Nursing Program Policies

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In order to continue in the nursing program, the student must:

  1. Maintain a grade of "C" or better in all required general education and nursing courses and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA at current institution.

  2. Complete all required general education courses according to the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Nursing Education curriculum unless completed prior to admission. Any exceptions must be approved by the Associate Dean of Health Sciences or designee.

  3. Maintain ability to meet essential functions for nursing with or without reasonable accommodations.

  4. Maintain current CPR certification; American Heart Association (AHA) at the health care provider level.

  5. Complete all nursing courses in the prescribed sequence. If a student withdraws or makes a “D” or an “F” in a nursing course, the student cannot progress in the nursing course sequence until the course is repeated successfully. Course repetition will be based on instructor and clinical availability and program resources.

  6. Adhere to the Bevill State Conduct Code and the Code of Ethics for Professional Nurses. Nursing faculty reserves the right at any time to require the dismissal of any student whose conduct or clinical performance is regarded as unsatisfactory. In such situations, an "F” will be entered on the student’s transcript. Students receiving an "F" for this reason will not be eligible for readmission into any Health Science program at Bevill State.

  7. The nursing faculty reserves the right to withdraw any student from the program if a clinical agency refuses to allow that student clinical experiences.

  8. Submit a satisfactory health physical & immunization records upon admission. The TB skin test and flu vaccine annually.

  9. Maintain health insurance coverage throughout the program.

  10. Adhere to current program attendance policy.

  11. Obtain the required Bevill State student uniform.

  12. Complete the required program semester hours to qualify for graduation. Some variation is allowed to accommodate transfer credit for colleges on a quarter hour system. An overall 2.0 GPA is required for graduation. Requirements for graduation are outlined in the College Catalog.

  13. Function within the scope of practice as defined by the current Alabama Board of Nursing Nurse Practice Act.

NOTE: There shall be no auditing allowed for Nursing classes.

Nursing Non-Progression

Nursing non-progression is defined as failure of one or more courses in a semester OR withdrawal (for any reason) from one or more courses in two separate semesters. Two instances of non- progression will result in dismissal from the nursing program. Students will be required to apply for program admission as a new student and must submit all application criteria. If accepted as a new student the student must take, or retake all nursing program courses. The nursing application process is competitive. Admission is contingent on space availability. Nursing applications from prospective students having no prior admission to any nursing program will be given priority. 

Reinstatement

Reinstatement is defined by ACCS as: Students who have withdrawal or failure in a nursing course and are eligible to return to that course will be considered for reinstatement to the program. Students who experience nursing non-progression in the nursing program and who desire reinstatement in the program must apply for reinstatement to the program.

Reinstatement to the program will be allowed one time only. A student must request reinstatement within one year from the term of non-progression to be eligible for reinstatement. Students dismissed from the program for disciplinary reasons and/or unsafe client care in the clinical area will NOT be allowed reinstatement to the nursing program. Students must adhere to nursing curriculum and program policies and procedures in effect at the time of reinstatement.

The following must be followed in order to be reinstated:

  1. Verify student compliance with admission criteria to nursing program. This includes ACT of 18 or higher, Nursing academic GPA of 2.5, and BSCC GPA of 2.0 at the time of readmission.
  2. Based on clinical space availability at the particular campus where non-progression occurred.
  3. If there are clinical spaces available to meet each request for readmission, all students will be approved to reenter the nursing course where the non-progression occurred.
  4. All readmissions must occur within a calendar year from the semester where the non-progression occurred.
  5. According to ACCS nursing program policies, any student with 2 non-progressions during an admission cycle must re-start the nursing curriculum at the beginning.
  6. Meet acceptable criteria for placement at clinical agencies for clinical experiences.
  7. Demonstrate current American Heart Association CPR at the health care provider level.
  8. Failure to follow these procedures may result in denial of reinstatement to the program.
  9. Any changes in the program curriculum, admissions criteria, or procedures will be applicable upon the student’s reinstatement.
  10. Students are required to update all drug testing and background screening according to program policy.

Readmission

Readmission is defined by ACCS as: Students not eligible for program reinstatement may apply for program admission as a new student. If accepted as a new student, the student must take or retake all nursing program courses.

Transfer Student Admission

This transfer policy applies only to students desiring to transfer between ACCS institutions.

Students wishing to transfer must adhere to the following:

  1. Meet the minimum admission standards for the nursing program and demonstrate competency as defined by the instructor (see #12).

  2. Possess a GPA of 2.0 in all nursing program required courses taken at another institution at time of transfer. Nursing course credit will only be accepted from accredited nursing programs.

  3. Dean/Director of previous nursing program must provide a letter of eligibility for progression in previous nursing program.

  4. Be a student in good standing and eligible to return to the previous nursing program.

  5. Comply with all program policy requirements at accepting institution.

  6. Complete at least 25 percent of the nursing program required courses for degree/certificate at the accepting institution.

  7. Acceptance of transfer students into nursing programs is limited by the number of faculty and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal standards does not guarantee acceptance.

  8. Applicants must possess certain physical and mental abilities to meet the required essential functions of the nursing program. A list of Essential Functions is available in the nursing office or www.bscc.edu in the Nursing Student Handbook.

  9. Applicants must meet program health requirements.

  10. The Nursing Coordinator will make recommendations to the Associate Dean of Health Sciences for acceptance of prior nursing course(s) credit.

  11. Must meet acceptability criteria for placement at clinical agencies for clinical experience.

  12. Transfer students will be required to pass a dose calculation exam at 100%. Only one re-test will be allowed. After successful completion of the dose calculation exam, a written nursing skills exam must be passed at 80% or higher. Students will then be required to satisfactorily check off nursing procedures in the College campus lab under the supervision of a faculty member. The required skills include but are not limited to: head-to-toe physical assessment, sterile urinary catheter insertion, sterile suctioning, injection sites, medication administration, nasogastric tube intubation.

Transient Student Policy

The transient policy applies only to students desiring to enroll as a transient student in Alabama Community College System institutions.

It does not apply to students wishing to enroll as a transient student at other institutions.

Criteria for Transient Status

  1. Must meet minimum admission standards for the nursing program.

  2. Must possess a GPA of 2.0 in all nursing program required courses taken at another institution.

  3. Dean/Director of previous nursing program must provide a letter of eligibility for progression in previous nursing program.

  4. A student seeking enrollment as a transient student must follow procedures in place at both the parent institution and the receiving college. Additionally, the student must receive prior approval from the parent institution’s nursing program dean/director for any nursing courses taken on a transient basis as well as approval from the nursing program dean/director of the receiving college to enroll.

  5. Transient students must complete a Transcript Request Form at the end of the term before a transcript will be issued to the primary institution.

  6. Must comply with all program policy requirements at accepting institution.

  7. Must meet acceptability criteria for placement at clinical agencies for a clinical experience.

  8. Acceptance of transient student into a nursing program is limited by the number of faculty and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal standards does not guarantee acceptance.

  9. Student selection for transient status is based on GPA in nursing program required courses.

Dismissal Policy

A dismissal from any Health Science program for disciplinary or unsafe client care will result in a student being ineligible for readmission to any Health Science program offered at Bevill State.

Health Requirements

  1. Nursing faculty reserve the right to require, at any time, proof of a student’s physical, mental, and/or emotional health. The nursing faculty may require students to receive, at the student’s expense, counseling and/or medical treatment in order to continue in the nursing program. If treatment is required, the student must provide documentation from the attending physician/primary healthcare provider of the student’s ability to perform nursing skills effectively.

  2. Clinical agencies/facilities require the school to provide evidence that student participants are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Students will be required, at their own expense, to have an initial drug screen at a time and place determined by the faculty prior to entering clinicals. In addition, random drug screens will be conducted throughout the curriculum. If a drug screen is non-negative, the student will be immediately dismissed from the nursing program.

  3. A student who is hospitalized/treated for any existing health problem which may physically or emotionally impair their ability to provide safe and competent clinical care, must submit a statement from the physician/primary healthcare provider indicating ability to continue in clinicals and/or the program.

  4. A completed health form must be submitted to the Division Chair/Coordinator. In addition, students must comply with any additional health requirements of clinical agencies.

  5. All students must present verification of health insurance as part of compliance certification, as well as maintain their health insurance coverage throughout enrollment in the nursing curriculum.

Tardiness

Regular and punctual attendance is required. A student who is not in the class/lab/clinical at its beginning will be counted tardy. Three tardies will count as one absence according to Nursing policy. A detailed description may be found in the nursing program policy.

Attendance

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the exact number of absences in each class. If absences exceed the number of times a class/lab/clinical meets per week, the student will be issued a grade of "F" in the course, subsequently, will prevent the student from progressing in the curriculum.

Grading Scale

Students may earn the following grades in nursing courses:

  • A: 90 to 100
  • B: 80 to 89
  • C: 75 to 79
  • D: 60 to 74
  • F: 59 and below

Test scores are not rounded to the next whole number (i.e. 78.6 is 78.6). Only the final course grade is rounded – 0.5 or higher is raised to the next whole number.

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE STIPULATIONS/POLICIES WHILE IN THE NURSING PROGRAM CONSTITUTES GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL FROM THE PROGRAM.

Licensure Information

It is imperative that nursing students meet the legal, moral, and legislative standards which are utilized to determine acceptable behavior for the nurse (RN/PN). Each prospective nursing student should be aware of the Alabama Board of Nursing’s regulations regarding the review of applicants for eligibility for initial and continuing licensure.

According to the Nurse Practice Act. Licenses §34-21-25(b)(1) The board may also deny, revoke, or suspend any license issued by it or otherwise discipline a licensee or holder of a multistate privilege to practice in Alabama, upon proof of any of the following regarding the licensee:

  1. Is guilty of fraud or deceit in process or attempting to procure a license.
  2. Has been convicted of a felony.
  3. Is guilty of a crime involving moral turpitude or of gross immorality that would tend to bring reproach upon the nursing profession.
  4. Is unfit or incompetent due to the use of alcohol, or is addicted to the use of habit-forming drugs to such an extent as to render him or her unsafe or unreliable as a licensee.
  5. Is unable to safely practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness, inebriation, excessive use of drugs, narcotics, alcohol, chemicals, or any other substance, or as a result of any mental or physical condition.
  6. Has been convicted of any violation of a federal or state law relating to controlled substances.
  7. Is guilty of unprofessional conduct of character likely to deceive, defraud, or injure the public in matters pertaining to health.
  8. Has willfully or repeatedly violated this article, as defined by board rules and regulations.
  9. Has been sentenced to a period of continuous incarceration serving a penal sentence for the commission of a misdemeanor of felony. The disciplinary action shall remain in effect until the board acts upon the application of the licensee for reinstatement of the license. 

Students who complete the program meet the educational qualifications of the Alabama Board of Nursing for writing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN/PN). However, completion of the academic program in no way assures the student of eligibility to write the exam or of licensure. The final decision for eligibility to write the NCLEX is made by the Alabama Board of Nursing after review of the candidates application.

Qualifications of Applicants for Licensure

Qualifications of applicants for licensure is outlined in the Alabama Board of Nursing Administrative Code 610-X-4-.02.

  1. The applicant for licensure shall:
    • Be a high school graduate or the equivalent, as determined by the Board.
    • Be of good moral character. A criminal background check may be conducted by the Board at its discretion.
    • For registered nurse licensure, graduated or successfully completed all requirements for graduation from an approved registered nursing program in Alabama, or an approved registered nursing program located in another jurisdiction or territory that substantially meets the same educational criteria as Alabama programs. Licensure by equivalency does not meet the requirement.
    • For practical nurse licensure, graduated or successfully completed an approved practical nursing program in Alabama, or an approved practical nursing program located in another jurisdiction or territory that substantially meets the same educational criteria as Alabama programs. Licensure by equivalency does not meet the requirement.
    • A criminal fingerprint or other biometric-based background check shall be conducted prior to issuance of multistate licensure or application by endorsement.

  2. Education training and/or service completed through the Air Force Basic Medical Technician Corpsman Program (BMTCP) - 4N051-5 Skill Level or the ARMY LPN Program 68WM6 is acceptable as completion of an approved nursing program and meets the licensed practical nursing education requirement.

  3. An applicant shall provide a valid social security number prior to the Board issuing a license.

  4. Be a citizen or legal resident of the United States. Individuals who are not legally present in the United States are not eligible for licensure.

For further information regarding program requirements, contact the nursing program department located on any Bevill State campus.