The College of Nursing within the Texas A&M Health Science Center will require students upon acceptance into the program to meet the following policies and procedures:
- Additional Program Costs
- CPR Certification
- Criminal Background Check
- Essential Functions of the Student Nurse
- Health Insurance
- Immunizations
- Licensure
- Liability Insurance
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
- Certification for BLS Fees
- Supplies – i.e. stethoscope, penlight, etc.
- Background Check Fee
- Required Immunizations
CPR Certification
All students will be required to have a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification throughout the nursing program. If you do not have BLS certification, please take a class which, at a minimum, includes both adult and infant/child resuscitation. Online BLS training is not accepted. It is recommended that you take the American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org) course intended for health care providers. Documentation must be submitted by July 1st of each year to the Director of Student Services for the College of Nursing. This also includes those students in the RN-to-BSN track. Certification must be maintained throughout enrollment. Students who have not submitted appropriate documentation by the July 1 date will be dropped from all classes for the subsequent semester. A $50 reinstatement fee will be assessed for students who do not meet the deadline.
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. All nursing students must submit to and satisfactorily complete a criminal background review as a condition of admission into the College of Nursing. 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 Admission may be denied or rescinded based on the review. Students who refuse to submit to a background check may be dismissed from the program. Complete information about the background check process will be sent to students along with their acceptance information. Students and applicants will be responsible for obtaining the background check and payment of any fees charged by the designated company performing the check. The fee is usually between $40 and $80 depending on the individual’s history.
Essential Functions 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 interestof public safety, state licensure is required to be employed as aprofessional nurse and to use the designation registered nurseor RN. Three of the criteria for licensure are graduation from anaccredited program of professional nursing education, demonstratinggood professional character, and successful completion of the NationalCouncil Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Applicants registering for the NCLEX and applying to the state boardfor licensure in Texas will be required to submit fingerprint cards forDPS and FBI criminal background check and must attest to the truth ofthe statements listed on the licensure application. Disclosing criminalbackground, 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.
