General Information
The Carolyn McKelvey Moore School of Nursing at UA Fort Smith offers a competency based associate degree nursing program that combines nursing theory and clinical experiences that enables the graduate to practice in today's dynamic healthcare environment. Passing rates on the NCLEX-RN, the examination for RN licensure, remain consistently above both national and state averages. Graduates are actively recruited by employers, both locally and regionally. The ADN program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and is approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
Accreditation
The ADN Program in the Carolyn McKelvey Moore School of Nursing is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (
NLNAC). The NLNAC may be contacted at 61 Broadway - 33rd Floor, New York, NY, 10006, telephone 212-363-5555.
The Carolyn McKelvey Moore School of Nursing also has approval from the
Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
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Mission
The mission of the UA Fort Smith Carolyn McKelvey Moore School of Nursing is consistent with the mission of UA Fort Smith by its design and program outcomes. The nursing education programs challenge students to think critically in an environment that facilitates educational mobility, personal growth, and a pattern of lifelong learning. The mission of the associate degree nursing (ADN) program is to educate qualified students to earn an associate of applied science degree, to pass the NCLEX-RN, and to integrate knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes essential for entry level nursing practice.
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Philosophy
The faculty of the Carolyn McKelvey Moore School of Nursing hold certain values about nursing and the educational process. These values form the framework in which learning activities move in a logical progression throughout the curriculum and are based on the following concepts:
A human being is a unique holistic individual with worth, rights, and responsibilities. All human beings have needs. Fulfillment of these needs occurs within the context of their culture and responses to life experiences.
Health is a dynamic state that encompasses the holistic human being. Health results from the human being’s response to change in his/her internal and external environments. Health occurs along the wellness/illness continuum and is influenced by personal and cultural values.
Environment is the conditions or influences within which the human being exists. Stimuli within the internal and external environment are constantly interacting and affect the individual, family, and community’s position on the wellness/illness continuum.
Nursing, as an art and science, is a dynamic profession with an evolving body of knowledge that is supported by research within the profession as well as from principles and theories from other disciplines. Nursing focuses on assisting human beings to meet needs along the wellness/illness continuum. Nurses use the nursing process in the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health in culturally diverse clients throughout the lifespan. Changes in the current healthcare environment reflect an increased complexity in client needs and in delivery systems and, thus, necessitate various levels of nursing educational preparation.
Nursing education is the means by which students learn to practice nursing and is best provided in an institution of higher learning. Learning is a lifelong activity that is purposeful and motivated by individual need. The various levels of nursing education include, but are not limited to, practical nursing, associate degree nursing, and baccalaureate degree nursing. Each type of nursing educational program provides a unique and valuable contribution to healthcare.
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Organizing Framework
The organizing framework model represents the scope, sequence, and integration of the curriculum as organized around the holistic human being. The core of the framework is the triangle which represents the uniqueness of the human being and Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The needs of the human being occur within the context of environment and values and are reflective of the uniqueness of the individual, the individual within the family, and the individual within the community.
The associate degree nurse (ADN) functions in three roles: provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing. The art and science of nursing is fulfilled as the associate degree nurse functions in these three roles. The art of nursing is developed as the nurse uses the nursing process with care and compassion. The science of nursing is developed as the nurse uses the nursing process to integrate theory with practice.
Integrating threads flow through each of the four semesters of the nursing program. The following threads are valued by the faculty as fundamentally necessary to the curriculum. These threads are critical thinking; the nursing process; nursing diagnosis; therapeutic nursing interventions; therapeutic communication; mental health concepts; culture; legal/ethical; common health problems (CHP); emergency; pharmacology; nutrition; and teaching health promotion.
The associate degree nurse functions within diverse populations and in diverse settings using knowledge based on the wellness-illness continuum. Implementation of the nursing process is dependent on a foundation of knowledge, which the student derives from both formal education and life experiences.
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Admission Criteria
Admission to the UA Fort Smith ADN Program is selective. To be considered for admission to the program, students must meet the following criteria:
- Complete admission requirements to enter UA Fort Smith
- Submit official transcripts from any college(s) previously attended
- Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average for all college course work (including transfer work and excluding zero-level developmental courses).
- Meet minimum skill levels in reading and math according to one of the following criteria:
- Provide recent (taken within the last four years) ACT or COMPASS scores indicating no reading required and placement into MATH 1403 College Algebra or higher.
- Provide college transcript(s) indicating acceptable reading and math placement.
- Obtain a minimum score of 75.3% on the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS).
ADN Information Packet(
PDF)
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Selection
A limited number of students are admitted to Nursing Technology I in the fall and spring semesters. Students who meet the minimum criteria are eligible to submit an application for admission to the ADN program.
Application Deadlines
- May 15 for the class starting in August
- October 1 for the class starting in January
- April 15 for the LPN/Paramedic to RN summer transition/bridge class
- Eligible students must contact the coordinator of academic support services for the College of Health Sciences during the 30 days prior to the application deadline
- The program application will be completed at this appointment
- A review of the student’s transcripts will be conducted by the coordinator to determine quality points and cumulative GPA
Admission is competitive and selection is based on the following weighted system:
Ranking System
| TEAS Score | 75% |
|---|
Quality Points earned
in prescribed courses | 25% |
|---|
Admission for those student with no prior college course work is based on the following weighted system:
Ranking System
NOTE: In the event that applicants have identical ranking scores, priority will be given to the student with the highest cumulative grade point average.
Additional Documentation
Students admitted into the ADN program must submit the following additional documentation:
- The Student Health Statement/Medical Release Form – this form will be provided to each student accepted into the program and must be completed before beginning the program
- Proof of immunizations (shot records must be on file in our office)
- CPR Certification: American Heart Association CPR for Healthcare Providers
MEETING THE MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION OR TAKING COURSES IN THE ADN DEGREE
PLAN DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMISSION TO THE ADN PROGRAM. Students not admitted must reapply to be considered for another semester. Students chosen as alternates are not guaranteed a position in the next class.
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College Level Examination Program (CLEP)/ Advanced Placement (AP) Credit
If a student has received college credit through CLEP or AP for a course, the student will not be given quality points ranking purposes.
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Degree Requirements
View the degree requirements for the
AAS in Nursing Technology.
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Student Health Statement/Medical Release Form
Students accepted into the ADN program will be required to provide documentation of good physical and mental health by completion of the Student Health Statement/Medical Release Form. Documentation of all health problems and a medical release form will be required. Copies of immunization records and a valid CPR certification must be submitted to the Coordinator of Admissions and Advisement for the College Health Sciences by the first day of class. No student will be allowed to attend a clinical rotation without the required health data records on file in the program director's office.
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ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)
The TEAS will be given at least 5 times a year. Registration for the TEAS is required in advance of the scheduled exam dates. Registration forms will be available on the first day of each fall and spring semester on the College of Health Sciences webpage at
http://www.uafortsmith.edu/Health/AdmissionsAndAdvisement, and in Student Advisement located on the second floor of the Campus Center (479-788-7400)
- Complete the registration form
- Pay the $20.00 nonrefundable fee for the examination and obtain a receipt to UA Fort Smith Cashier, located on the second floor of the Campus Center (479-788-7060)
- Before the test registration deadline, take the completed registration form and receipt to the Testing Center, located on the second floor of the Campus Center in CC202 (479-788-7682)
One retake exam will be given each semester for test failures ONLY. The most recent score will be used for ranking purposes. Scores may be used for two years following the date of examination.
REMEDIATION is strongly recommended for success on the RETAKE
- Study guides are available for your use in the College of Health Sciences Learning Resource Center (HS116), or they may be purchased in the Lions Campus Store
- An online practice assessment and study guides are also available for purchase online at www.atitesting.com
Pre-entrance Exam Dates
2008-2009 Exam Dates & Registration Form(
PDF)
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Progression and Graduation
Progression
The ADN Program is competency based in skills and theory. A student must demonstrate satisfactory clinical performance, 100% mastery on all Competency performance Examinations (CPE), and maintain an average cumulative score of 77% on Competency Performance Assessments (CAP) including the final for each course. A student who discontinues the nursing sequence for any reason must petition the Admission/Readmission Committee for readmission to the nursing program. Student are permitted only one readmission. Acceptance for readmission is based on availability of space, documentation of corrected deficiencies and approval of the nursing faculty. Students who are readmitted are accountable for the degree requirements in force at the time of readmission.
A grade of “C” or better is required ALL courses applicable to the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing Technology (ADN). Science courses taken more than five years prior to entering the program will be evaluated on an individual basis by the program director and/or the college dean. See your advisor for more information and to request a science course evaluation.
Graduation
Upon successful completion of the program with a grade point average of 2.0 or better, an associate of applied science degree is awarded. The student must meet with their program advisor to complete the graduation application. The student is responsible for providing the Records Office with evidence that the criteria for graduation have been met one month prior to graduation. After being granted the associate of applied science degree, the student is eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination for a Registered Nurse.
Note: The application process for RN licensure requires a state & federal criminal background check.
Students who have been convicted of a crime, including those that are sealed or expunged, must seek permission from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing to write the licensure exam to become a license registered nurse.
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Clinical Education
The ADN program places a strong emphasis on clinical education. As a competency based program, the clinical education component provides students with the opportunity to practice competencies necessary to integrate knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes essential for entry-level nursing practice. Over the course of the four semesters, students will follow a structured rotation schedule through various clinical agencies.
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Expenses
Tuition And Fees
| Tuition |
|---|
| In State | $143 |
| Out-of-State | $306 |
| Additional Fees and Expenses |
|---|
| Clinical Fee (per course) | $125 |
| Registration Fee | $100 |
| Fitness Center Fee | $40 |
| Books | $1500 |
| Uniforms and Supplies | $350 |
| NCLEX and License | $635 |
| Background check | $47 |
| Total Estimated Cost of Attendance |
|---|
| In State | $13,780 |
| Out-of-State | $25,842 |
Estimated cost for the 2007-2008 school year - costs may change without notice and additional costs may be incurred throughout the program's entirety.
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Student Nurses Association
This is a pre-professional organization for students enrolled in the ADN program. It is the representative voice for nursing students to the rest of student government and to the faculty. Through community service activities and informative guest lecturers, the student is appraised of current issues and trends impacting nursing and healthcare. Each semester, nursing students are required to attend one student nurses' association meeting. Meeting times are announced and posted.
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Advanced Placement for Licensed Practical Nurses and Paramedics
The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith allows Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Paramedics to gain advanced placement in the associate degree nursing Program. Admission with advanced placement is selective. In addition to the
admission criteria, licensure and employment must be documented.
Licensed Practical Nurses
There are two methods by which LPNs may gain advanced placement in the associate degree nursing Program:
- Credit by examination: College credit for ADN 1508 Nursing Technology I is given to LPNs who successfully pass the NLN Acceleration Challenge Exam I (ACE) with a score of 75 or higher. Credit by examination allows the student to enter ADN 1518 Nursing Technology II.
- ADN 1548 Nursing Technology Transition: The nursing transition course combines the competencies LPNs need from ADN 1508 Nursing Technology I and ADN 1518 Nursing Technology II. Selected LPNs are admitted into this transitional course. Successful completion of ADN 1548 Nursing Technology Transition qualifies the LPN to enter ADN 271C Nursing Technology III.
To be considered for admission with advanced placement, the following
additional criteria must be met:
- Hold a current, valid, unencumbered license, which must be maintained throughout the completion of the ADN program.
- Submit proof of graduation from an LPN program within the past 12 months OR documentation of 1000 hours of nursing employment within the past two calendar years.
Paramedics
There is one method by which Paramedics may gain advanced placement in the Associate Degree Nursing Program.
ADN 1558 Nursing Technology Bridge: The nursing bridge course combines the competencies Paramedics need from ADN 1508 Nursing Technology I and ADN 1518 Nursing Technology II. Selected Paramedics are admitted into this bridge course. Successful completion of ADN 1558 Nursing Technology Bridge qualifies the Paramedic to enter ADN 271C Nursing Technology III.
To be considered for admission with advanced placement the following
additional criteria must be met:
- Hold a current, valid, unencumbered certification or national registry as a paramedic which must be maintained through the completion of the ADN program.
- Document 6 months of satisfactory full-time employment as a field paramedic within the past two years. A letter from the applicant's employer will be kept on file.
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Contact Information
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About Us
5210 Grand Ave. • P.O. Box 3649