Division of Nursing

Return to: Academic Programs

Division Chair

Renee Shamblin

Faculty

Arnold, Bradford, Dalme, Hubbard, Ivie, James, Lary, Mayeux, Menton, Merrill, D.Sharp, V. Young

The Division of Nursing, as an integral part of Louisiana College, is in concert with its mission and purpose. The primary purpose of Louisiana College is to be a community of learning and free inquiry, which provides a basis for approaching knowledge and truth. A thorough and honest academic program from a Christian perspective stimulates both faculty and students to share content and to develop and apply their personal faith. The mission of the Division of Nursing is to offer courses of professional study that build upon the liberal arts to prepare graduates for personal and professional success in nursing leadership that will enable them to deliver health care through the use of evidence-based, client centered, holistic care to use nursing as a ministry for Christ. The professional nursing curriculum is built upon a foundation of education consistent with beliefs about person, environment, health, and nursing, and includes the process of teaching-learning within nursing education that is supportive of these beliefs. Students acquire a liberal arts foundation in the humanities, natural sciences, Christian studies, and social sciences directed at individual and personal growth. This foundation is essential to the nursing curriculum as it strengthens the depth and breadth of its development.

With the exception of one pre-nursing course, nursing courses are at the upper division level and consist of both theoretical content and clinical nursing practice. The theoretical component of nursing curricula incorporates theories and principles from the related sciences and content unique to nursing. The content is organized, integrated and synthesized with reference to Neuman’s Systems Model to facilitate comprehensive understanding of total life processes along the wellness to illness continuum. The practical component of nursing curricula incorporates complex problem solving, change agent activities and application of skills for individual, family and community healthcare improvements.

The purpose of the Division of Nursing is; (1) to educate, from a Christian perspective, a professional nurse to practice within a caring context, (2) to prepare a nurse generalist to assume nursing positions in a variety of health care settings, and (3) to prepare the professional nurse for graduate and continuing education.

Program Objectives

1. Integrate knowledge, values, and attitudes acquired in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and nursing into the holistic care of clients in a variety of health care settings.
2. Assimilate the Neuman Systems Model within a nursing practice framework for clients throughout the wellness to illness continuum.
3. Manage care as a member of the profession within the context of a Christian worldview in the provision of health care that fosters respect for cultural and religious diversity and facilitates ethical choices in nursing practice.
4. Coordinate care in collaboration with members of the health care team that incorporates complex problem solving, influences change, and facilitates activities which result in achievement of goals for improving individual, family and community health care outcomes.
5. Create awareness of professional role development through the avenues of evidence-based practice, graduate education, and lifelong learning

Admission to Upper Division Nursing

Admissions Policies

Admission to Louisiana College does NOT constitute admission to the upper division nursing courses. In addition to meeting general college admission requirements, admission to the traditional BSN clinical nursing program consists of the following.

1. Students must complete ALL non-nursing prerequisites to be considered for admission to upper Division, unless admitted under prescribed transfer agreement protocols.
2. Application for admission into upper division nursing must be submitted to the chairperson of the Academic Policy Committee in the Division of Nursing by MARCH 1st prior to the Fall of entering upper division nursing, or as specified in the course route agreement.
3. Applicants must have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.6 and obtained satisfactory score(s) on standardized preadmission assessment exam(s) to enter upper division. Transfer student applicants must submit a TEAS score (Test of Essential Academic Skills) that must be at or above the national BSN program mean for that particular offering of the TEAS test. Internal LC upper division applicants must complete the HESI A2 exam with a score of 80%. Test completion for all assessments must be within the last calendar year of the date of application. A copy of the TEAS test results must be submitted electronically from the testing company directly to LC DON. Internal LC candidates are able to take their HESI A2 examination in the LC DON Computer Lab under proctored conditions. Three (3) attempts (maximum) on all pre-admission assessments are permitted.
4. Successful completion of Nursing 210 must be within 12 calendar months of commencing upper division courses, but does not guarantee admission to upper division nursing.
5. Students making application to the Division of Nursing must have attained a grade of “C” or
6. better in all social and natural sciences, math courses, English 101 and 102, and HP 222 . Applicants with repeats in more than two of any of these courses will not be considered for selection into upper division nursing. Applicants with no repeats of lower level courses will be given preference over students who have repeated courses. Any social and natural science courses must have been completed within five (5) years of the date of application.
7. Applicants to the Division of Nursing are permitted one (1) nursing course repeat from any institution. Students with more than one failed or repeated nursing course will not be considered for selection into upper division nursing. Transfer applicants with one failed nursing course must provide a letter of good standing from their current program as part of their application packet.
8. When applicants for the traditional BSN program exceed the number of openings in the upper division nursing program, selection will be based on cumulative grade point average, and the number of prerequisite hours taken at Louisiana College.
9. All offers for admission into upper division nursing are conditional until in-process credit transcript and health requirements, Louisiana State Board of Nursing clearances and other health and background checks are given full approval.
10. After admission to upper division nursing applicants must submit to the Health Services office a completed health history, a satisfactory physical examination report, the results of a laboratory test for RPR and documentation of required immunizations, rubella titers, tuberculosis screening and Hepatitis B vaccine. After completing the Hepatitis B series, titer results must be submitted to the Health Service office. Randomized drug screenings will be a part of the routine oversight that will be monitored during the clinical portion of the nursing program. Students not complying with the Health Services office or keeping their record in full compliance will not be permitted to attend clinical experiences. All documentation must be submitted in a sealed envelope to the Health Services office by July 15th (fall semester) or a minimum of two weeks prior to the first class day for other semesters if the student wants to be eligible to commence clinical rotations during the upcoming semester. The cutoff date(s) for all documentation will be posted each semester.
11. Personal health insurance is a requirement for all students. Current subscription information and evidence of membership must be provided each semester to the Division of Nursing office. Information will be made available on insurance providers through the Student Nursing Association links, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, or other providers. Students must also have a “catastrophic” plan for coverage while attending clinical (usually have a high deductible with a low premium). Indigent care, with the state, is not sufficient
12. Liability insurance must be purchased from the business office during registration. This is malpractice insurance for the clinical area.
13. Students seeking transfer from another baccalaureate nursing program must meet the same admission criteria as those of the Louisiana College Division of Nursing. Completion of NU 299 , Health Care in Louisiana, is a compulsory course for all transfer students entering upper division nursing courses and may also be recommended for other students.
14. Students who have been dismissed from and/or denied progression in other nursing programs may not be considered for admission into upper division nursing. Students who have failed a nursing course in another program will be evaluated on an individual basis.
15. Division of Nursing students are accorded the opportunity to become credentialed with selected community agency partners (e.g., Red Cross as a volunteer; American Heart for CPR) during designated parts of the nursing program. Students are expected to achieve the competencies set and comply with agency criteria. Students entering upper division do need to have an up-to-date American Heart Health Care Provider (BLS) CPR certification that remains current throughout the entire program.
16. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from clinical agencies. A valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle are strongly recommended for all students when planning for this important facet of clinical learning. Someone else’s vehicle issues, health issues or time keeping cannot become your problem.
17. Students are required to carefully read and sign that they will remain in active compliance with all of the elements specified in the Division of Nursing Student Handbook. An updated copy of the Nursing Student Handbook is made available to all DON students every fall semester and to all incoming transfer students. All matters pertaining to professional dress, hygiene, jewelry, time keeping, confidentiality, tattoos, deportment, schedule management, etc., are addressed in the manual. If, after reviewing the manual, a potential student feels that compliance would be problematic, then it would be best not to apply.
18. Students are expected to conform to the “Code of Student Conduct” as stated in the Louisiana College Student Handbook.
19. Ability to meet the essential requirements of the program. Prospective nursing students must demonstrate, with or without appropriate academic adjustments or reasonable modifications to policies and practices (see Disability Accommodations below), the ability to perform safely, reliably and efficiently at a minimum the functions listed in Nursing Student Handbook. This is in compliance with legal and ethical standards while students are enrolled in the clinical portion of the program. The nursing program at Louisiana College is in agreement with and adheres to the college’s policy noted below on accommodations for individuals with disabilities:

Progression Policies (for all course routes)

1. Students are required to carefully read and sign each fall semester that they remain in active compliance with all of the elements specified in the Division of Nursing Student Handbook. Professional standards require that all nursing students must remain in compliance with the rules and regulations pertaining to professional conduct outlined by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing.
2. Students are expected to conform to the Code of Student Conduct as stated in the Louisiana College Student Handbook.
3. A minimum grade of “C” in each nursing course is required.
4. All nursing courses must usually be taken in the sequence listed in the curriculum schema, or as specified in the prescribed course route.
5. Students must complete all required standardized testing at the specified times.
6. Students may repeat no more than one nursing course from any institution. In the event of failure of that repeated course, progression in the program will be denied.
7. Students who drop or withdraw from a nursing course with a grade of “D” or “F” must submit a request for readmission to the nursing program. This application must be submitted to the Academic Policy Committee of the Division of Nursing the semester before the requested re-entry.
8. Students who fail a nursing course with a grade of “D” or “F” are discontinued from the nursing program and must submit a request for readmission to the nursing program. This application must be submitted to the Academic Policy Committee of the Division of Nursing the semester before the requested re-entry.
9. After admission to upper division nursing applicants must submit to the Health Services office a completed health history, a satisfactory physical examination report, the results of a laboratory test for HIV and RPR, and documentation of required immunizations, rubella titers, tuberculosis screening and Hepatitis B vaccine.
10. Any student, admitted to upper division courses in the BSN program, whose GPA drops below a 2.6 will be considered to be on academic probation.
11. Any student who is on probation (below a 2.6 GPA) in senior year is recommended to commence an approved NCLEX review package purchased from a review company prior to taking the end of program comprehensive examination.
12. All students are required to pass a “HESI” examination that is linked to one clinically related course each semester of upper division nursing. When a student fails this exam they follow a structured protocol for remediation in preparation for the scheduled re-sit. One re-sit examination is permitted for the HESI examination, following the designated interval of intensive review and support.
13. Students taking re-sit examinations and other resubmission assessments are capped at 75% on their re-sit grade, regardless of the score earned.
14. There is an expectation that students will participate in all the requirements of the BSN/ABSN program. These include, but are not limited to: commissioning, pinning, events sponsored by local health care providers, health fairs, community service, Student Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau - Nu Tau Symposia, Faith and Health Division of Nursing Symposia, CE offerings through the DON and other agencies, and other sponsored learning opportunities organized through the DON. These activities are considered to be an essential part of the learning experience of the nursing program and are subject to the usual criteria for class absence.
15. All students are required to pass the end of program comprehensive examination at the specified level before being permitted to graduate from the BSN program. If a student fails this exam they are recommended to purchase an NCLEX review package from an approved review company. They must carry out a scheduled program of review and remediation prior to taking a re-sit examination. The students are only permitted to take one re-sit of the end of program comprehensive examination. Any further re-sit requests are considered at the discretion of the Division of Nursing Faculty.
16. A student will be permitted to withdraw from a nursing course and be readmitted one time only, subject to standard entry requirements, availability of space and submission of the appropriate re-admission documentation.
17. Applicants seeking readmission will be considered on an individual basis. No student is guaranteed readmission into upper division nursing.
18. All LC nursing students must meet professional competency and safety requirements that are delineated in the Division of Nursing Student Handbook, and the Louisiana State Board of Nursing rules and regulations for nurses. The benchmarks for unsafe or unprofessional behavior(s) are measured by clinical objectives that are outlined in the clinical evaluation tool and are explicated in the DON Student Handbook. Students who do not meet these benchmarks will be immediately removed from the patient care environment and suspended from all clinical nursing courses pending a full review by the Division of Nursing faculty. Unsafe and unprofessional behaviors will not be permitted in upper division nursing, and the protocols for the review of clinical issues related to unsafe or unprofessional behavior or clinical practice issues are addressed in the Nursing Student Handbook and the Louisiana State Board of Nursing rules and regulations for nurses. However, if remediation goals cannot be attained these students may need to be discontinued from the nursing program and assisted with transfer decisions to another major.
19. Journaling in accordance with Galatians 5:22-23 and Biblical character development are assessed elements throughout the nursing program and are integrated throughout course and clinical content.
20. The nursing pinning ceremony is the culmination of the nursing program and is part of the NU 440  Nursing Leadership and Management syllabus. It is a required element of the program and students do need to budget for the purchase of their pin. The distinctive Division of Nursing pins will be ordered during final semester and invoiced directly to each student (approximate cost $60). Students can choose to upgrade their pin to gold and pay a cost differential.

The Division of Nursing reserves the right to make needed changes in curriculum requirements to maintain accreditation.

Admission and Progression Policy FAQs

ABSN candidates must comply with the same admission and progression policies of the Division of Nursing. The admission policies for entry into Louisiana College Division Nursing do have some specific ABSN elements. Only students who have completed a first undergraduate degree from an accredited liberal arts college or university are eligible to undertake the ABSN program. Students who are in the final stages of completing a first degree may apply as long as their degree completion with the final transcript will post prior to August 1^st of the fall semester.

There are 27 hours of prerequisite courses that must be completed prior to commencing the ABSN program, and authenticated original transcripts must be submitted for these and for all course documentation pertaining to the first degree completed. Until transcripts are received students cannot be accorded second degree status, which impact matters pertaining to financial aid, etc. The prerequisite courses are: general psychology, development psychology, microbiology (with lab), anatomy and physiology 1 and 2 (with labs), statistics, chemistry, concepts of nursing (at LC as a summer online course before you start). It is likely that several prerequisite courses will already have been obtained as part of the first undergraduate degree. Any prerequisite course work that is taken to meet requirements outside of the first degree must be completed within the five-year currency requirement.

The course template outlining the pre and in course sequence of the ABSN program follows this section. Only students who qualify for, and are approved by, the Louisiana Board of Nursing as LC students matriculated for the ABSN program are eligible to take courses in this course sequence. While some courses are offered concurrent to BSN programming, a significant portion is delivered in a compressed format and for this reason we do remind students at the outset that while accelerated programming does offer many advantages to students transitioning into an alternative career, accelerated study does not mean abbreviated.

ABSN Program Information

The Louisiana College Division of Nursing accelerated BSN program is the only one of its kind in the State of Louisiana, focusing on the outcome of the bachelor prepared nurse as a leader in nursing practice. It allows individuals who already have an undergraduate degree from an accredited liberal arts school to utilize their skills and expertise and access a second career path in nursing.

This program seeks to meet the acute needs of the healthcare profession locally and nationwide. The accelerated degree is an innovative way to meet the needs of today’s changing workforce. Graduates of the ABSN program bring with them a level of maturity, and an additional workplace skill-set. This means that they are highly sought after as well rounded and capable nursing graduates for prospective employers. The track record of a 100% first time pass rate for NCLEX professional licensure outcomes for graduates of the first three cohorts has established the rigor and the effectiveness of this program. Students are well prepared for the challenges of the patient-care environment and post graduate study.

Places in the program are offered through a competitive application process. Applications can be made through the CAS link at nursingcas.org/ and the due dates are posted.

Programs

• Accelerated Bachelor of Science with Concentration in Nursing
• Bachelor of Science with Concentration in Nursing

Courses

• NU 210 Concepts of Nursing
• NU 299 Health Care in Louisiana
• NU 300 Pathophysiology for Health Sciences
• NU 301 Therapeutic and Inter-professional Communication
• NU 302 Medical/Surgical Nursing Care Across the Lifespan I
• NU 303 Maternal/Newborn Nursing Care
• NU 304 Transcultural Patterns of Health Care
• NU 305 Pharmacotherapeutics for Health Professionals
• NU 306 Medical Terminology for the Health Professions
• NU 310 Fundamentals of Client Care
• NU 314 Physical Assessment
• NU 325 Jr Skills Workshop Part One A
• NU 350 Jr Skills Workshop Part One B
• NU 360 Independent Study in Global Health
• NU 361 Independent Readings & Research in Nursing
• NU 399 Student Centered Approaches to Assessment
• NU 400 Health Care Informatics
• NU 402 Medical/Surgical Nursing Care Across the Lifespan II
• NU 403 Nursing Care of the Child
• NU 408 Health Care Research
• NU 416 Mental Health Nursing Care
• NU 421 Public Health Nursing Care
• NU 424 Medical/Surgical Nursing Care Across the Lifespan III / Capstone
• NU 425 Sr Skills Workshop Part Two A
• NU 440 Nursing Leadership/Management A and B
• NU 450 Sr Skills Workshop Part Two B
• NU 499 NYCLEX Review

Return to: Academic Programs