BSN Program for Pre-Licensure Students (not applicable for RN to BSN students)

Applications to the School of Nursing Pre-Licensure BSN program are taken twice a year.

Fall Entry: Application for Fall Semester entry will be available from March 1^st to May 1^st of each year and are due to the School of Nursing by May 1 of the year the student plans to starting nursing courses in August.

Spring Entry: Application for Spring Semester entry will be available from July 1^st to September 1^st of each year and are due to the School of Nursing by September 1 of the year prior to starting nursing courses in January.

Admissions Guidelines (approved by TBR January 2008):

General Information

1. Admission to the University does not guarantee acceptance to the nursing program.
2. A limited number of students will be admitted each semester (Fall & Spring)
3. All pre nursing core must be completed prior to starting nursing courses if conditionally accepted into the program.
4. If a conditionally accepted student fails to successfully complete all nursing core and pre-requisite courses with a “C” or better the student will not be permitted to begin nursing courses. Students will be required to reapply to the School of Nursing.
5. Admission to the School of Nursing is done holistically and takes into account multiple factors such as: ethnicity, geographic location, gender, etc.
6. Admitted students will be subject to background checks and may be required to undergo drug testing.

In order to apply the student must

• be admitted to Austin Peay State University by the School of Nursing application deadline.
• Complete and submit the School of Nursing application by the application deadline, only completed applications will be considered for admission.
• have completed at least 30 hours (of the required 46hrs) with no grades lower than a “C” in nursing pre-requisites and APSU general education requirements. These hours must include:
  • 8 hours of science from Biol 2010, 2020, and/or 2300 plus labs
  • 6 hours nursing pre-requisites from Psy 1010,3100, Soc 1010(formerly 2010), and/or Math 1530
  • 16 hours of APSU core from Eng 1010,1020,2030, Hist 2010,2020, Humanities 6 hrs, and/or Comm1010
  • APSU 1000 (not required for transfer students with more than 12 hours)

• have a documented plan for completion of remaining core and pre-requisite courses prior to starting nursing courses. 
• have completed all pre-requisite Biology courses within seven (7) years of the time of application. 
• have cleared any high school deficiencies.
• meet core performance and professional (technical) standards.

Further admission requirements (for ranking of applicant pool) that students must have:

• a minimum calculated GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale based on grades received in APSU general education requirements and nursing pre-requisites.
  • Consideration is given to students who have a calculated GPA greater than 3.0 and/or who have completed all core and prerequisite courses at Austin Peay.
  • If a student attempts a course more than once, the grades from every attempt will be used to calculate the admission GPA.
• completed the required standardized nursing entrance examination by the School of Nursing application deadline. The required examination may be taken once per application period. For information about the TEAS test, go to www.atitesting.com (click on student and then TEAS).
• The fee-based examination must be taken on campus at APSU unless there are extenuating circumstances recognized by the School of Nursing Admission and Retention Committee.

Selection of Candidates
The Admissions Committee of the School of Nursing selects candidates for admission from the students who meet the admission requirements. All applicants who have applied for Spring entry will be notified by mail as soon as possible after October 15 and applicants for Fall entry and as soon as possible after June 15. Because of limited numbers of placements in nursing courses, not all applicants meeting the eligibility requirements to apply for admission will be selected. Selections will be based on a holistic ranking of candidates to included but not limited to the GPA based on APSU general education requirements and nursing pre-requisites only and the score achieved on the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) placement exam. (Designated ROTC Scholarship recipients meeting admission criteria will be approved for admission.)

1. Students offered an admission position in the School of Nursing must reply by the designated deadline date (to be published by the School of Nursing). Failure to do so will result in loss of admission to the School of Nursing.

2. Following acceptance into the BSN program, students must:

   1. Provide evidence of liability and health insurance. Evidence of physical and/or mental health may be required following admission or at any time during the program.

   2. Provide verification of a negative report of tuberculin skin test dated no more than two months prior to enrollment in nursing courses (a negative chest X-ray will be required in the context of a positive tuberculin skin test), vaccination or proof of immunity to rubella, varicella, rubeola, and Hepatitis B series; and,

   3. Provide verification of current certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support (CPS), comparable to the Health Care Provider Course of the American Heart Association.

   4. Comply with criminal background checks and drug screening as required for eligibility to access entrance into specific clinical agencies as related to clinical course objective.

   5. Pending review by the Tennessee Board of Nursing, persons who have been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation could be ineligible for Registered Nurse Licensure in the State of Tennessee, even though they have successfully completed the program.

RN-BSN Program (Students who currently have or are eligible for their RN License)

The application and deadlines for application are different for the RN-BSN students. Students interested in the RN-BSN program should contact the RN-BSN coordinator, Danielle White, for specific admissions information at 931-221-7492 or by email at WhiteD@apsu.edu

Accreditation

The BSN nursing program is approved by the Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). These organizations may be reached at the following:

Tennessee Department of Health, Board of Nursing
227 French Landing, Suite 300
Heritage Place Metro Center
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
(615) 532-5166

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
61 Broadway 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10006
(212) 363-5555 x 153
www.nlnac.org/home.htm