’s decision. The decision of the dean is final.

Program of Study in Nursing

The program of study in nursing offers the opportunity to obtain a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing degree. After completion of the degree, and upon the recommendation of the chair, graduates who are not already licensed will be eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) to practice as a registered nurse (R.N.). All applicants must be aware that the state examining board has the right to refuse to grant a registered nurse license to any individual regardless of educational credentials under circumstances of (1) falsification of application for licensure (2) conviction of a felony or crime of moral turpitude; other moral and legal violations specified in the Georgia law.

Courses in the program include a strong foundation in the liberal arts and the sciences. At the upper division, emphasis is on the art and science of nursing and students may select electives to provide an interdisciplinary perspective. Registered nurse students may bypass sophomore and junior level clinical courses and NURS 4414 according to the provisions of the RN-BSN articulation model for the State of Georgia. The nursing courses for the RN-BSN program are offered in both online (internet-based) and on-ground formats. Every online course is not offered every semester. Online &/or on-ground classes may be canceled due to low enrollment.

Core Performance Standards

The WellStar College of Health and Human Services has adopted core performance standards for admission and progression within the nursing major. These standards identify the abilities and skills necessary to perform in an independent manner. If a student admitted to the program believes that he or she cannot meet one or more of the standards without accommodations or modifications, then the student should notify the Chair of the School of Nursing in writing. The nursing program will determine, on an individual basis, whether or not necessary accommodations or modifications can reasonably be made. Core performance standards for admission and progression are contained in the program application, which is available online or from the WellStar School of Nursing.