Nursing - Evening-Weekend Program

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Evening-Weekend BSN Program:

Adult Studies has combined the strengths of the DeSales nursing education with an accelerated format that enables busy adult learners to earn a BSN degree while continuing to work, care for a family, and handle other responsibilities.

Admission Requirements

Upon application to the Adult Studies program, the applicant must contact an Adult Studies academic advisor.
Students will remain under the advisement of the Adult Studies academic advisors until they reach the professional nursing phase of the curriculum. Once the student reaches the professional nursing phase, they will be advised by the Evening-Weekend BSN program director.
The admission process is rigorous; demonstrating minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the Evening-Weekend BSN program.
Admission to the DeSales Adult Studies program does not guarantee admission to the professional phase of the Nursing Evening-Weekend BSN Program.
Completed applications to the professional phase of the Evening-Weekend BSN Program must be submitted no later than June 1st. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis from January through mid-June by the Adult Studies academic advisor for students seeking consideration for fall admission to the Evening-Weekend BSN Program. The Evening-Weekend BSN program will accept a cohort of students whose applications are most competitive for program entrance. A completed application includes:

a. An application to the Evening-Weekend BSN Program.
b. A personal essay that explains how the program will help them to achieve their professional goals and their motivation or desire for becoming a nurse; maximum of 2 typed, double-spaced pages.
c. Two letters of professional recommendation from individuals who are able to gauge the applicant’s qualifications, e.g., professors, managers, supervisors, volunteer coordinators, etc.; not colleagues, classmates, and/or family members, or friends.
d. The applicant must submit official transcripts of all post-secondary education coursework and coursework taken at any accredited college or university.
e. World Education Services (WES) credential evaluation for all degrees and coursework obtained outside the U.S.
f. International and/or non-US-born applicants should refer to the language requirements detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog, under the heading of “International Students .”
g. The applicant may be interviewed by a DeSales nursing faculty member, as deemed appropriate.

The applicant must have completed the following courses or course equivalents either at DeSales University or another accredited college or university within 5 years of entering the Evening-Weekend BSN Program, and must have received a grade of “C” or higher:

BI 263 Anatomy and Physiology I with lab component (4 credits)
BI 264 Anatomy and Physiology II with lab component (4 credits)
BI 252 Microbiology with lab component (4 credits)
CH 107 Physiological Chemistry with lab component (5 credits) *must include all 3 topics: general, biochemistry, and organic chemistry
MA 111 Probability and Statistics (3 credits)
PS 109 Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
PS 240 Human Development (3 credits) *must cover full lifespan: conception to death

The applicant must have obtained a cumulative GPA equal to 2.75 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) before entry into the Evening-Weekend BSN Program.
Applicants selected for admission into the Evening-Weekend BSN Program are accepted on a provisional basis and will be required to complete an FBI Fingerprinting and a Nationwide Criminal Background Check. An offer of full acceptance is dependent on the results of the applicant’s FBI Fingerprinting and Nationwide Criminal Background Check. A positive record, on either the FBI Fingerprinting or the Nationwide Criminal Background Check, will result in revocation of the applicant’s provisional acceptance. Revocation of provisional acceptance prohibits the applicant from obtaining full acceptance and from matriculating into the Evening-Weekend BSN Program. Additionally, selected applicants must be in compliance with all BSN Clinical Requirements as part of their provisional acceptance contingencies. There are no appeals of the admission decision.
Submit results and give evidence of reasonably good health and prophylaxis including, not limited to:
1. Complete physical examination, including specified laboratory studies (form and directions provided by DeSales University’s Division of Nursing);
2. Current immunizations for poliomyelitis, measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria;
3. Chickenpox titer (if unable to provide documentation of having had the disease), rubella titer, measles titer, and Hepatitis B antibody titer;
4. Hepatitis B vaccination (series of three injections). This series must be completed before April of the first year;
5. Additional vaccinations, including, not limited to, flu, COVID-19, as required by clinical affiliated partners for clinical rotations.
The financial costs associated with all clearances, screenings, and background checks are the responsibility of the student on an annual basis.
Once an admission decision has been reached and notification of the decision has been sent to the applicant, the decision is considered final and the application is closed. Information related to closed applications is not discussed with the applicant or the applicant’s designees. There are no appeals.
Accepted students are required to attend an orientation session before the start of the professional nursing phase of the Evening-Weekend BSN Program.
Once accepted into the Evening-Weekend BSN Program, the student must complete all further coursework at DeSales University.

General Progression Policies for Evening-Weekend BSN Students

To progress in the Evening-Weekend BSN Program, the student must remain in acceptable academic standing as described under “Acceptable Academic Standing ” in the Undergraduate Catalog. In addition to the University “Acceptable Academic Standing” requirements, Evening-Weekend BSN students must be continuously enrolled in nursing courses as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog. If continuous enrollment cannot be met, students must adhere to the leave of absence policy detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog, and the “Leave of Absence from the Nursing Program ” section. For nursing students, acceptable academic standing also includes meeting the following progression policies of the Evening-Weekend BSN program:

The student must earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA equal to 2.75 or higher at the conclusion of each professional phase to progress to the next level (sophomore, junior, senior). Cumulative GPAs are calculated to three decimal places and are not rounded when determining progression in the nursing program. GPAs are reviewed at the end of Session 4 for sophomores, end of Session 5 for juniors, and end of Session 4 for seniors.
If the student’s cumulative GPA is below 2.75 by the conclusion of any professional phase (sophomore, junior, senior), the student will be dismissed from the Evening-Weekend BSN program.
The student must earn a C+ or higher in all nursing courses in order to progress to the next level. Any student who does not obtain a C+ is not permitted to progress to the next level.
Any nursing student who is eligible to repeat a required nursing course has the opportunity to do so in accordance with the “Repeat Course Policy ” detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog and the nursing progression policy, provided the student has met the 2.75 cumulative GPA requirement at the time GPAs are evaluated for each level. GPAs are reviewed at the end of Session 4 for sophomores, end of Session 5 for juniors, and end of Session 4 for seniors.
The student can repeat a maximum of one nursing course one time throughout the entire BSN curriculum. Failure of a second nursing course results in program dismissal.
The student must pass both the theory portion and the clinical component of the nursing course. A student failing either the theory or the clinical component of a nursing course will fail the entire course, and the student may not progress in the Evening-Weekend BSN Program. Failure of a nursing course is defined as any grade below the minimum progression requirement of C+. In addition, the student must complete the required number of clinical hours in order to successfully pass a clinical course.
If a student fails a BSN course, the student may not retake the course in a different nursing program (i.e., Accelerated BSN or Traditional Day BSN).
If a student is eligible to repeat a failed nursing course, both the clinical and didactic portion of the course must be repeated, and the course must be repeated successfully prior to enrolling in any further nursing courses. Student placement in the clinical/laboratory setting is subject to availability. In consultation with the Director of Clinical Services/Undergraduate Clinical Liaison, the Chair of Undergraduate Nursing and the Division Head will make final decisions as to clinical placement.
The student must follow the program plan. Failure to adhere to the program plan may result in dismissal from the Evening-Weekend BSN program.
Any nursing student who does not follow the program plan, for any reason, or who does not progress through his/her program of study over the designated timeframe, must make an appointment with the Evening-Weekend BSN Program Director to complete and approve an alternative program plan. This plan must include an anticipated date for completion of studies. This program plan must be approved by the Chair of Undergraduate Nursing Programs and the Nursing Division Head. This type of request may not necessarily be granted, depending upon clinical site and instructor availability. If the student does not ensure that such a plan is filed in the Division of Nursing, he/she may not be assured of future clinical site placement and continuance in the nursing program.
The maximum time for completion of the Evening-Weekend BSN Program is four years from the date of enrollment in the first nursing course. This includes time associated with failure to progress. It may also include time elapsed due to an approved leave of absence, depending upon the student’s individual circumstances.
Any dismissed, withdrawn, or inactive student, as defined by University policy, may formally reapply to the nursing program. Re-admission is not guaranteed. Re-admitted students will be required to repeat all nursing coursework, regardless of previous course grades achieved, and are subject to the progression policies outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog under which they are re-accepted.
Students are required to participate in the Kaplan Review Course during their senior year of nursing courses. As part of the Kaplan Review Course, students are required to take the Kaplan NCLEX Readiness Test. All remediation requirements must be satisfactorily met in order to receive permission to take the NCLEX-RN exam as assigned.
The student must meet all additional University requirements in order to graduate.
All nursing students must adhere to and abide by the content in the Pre-licensure BSN Student Handbook and the Undergraduate Catalog. Any deviation or failure to comply with the content may warrant dismissal from the Evening-Weekend BSN Program.
All nursing students must abide by the nursing progression requirements outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at the time of acceptance into the nursing program.
Requested academic references for students who have not met the nursing progression requirements or who have been dismissed from the nursing program will include only the dates of attendance.
It is the responsibility of the student to contact the Bursar and/or the Financial Aid Office for additional information about the implications of any change in course load for their tuition or financial aid. Questions about housing should be addressed to the Residence Life Office.

Program Plan of Study: Evening-Weekend BSN

Sophomore

Session 1: Fundamentals of Nursing (NU 205 )
Session 2: Health & Physical Assessment (NU 215 )
Session 3/4: Pharmacology (NU 220 )
Session 3/4: Therapeutic Nursing Interventions (NU 230 )

Junior

Session 5: The Chronically Ill Adult (NU 335 )
Session 6: General Education Courses
Session 1: Nursing of the Childbearing Family (NU 350 )
Session 2: Nursing Care of Children (NU 365 )
Session 3: Therapeutic Nutrition (NU 305 )
Session 4: Mental Health Nursing (NU 340 )
Session 5: Nursing of the Older Adult (NU 370 )

Senior

Session 6: Health Risk Models and Research (NU 320 )
Session 1: Nursing of the Acutely Ill Adult (NU 430 )
Session 2: Community & Public Health Nursing (NU 440 )
Session 3/4: Senior Integrating Seminar (NU 452 )
Session 3/4: Clinical Nursing Internship (NU 454 )

Course Requirements

The following courses are required in addition to the required electives for this program and the general education core courses that are required of all undergraduate students at DeSales University. Students enrolled in the Evening-Weekend BSN program must complete these courses at DeSales University in the nursing program curriculum: NU 205 , NU 215 , NU 220 , NU 230 , NU 305 , NU 320 , NU 335 , NU 340 , NU 350 , NU 365 , NU 370 , NU 430 , NU 440 , NU 452 , NU 454 , intermediate-level Theology.