Sara L. Campbell, Dean
The mission of the School of Nursing is to prepare nurses who view professional practice through the lens of a caring, Christian worldview and who demonstrate transformational servant leadership that is intentional, bold, infused with Christ-centered confidence, and radically compassionate in caring for others in an increasingly diverse, global, complex and changing world.
The primary tenets of the Christian worldview are that God created the world and all that is in it, and that nursing practice focuses on holistic understanding and care of others. The School of Nursing seeks to prepare professional nurses who provide holistic care to meet healthcare needs.
It is believed that development of transformational servant leadership abilities in the professional nurse will function as a catalyst for significant change in the health of self and others. Through relationship centered care and responsible Christian living, the nurse can best function as an advocate for those in need. This leadership is intentional, whether at the patient bedside, in the community, or on the mission field. The School of Nursing has a special affinity for providing a “voice” for those who are disadvantaged, frail and vulnerable and identifying them as Christ sees them, special and worthy of quality care.
Undergraduate Programs of Study
The School of Nursing offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Policies and Procedures: Admission & Progression for the BSN
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Admission to Lee University does not guarantee full admission to the School of Nursing. Students will be required to submit a separate application packet to the School of Nursing and will be apprised of their acceptance to the nursing program following review of submitted materials. All students are initially accepted as pre-nursing students until an admission decision is made.
The program objectives/goals of the BSN program are:
- Provide baccalaureate nursing education within a liberal arts framework that is quality driven and that provides opportunity for holistic development.
- Prepare the graduate for entry into professional nursing as a generalist in the provision of care.
- Provide baccalaureate nurse preparation that serves as a foundation for graduate level nursing education.
Professor Sara Campbell
Assistant Professors Laura Chapman, Rebecca Hergert, Vanessa Phipps and Charlotte Webb
Lecturer Amy Blake
General Admission Criteria for the School of Nursing
In the event that a student is unable to fulfill the following admission and progression standards with or without reasonable accommodation, the student will not be admitted into, or allowed to progress through the program.
The School of Nursing program is a very rigorous mental, emotional and physical program that places specific requirements and demands on the students enrolled in the program. One objective of the School of Nursing is to prepare graduates to enter a variety of employment settings, and these settings require a broad array of mental and physical demands on the nurse. The following “Core Performance Standards for Admission and Progression of Nursing Students” must be met by all students admitted to the School of Nursing.
The standards listed below define the cognitive, psychomotor and affective abilities that are necessary to the completion of this program and to safely perform as a competent nurse.
Core Performance Standards for Admission and Progression of Nursing Students
Cognitive Learning Abilities
The student must demonstrate cognitive abilities necessary and sufficient for the provision of safe and effective nursing care. Examples of required cognitive abilities are listed below. This list is not all-inclusive. The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Receive and interpret information in the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains of learning. The student must be able to remember information, reproduce it, and use it to solve problems, evaluate work and develop new ways of processing and categorizing information as stated in course objectives.
- Perform physical assessments of clients and make sound, responsible, evidence-based decisions related to nursing action within given time constraints.
- Appropriately and effectively synthesize data from various persons, charts, reports and medical histories and observe the status of the client to intentionally recommend or maintain interventions.
- Resolve practical problems and address a variety of variables in conditions where there is limited standardization.
- Differentiate and prioritize nursing care among multiple clients and situations simultaneously.
- Accurately assess clients using monitors and equipment (including cardiac monitors, electronic infusion devices, suction devices, glucometers, etc.).
- Apply the scientific process and methods of measurement (including calculation, analysis, reasoning, and synthesis).
- Interpret instructions that come from a variety of sources, and in varying communication patterns such as oral, written and diagrammed.
- Use critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to make decisions in a timely manner.
- Learn large volumes of complex and technically detailed information to engage in clinical problem-solving.
- Record examination and diagnostic results accurately, clearly, and communicate them efficiently and effectively to the client and other healthcare team members.
Psychomotor Abilities
The student must demonstrate psychomotor abilities necessary and sufficient for the provision of safe and effective nursing care. Examples of required psychomotor abilities are listed below. This list is not all-inclusive.
Gross and Fine Motor Abilities
The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Sit and stand in an upright posture for extended periods of time.
- Physically maneuver in laboratory and clinical settings, respond to emergency calls in a rapid manner.
- Position and assist clients in and out of bed/chair.
- Maintain an object in a steady position for an extended period of time.
- Competently perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (C.P.R.) using guidelines issued by the American Heart Association.
- Pulling/pushing/rolling efforts to move objects closer or further away.
- Use universal precautions with all patients and maintain sterile techniques when required.
- Write legibly and complete necessary documentation in laboratory and clinical settings in a timely manner and consistent with the acceptable norms of the setting.
- Legibly complete written assignments and tests.
- Effectively record communications in written form in charts, reports, and correspondence.
- Secure a firm grasp on equipment and related objects as necessary in the provision of care.
- Operate a variety of equipment that may require different actions by the nurse (push-button telephone and a computer keyboard).
- Effectively perform movements that require precision such as, venipuncture, catheterization, IV fluid administration, injections, and medication administration.
- Accurately obtain assessment data from clients via palpation, auscultation and percussion.
- Properly manipulate equipment such as a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, and thermometer; insert urethral catheters, IV catheters, nasogastric tubes, and other equipment as needed.
Visual Acuity Ability
The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Perform precise movements.
- Identify color changes and coding systems per agency protocols.
- Identify and read small markings and inscriptions such as found on medications, syringes, thermometers, IV bags and sphygmomanometers.
- Peripheral vision that encompasses clinically significant visual space.
Hearing/Auditory Ability
The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Interpret verbal communication used in lectures, instructions, narratives, questions and answers.
- Auscultate and percuss for body sounds such as heart, lung and bowel sounds.
- Respond to a variety of machine alarms and sounds in a timely manner.
- Effectively work in an environment that is frequently noisy and distracting.
- Respond to cries for help.
- Respond to verbal commands in an emergency situation.
Communication Ability
The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Effectively communicate with clients and others within the healthcare environment verbally and in written format.
- Communicate spontaneously with others to ask questions, explain procedures and conditions and teach safely within a reasonable time frame.
- Perceive non-verbal communication and describe important changes in the client/situation.
- Develop professional relationships with the client, families, groups and other healthcare team members.
Self-Care Ability
The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Organize and coordinate transportation and living accommodations for off-campus clinical assignments to ensure timely reporting to the clinical areas and classrooms/labs.
- Evaluate and maintain general good holistic health and self-care.
Affective Learning Abilities
The student must demonstrate affective learning abilities necessary and sufficient for the provision of safe and effective nursing care. Examples of required affective learning abilities are listed below. This list is not all-inclusive.
The student must demonstrate the ability to:
- Tolerate physically, emotionally and intellectually demanding academic and clinical workloads in nursing within set time constraints.
- Demonstrate composure of affective behaviors (verbal, physical, emotional) to ensure holistic safety of the client in compliance with ethical standards of the American Nurses Association.
- Adapt to rapidly and constantly changing environments, demonstrate flexibility, and function in uncertain situations.
- Acknowledge and respect individual values and options to foster working relationships with clients, peers, faculty, and healthcare team members.
*The previous Core Performance Standards and behavior examples are not all inclusive.
Policies and Procedures: Admission & Progression for the BSN
A student is only considered for full admission AFTER the student has been accepted to the University and has submitted a completed application packet to the School of Nursing. Admission for nursing occurs for the fall semester only. There are no spring admissions to the nursing major. Students may enter as pre-nursing in the spring semester, but will not be considered for full admission until the regular application process for fall admission occurs. Students will be admitted to the BSN traditional track from three student groups: first time freshmen, current Lee students, and transfer students.
Admission: First Time Freshmen
Admission space may be limited and beginning freshmen students are highly encouraged to apply to the nursing major prior to the posted Priority Admission Deadline. The School of Nursing reserves the right to close admissions prior to classes beginning in the fall semester.
Beginning freshmen nursing majors will initially be admitted into the pre-nursing category. The student must then submit an application packet to the School of Nursing for full acceptance consideration into the nursing major. Students not initially accepted into the nursing major for full admission will remain in the pre-nursing category until the next application cycle. At that time, the student will be considered for full acceptance into the nursing major. If the student is not accepted at that point, the student is required to change out of pre-nursing to another major. Admission is based on space, the competitiveness of the applicant pool, and the factors included below.
Factors influencing admission decisions for the nursing major include:
- High school and college courses completed
- Cumulative GPA (Students with previous college course work must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.)
- ACT or SAT scores
- Test of Essential Academic Skills-V (TEAS-V) entrance exam score. (TEAS-V test must include Reading, Math, Science, English and Language Usage.) The TEAS must be taken no later than August 31 of the year for which student is applying. (See application packet for test dates.)
- TEAS-V exemptions: ACT score of 25 and above, or SAT Reading/Math score of 1150 and above (writing score is not included).
- Essay
- Academic recommendations
- TOEFL online score of 90 or higher (as applicable)
- Students must place at the level of MATH-099 or higher and ENGL-105*
*Students placing at a lower level for either math or English may enter into the pre-nursing category, but their application for full admission to the nursing program will not be considered initially and these students are not eligible to enroll in nursing courses as a freshman. Students in this situation should expect delay in graduation if fully admitted to the nursing major upon future application to the School of Nursing. These students must work closely with the nursing adviser to determine their optimal timing for application to the School of Nursing.
Entering Freshmen receive one of two admission decisions for the fall semester:
- Full Acceptance: A student receiving “Full Acceptance” for admission into the School of Nursing assures the student that she/he may remain in the major provided progression requirements are maintained. (See Progression & Dismissal Policies below.)
- Pre-Nursing: This category is reserved for all freshmen not receiving “Full Acceptance” into the nursing major during the initial application cycle for the students’ first fall semester at Lee. This category allows the student to be advised by the School of Nursing and to follow the nursing major plan of study for the first academic year. At the end of the first year in pre-nursing, the applicant will be reconsidered for Full Acceptance, but should be aware that meeting requirements at the minimum does not guarantee Full Acceptance. Students are highly encouraged to demonstrate science/math grades of “B” or higher.
Students in the pre-nursing category who are not accepted for Full Acceptance at the end of the first academic year, must select another major and exit the pre-nursing category.
Freshman Pre-Nursing Students: Application Re-consideration at End of Freshman Year
Students must achieve an overall minimum GPA of 2.50 at the end of the first academic year to be re-considered for Full Acceptance to the School of Nursing. If an overall GPA of 2.50 or higher is not achieved by the end of the first academic year, the student must choose another major and exit the pre-nursing category.
The School of Nursing required prerequisite courses are listed below, under Progression & Dismissal Policies. Students may only retake one required prerequisite course one time, for a total of two attempts. If a student fails more than one required prerequisite course, the student will not be re-considered for Full Acceptance at the end of the first academic year, must choose another major, and must exit the pre-nursing category. If a student fails the second attempt of a required prerequisite course, the student will not be re-considered for Full Acceptance at the end of the first academic year, must choose another major, and must exit the pre-nursing category.
Students must pass all nursing courses in the first academic year with a grade of “C” or higher to be eligible for application re-consideration at the end of the first academic year. Students receiving a “D” or “F” according to School of Nursing Grading Policy must choose another major and exit the pre-nursing category.
Admission: Current Lee and Transfer Students
All transfer students and current Lee students seeking application to the School of Nursing may apply to the School of Nursing for the fall semester only. Current Lee students must apply for admission during designated application periods, and may change to the pre-nursing category before acceptance into the School of Nursing.
Admission space may be limited and students are highly encouraged to apply to the School of Nursing prior to the posted Priority Admission Deadline. The School of Nursing reserves the right to close admissions prior to classes beginning in the fall semester. Transfer students entering Lee University in the spring semester who wish to apply to the School of Nursing for the fall semester should apply by the Priority Admission Deadline, and may select the pre-nursing category.
Factors influencing current and transfer student admission decisions for the nursing major include:
- College courses completed
- Cumulative GPA (minimum 2.75)
- ACT or SAT scores
- Essay
- Academic recommendations
- Transfer students with fewer than 24 credit hours must take the Test of Essential Academic Skills-V (TEAS-V) entrance exam score. (TEAS-V test must include Reading, Math, Science, English and Language Usage.) The TEAS must be taken no later than August 31 of the fall semester for which the student is applying.
- TOEFL online score of 90 or higher (as applicable)
- The following courses are required for all nursing majors and the student must complete these courses with a grade of C or better. These courses should be completed prior to admission to the nursing major. In some cases, one or more may be taken in the first semester of the transfer plan of study, with adviser approval.
| |
ENG-110 |
Rhetoric & Research |
| |
MATH-161 |
Introduction to Statistics |
| |
PSYC-200 |
Understanding Human Behavior |
| |
PSYC-260 |
Lifespan Development |
| |
HSCI-292 |
Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology I |
| |
HSCI-293 |
Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology II |
| |
HSCI-250* |
Microbiology |
| |
CHEM-101* |
Introduction to General/Organic/Biochemistry |
*Students may take HSCI-250 OR CHEM-101 with School of Nursing permission during first semester. Students may transfer course equivalencies for chemistry. (Typically requires two chemistry courses for equivalence.) Or students may take CHEM-101 at Lee during the first semester of nursing courses if HSCI-250 has already been completed.
(Note: Students may be required to prove competency for transferred courses. Science courses older than 5 years will not be accepted for transfer; students may petition the School of Nursing Admission, Retention, and Graduation Committee to request acceptance of science courses older than 5 years.)
(See Progression & Dismissal Policies below.)
Progression & Dismissal Policies: All Nursing Students With Full Admission Status
- Students must maintain an overall college GPA of 2.50 or higher. Students who do not maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50 will be placed on probation for one semester. If the required GPA is not met at the end of the first semester on probation, the student will be dismissed from the School of Nursing.
- Students must meet health and safety compliance requirements prior to enrolling in nursing courses that have clinical/practicum hours. These include drug testing, criminal background check, physical examination and specified immunizations.
- Students in the major must maintain consecutive fall-spring enrollment in nursing courses.
- Students are highly encouraged to obtain grades of “A” or “B” in science and math prerequisite courses.
- The School of Nursing required prerequisite courses are listed below. The prerequisite courses are required for all nursing majors and the student must complete these courses with a grade of “C” or better.
- Students may only retake one required prerequisite course for a second time. If a student receives a “D” or “F” a second time in the same required prerequisite course, the student will be dismissed from the School of Nursing. If a student receives a “D” or “F” in more than one required prerequisite course, the student will be dismissed from the School of Nursing.
| |
ENGL-110 |
Rhetoric & Research |
| |
MATH-161 |
Introduction to Statistics |
| |
PSYC-200 |
Understanding Human Behavior |
| |
PSYC-260 |
Lifespan Development |
| |
HSCI-292 |
Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology I |
| |
HSCI-293 |
Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology II |
| |
HSCI-250 |
Microbiology |
| |
CHEM-101 |
Introduction to General/Organic/Biochemistry |
Nursing Course Grades & Course Withdrawals
Prerequisite Courses: Students receiving a grade of “D” or “F” for a second time in a School of Nursing required prerequisite course will be dismissed from the pre-nursing or nursing major.
Nursing Courses: A grade of “C” or better is required in all nursing courses (per School of Nursing Grading Policy). Students will be dismissed from the major when the student receives a grade of less than “C” in any two nursing courses or twice for the same nursing course.
Students may repeat only one nursing course. The student will be dismissed from the nursing major and the School of Nursing if the student earns below a 74%/”C” grade (per School of Nursing Grading Policy for final course grades) in any nursing course that is being repeated. Students may not progress to any other nursing courses with a clinical/lab component without successfully repeating the failed course with a 74%/”C” grade or higher.
Students may only withdraw from one nursing course during their time as a nursing student. Repeating of courses that students withdraw from for any reason is contingent upon course offerings and space availability in the course. Students should be aware that withdrawing from nursing courses will delay time to graduation.
Other Program Progression Requirements
Students may be dismissed from the nursing major for severe critical incident violations. See School of Nursing Student Handbook for policy related to critical incidents.
There are specific program requirements related to standardized assessment exams and progression and retention in the nursing major. See SON Student Handbook for the policy and requirements.
Re-Entry into the Program
Students who do not continue in the nursing sequence for any reason must petition to the Admissions, Retention, Graduation Committee for reentry into the program. The student must be readmitted to the university prior to petitioning the School of Nursing for reentry. Reentry is not guaranteed and may not be granted depending upon the circumstances for withdrawing from the program. If a student is allowed to reenter, specific competencies must be met prior to beginning nursing classes.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
