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Academic Rules and Regulations
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Academic Standing A minimum grade of B- is required in all courses offered for any graduate degree. If a student receives below a B- grade in any School of Nursing course, the course must be repeated. If the grade for the repeated course is below a B- the student will be automatically dropped from the program. A grade of below B- in any other course requires repeating the course and earning a satisfactory grade or earning a minimum grade of B- in an alternate course. Students who receive more than one grade below B- are automatically dropped from the program. Any F grade results in the student being dropped from the program. Students in the School of Graduate Nursing are not permitted to take courses on a CR/NC basis.
Appealing a Grade Students who wish to appeal a course grade must first attempt to resolve the issue with the instructor of the course. Absent a satisfactory outcome, the student consults with the following chain of communication: faculty advisor, then program director/coordinator prior to meeting with the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services.
The student will be advised by the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services to file a formal appeal to either the Department Chair or the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. The appeal letter must address the grounds for the appeal including any claims of grading errors, perceived inequities based on policies/syllabi discrepancies or extenuating circumstances. The documentation for the appeals process does not include email; it must be printed and presented to the Office of the Associate Dean of Academic Programs. For grades awarded for the fall semester, the written appeal must be submitted no later than 14 calendar days after the beginning of the spring semester. For grades awarded for the spring semester or summer sessions: the written appeal must be submitted no later than 14 days after the first day of the fall semester. For January term, a written appeal must be submitted no later than 14 days after the end of that session or term. Appeals submitted after the deadline will be heard only in exceptional cases, as determined by the Senior Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services. The Associate Dean of Academic Programs shall make a final decision after full consideration of the materials submitted and/or a committee’s recommendation. The student will be notified of the decision within three weeks of receiving the student’s appeal.
Grade Changes Grade changes can only be made by the course professor and must be done within four weeks of the end of the semester. Extra work to raise a grade, once submitted, is not permitted.
Grades A graduate student’s work in a course is graded on the basis of A+ (97-100), A (94-96), A- (90-93), B+ (87-89), B (84-86), B- (80-83), C+ (77-79), C (74-76), C- (70-73), D+ (67-69), D (64-66), D- (60-63) and F (59-0).
Incomplete Grades A grade of incomplete is a non-grade designation given for a course. A grade of IN becomes an F 200 days after the end of the examination period unless a form requesting an extension of time has been signed by the course instructor and approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services. Instructors are not authorized to extend the time for completion of course work without the Dean’s approval. Forms for securing extensions are available from the School of Nursing website. Prior to the end of the course, students must initiate the request for an IN and secure the instructor’s approval.
Students with two or more outstanding incomplete designations (in the same semester or cumulatively) may not enroll in courses in subsequent terms. An IN grade remaining at the time of graduation is converted to an F.
Statement These rules and regulations apply to all School of Nursing programs, with the exception of the PhD program. The PhD Nursing degree is a program under the auspices of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). PhD students should abide by GSAS policy and the policies set forth in the PhD program section.
Academic Deficiencies
Leaves of Absence The Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services may grant leaves of absence to students for either a semester or a summer session upon written application stating the reason for temporarily leaving the University.
Readmission after Voluntary Withdrawal or Leave of Absence Readmission to the School of Nursing master’s or doctoral program is not automatic. After an absence of a semester or longer, a former student must apply for readmission to the School of Nursing Assistant Dean for Academic Programs by December 1 for the spring semester or by April 1 for the fall semester. Readmission following a withdrawal or leave of absence is granted only if space is available.
Statement of Policy The University of Virginia School of Nursing expects all students to meet established academic standards satisfactorily for all course requirements, including meeting learning objectives, clinical practice objectives/standards, and professional standards of behavior for safe and quality nursing practice.
The purpose of this policy is to promote academic achievement, maintain academic and professional standards, and to achieve fairness and consistency in decisions regarding students with academic or professional deficiencies. Faculty members as course professors/clinical instructors are responsible for assessing and monitoring each student’s academic and professional progress, including knowledge gained, skills acquired, and professional behavior as well as adherence to policies and procedures concerning clinical education and the health system/clinical facility policies.
A student’s failure to meet the established academic, clinical and/or professional standards requires faculty documentation of a plan of action (examples provided in ADAP Website) on an academic deficiency form (available on ADAP Website) and may be initiated any time during the course or program of study. Completed academic deficiency forms are an official component of the student record and are held in the highest regard denoting a “student at risk” for successful completion of the course, including potential to fail the course.
Procedures
- Each course professor will provide written guidelines in the course syllabus concerning student accountability, monitoring of performance and disciplinary actions, including consequences of academic deficiencies, related to meeting course and/or clinical objectives.
- Policies regarding academic deficiencies (academic, clinical and/or professional standards of behavior) will be uniform generally throughout all BSN, MSN and DNP programs of study (PhD students refer to the standards of the Graduate School for Arts and Sciences and/or UVA Graduate Record) and will include the following categories of corrective actions:
- Verbal reprimands or written advisements from a faculty member or faculty advisor to a student may occur for performance deficiencies (academic, clinical and/or professional) at any time during the course or the program of study. However, there must be documented evidence that the student received the communication and understood the terms of agreement and the timeline to improve the area of deficiency. If the deficiency is corrected, no further action required.
- If the performance area is not improved, the faculty member (course professor and/or clinical instructor) must submit a “formal academic deficiency” form to the student with copies to the Faculty Advisor, the Program Director/Coordinator, and the Senior Assistant Dean of Academic and Student Services. The student must sign the deficiency form and the faculty member submits it to the Office of the Associate Dean of Academic Programs.
- The number of academic deficiencies is at the discretion of the course professor; however, a completed academic deficiency form is required to be submitted to the Office of the Associate Dean of Academic Programs for upholding any course outcomes and/or consequences. This also may include altering the planned sequence of courses and may lengthen the time for completion of the program of study.
Transfer of Credit Students may receive a maximum of four graduate-level courses (up to 12 credits) completed at other institutions for transfer credit. In order to be considered for transfer, the courses must have been completed with a minimum grade of B.
Credit for transfer courses is determined following an evaluation of each student’s course work and overall plan of study. The School of Nursing grants transfer credit based on an analysis of the content, level, and comparability of the courses taken, the applicability of the courses to the student’s intended major and degree program, the quality of the student’s performance in the courses, and the accreditation of the institution at which the work was completed. Evaluation of credits for transfer does not occur until after the student is admitted to the program. Information on the procedure for transfer of credit is available from the School of Nursing Registrar’s webpage.
Any currently practicing advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who has taken advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and health assessment (the “3 Ps”), and has those courses documented on an approved academic transcript, will not be required to retake those courses as part of the program of study for a Post-Master’s Certificate. In addition, practicing APRNs will not be required to take Role I: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Role Acquisition or Role II: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Role Transition.
Visiting Student Status Under special circumstances, a student with a baccalaureate or graduate degree in nursing may complete a maximum of two graduate nursing courses without formally seeking admission to the degree program. Special student status is granted only when there are vacancies available in the courses requested. Admitted degree students receive enrollment priority. Completion of coursework as a visiting student does not guarantee admission to the program.
Voluntary Withdrawal An official application to withdraw must be approved by the Dean of the School of Nursing or the Dean’s designate. Withdrawal applications may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Student Services. The application must then be endorsed by the Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services. Student identification cards are collected at the time of withdrawal.
A student is not permitted to withdraw later than two weeks before the beginning of the examination period in any semester except for providential reasons.
A student who withdraws from the University for reasons of mental health must obtain permission from CAPS and the Department of Student Health. Subsequent medical clearance from the Department of Student Health/CAPS and the Office of the Dean of Students is required for readmission.
Clinical Agencies: Responsibility, Compliance and Affiliation Agreement Policy Formal affiliation agreements are executed with all agencies prior to placement of students in clinical sites to provide direct care to patients. Agreements must be fully executed and include the signatures of the authorized representative of the facility, the Dean of the School of Nursing, and the Assistant Vice President for Finance and University Comptroller. Faculty members are responsible for adherence to these agreements. Students will be placed in clinical sites only when enrolled in a credit-bearing course for which he or she paid tuition and in which participation in the clinical experience is a course requirement. This applies to all clinical experiences that require the student to have patient contact.
The faculty member placing students and the students assigned to agencies are responsible for knowing and adhering to the terms of the affiliation agreement, including its conditions and responsibilities.
The School does not provide legal advice to the student regarding whether to submit to the conditions set by the facility. The School does not pay any student costs related to the clinical experience. If the student declines or fails to participate in or complete the clinical experience and the experience is a requirement for the course, the student will not successfully complete the course and may not graduate. The student is solely responsible for the consequences of his or her decision regarding whether to submit to the conditions or requirements established by the facility.
Clinical Agency Requirements Students must meet the required competencies of the clinical agency to which they are assigned as outlined in the clinical agency contract. This may include requirements such as infection control training, criminal background investigation, and mandatory drug screening.
Criminal Background Check All nursing students are required to undergo a regular criminal background check after admission to the program. Some clinical agencies will require such a check to be performed annually and may require additional testing/screening of nursing students. Information can be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Student Services.
Doctoral Degree Programs
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D)
Joint Degree Track
- MSN/MBA Joint Degree Program
Master’s Degree Tracks
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Clinical Nurse Leader (RN-entry and non-RN Master’s-entry)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Systems Management
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Practice Nurse Practitioner
- Public Health Nursing Leadership
- Public Health Nursing Leadership with combined Family or Pediatric Nurse Practitioner preparation
Post-Master’s Certification Tracks
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Health Systems Management
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Public Health Nursing Leadership
- Wound, Ostomy, Continence (WOC) Nursing
In addition to tuition, fees, and expenses as outlined in the Tuition, Fees, Housing, and Dining section of this Record, graduate students in nursing should anticipate the following additional expenses:
CPR Certification Students are required to obtain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for adults, children, and infants prior to entering clinical courses. Certification must be maintained throughout the program, and validation must be presented each year. The School of Nursing accepts only the American Heart Association AED certification for Healthcare Providers. You must have Adult, Infant and Child training and AED.
ESAP Pre-licensure students are required to purchase access to the Elsevier Support and Assessment Program (ESAP) materials that are embedded within the core nursing courses that all students take in their respective programs. The ESAP materials include clinical case studies, practice tests, specialty course tests, and a NCLEX-preparation course.
Hospital Insurance The Student Health Service does not provide for the expense of hospital care. The University requires that all students carry hospitalization insurance for year-round coverage. A preferred risk group insurance program sponsored by the University is available; for an additional premium, the dependents of married students are included. Students or parents may substitute a plan comparable to that offered by the University.
Immunization Titer Requirements The School of Nursing requires documentation of a positive antibody titer for Hepatitis B, rubella, and varicella for all students who practice in a clinical setting. No student will be permitted to enroll in clinical courses without providing this documentation. Information regarding the vaccine and antibody titers can be obtained from the student’s local health care provider, district health department, or from Student Health.
Medical Instruments A complete set of diagnostic instruments must be procured by students admitted to the advanced practice nursing program. The cost of these instruments is assumed by the student.
MMR, TD, and PPD Documentation of current measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization and tetanus booster (TD) is required for all students. Tuberculosis testing (PPD) is required on an annual basis for all students enrolled in clinical courses.
Other Expenses Depending on the program and track, additional costs may be required (i.e. clinical supplies and resources).
Travel to Clinical Facilities Many of the clinical facilities used in the master’s degree and certificate programs or for the doctor of nursing practice program are a distance from the medical center. Transportation costs to and from these facilities must be borne by the student.
TYPHON The School of Nursing uses the TYPHON system for student portfolio development and for student clinical activity tracking, and access to this system is required for all students. There is a one-time access fee that students will pay at the time of the first log-on to the system. Initial training to TYPHON will be provided for all students. Following the training, students will be provided with individual log-on and password information. Students are introduced to TYPHON in the first clinical course. Ongoing use of TYPHON will continue throughout the program and for three years after graduation. Documentation of all student clinical activities is required for tracking clinical competency development, certification, and for successful post-graduate employment.
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