Nursing
Chairperson
Linda McKay
Professors
Sheila Fredette
Ann Scannell
Associate Professors
Margaret Ahearn
Magda Bechar
Robert Dumas
Linda McKay
Barbara Powers
Assistant Professors
Rachel Boersma
Richard Trifilo
Instructor
Christine Devine
Melissa Dunn
Merrily Evdokimoff
Anne Meyer
Sheila Sbrogna
Allison Shields
Part-Time Instructors
Jean Kressy
Tara Mariolis
Lola Meskauskas
The nursing program has full approval status from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing located at 239 Causeway St. Boston, MA 02114. The nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) located at One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530 Washington, D.C. 20036
Objectives for the Program in Nursing
The degree offered is the bachelor of science with a major in Nursing. The purpose of the program in Nursing is to prepare practitioners of professional nursing who can assume responsibility for planning and providing health care to individuals, families, and groups in a variety of settings in collaboration with other professionals. The program also provides a solid foundation for graduate study in Nursing.
Description of the Program in Nursing
As the first Department of Nursing in the state college system, the Nursing program has a long and proud history. It is:
- Approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing
- Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Supporting a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the International Nursing Honor Society
- Supporting the National Student Nurses Association
The program outcomes for undergraduate nursing majors are as follows:
- Integrates liberal education and knowledge from the nursing discipline, including health care and information technology in nursing practice.
- Reflects a core of professional values in nursing practice.
- Uses critical thinking in making nursing decisions.
- Performs technical skills based on scientific principles.
- Integrates knowledge of diversity in nursing practice.
- Applies principles of communication in professional practice.
- Integrates leadership and management principles in professional nursing practice.
(Accepted by Faculty 5/17/01; Revised 6/4/05)
It provides well equipped laboratories for on-campus practice of clinical skills with computer and audiovisual support, and a wide variety of client care opportunities in affiliated health care agencies. All senior students participate in a 21 hours per week preceptorship capstone clinical experience. Its graduates are in great demand in the professional job market, and many have earned advanced degrees and have progressed to leadership positions in practice, administration, research, and education.
Criteria for Admissions and Retention
Students wishing to pursue the nursing major must be admitted to Fitchburg State College as a nursing pre-major. Their high science courses must include Biology and Chemistry. During freshman year, students must successfully complete all prerequisite nursing courses which include: Writing I and II, Introduction to Sociology and General Psychology, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Pre-biochemistry I Elements of Human Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry. A grade of 2.5 or better is required in each of the four science courses. In addition, students must achieve a grade of 82 or above on the Accuplacer Math Readiness exam or have completed Basic Math I and/or II with a grade of 2.0 or better. Students who have successfully met these requirements at the end of freshman year will be automatically admitted into the nursing major. Any student not completing these requirements by May of their freshman year will remain in the college but will be transferred into the undeclared major. The department admits transfer students, who are not licensed nurses, but who meet the prerequisites for the sophomore year.
Registered Nurses are admitted into junior year. They are provided a variety of opportunities to achieve advanced placement in Liberal Arts and Sciences courses and in nursing via the CLEP program, college examinations, Ace II examinations, a portfolio review process, and articulation agreements with numerous community colleges.
As a professional preparation program, successful progress in the major necessitates requirements in addition to those common to all college students.
These include:
These include:
- A grade of 2.5 or better, Survey of Micro Organisms and Nutrition.
- A grade of 2.5 or better in all Nursing (NURS) courses. Students who fail to earn a 2.5 in one Nursing course have a one time option to repeat this course one time after successfully completing NURS 4703 Strategies for Success in Nursing. Failure to achieve a 2.5 when the course is repeated will result in disenrollment from the major.
- Students may repeat only one Nursing course throughout the entire program.
- Any subsequent grade of less than 2.5 in other Nursing courses will result in disenrollment from the major.
- Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to clinical practice sites.
- Annually, prior to participation in any clinical nursing course, students must present evidence to the Department of Nursing of: Hepatitis B and other immunizations, CPR certification/recertification at the professional level from the American Heart Association, a physical examination, and Massachusetts nursing licensure (if applicable). Commonwealth of Massachusetts regulations regarding health records for students enrolled in the health sciences must be met through the campus Health Services office.
Registered Nurse Licensure Information
Applicants to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (Board) for initial Registered Nurse licensure by examination must comply with the "good moral character" licensure requirement specified at G.L. Chapter 112, Section 74. Applicants with felony or misdemeanor convictions, or with discipline by a licensure/certification agency, or both, must demonstrate compliance with the Board's Licensure Policy 00-01 (Policy).
Under this policy, an initial applicant for nurse licensure convicted of certain specified crimes will be permanently excluded from nurse licensure in Massachusetts. The policy also provides that an applicant convicted of any other crime will be temporarily excluded from licensure until they are conviction-free for a minimum of five years and has had all court-ordered requirements closed for a minimum of one year before the board receives the application for initial licensure, unless the applicant meets the criteria for exception to this temporary exclusion. In addition, all disciplinary action by a licensure/certification agency must be closed at the time of license application.
An initial applicant for nurse licensure who knowingly falsifies or knowingly attempts to falsify information directly related to the applicant's qualifications for initial nurse licensure by examination or who cheats on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) or on any other licensure or certification examination will also be excluded from initial nurse licensure in Massachusetts for a minimum of five years.
The Department of Nursing requires all nursing students to complete a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) through the Fitchburg State College Office of Public Safety. A Fitchburg State College CORI review group will make decisions on students with a criminal record and will be advised about the Board of Registration in Nursing good moral character requirement. Please refer to www.state.ma.us./reg/boards/rn for the full version of the Good Moral Character Licensure Requirement. In compliance the above policy, all applicants/students are informed that completion of the bachelor of science degree does not guarantee admittance to the registered nurse licensure examination.
Requirements for the Major in Nursing
Graduation requires a minimum of 124 semester hours of credit comprised of:
- 62 credit hours of nursing
- 40 hours of required core courses in Liberal Arts and Sciences
- 22 hours of elective Liberal Arts and Sciences credits
Once in the Nursing major, each semester of Nursing includes a clinical/laboratory component as well as classroom theory. A variety of inpatient and community agencies in central and eastern Massachusetts offer practice opportunities to assist students toward professional competency.
To provide majors with assistance to meet the progression requirements and achieve success in the program, the department uses individual academic and personal advising by Nursing faculty, referrals to campus services, and internal departmental resources. All senior students select an area of Nursing practice for concentrated study in accordance with individualized learning objectives.
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing requires that all applicants for the RN Licensing Exam (NCLEX) be of "good moral character." All Nursing majors are required to complete Criminal Offense Records Information (CORI) checks.
Advanced Placement Policy for Registered Nurses
All candidates for advanced placement within the nursing department must hold a current Massachusetts registered nurse license. Advanced placement to the Department of Nursing is awarded in two ways: through articulation agreements, and within the Registered Nurse track of the department. The Department of Nursing has articulation agreements with nine community colleges. These agreements grant advanced placement to graduates of these colleges who hold a Massachusetts registered nurse license, and who achieved a minimum grade point average of 2.5. Graduates of non-articulated but accredited registered nurse programs who meet the minimum GPA are also eligible for advanced placement. Those applicants who do not meet GPA standards are also able to obtain advanced placement through the use of NLN ACE exams, which grant Fitchburg State College credit for a score of 90 or better.
Course Exemption Policy
Course exemption for students in the Nursing major is accomplished in two ways. For non-Nursing courses, students must submit an official transcript to the registrar of the college for evaluation. For Nursing courses, students must submit an official transcript to the Registrar's Office showing their grade for the course in question. A copy of this transcript, as well as a course description and a syllabus will be submitted to the department chair. The chairperson, in consultation with appropriate faculty, evaluates the course in relation to the comparable course offered by the Nursing Department. Course exemption is awarded based on the similarities of the courses, as well as the grade achieved in the course to be used in place of a required Nursing course. Courses to be accepted in lieu of a required Nursing course must have a grade of 2.5 or better, and must have been taken at a Board of Registration in Nursing approved AACN or NLN accredited school.
Readmission to the Nursing Department Policy
Students who withdraw from the department or college in good standing may request readmission. The application first goes to the Registrar's Office, which then consults with the chairperson of the Department of Nursing. Readmission depends on clinical space availability. If the student has been away for more than two years, they may be required to repeat courses.
Students who have left the department or college and are not in good standing at the time of departure are not guaranteed readmission to the college or to the department. To gain readmission to the college, students must meet with the dean of Student and Academic Life, who will review the reasons for suspension or dismissal and will make a contract with them if they are readmitted. To be considered for readmission to the Nursing department, if the student left due to academic or clinical difficulty, the student is required to write a letter which describes the reason for the problem, and what has been done to assure that the difficulty will not re-occur. This letter is considered by the Nursing Department Student Policies Committee, who recommends action to the department chairperson. The final decision rests with the department chairperson. Readmission depends on clinical space availability. If the student has been away for more than two years, they may be required to repeat courses. The academic standards of the department are followed. No student will be readmitted if they have failed two or more Nursing courses.
Education Mobility Policy
The Department of Nursing recognizes that career decisions and the selection of the program of study necessary to enter Nursing are the responsibility of the individual and are based on career goals, abilities and resources. As career goals are revised, and nurses seek to gain competencies not achieved in their basic nursing education program, educational mobility enables an individual to move from one educational level to another with acknowledgment of acquired competencies and minimal repetition of previous learning. The development and implementation of efficient and creative methods for identifying and evaluating prior learning and experience is the responsibility of nurse educators. As such, the Department of Nursing has participated in a grant with NUCLI (Nursing Career Ladder Initiative). One result of this grant has been the development of a career ladder diagram, which articulates the various routes that individuals can take to achieve advancement in their career. The faculty of the Department of Nursing support educational mobility, and stand ready to help students achieve their goals.
Transfer Students Policy
Transfer into the Nursing major is competitive. Non-Nursing majors at Fitchburg State College (internal transfers) wishing to apply to the Nursing program must complete a formal application to the program at the beginning of the spring semester during which the student anticipates completion of the prerequisite courses. Transfer students must have a 3.0 or better cumulative average for their college work to date, and are held to the same prerequisite requirements and standards as current Nursing majors.
Those students who are transferring from other institutions (external transfers) must apply through the Admissions Department of the college. External transfers who have previously been enrolled in another nursing program must submit an official letter from the dean or director of that program stating that the student left in good standing and is eligible for readmission to that program.
The number of transfer students admitted to the Nursing major is determined by the availability of clinical sites, faculty, and the number of continuing Nursing students.
Required Courses
NURS 2300 Health Assessment
NURS 2500 Pathopharmacology I
NURS 2600 Pathopharmacology II
NURS 2700 Foundations of Nursing
NURS 2900 Medical-Surgical Nursing I
NURS 3200 Mental Health Nursing
NURS 3300 Maternal-Newborn Nursing
NURS 3400 Medical-Surgical Nursing II
NURS 3900 Pediatric Nursing
NURS 4000 Nursing Research
NURS 4400 Community Health Nursing
NURS 4750 Chronic Illness
NURS 4800 Selective Practicum
NURS 4850 Nursing Leadership and Management
RN Students
NURS 3500 Concepts of Nursing I
NURS 3650 Topics Portfolio Preparation
NURS 3600 Concepts of Nursing II
NURS 4000 Nursing Research
NURS 4400 Community Health Nursing
NURS 4750 Nursing Process in Home Health Care
NURS 4800 Selective Practicum
NURS 4850 Leadership and Management
Liberal Arts Requirements
BIOL 1200 Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 1300 Anatomy and Physiology II
*BIOL 1650 Nutrition
BIOL 2700 Survey of Microorganism
*CHEM 1100 Pre Biochemistry I
*CHEM 1200 Elements of Human Biology and Organic Chemistry
ENGL 1100 Writing I
ENGL 1200 Writing II
MATH 1700 Applied Statistics
PSY 1000 General Psychology
PSY 2200 Human Growth and Development
SOC 1100 Introduction to Sociology
*Not required for RN to BSN students.
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