The College of Nursing within the Texas A&M Health Science Center requires students upon acceptance into the program to meet the following:
- Additional Program Costs
- CPR Certification
- Criminal Background Check
- Essential Competency Requirements of the Student Nurse
- Health Insurance
- Immunizations
- Licensure
- Liability Insurance
- Excess Semester Credit Hours Policy 26.01.Z1.01
Additional Program Costs
Some of the additional expenses that a student will incur include the following:
- Uniforms
- Shoes
- Name Badge
- Uniform Patches
- Liability Insurance
- Textbooks
- CPR Certification
- Supplies – i.e. stethoscope, penlight, etc.
- Background Check
- Required Immunizations
- Laptop computer (click on link for more information)
- Pre-entrance health exam (click on link for more information)
CPR Certification
All admitted students will be required to have a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification throughout the nursing program. If you do not have this certification, please take a class which, at a minimum, includes both adult and infant/child resuscitation. Online CPR training is not accepted. It is recommended that you take the American Heart Association or Red Cross course intended for health care providers.
Criminal Background Check
Because health care providers are entrusted with the health, safety and welfare of patients, have access to controlled substances and confidential information, and operate in settings that require the exercise of good judgment and ethical behavior; criminal background checks are required of all applicants.
An offer of admission will not be final until the completion of the background check with results that are deemed favorable. Admission may be denied or rescinded based on the review. Complete information about the background check process will be sent to students either during the application process or following their acceptance, depending on the track of study to which the student is applying. Students and applicants will be responsible for obtaining the background check and paying any fees charged by the designated company performing the check. The fee is usually between $50 and $100 depending on the individual's history.
In order to apply for licensure as an R.N., students must declare any Eligibility Issues with the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). If there is any history of criminal charges, alcohol or drug abuse or mental health concerns, students must file a Declaratory Order petition. The process can be lengthy so students are encouraged to begin the process prior to entry into a program.
Essential Competency Requirements of the Student Nurse
All students accepted into the College of Nursing are expected to have the following six competencies in order to effectively and safely perform the responsibilities of a nursing student.
1) Motor Skills
Candidates should have sufficient motor function so that they are able to execute movements required to provide general care and treatment to patients in all health care settings. [For example: For the safety and protection of the patients, the candidate must be able to perform basic life support, including CPR, and function in an emergency situation. The candidate must have the ability, within reasonable limits, to safely assist a patient in moving, for example, from a chair to a bed, or from wheelchair to commode.]
2) Sensory/Observation
A candidate must be able to acquire the information presented through demonstrations and experiences in the basic and nursing sciences. He or she must be able to observe a patient accurately, at a distance and close at hand, and observe and appreciate non-verbal communications when performing nursing assessment and intervention or administering medications. The candidate must be capable of perceiving the signs of disease and infection as manifested through physical examination. Such information is derived from visual images of the body surfaces, palpable changes in various organs and tissues, and auditory information (patient voice, heart tones, bowel and lung sounds).
3) Communication
The candidate must communicate effectively and sensitively with other students, faculty, staff, patients, family, and other professionals. He or she must express his or her ideas and feelings clearly and demonstrate a willingness and ability to give and receive feedback. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively in oral and written forms. The candidate must be able to process and communicate information on the patient's status with accuracy in a timely manner to members of the health care team.
4) Cognitive
A candidate must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize in the context of undergraduate nursing study. The candidate must be able to quickly read and comprehend extensive written material. He or she must also be able to evaluate and apply information and engage in critical thinking in the classroom and clinical setting.
5) Behavioral/Emotional
A candidate must possess the emotional health required for the full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients and families. In addition, s/he must be able to maintain mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, students, faculty, staff and other professionals under all circumstances including highly stressful situations. The candidate must have the emotional stability to function effectively under stress and to adapt to an environment that may change rapidly without warning and/or in unpredictable ways. The candidate must be able to experience empathy for the situations and circumstances of others and effectively communicate that empathy. The candidate must know that his or her values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, and experiences affect his or her perceptions and relationships with others. The candidate must be able and willing to examine and change his or her behavior when it interferes with productive individual or team relationships. The candidate must possess skills and experience necessary for effective and harmonious relationships in diverse academic and working environments.
6) Professional Conduct
Candidates must possess the ability to reason morally and practice nursing in an ethical manner. Candidates must be willing to learn and abide by professional standards of practice. S/he must possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility and tolerance. Candidates must be able to engage in patient care delivery in all settings and be able to deliver care to all patient populations including but not limited to children, adolescents, adults, developmentally disabled persons, medically compromised patients, and vulnerable adults.
Health Insurance
Given the increasing health risks of providing patient care, the College of Nursing will require all students to carry and maintain insurance health insurance which meets or exceeds the minimum criteria set by the College. Students who presume that they are still covered on their parents’ policies are advised to confirm this with their insurance carriers. Some policies delete coverage for family members who: reach a certain age, get married, no longer reside with parents, etc. Knowing these conditions in advance will permit time to obtain coverage if needed. Under optimal conditions for a healthy individual this could take a month or more. Students must submit copies of their health insurance coverage on an annual basis prior to beginning of classes in the summer term.
Immunizations
Title 25, Health Services, Part 1, Rule §97.64 of the Texas Administrative Code requires all students enrolled in health-related institutions of higher learning to have certain required immunizations prior to enrollment. These regulations apply to all students enrolled in health-related courses, which will involve direct patient contact in medical care facilities.
Prior to registration for the first academic semester, students must give evidence in the form of acceptable physician records or a military service health records for the following immunizations: Tetanus/diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and a tuberculosis skin test. For further questions regarding these required immunizations, please contact the College of Nursing Office at (979) 862-8422.
Licensure
The practice of nursing is controlled by state law. In the interest of public safety, state licensure is required to be employed as a professional nurse and to use the designation registered nurse or RN. Three of the criteria for licensure are graduation from an accredited program of professional nursing education, demonstrating good professional character, and successful completion of the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Applicants registering for the NCLEX and applying to the state board for licensure in Texas will be required to submit fingerprint cards for DPS and FBI criminal background check and must attest to the truth of the statements listed on the licensure application. Disclosing criminal background, mental illness and substance or alcohol abuse is required.
Liability Insurance
All nursing majors in clinical settings must be covered by malpractice insurance. The cost for liability insurance will be the responsibility of the student and will be assessed as a fee to be paid with tuition and other fees (approximate cost each year is $20). The student policy covers only the work done as students during clinical courses and expires on the date of graduation.
The policy does not cover students while employed in clinical agencies. Students employed in a health care setting must obtain a separate policy for liability coverage if required by that institution.
Excess Semester Credit Hours Policy 26.01.Z1.01
The State of Texas does not provide funds to state institutions of higher education for excess semester credit hours (SCH) earned by resident Texas students. Since funding will not be provided by the State, and as permitted by State law, the Texas A&M HSC will charge tuition at the non-resident rate to all students that exceed the semester credit hour limit of their program.
Students who initially enrolled in the fall 2006 semester and for any subsequent terms, excess credit hours are those hours attempted by a resident undergraduate student that exceed by more than 30 hours the number of hours required for completion of the student’s degree program. Effective with students initially enrolling in the fall 1999 semester and subsequent terms, excess credit hours are those hours attempted by a resident undergraduate student that exceed by more than 45 hours the number of hours required for completion of the degree plan in which the student is enrolled.
The semester credit hours counted toward the limitation include all hours attempted by the student except:
- Semester credit hours earned by the student before receiving a baccalaureate degree that has been previously awarded;
- Semester credit hours earned by the student by examination or other procedure by which credit is earned without registering for a course for which tuition is charge;
- Credit for remedial education courses, technical courses, workforce education courses funded according to contact hours, or other courses that would not generate academic credit that could be applied toward a degree program at Texas A&M University;
- Semester credit hours earned by the student at a private or out-of-state institution; or
- Hours not ineligible for generating state funding.
Students are exempt from the payment of the higher tuition rate it results in an undue economic hardship for the student as defined by eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant. More information may be found at the following link:
http://www.tamhsc.edu/facultystaff/rules/26.01.Z1.01-Excess-Semester-Credit-Hours.pdf or you may contact the Office of Student Affairs at the College of Nursing by calling (979) 862-8422.
