Graduate Nursing Programs, DNP, and post graduate certificates

PROGRAM COMPLETION

Students must successfully complete all course work no later than five years after entrance into any graduate program. If unable to complete the prescribed nursing curriculum within the five (5) years, the student must petition to and be approved by the Keigwin School of Nursing Graduate Committee in order to continue in nursing curriculum. Once progression is interrupted, the KSON can not guarantee completion of the nursing curriculum within five (5) years although every reasonable effort will be made to facilitate progression.

TRANSFER CREDIT

Students accepted into the Nurse Educator, Nursing Informatics, Leadership in Healthcare Systems, MSN-HQS or dual MSN/MBA program may transfer a maximum of six 6 semester hours or 10-quarter hours of graduate academic credit from a comparable regionally accredited academic institution.

Students accepted into the AGACNP, FNP, or PMHNP program may transfer a maximum of nine 9 semester credit hours or three total graduate courses. The credit must be in courses similar in content and rigor to Jacksonville University's MSN Program, and the grade must be at least a "B". To be eligible for transfer credit, the student must submit a transcript and catalog description of the course to the appropriate advisor. All transfer credit must be evaluated and approved prior to the start of the MSN, DNP or PGC programs.

Post-Master’s DNP students may transfer a maximum of 6 semester hours or 10-quarter hours of graduate academic credit from a comparable regionally accredited academic institution. The credit must be in courses similar in content and rigor to Jacksonville University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, and the grade must be at least a “B.” The request for transfer credit must be requested before the student begins the DNP coursework.  BSN to DNP students may transfer a maximum of 9 semester hours or three total courses of graduate academic credit from a comparable regionally accredited academic institution. The credit must be in courses similar in content and rigor to Jacksonville University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, and the grade must be at least a “B.” The request for transfer credit must be requested before the student begins coursework at JU.

To be eligible for transfer credit, the student must submit a transcript and catalog description of the course to their advisor. A letter requesting the transfer credit will be sent to the Registrar and placed in the student’s file. Any work transferred to Jacksonville University will be entered on the JU transcript as hours earned only and will not be used in computation of the grade point average

Post Graduate Certificate students accepted into the Clinical Nurse Educator, Leadership in Healthcare Systems, Nursing Informatics, MSN-HCQS post-master’s certificate program may transfer a maximum of six (6) semester hours or 10-quarter hours of graduate academic credit from a comparable regionally accredited academic institution. Students who are already licensed as APRNs may transfer in up to 12 semester credit hours or four total graduate courses. The credit must be in courses similar in content and rigor to Jacksonville University's Post-Master’s Certificate Program, and the grade must be at least a "B".

To be eligible for transfer credit, the student must submit a transcript and catalog description of the course to the advisor of the Graduate Program.

All transfer credit must be evaluated and approved prior to the start of the program. Students will not receive transfer credit for courses taken at other schools once they have begun courses at JU.

A letter requesting the transfer credit will be sent to the Registrar and placed in the student's file upon starting their program. Any work transferred to Jacksonville University will be entered on the JU transcript as hours earned only and will not be used in computation of the grade point average.

COURSE/PROGRAM WITHDRAWL

After the drop/add period a student may withdraw from a course during a specified withdrawal period. The withdrawal period normally extends until the end of the tenth week of the traditional fall and spring semesters or the fourth week of a summer or accelerated term. Students should consult the academic calendar for exact dates. Withdrawal requests from a course or courses normally will not be considered if received after the last day to withdraw. Exceptions will be granted only upon approval by the appropriate college dean subject to a student appeal based upon an unforeseen and unavoidable emergency that precludes completion of the course or courses. Grades of “W” will be reflected on the student’s transcript, but are not computed into the student’s GPA.

To withdraw from a course or program students can send written withdrawal request directly to the graduate advisor. In the case of course withdrawal, the student must ensure that his or her eligibility for financial aid, scholarships, participation in sports or other student activities, work, or any other condition that requires full-time student status at JU is maintained.

PROGRAM RE-ENTRY AFTER WITHDRAWL

In order to be readmitted into the program, students must first submit a written petition to the graduate committee. The petition should outline the reason for initial withdrawal as well as future plans for success. The petition should be received in the semester prior to re-entry and should be sent directly to their advisor. Re-entry is contingent upon graduate committee approval and space availability.

BACKGROUND CHECKS
Background checks are required for all APRN cognate students who participate in clinical practice. An approved background check must be provided to the Keigwin School of Nursing before a graduate nursing student may enroll in their first clinical course. Information on the background check may need to be released to agencies for permission to participate at the clinical site. If clinical placement is denied by the agency, and an alternative site cannot be obtained, the student will either have their acceptance rescinded if they have not yet started the program, or will not complete the program.

Enrolled students are required to notify the Associate Dean and Dean if they are charged and/or convicted of a crime during the time the student is enrolled in the KSON.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND STANDING

Each student registered in a graduate nursing program is expected to maintain the minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Graduate Nursing students will be placed on academic probation if any of the following scenarios occur:
• A student’s cumulative GPA drops below 3.0.
o Any student who is put on probation due to having a cumulative GPA below a 3.0 will have two semesters to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher. If after two semesters, the student has not achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher they will be dismissed from the program.
• A student who receives one grade of ‘C+’
o A student will be place on academic probation if they earn one grade of ‘C+”, but the student will be allowed to progress with coursework as scheduled. This academic probation will last for the duration of their program.
o Any subsequent grade of a ‘C+’ or lower will result in dismissal from the program regardless of GPA.
o If a student received two or more grades of ‘C+’ or lower in the same semester, they are automatically dismissed from the program.
• A student who receives one grade of ‘C’
o A student will be placed on academic probation if they earn one grade of ‘C’. The course in which student receives a grade of ‘C’ must be successfully repeated before they can continue into any higher-level coursework. Placement back into the course needing repeating will be based on timing of course offerings and available space. This academic probation will last for the duration of their program.
o If a student who has received a grade of ‘C’ in one nursing course earns a second grade of ‘C’ in a nursing course either in the same semester or a later semester, this will result in dismissal from the program.
A student can be dismissed from their Keigwin School of Nursing graduate program should any of the below scenarios occur:
o A student who is on academic probation due to having a GPA below a 3.0 and does not increase their GPA to a 3.0 or higher after two semesters will be dismissed from their graduate nursing program.
o A student who earns a grade of ‘C+’ in a course who then earns a concurrent or subsequent grade of a ‘C+’ or lower will result in dismissal from the program regardless of GPA.
o If a student who has received a grade of ‘C’ in one nursing course earns a second grade of ‘C’ in a nursing course either in the same semester or a later semester, this will result in dismissal from the program.
o A student who receives an ‘F’ in any nursing course for any reason will be dismissed from the program.
*Students dismissed from any graduate nursing program may appeal the action to the Keigwin School of Nursing Graduate Committee.

OUT OF SEQUENCE COURSES

Students in any cognate must take all nursing courses in the sequence they are published in. All students will be given their progression upon acceptance into their program. Any student who has interrupted their progression for any reason are considered to be out-of-sequence. Students not regularly progressing must request readmission from the Keigwin School of Nursing Graduate Committee.

Once readmission is approved, out-of-sequence students will be placed in required course(s) on a space-available basis and are placed after all normally progressing students have been appropriately accommodated.
Students may only repeat one nursing course. If a grade of “B-” or better is earned in the repeated course, the student will be permitted to continue in the program. If less than a grade of “B-” is earned in the repeated course, any concurrent nursing courses, or any succeeding nursing courses, the student will be dismissed from the program.

After admission to the nursing program, placement in nursing courses for the academic year will be based on the following priority ranking:
•Full-time, regularly progressing degree-seeking students.
•Part-time, regularly progressing degree-seeking students.
•Regularly progressing certificate seeking students.
•Students who have interrupted their studies but are in good academic standing.
•Students who have withdrawn from one or more nursing courses.
•Students who have been unsuccessful in one nursing course and need to repeat the course.
•Transfers from other graduate nursing programs according to Graduate Committee guidelines.

If additional criteria are needed to determine placement, date of becoming out of sequence and cumulative GPA will be used. (See your academic counselor).

GRADING

Grades are given in the Keigwin School of Nursing based on acquired points rather than percentages. The grade equivalent will be discussed in the syllabus for each course.

Grading Scale:
A = 549 - 600 points
A- = 537 – 548 points
B+ = 525 – 536 points
B = 489 -- 524 points
B- = 477 – 488 points
C+ = 447 - 476 points (passes but on academic probation)
Below this level – course is failed
C = 417 - 446
F = 416 points and below

In courses designated to prepare students for their respective NP certification exams, a minimum exam average of 75% must be achieved for written and oral exams to be averaged into the final grade. If a student does not earn a 75% exam average in one of these courses, it is not possible for the student to successfully pass that course. A grade of no higher than ‘C’ will be awarded to any student who does not achieve the required 75% exam average. This means that the student will be required to repeat the course that they did not earn the required 75% exam average before being permitted to progress to higher level courses.

The courses that the above grading policy applies to are:
NUR 501, NUR 502, NUR 519, NUR 504, NUR 509, NUR 529, NUR 527, NUR 563, NUR 564, NUR 565, NUR 566, NUR 567, NUR 568, NUR 571, NUR 573, NUR 574, and NUR 579.

Students can withdraw from classes or receive an incomplete according to the University policy.
An “I” indicates that a student did not complete a course for a reason acceptable to the professor and requested and received permission from the Dean to complete the course within the first four weeks of the next semester. The student must be passing and have completed all but a particular segment of a course to qualify for a grade of “I”. The “I” will be converted to the appropriate letter grade if the course work is completed by the end of the fourth week of the next semester. If the “I” course work is not completed on schedule, the “I” will convert to an “F”. The “I” converted to grades “A” through “F” will then be used in computing the GPA and may result in a change of academic status if the resulting GPA so indicates. A nursing major cannot register for the next nursing course while an “I” grade remains on the student’s record without permission of the Director, Graduate Nursing Program.


COURSE/CLINICAL FAILURE

Students who fail the clinical portion of clinical NP courses (NUR 519, NUR 509, NUR 527, NUR 529, NUR 563, NUR 564, NUR 568, NUR 571, NUR 573 and NUR 579) are required to re-take the entire course, even if they were successful in the didactic component of the course. Conversely, students who pass the clinical portion of these courses but are unsuccessful in the didactic portion, must retake the entire course. There are no exceptions.

CLINICAL POLICIES

Clinical policies can be found in different documents depending upon the student’s specialization. All NP clinical policies can be found in the NP Clinical Syllabus. Students who are seeking MSN in Leadership in Heath Systems, Clinical Nurse Educator and Nursing Informatics can find information in the Graduate Student Handbook. DNP students can find specific information about DNP projects and residency hours in the Graduate Student Handbook.

NURSE PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION EXAMS

Upon successful completion of the program:

FNP

Graduates are prepared for the Family Nurse Practitioner National Certification Exams through American Nurses Credentialing Center and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.  After successful completion of the certification exam graduates are prepared to apply for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the state of Florida.

PMHNP

Graduates are prepared for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner National Certification Exam through American Nurses Credentialing Center.  After successful completion of the certification exam graduates are prepared to apply for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the state of Florida.

AGACNP

Graduates are prepared for the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner National Certification Exams through American Nurses Credentialing Center and the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. After successful completion of the certification exam graduates are prepared to apply for licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in the state of Florida.

COMMUNITY OF INTEREST:

KSON defines the community of interest as its faculty, staff, current students and their families, alumni, university colleagues, clinical partners, strategic partners, and community stakeholders. The established partnerships within the KSON’s community of interest are essential in promoting the undergraduate and graduate programs, providing feedback for continual program improvement, improving health outcomes of patient populations, and in meeting their needs and expectations. The majority of KSON graduates will live among and promote the health of people in the communities of Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Putnam, Clay, Baker, and Nassau counties. KSON's advisory board is comprised of university, local agency, and community stakeholders.

Nursing graduate courses are offered in a variety of formats, including fully ground based, hybrid or online. All NP courses, regardless of specialty, are taught in classroom.

Master’s level courses (500 number) may be taught in a hybrid format which requires both classroom and online participation. Students attending the fully online MSN program will complete all of their course work online. Doctoral level courses (600 number) are taught online. Students registered for 600 level courses are required to attend course orientation and synchronous online course meetings. Several other courses also require live online sessions which include student presentations. All students are expected to participate in these live online sessions. 700 level courses consist of individual one on one meetings between student and faculty chair which may be conducted in a variety of formats.

Grades will be awarded on the basis of the ability of each student to achieve specified course objectives. Faculty believes strongly that class attendance/participation is necessary for students to learn the assigned material and achieve course objectives. For online/hybrid classes, attendance is measured by participation in the week’s discussions.

All students are expected to attend and participate in scheduled ground-based classes.

Faculty members understand that there are specific situations that may make it necessary to miss classes. If a student cannot attend class, they are encouraged to notify their course professor prior to class. Timing of make-up work will be determined by student-professor agreement.

Students are expected to attend class on time. Unavoidable and/or unexpected circumstances beyond the student’s ability to control or anticipate may be considered acceptable reasons for tardiness. Unless permission to leave class early is granted by the professor, students are expected to remain in class until the class is completed.

Tuition is listed in the current Jacksonville University Catalog. Transportation may be required to complete some assignments. Lack of transportation is not an acceptable reason for failure to complete an assignment.

Each graduate student is required to have a personal laptop computer with current Microsoft Office or equivalent software that is capable of wireless internet connection and webcam.

All graduate students (with the exception of MSN non-NP cognates) are required to pay a one- time subscription fee at the start of their program. The cost of the subscription varies based on degree and specialty being sought. This is a one-time non-refundable fee due at the start of your program. The amount will be applied by the JU Controller’s office to your account balance at the start of your first semester. This means that it can be paid either with available financial aid funds or personal money.

COMPETENCIES

Students should be familiar with competencies established by professional advanced practice nursing organizations. Standards of practice and guidelines used in the development of the nurse practitioner curriculum include:

• AACN Essentials of Graduate Nursing Education,
• Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing and
• Essential of Master’s Education in Nursing,
• The National Counsel of State Boards of Nursing Model Nurse Practice Act and Rules,
• Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs and Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care Competencies in Specialty Areas: Adult, Family, Pediatric And Women’s Health, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Competencies,
• the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), National League for Nursing Nurse Educator Core Competencies and American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) Nurse Executive Competencies and ANA Nursing Informatics: Scope and Standards of Practice.

EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS

1. If a student requires leave from school because of unforeseen personal circumstances, the student is responsible to notify the professor and give the reason for the requested time away.
2. In cases of personal illness, the student should notify the appropriate professor as soon as possible.
3. In cases of family illness or a death in the family, the student must notify the professor that he/she will miss class/clinical prior to scheduled completion of assignments for that week.
4. In cases of planned or expected events (wedding, delivery), the student will submit, in writing to the professor notifying them of the absence. If necessary, or if requested by the professor, they will submit their request to the Associate Dean, and then to the Dean, a request for leave that specifies the time the student will miss.
5. Without proper notification, the student will not be permitted to make up missed class/clinical assignments or examinations. a. Timing of make-up work will be determined by student- professor agreement. b. The student is responsible for notifying the appropriate professor of any change in status regarding missed class/clinical.

The student is responsible for notifying the University Registrar if withdrawing from classes

DNP PROJECT PROCESS

The 700 level of the Jacksonville University DNP program includes both DNP project and residency hours. Students are encouraged to identify an idea for a DNP project early in the program and develop their idea as they progress in the 600 level courses. Once students advance to the 700 level they work with faculty and consultants/preceptors on refining the DNP project. At this point, the student will work fairly independently and must be able to self-motivate to complete required expectations. Each student will be assigned a faculty chair upon the completion of NUR 652 and work with their chair during NUR 690 and the assigned faculty member to refine and complete their project proposal and IRB documents. The student will continue to work with their chair as they progress in to 700 level courses.

Once a student enters the 700 level coursework, they must continue to register for courses each semester until they have completed their project and residency hours.  There is no allowance for “breaks” during this process. Extenuating circumstances will be considered.

Students must be registered for courses the semester they defend their final DNP project. In addition, student must demonstrate progress with evidence of deliverables to receive a passing grade in the 700 Level courses.  Failure to produce a deliverable and/or demonstrate progress will result in an incomplete or course failure. Residency hours are also coordinated with faculty and are addressed later in this document.