Admission Statement

Guided by the mission statement of the Trinity Health System School of Nursing, the Faculty Organization selects applicants for admission to the School who meet the Specific Pre-admission Educational Requirements.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The School of Nursing strives to maintain an environment in which all are treated with courtesy, respect, and dignity.  The School of Nursing does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, or disability in the admission of students, employment of individuals, or in activities conducted by the School in accordance with Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. The School will not tolerate conduct by any person, which constitutes sexual harassment, including sexual violence of any student/employee.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), Trinity Health System School of Nursing will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. All applicants to the School must be able to complete the Essential Functions and Abilities of a Nursing Student with or without reasonable accommodations. For a more detailed description of this Act/Policy on Students with Disabilities, contact the Office of Student Affairs.

 

Inquiries concerning Title IX may be referred to the Director of the School or to the:     

 

Office of Civil Rights

U.S. Department of Education

600 Superior Avenue East

Suite 750

Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2611

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Admissions Contact

All inquiries or correspondence for admission should be directed to the Office of Student Affairs at the School of Nursing between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The telephone number is (740) 283-7467. The E-mail address is mhassan@trinityhealth.com. Fax # 740-283-7461.

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General Pre-Admission Requirements

 Applicants are admitted to the school on a rolling basis. Only one class is admitted annually.

General requirements:

  1. $25.00 non-refundable application fee.
  2. Official transcript of all high school credits, or, if applicable an official General Education Test (G.E.D.) certificate.
  3. Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended.
  4. References may be required. A relative may not give a reference.
  5. The School of Nursing reserves the right to schedule personal interviews with eligible applicants.

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Specific Pre-Admission Educational Requirements

• Standardized Test Requirements for Admission-All accepted applicants must achieve performance on one of the following:
1.  An American College Test (ACT) score within the last five years with a composite score of 18 or above and a minimal Reading score of 13; or
2.  A Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score within the last five years with a combined score of 750 or above; or
3.  The Admission Assessment HESI Exam
     The HESI Exam will be administered at Trinity Health System School of Nursing. The Reading Comprehension, Math, Vocabulary, Anatomy and Physiology, Learning Styles, and Critical Thinking sections of the exam will be completed. A minimum score of "75%" in Reading Comprehension is required. The School of Nursing strongly recommends independent remediation prior to entrance into the program if an applicant receives less than a 75% in the Math, Vocabulary, and/or Anatomy and Physiology sections.
     This Exam may be scheduled after the completed application form and required transcripts have been reviewed by the School. The Office of Student Affairs will grant permission to those eligible to take the HESI Exam. The cost of this examination will be incurred by the applicant. The cost is $37.00. Available HESI Admission Exam testing dates will be posted on the School's Website.
 
Applicants with a four-year college degree, within the last 5 years, will be exempt from standardized test criterion for admission.
 
In addition to the Standardized Test Requirements, all applicants must meet the following pre-admission requirements:


• Minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in the eight required college course equivalents.

• Successful completion of required college courses with final course grades of "C" or above. See our Required Course Equivalent Chart.

• High School coursework must meet the State requirements for graduation, including Algebra I and Chemistry I with a final letter grade of "C" or above

• GED – Applicants with a GED Certificate must also complete the equivalent of one unit of both High School Algebra I and Chemistry I with a final  grade of “C” or above.

The School of Nursing recognizes satisfactory scores on a college placement tests for the following pre-admission requirements: High School level Algebra I and Chemistry I. The student must submit an official copy of the Placement Test Score to be maintained in the student’s record.

Beginning with the Class entering the program in the fall of 2011, purchase of an online pre-admission Anatomy & Physiology review will be required. The cost of this resource is $42.95.

Trinity's School Code Number for the ACT is: 3329.
Trinity's School Code Number for the SAT is R1611.


All documents become the permanent property of the School. 

Essential Functions and Abilities of a Nursing Student

Students accepted into this program will need the cognitive ability, emotional stability, and physical endurance to complete the program and practice professional nursing. When determining professional suitability for the practice of professional nursing, the nursing student must be able to do the following: exercise safe judgments based on assessment data, remain visibly calm in emergency situations, interact in a caring manner with others, follow directions, be flexible, and demonstrate honesty, integrity, commitment, cooperation, respect and accountability. The student must not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of himself or others.

The following are essential functions, abilities, and physical requirements for the nursing student:

  • Critical thinking ability sufficient to collect, analyze, integrate, and generalize information and knowledge to make clinical judgments and management decisions that promote positive patient outcomes. Ability to identify cause/effect relationships and clinical situations, develop nursing care plans, and apply mathematical skills for calculating safe drug dosages

  • Interpersonal ability sufficient to provide safe care to populations, as well as safety to self. Ability to establish a therapeutic relationship with patients, families, and health care team, maintain a positive relationship with instructors and peers, demonstrate self-control, and accept constructive criticism for professional development.

  • Communications skills sufficient to speak, comprehend and write (print and cursive) in English at a level that meets the need for accurate, clear effective communication. Ability to explain procedures, initiate health teaching, document and interpret nursing actions and patient/client responses, and complete assignments and exams within specified time frames.

  • Physical abilities sufficient to perform required patient care activities in a safe and effective manner for the entire length of the clinical experience. Ability to move around in clinical environment, administer cardio-pulmonary procedures, and walk/stand, twist, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push and pull for extended periods.

  • Gross and fine motor skills sufficient to provide safe, effective nursing care. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, turn, reposition/ambulate patients, and manipulate small equipment and containers (i.e. syringes, vials, ampules, and medication packages to administer medications.

  • Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess patient health needs. Ability to hear faint body sounds, auditory alarms and normal speaking level sounds (i.e. blood pressure sounds, monitors, fire alarms, call bells, cries for help and person-to-person report).

  • Visual ability sufficient to observe and assess patients and their environments. Ability to detect changes in physical appearance, color and contour, read medication labels, syringes, manometers, and written communication accurately.

  • Tactile ability sufficient to perform physical assessment. Ability to palpate (i.e. pulses, changes in skin temperature, and anatomical abnormalities). and provide therapeutic interventions needed for examinations and procedures.

This description of the essential abilities of the nursing student is meant to include the major areas of responsibility and is not intended to be limited to the above information.

Disclosure of a Disability

After acceptance into the nursing program, a copy of the form "Essential Functions and Abilities of the Nursing Student" is mailed to each new student to review, sign, and return to the School within two weeks of receipt. This information is outlined in the School Catalog/Website/Student Handbook. Disclosure of a disability prior to the program start date will allow the student time for their individual evaluation and submission of the written documentation to the School.

For reasonable accommodations to be considered, it is first necessary for the student to obtain a current (within 5 years) evaluation of the disability from a licensed/certified psychologist (with experience in the disability identified) or if appropriate, a medical doctor. The specific disability and recommendations should be described in the documentation submitted. The "Essential Functions and Abilities of the Nursing Student" serve as a guide for the written recommended accommodations.

Students who disclose a disability and request accommodation after the educational program begins, may experience a delay in the progress of their program until all required documentation is submitted and processed.

Pre-admission Drug Screening Policy

Purpose - To provide guidelines for pre-admission drug screening for all provisionally accepted     applicants. To assure the safety and well-being of patients, students, faculty and staff in the academic and clinical environments.

Philosophy - Trinity Health System School of Nursing is committed to maintaining a health and substance-abuse free environment that promotes the welfare of students, patients, employees and the community. We believe the use of illegal drugs causes harmful physical, mental and psychosocial effects, and may render an individual unable to perform the essential functions of a student nurse in a safe and competent manner.

Procedure

1.  All provisionally accepted applicants must obtain a 10 panel urine drug screen prior to August 1st of the year they intend to enter the program. If drug screen results are not received by the School prior to the first day of the Fall Semester, the applicant will not be eligible to begin classes.

2.  Drug screening will be done through WorkCare Occupational Health Clinic adjacent to Trinity Medical Center West (740-264-0087). WorkCare uses occupational Med Program Drug and Alcohol Testing Services, a federally certified laboratory, and a strict chain of custody.

3.  Arrangements for the drug screen appointment and the cost of the drug screen (approximately $50.00) are the responsibility of the provisionally accepted applicant.

4.  A driver's license or other photo I.D. must be presented for verification of identity at the time of the drug screening. Applicants will sign a consent for the results of the drug screen to be released to the School of Nursing. If the provisionally accepted applicant is a minor, parental permission will be required.

5.  Refusal to consent to drug screening will result in denial of admission to the program.

6.  A Medical Review Officer (MRO) who is a trained and certified physician will review all results. The screening results are transmitted confidentially from the laboratory directly to the MRO's office. In accordance with Trinity Health System's policy (HR.EH-33), cut off levels are used to determine when an individual has enough of a certain drug in his/her system that it should be considered a positive test. The drug cut-off levels are derived from federal guidelines.

7.  Information is provided to School officials only on a need-to-know basis. Drug screening records will be kept on file in the Director's office for one (1) year from the collection date and will then be shredded.

Confidentiality: The handling of all records and subject information will be strictly confidential and revealed only to those required to have access. Any breach of confidentiality will be considered serious and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

Outcome

Provisionally accepted applicants with a positive result that has been verified by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) certified referral lab and verified by the MRO will be contacted by the MRO. The candidate may provide evidence of a valid prescription for the presence of the substance in his/her system to the MRO. The MRO is an expert in substance abuse; the School of Nursing will recognize the validity of the MRO's findings.

1.  When a drug screen reveals a negative result, the enrollment procedure will proceed.

2.  In any case where a drug screen result is positive and no authorized prescription is produced to validate the presence of the drug in the individual's system, admission will be denied. A certified letter will be sent to the applicant indicating the presence of a controlled substance in the urine specimen and the denial of admission into the program.

3.  Applicants denied admission to the School of Nursing due to a positive drug screen may reapply for the next academic year.

The School reserves the right to modify these requirements to determine eligibility as prescribed by the Faculty.
 

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Enrollment Procedure

Applicants are notified of their provisional/final acceptance into the program by letter. Provisional acceptance will be granted providing the applicant is meeting the following requirements:

1.  Application for Admission on file with $25.00 application fee.

2.  Official High School transcript or GED certificate on file.

3.  Successful completion of a minimum of three required course equivalents one of which must be Anatomy & Physiology or Microbiology.

4. Minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in the eight required college course equivalents.

5. Successful completion of specific Standardized Test Requirements (ACT, SAT, HESI Admission Exam scores or four-year college degree within the last five years).

Final acceptance will be contingent upon:

1.  Successful completion of remaining required high school and college course equivalents.

2.  Minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 or higher in the eight required college course equivalents.

3.  Submission of official transcripts of all required courses.

4.  Negative Urine Drug Screen.

Pre-enrollment information sessions will be held with groups of provisionally accepted/accepted applicants in order to share pertinent information and answer any applicant questions. Sessions are held monthly. Various forms (health, immunization, etc.) and information regarding enrollment are mailed at a later date.

Accepted applicants are required to submit the following forms to the Office of Student Affairs by July 1 of the year of entry. Applicants will not be admitted to the program unless these requirements are met.

These forms become permanent property of the School:

  1. Required transcripts

    A. Final official High School transcript if applicant was a High School senior at the time application to the School of Nursing was filed. 


    B. Official college transcripts if applicant attended a post-secondary school completing coursework after application to the School of Nursing was filed. Failure to report an unacceptable grade in a required course constitutes falsification of records requiring immediate dismissal.
  2. Cumulative Health Record completed by a licensed physician (health, immunization and diagnostic tests). Due date, August 1 of the year of entry.
  3. Current BLS (Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers Program) Certification. Due date, August 1 of the year of entry.
     
  4. Essential Functions and Abilities of a Nursing Student Form.

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Registration Fee

A registration fee of $200 is to be paid within 30 calendar days of notification of provisional/final acceptance for admission/readmission. This is applied to the first term tuition, but is not refunded if the student withdraws. If a student with a provisional status is unable to meet the requirements for final acceptance, the Registration Fee will be refunded upon receipt of Official Transcripts.

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Transfer Students/Credit

Applications from students who wish to transfer from an approved professional school of nursing will be considered on an individual basis. Acceptance of transfer students is dependent on completion of all admission requirements, demonstration of ability to attain the standards of achievement in our School, relevancy of course(s) and available space in the class.
 
Request for transfer of credit must be submitted in writing accompanied by official transcripts and course descriptions/outlines. Courses accepted for credit must be of comparable content/practicum as those offered by Trinity Health System School of Nursing. Transferred coursework must have been successfully completed within the past 5 years (final course grade of "C" or above). Calculation of credits is determined by course content/practicum comparability and granted according to the Program's Curriculum Plan.
 
A letter of recommendation from the Director of the previous school may be required. Once the required materials have been received, the Faculty Organization will review the applicant’s materials and determine final acceptance. The school reserves the right to test any transfer applicant prior to admission. A processing/application fee of $25.00 is required.

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Advanced Placement - LPN to RN

Trinity Health System School of Nursing offers a unique and dynamic
LPN-to-RN articulation program. The LPN accepted into the School must hold a current license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse with the appropriate credentials to administer medications. Medical-Surgical experience is preferred. The LPN applicant must have completed each practical nursing course with a "C" or better. The preadmission requirement of high school Algebra I is waived for the LPN to RN Advanced Placement student. The preadmission requirement of high school Chemistry I is waived if the student has completed a college level Chemistry course with a final "C" or above.
No preadmission testing is required.
 
The following is the coursework which must be completed with a grade of "C" or above prior to the start of the LPN-to-RN Advanced Placement Program.
 
        COURSES                                                    
 
* Anatomy/Physiology                                    
* Sociology                             
* Microbiology                                    
* Nutrition                                                       
* General Psychology                                                                       
* Human Growth and Development                   
* English Composition                               
 
*Required course(s) from another institution must be approved by Trinity Health System School of Nursing. A course compatibility chart is available on the website or by contacting the Office of Student Affairs.
 
The School of Nursing will grant credit for previous nursing education through an escrow-bypass advanced placement mechanism.
 
The following is the nursing coursework for which the LPN-to-RN student is granted credit:
 
COURSE
 
N101 Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
N10  Basic Pharmacological Math
N11  Pathopharmacology I
 
The LPN to RN Transition Course will be held within four to six weeks prior to the scheduled Spring Semester start date each year.
 
In addition to the successful completion of the LPN to RN Transition Course, the student must successfully complete the following coursework to be a candidate for graduation:
 
COURSE
 
N201 Nursing Care of the Adult I
N21   Pathopharmacology II
N202 Nursing Care of the Adult II
N22   Pathopharmacology III
N203 Maternal-Child Nursing
N23   Advanced Pharmacological Concepts I
N204 Nursing Care of the Patient in Crisis
N24   Advanced Pharmacological Concepts II
N301 Transition to Professional Practice
 
The School establishes the same graduation requirements for basic and articulation students.
 
Application fee: $25.00
 
LPN  to RN Transition Course Fee: $250.00 plus textbook

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Readmission Policy

A readmitted student is defined as an individual who was previously enrolled in the program and has withdrawn from the program either voluntarily or involuntarily. The readmitted student must meet the curriculum requirements effective at the time of readmission.  All requests for readmission are referred to the Faculty Organization for review/consideration. A final decision is based on individual evaluation and availability of space. The Faculty will review the previous Academic File including but not limited to: reasons for leaving, length of time since leaving, past performances in theory, clinical, and standardized testing, number of times placed on academic probation, number of times Comprehensive Final Exams were repeated, and/or attendance while in the program. The Faculty may stipulate specific individualized requirements that must be met prior to readmission.
 
There is no guarantee of readmission. A student may be readmitted to the program only once, and therefore, must complete the program in its entirety as planned, once readmitted.
Readmission Requirements

1.  The applicant must submit a completed Application for Admission along  with a nonrefundable $25.00 application fee.

2.  Transcripts of any/all courses taken between enrollments must be forwarded to the School of Nursing. Any courses to be considered for transfer of credit must be approved by the Faculty Organization.

3.  A final course grade of "C" or above is required for consideration of transfer of credit.

4.  Personal interview is optional.

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Felony Convictions

Applicants should be aware of the following policy of the Ohio Board of Nursing regarding felony convictions:

Section 4723.28 of the Ohio Revised Code, the Law Regulating the Practice of Nursing, states that the Board may deny a convicted felon a license or the privilege of sitting for the licensing examination. The Board will not approve applications for admission to the licensing examination of persons incarcerated or on parole as a result of having been convicted of a felony .The following crimes are automatic bars to licensure for applicants who enter a pre-licensure education program on or after June 1, 2003:
Aggravated Murder
Murder
Voluntary Manslaughter
Felonious Assault
Kidnapping
Rape
Aggravated Robbery
Aggravated Burglary
Sexual Battery
Gross Sexual Imposition 
Aggravated Arson
 
Further, the Ohio Board of Nursing may propose to deny an application for the following:
Any Felony
A Crime Involving Gross Immorality or Moral Turpitude
A Misdemeanor Drug Law Violation
A Misdemeanor Committed in the Course of Practice
 
If an applicant has a criminal history, the Board conducts a thorough investigation of any grounds that may exist for licensure denial at the time that the application is filed. 

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