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  4. Technical Standards for Health Science

TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR HEALTH SCIENCE

The School of Health Sciences has specified the following nonacademic criteria (technical standards) which all applicants and enrolled students are expected to meet in order to participate in the programs of the School of Health Science and professional practice.

1. Working in a clinical setting eight to twelve hours a day performing physical tasks requiring physical energy without jeopardizing patient, self, or colleague safety.

2. Frequent bending, reaching, stooping, lifting, and the use of manual dexterity in the manipulation and operation of equipment, accessories, as well as for the use/creating of immobilization devices. This includes sufficient tactile ability for performing a physical examination, as well as, manipulating syringes, and inserting needles into an ampule or vial and removing the contents without contaminating the needle or solution.

3. Assisting in the transporting, moving, lifting and transferring of patients weighing up to 600 pounds from a wheelchair or stretcher to and from beds, treatment tables, chairs, etc.

4. Lifting devices (weighing up to 50 pounds).

5. Possess sufficient visual and aural acuity. This is necessary to report visual observations of patients and equipment operations as well as to read the patient’s medical records and medical information. Aural acuity must be adequate enough to hear the patient during all phases of care as well as to perceive and interpret equipment signals.

6. Ability to communicate clearly, monitor and instruct patients before, during, and after procedures.

7. To have sufficient problem-solving skills to include measuring, calculating, reasoning, analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing with the ability to perform these skills in a timely fashion.

8. Criminal background checks and drug toxicology are required by clinical facilities for most health science programs. Due to results of these checks, some students may be ineligible to participate in the clinical component of the program. Cost associated with these screenings will be paid for by the student.

DOCUMENTATION OF STANDARDS

*Items 1-5 are documented by physical exam.

*Item 6 is documented by satisfactory completion of SPCH 1101 (Public Speaking), ENGL 1101 (Literature and Composition) for degree level students, and by satisfactory completion of ENGL 1010 (Fundamentals of English I) for diploma level students. Satisfactory completion of these courses is documented by the attainment of a grade of C or better in the course.

*Item 7 is documented by satisfactory Admissions Placement Exams.

*Item 8 is documented by satisfactory criminal background checks and drug toxicology, as appropriate for the selected program.

ADMISSIONS FOR THE ASN PROGRAM

The Associate of Science in Nursing has limited enrollment and requires specific criteria for admission; however, compliance with admission criteria DOES NOT guarantee admission. The admission requirements and criteria used by the ASN faculty to select students for admission are discussed. The applicants will be ranked according to the admission criteria in order to determine which applicants demonstrate the greatest potential for success in the program.

Students preparing to enter an Associate of Science Degree in the School of Health Sciences program must complete prerequisite courses. Anyone failing to meet the criteria will be counseled regarding a School of Health Science diploma or certificate program that will best fit their needs or for a degree program that does not require the failed prerequisite course(s).

ASN applicants are required to complete the following pre-requisite courses by the deadline indicated for their desired cohort according to the ASN Admissions Booklets, which must meet a 3.0 GPA requirement:

  • ENGL 1101 Composition and Rhetoric (3 hours)
  • Any Degree-Level Math (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2113 Anatomy and Physiology I (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2113L Anatomy and Physiology Lab (1 hour)
  • BIOL 2114 Anatomy and Physiology II (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2114L Anatomy and Physiology II Lab (1 hour)

The remainder of the required prerequisite courses listed below must be completed before the student can start the ASN Program:

  • PSYC 1101 Introductory Psychology (3 hours)
  • General Education Elective (3 hours)
  • Humanities/Fine Arts (3 hours)
  • COLL 1500 Student Success (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2117 Intro Microbiology (3 hours)
  • BIOL 2117L Intro Microbiology Lab (1 hour)

NOTE: BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L, BIOL 2117, BIOL 2117L, and any degree level math will not be considered if completed more than 5 years before admission to the ASN Program.

In addition to all program requirements, LPN-RN Bridge option students must have at least 6 months of in-field LPN work experience as well as have and maintain a current and unencumbered LPN license throughout the course of the ASN Program. Failure to maintain this document may result in dismissal from the Program.

Applicants are subject to the competitive admissions selection process for these programs. The number of applicants admitted for any given semester is based on the number of available clinical spaces in the program as a whole and may vary by campus and semester. If an additional competitive process is necessary due to the number of qualified applicants, the following process will be used:

A total score will be calculated using 60% (prerequisite GPA) and 40% (TEAS total score). Applicants are allowed two attempts to take the TEAS – calculations will be made using the composite score obtained on the TEAS in the areas of Reading, English & Language Usage, Math, and Science.

In the event of a tie in the ranking, the student’s original college nursing application date (with no break in enrollment) will be used.

All nursing pre/co-requisite courses must be completed prior to entrance into the program. All Nursing Students working on pre/co-requisite courses must maintain grades of “C” (70% or better in all pre/co-requisites). All Nursing courses must be taken in the designated sequence and time frame allowed.

Students applying for the ASN Program must wait and apply to the nursing program three (3) years from the last nursing course failure if they have failed the ASN/ADN/BSN Program at another institution. However, the student who completes a PN Program does not have to wait three (3) years before applying for the LPN-RN Bridge Option.

All students must maintain a “C” (70%) or better in all courses. Nursing courses may be repeated one time only with the exception of RNSG 1960 which may only be taken one time.

Generic option nursing students who fail one course with a D or F have the option to apply for readmission into the course when it is offered again, as long as they will not exceed their 3-year period for completing their program of study. Generic nursing students who fail any two courses with a D or F will not qualify for readmission for three years after the last failure.

Students who are unsuccessful in RNSG 1920 may apply for readmission for RNSG 1920 (limited to one readmission). Students who are unsuccessful in RNSG 1960 must apply for the Generic Option and are not eligible for the LPN-RN Bridge Option.

Generic option students who do not wish to wait the three-year period have the option of completing an LPN program and, once licensed with at least 6 months of in-field LPN work experience, may apply for the LPN-RN Bridge Option. (Student must meet all LPN-RN Bridge Program admissions standards to qualify).

LPN-RN Bridge Option students who fail one course (excluding RNSG 1960) with a D or F have the option to apply for readmission into the course when it is offered again, as long as they will not exceed their 2-year time frame for completing their program of study. Bridge students who fail RNSG 1960 have the option to apply for the Generic program. LPN-RN Bridge Option nursing students who fail any two courses with a D or F will not qualify for readmission for the LPN-RN Bridge Option for three years after the last failure, but do have the option to apply for the Generic program. (Student must meet all Generic Program admission standards to qualify).

Upon successful completion of RNSG 1960, 11 additional semester credit hours will be granted for RNSG 1920, RNSG 1940, and RNSG 1950.

W-This grade signifies that a student withdrew from a course prior to the last two weeks of term. No credit is given and no grade points are calculated. A grade of “W” is not included in the calculating the grade point average but is counted as coursework attempted in the nursing program.

All ASN applicants are required to take and attain the required score on a Pre-Admission Assessment (TEAS) exam prior to being accepted into the ASN Program. The SRTC Admission Office will only accept scores derived from testing conducted in an in-person testing environment. An in-person testing environment is one where the candidate's identity verification is performed through direct, face-to-face interaction without the reliance on web conferencing technologies.

The ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is a timed exam that includes questions in the following areas: English & Language Usage, Math, Reading, and Science. Applicants are strongly encouraged not to take the TEAS exam until completing A&P I and II OR at least completing A&P I and some of A&P II. Applicants must also have a completed file prior to taking the TEAS exam (excluding current college coursework).

The total TEAS score requirement for the ASN Generic Program is 60% and for the LPN-RN Bridge Option is 64%. Applicants will be allowed two attempts to meet the appropriate score. Any applicant that is unsuccessful on the first TEAS exam is strongly encouraged to remediate prior to retaking the TEAS exam. Several copies of the ATI TEAS Study Manual are available in the SRTC libraries. The TEAS study book can also be purchased online at https://atitesting.com/teas/study-manual.

Any applicant that does not attain the appropriate TEAS score after two attempts will not be considered for admission into the ASN Program. However, applicants can reapply to the ASN Program and take the ASN Pre-Admission exam again after waiting one year. At such time, the applicant will be allowed two attempts to meet the qualifying ASN Pre-Admission TEAS Assessment exam scores, which are good for two years from the month and year of the exam.

HEALTH SCIENCE ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Any students preparing to enter (taking courses) for a diploma or associate degree program in the School of Health Sciences must

  • Successfully complete with a minimum grade of “C” all core required in the major. Grades of “D, F, and W” are considered unsuccessful attempts.
  • All ALHS, science, and math courses required in the major must have been taken within five (5) years.

Any student accepted into a competitive portion of a program in the School of Health Sciences who

  • Fails to attain a minimum grade of “C” in an occupationally or technically specific course required in the major within two attempts, will be withdrawn from the program and not be allowed to re-apply to that program in the School of Health Sciences for a period of three (3) years.
  • Fails to attain a minimum grade of “C” in an occupationally or technically specific course required in the major in two separate courses, will be withdrawn from the program and will not be allowed to re-apply to that program in the School of Health Sciences for a period of three (3) years. (Due to the format of Practical Nursing Diploma courses, two block failures instead of two separate course failures will result in withdrawal from the program. One Block Failure equals failure in both a PNSG course and its matching PNSG clinical course. This DOES NOT pertain to the Practical Nursing Technical Certificate of Credit program.)
  • This policy is inclusive of all transfer students also attempting readmission after a clinical failure at any other College. However, the student may apply to another program in the School of Health Sciences that does not require the failed courses.
  • A student returning for a second attempt in a program in the School of Health Sciences will be admitted based on seat availability and meeting competitive admissions requirements.
  • Please be aware that programs in the School of Health Sciences may have additional requirements or constraints placed upon them by accrediting or licensing agencies. Students will be made aware of any additional requirements or constraints by program faculty.