Degree: Associate in Applied Science
HEGIS Code: 5208.1
Curriculum Code: 0622
Campus Location: City (January Admittance), North (September Admittance Only)
Health Sciences Division
Pre-Admission Recommendations: Please see admission requirements listed below.
Recommended High School Courses and/or Experiences: Health Care Experience, Biology, Algebra
Career Opportunities/Further Education: Hospitals, Public Health Agencies, Nursing Homes, Physicians’ Offices, Home Health Care, Schools Military, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator
Program Description
Recent advances in science, medicine and technology have resulted in new responsibilities and new requirements for today’s registered nurses. Nurses are essential members of the health care team, qualified to give client-centered, competent nursing care. Nurses today, dealing with people living in a complex, dynamic society, are concerned with the whole person - mind, body and soul.
The Nursing curriculum combines nursing and general education courses with selected laboratory experiences, during which students provide nursing care to clients in hospitals and other health care facilities. Program courses cover medical/surgical, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics and psychiatric nursing, utilizing current technologies. The nursing specific classes are complemented with studies in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, psychology, sociology, English composition and literature. Although the Nursing curriculum is designed to be completed in two academic years, students may take a longer time to fulfill their degree requirements, depending on individual circumstances.
Graduates find employment as registered nurses in hospitals, public health agencies, nursing homes, extended care facilities, home health care agencies, government health agencies, schools, military, law offices and other health care facilities.
Accreditation
Accredited by: State Education Department, Division of Professional Education (SED), 89 Washington Avenue, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Albany, NY 12234, (518)-486-2967, OPPROGS@nysed.gov
Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) formally the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc., 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, Phone: 404.975.5000, Fax: 404.975.5020, www.acenursing.org.
Program Competencies
End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- Utilize the nursing process in a competent and caring manner to safely meet the bio/psycho/social/cultural and spiritual needs of patients across the lifespan in a variety of health care settings
- Utilize effective decision making skills which result in finding solutions, individualizing care, and assuring the delivery of accurate, safe nursing care which moves the patient toward positive outcomes across the lifespan
- Engage in the pursuit of knowledge by examining pertinent data that leads to evidence based decisions, excellence in practice, and improvement in the quality of patient care
- Exemplify caring attitudes and behaviors, therapeutic communication, and function competently, ethically, safely, and professionally
- Perform an organized head to toe assessment on patients across the lifespan and interpret the findings
- Safely administer medications and provide teaching to patients across the lifespan
Program Outcomes
Licensing Exam Pass Rate for First Time Takers (2018 most recent year)
National - 89.25%
New York - 87.93%
SUNY Erie - City - 96.3%
SUNY Erie - North - 96.61%
Completion Rate (graduation within 3 years of enrollment in Nursing Program)
City - 74%
North - 83%
Employment Rate (2016 graduates latest available data)
City - 92%
North - 100%
Admission Requirements
Matriculation into the SUNY Erie Nursing program is competitive. Applicants with the strongest academic credentials will have the greatest chance for admission. Applicants are strictly evaluated on academic performance and ranked according to cumulative GPA within the last 5 years (all/any colleges attended) and passing the Nursing Admission Assessment (A2) exam.
Requirements:
- High school graduate or HSE (High School Equivalency).
- Academic high school average of 86 percent minimum or above within the last five years for applicants without any college credit.
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 at all undergraduate colleges attended within the last five years (5).
- All required sciences with a minimum grade of “C” within the last five years. BI 150, BI 151, BI 152 and BI 153 are pre-requisites to matriculation into the evening program. BI 150, BI 151, BI 152, BI 153.
- It is recommended the completion of Anatomy and Physiology be done during a full academic semester.
- All applicants are required to take and pass the Nursing Admission Assessment Test (known as the A2 exam). An applicant who is unsuccessful will have one more opportunity to retake the entrance exam during a subsequent semester. Two failures of the entrance exam will deem the student as ineligible for the program.
- Applicants must pass the SUNY Erie Math Placement Test at a higher level than MT 006. (If not successful, applicant must complete and pass MT 006 or have received a waiver from the Math Department.) Any math developmental course must be successfully completed with a minimum passing grade of “C”. Developmental courses may be repeated only once, including grades of “W” (Withdrawal).
- Applicants must pass the SUNY Erie English Placement Test at the EN100 level or above or have received a waiver from the English Department. Any English developmental course must be successfully completed with a minimum passing grade of “C”. Developmental courses may be repeated only once, including grades of “W” (Withdrawal).
- A minimum grade of “C” is required in all developmental courses, pre-requisites, co-requisites and required nursing courses. All pre-requisites and co-requisites in the Nursing program may be repeated only once if a grade below “C” or “W” (withdrawal) is received.
- It is strongly recommended interested students meet with a health science counselor as admission into the program is based on academic qualifications and space availability. Students should initiate and complete processing of all transfer credits for any courses indicated in the Nursing Curriculum Outline while in General Studies and before acceptance into the Nursing Program. Students should meet with a General Studies adviser for advisement and processing of transfer credits. Acceptance into General Studies does not guarantee future entrance into the Nursing Program.
- Nursing at North Campus admits students for days and evenings in September. The application deadline date for North Campus is February 15. Nursing on City Campus admits students for days only in January. Admission deadline date for City Campus is September 15. The Nursing application is to be completed on-line at https://www.ecc.edu/admissions/
- For LPNs, a current New York State LPN license is required to take NU 120. For Medical Military personnel, transcripts will be individually evaluated for eligibility by the Nursing Department and assessed for appropriate departmental transfer credit. Life Experience Assessment Program (LEAP) credit, must be completed before the start of the second Nursing semester.
- Meeting program admission requirements does NOT guarantee acceptance into the nursing program.
- Admission is also based on the academic qualifications of the student and space availability.
- Completion of ALL admission criteria are required prior to deadline date in order to be considered for the designated term.
- If you apply after the deadline date OR if you did not receive a seat due to space availability you must submit a Nursing application for the following term to be reconsidered.
- SUNY Erie does NOT have a waiting list.
- Students who are not eligible to return to a previous nursing program are not eligible to enter the nursing program at SUNY Erie.
Registration for the A2 Entrance Exam is done through North Campus Nursing Department in room K218. Sign up must be done in person. Upon completion of registration, the student will be responsible for the cost of the A2 Entrance Exam.
You must provide the following information to be eligible to register for the A2 Exam:
- Two (2) forms of picture ID (ex: Student ID, Driver’s License, Passport, Employment ID)
- Show successful (C or better) completion of Anatomy and Physiology. (BI 150 151) If applying to the evening Nursing Program you will need to have the Anatomy and Physiology II (BI 152 153) successfully completed (C or better) or in process
- Unofficial transcripts are accepted ONLY for the A2 sign up
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher
Seating is limited for each exam and registration is on a first come, first served basis.
A2 Content Exams
All applicants are required to take the Health Education Services Inc. (HESI), Admission Assessment Exam (A2), which measures competencies in Math, English (Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar) and Anatomy & Physiology.An applicant who does not attain a successful passing score of 75% for each section tested will have one opportunity to retake the Nursing entrance exam during a subsequent semester. If you have already taken and passed our Nursing entrance exam within the last 5 years, you will not be required to retake it. If you are unsuccessful in attaining passing scores that is acceptable for admission to nursing, you may retake the exam only one (1) additional time.
Learning Style/Personality Profile
Learning Styles: 14-item assessment of preferred learning style. Personality Style: 15-item assessment of personality related to preferred learning style. Students receive a printout with study tips based on their learning style and personality profile.
Admission/Progression Criteria
All developmental, pre-requisites, co-requisites and nursing courses may be repeated only once if a grade below “C” or “W” (Withdrawal) is received. Pre-requisites, co-requisites and electives may be taken at any SUNY Erie campus day or evening.
Progression/Graduation Criteria
Nursing courses are sequenced in a specific manner to enable students to attain program competencies. All required courses must be passed each semester in order to advance to the following semester. Nursing courses must be taken in the prescribed sequence. Non-nursing co-requisite courses may be taken in advance but may not be taken later than the prescribed program sequence.
For transfer students, 30 credit hours must be completed ‘in residence’ at SUNY Erie.
A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for graduation.
Any two failures (grade below “C”) or Withdrawal (“W”) in any of the following courses: NU116, NU117, NU126, NU128, NU127, NU236, NU237, NU238, NU246, or NU247 will result in dismissal from the Nursing program.
Students must complete all nursing courses within a three (3) year limit.
Unsafe Practice
Unsatisfactory clinical practice is defined as a failure to perform up to the minimum standards established for the specific clinical experience. Unsafe or unethical clinical practice is defined as behavior observed by or reported to faculty that is actually or potentially detrimental to the client, the client’s family and/or to the health care agency. Every student in the program is expected to act in a safe and ethical manner consistent with the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Safety and Technical Skills
Candidates seeking enrollment into the Nursing Program must meet the safety and technical skills in the following areas: observation-communication, motor, intellectual-conceptual, and behavioral-social attributes.
Observation-Communication
The student must possess the ability to communicate effectively and read, write and use the English language. In addition, the student must have the functional use of the senses of vision, touch, hearing, and smell which are essential in assessing patients, gathering data, and maintaining their safety. Examples of observation-communication include but are not limited to:
- Listening to heart and breath sounds
- Responding to alarms
- Visualizing early signs of distress/complications, ex. changes in skin color; assessing surgical wounds
- Detecting the presence of a foul odor or drainage
- Feeling pulses
- Effectively obtain a patent’s history
- Accurately interpret data from medical records
- Document pertinent observations
- Interact effectively with members of the health care team
Sensory/Motor
The student is required to perform gross and fine motor movements, maintain consciousness and equilibrium, and possess the physical strength and stamina which are necessary to provide safe nursing care. Examples of sensory/motor skills include but are not limited to:
- Transferring patients
- Perform skills requiring dexterity (insertion of tubes, medication injections, instilling injections, inserting suppositories, tracheostomy care)
- Responding rapidly to emergency situations (cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, falls)
- Protect and remove patients from an area in the event of a fire or disaster
Intellectual-Conceptual
The student must possess the ability to problem solve, establish a plan of care, set priorities, calculate, measure, analyze and synthesize objective as well as subjective data. These critical skills are demanded of nurses in today’s complex health care settings. Examples of intellectual-conceptual skills include but are not limited to:
- Calculate medication dosages, IV flow rates
- Measure intake and output
- Develop teaching plans for individual patients
Behavioral-Social attributes
The student must possess emotional stability and flexibility, which will enable him/her to develop the ability to function effectively in stressful situations. This includes the ability to adapt to changing environments, exercise sound judgment, complete assessment and intervention activities and develop sensitive interpersonal relationship with patients, families and other responsible for health care. Examples of these behavioral and social attributes include but are not limited to:
- Ability to express empathy
- Ability to think and act rationally during a crisis
- Demonstrate appropriate behavior towards staff, peers and patients according to societal norms
- Maintaining confidentiality
- Accepting constructive criticism
- Additional fee requirements may include: PC, uniforms, equipment, an individual malpractice insurance fee, nursing evaluation fee and others.
- A physical examination is required annually to ensure that the student is capable of completing the clinical requirements. An incomplete or unacceptable physical exam may result in dismissal from the program.
- Students entering Nursing are strongly recommended to receive immunization against Hepatitis B.
- Nursing students must be compliant with the college immunization requirements. The college reserves the right to deny progression in the Nursing Program when students have incomplete or unacceptable physical exam reports.
- Students are responsible for providing transportation to off-campus clinical/community agencies utilized for clinical nursing laboratory courses.
- Students are responsible to meet all requirements and/or costs associated with clinical agencies.
- Failure to meet requirements from clinical facilities may preclude completion of the nursing program.
- Nursing course activities/clinical may be scheduled during the day, evening, weekend, and/or summer.
- Students may be excluded from clinical lab experiences when in the judgment of the college they are unable to provide safe nursing care or have demonstrated unprofessional behavior.
- Graduates of the Nursing Program are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) Licensing Examination. As needed, consultation with the New York State Education Department is suggested for details regarding the legal limitations to licensure in New York State. http://www.op.nysed.gov/
- Eligibility for licensure as a registered nurse in New York State by persons who have been convicted of a crime (felony or misdemeanor) or have charges pending in any state or country will be determined through an investigation by the New York State Education Office of Professional Discipline.
Nursing Requirements (43 Credit Hours) Credit Hours
NU 116: Health Promotion 4.0
NU 117: Lab for NU 116 4.0
NU 128: Physical Assessment 3.0
NU 126: Health Maintenance 4.0
NU 127: Lab for NU 126 4.0
NU 236: Health Restoration - Acute|Simple 5.0
NU 237: Lab for NU 236 5.5
NU 246: Health Restoration - Acute|Complex 5.0
NU 247: Lab for NU 246 5.5
NU 238 Pharmacology for Nurses 3.0
Science Requirements (12 Credit Hours)
*BI 150: Anatomy and Physiology I 3.0
*BI 151: Lab for BI 150 1.0
*BI 152: Anatomy and Physiology II 3.0
*BI 153: Lab for BI 152 1.0
BI 230: Microbiology 3.0
BI 231: Microbiology Lab 1.0
Humanities & Social Science Requirements (9 Credit Hours)
EN 100: Composition I: Rhetorical Strategies 3.0
PS 100: General Psychology 3.0
PS 201: Developmental Psychology 3.0
Total Degree Requirements: 64.0
*BI 150 and BI 151 are progression courses for matriculation to the nursing day program. BI 150, BI 151, BI 152 and BI 153 are progression courses for matriculation to the nursing evening program.
Nursing courses are sequenced in a specific manner to enable students to attain program competencies. All required courses must be passed each semester in order to advance to the following semester. Nursing courses must be taken in the prescribed sequence.
First Year, Fall Semester
NU 116 - Health Promotion Credit Hours: 4
NU 117 - Lab for NU 116 Credit Hours: 4
NU 128 - Physical Assessment for Nurses Credit Hours: 3
BI 150 - Anatomy and Physiology I Credit Hours: 3*
BI 151 - Laboratory for BI 150 Credit Hours: 1*
EN 110 - College Composition Credit Hours: 3
RN Transition
NU 120 - Health Promotion: RN Transition for LPN/Medical Military Personnel Credit Hours: 2.5
LEAP Credit or Elective Credit Hours: 5.5
First Year, Spring Semester
NU 126 - Health Maintenance Credit Hours: 4
NU 127 - Lab for NU 126 Credit Hours: 4
BI 152 - Anatomy and Physiology II Credit Hours: 3*
BI 153 - Laboratory for BI 152 Credit Hours: 1*
PS 100 - General Psychology Credit Hours: 3
Second Year, Fall Semester
NU 236 - Health Restoration-Acute/Simple Credit Hours: 5
NU 237 - Lab for NU 236 Credit Hours: 5.5
BI 230 - Microbiology Credit Hours: 3
BI 231 - Lab for BI 230 Credit Hours: 1
PS 201 - Developmental Psychology Credit Hours: 3
Infection Control Date Completed ____/____
Child Abuse Date Completed _____/_____
Second Year, Spring Semester
NU 238 - Pharmacology for Nurses Credit Hours: 3
NU 246 - Health Restoration: Acute/Complex Credit Hours: 5
NU 247 - Lab for NU 246 Credit Hours: 5.5
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