"Nursing" is published as several files. Use the links above to see the table of
contents for the whole chapter, or other files within the chapter.
The designation University Honors, awarded at the end of each long-session
semester, gives official recognition and commendation to students whose grades
for the semester indicate distinguished academic accomplishment. Both the
quality and the quantity of work done are considered. Criteria for University
Honors are given in chapter 1.
Students who, upon graduation, have demonstrated outstanding academic
achievement are eligible to graduate with University Honors. Criteria for
graduation with University Honors are given in chapter 1.
Each semester the Dean's Honor List recognizes superior scholastic achievement
by students enrolled in nursing prerequisite courses or in the professional
sequence of nursing courses. Prenursing students must complete fifteen semester
hours in residence on the letter-grade basis and earn at least fifty-two grade
points. They must also earn no grade below a C for the semester.
Students enrolled in the professional sequence of nursing courses are required
to earn forty-eight grade points when enrolled in twelve semester hours and
sixty grade points when enrolled in fifteen semester hours.
Epsilon Theta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of
Nursing, was chartered at the University on May 16, 1980; before that time,
membership in Sigma Theta Tau on the Austin campus was conferred through Alpha
Delta Chapter, chartered at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston
in 1963. Epsilon Theta Chapter presents scholarly programs each semester;
program meetings are open to anyone interested in the program topic. An annual
meeting, at which new members are inducted, is held in May.
Membership in Sigma Theta Tau is an honor conferred by active chapters on
students who demonstrate academic excellence and on nursing leaders who advance
the scientific base of the profession. The society recognizes superior
achievement in many areas, facilitates the development of leadership qualities,
fosters high professional standards, encourages creative work, and strengthens
commitment to the ideals of nursing.
Each year qualified students in the undergraduate and graduate programs may
apply for consideration for membership. Invitations to membership are extended
to students who are in the top 35 percent of their graduating class.
Undergraduates must have a grade point average of at least 3.00; graduate
students must have a significantly higher grade point average. Qualified
community nursing leaders may also be invited to membership. Applications for
membership in Epsilon Theta Chapter are available from the Student Affairs
Office in the School of Nursing.
At the annual meeting each spring, Epsilon Theta Chapter announces its awards,
grants, and scholarship recipients. A scholarship is awarded to an
upper-division nursing student who has demonstrated leadership potential and
has a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or above. Recognition awards are
given to those who have made significant contributions to the promotion of
excellence in nursing through outstanding participation in professional
organizations, enhancement of the standards of nursing practice or education,
noteworthy involvement in community or public areas that affect health,
creative delivery of nursing care, or other substantial professional
activities. Small research grants are awarded annually to Epsilon Theta Chapter
members and/or students enrolled in the graduate program in nursing.
In 1995, Sigma Theta Tau International had active chapters on 356 campuses with
nationally accredited nursing programs granting baccalaureate and higher
degrees in nursing. Sigma Theta Tau International offers opportunities for
involvement at the chapter, regional, national, and international levels.
Programs are offered each year in different parts of the United States under
joint sponsorship of chapters and Sigma Theta Tau International. International
research congresses are held in cooperation with scholarly nursing
organizations in other countries; these programs focus on scholarly topics of
relevance to the advancement of nursing knowledge and to the improvement of
public health. Research grants are awarded annually by Sigma Theta Tau
International as well as by Epsilon Theta and other chapters.
The faculty believes that each educational experience should build on previous
achievements to encourage fulfillment of each student's potential. Therefore,
all students and registered nurses are urged to seek advice on arranging a
logical sequence of work. The faculty subscribes to the principle that a
candidate's competence should be validated and that credit should be awarded on
the basis of satisfactory achievement on examinations as well as in the
classroom. Twenty-four of the last thirty semester hours of credit presented
for the degree must be earned in residence, rather than by examination,
correspondence, or transfer. Therefore, credit may be earned by examination for
all nursing courses except Nursing 327, 228, 229, 264, 275, 475P, 377, 477P,
278, and 178P; non-RN students must also take six additional semester hours of
upper-division coursework in nursing in residence.
To petition for credit by examination for upper-division nursing courses, a
student must have met all the requirements for admission to upper-division
courses in the School of Nursing. An examination for credit may not be taken in
a course in which the student is enrolled, which the student has completed, or
from which the student has withdrawn with either a passing or a failing grade.
The candidate should consult the dean for application forms, information about
policies, and scheduling of the examination.
A candidate for credit by examination may obtain the course material that would
be given to a student enrolling in the course and has access to all material in
campus learning centers. He or she may audit any or all of the lecture portion
of any course in the School of Nursing, if approval is obtained in advance from
the instructor and if space is available. The candidate is subject to the
auditor's fee unless he or she is a University student.
Each candidate is assessed a fee by the Measurement and Evaluation Center for
taking the examination. Credit is granted only after the student is enrolled in
the School of Nursing, and only for a grade of C or better. The student
may elect to have the credit recorded as the symbol CR or as the letter
grade achieved. In the latter event, the grade is included in computing the
cumulative grade point average. No notation appears on the student's record
when the examination is failed. Credit earned by examination does not reduce by
a corresponding amount the number of courses that may be taken on the pass/fail
basis. A candidate may not retake an examination for any nursing course.
All students must fulfill the general requirements for graduation given
in chapter 1. Students in the School of Nursing must also fulfill the following
requirements.
- All University students must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 to
graduate. In the School of Nursing, students must also have a grade point
average of at least 2.00 in the coursework used to fulfill the upper-division
requirement.
- A candidate must complete the prescribed curriculum and must meet all
other requirements of the School of Nursing.
- A student must supply the School of Nursing with transcripts of courses
taken outside the school as the courses are completed.
A degree audit is prepared in the dean's office when the student begins the
junior year of nursing courses. The student is then notified of the courses he
or she must take and the requirements he or she must fulfill to receive the
degree. The degree audit is normally done according to the catalog in effect
when the student was admitted to the School of Nursing, but the student may
choose to have it done according to any catalog under which he or she is
eligible to graduate. Rules on graduation under a particular catalog are given
in chapter 1.
In advising and in registering students, the dean and advisers try to prevent
errors. Avoidance of errors is the main purpose of the degree audit, but it
remains the responsibility of the student to fulfill all catalog
requirements.
In the long-session semester or summer session in which the degree is to be
awarded, the candidate must be registered at the University and must file a
Graduation Application Form in the School of Nursing Student Affairs Office.
The form must be filed by the deadline to apply for an undergraduate degree,
which is given in the official academic calendar.
Each student seeking registration as a professional nurse must pass the
National Council Licensure Examination, administered by the Board of Nurse
Examiners for the state of Texas. The Board of Nurse Examiners may refuse to
admit persons to its examinations or may refuse to issue a license or
certificate of registration for any of the following reasons:
- Prior denial of a license by a licensing authority for nurses.
- Disciplinary action by a licensing/certifying authority.
- Conviction for a crime.
- Physical or mental disability or illness that may endanger the health and
safety of persons under his or her care.
- Hospitalization or treatment for chemical dependency during the past five
years.
- Current intemperate use of drugs or alcohol.
Information about these
factors is required on the application for the licensure exam.
To avoid delay or denial of licensure following the expense of completing a
nursing education program, or possible disciplinary action and criminal
prosecution for later discovery of falsified records, those with a history of
any of the noted factors are strongly urged to apply for a determination of
eligibility for licensure. A request for a determination should be made as
early as possible before or after enrolling in the nursing program. Such a
determination, called a Declaratory Order, is issued by the Board of Nurse
Examiners. For more information, send a written request for a Declaratory Order
packet to the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas, Education
Department, PO Box 140466, Austin, Texas 78714-0466.
Issuance of a Declaratory Order may take from three to six months. Information
obtained during the investigation phase of the petition process is
confidential. Once issued, Declaratory Orders are subject to the Texas Open
Records Act.
Application for registration as a professional nurse by examination requires
submission of a complete application and transcripts of all work completed at
least one month before the National Council Licensure Examination. Students
receive the application form and instructions for completion about two months
before graduation. The application must be completed, notarized, and returned
to the University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing as soon as possible,
with the registration fee. All 142 or 143 hours for the degree must be
completed before the student is eligible to take the National Council Licensure
Examination and to obtain a temporary permit to practice professional
nursing.
Students planning to take the National Council Licensure Examination in another
state must obtain information about procedures from the agency responsible for
professional nurse registration in that state.
For the purpose of assuming graduate nurse status, the official date of
completion of the nursing program is the publicly announced date of
graduation.
The School of Nursing supports the concept of education as a lifelong process
consisting of both formal and informal learning experiences. Continuing
education is viewed as supplementary to formal educational programs and,
consequently, is considered most appropriate in the form of short-term
noncredit learning opportunities. Each year the Continuing Education Program of
the School of Nursing offers a selection of conferences, workshops, and
seminars designed to meet the learning needs and interests of registered nurses
in a variety of practice areas. Registration fees vary according to program
costs and expected enrollment. When space is available, nursing students may
attend.
The School of Nursing offers an undergraduate program leading to the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Nursing and graduate programs leading to the Master of
Science in Nursing degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in
nursing. The undergraduate program is designed for students who wish to enter
the profession of nursing. Students who have earned an associate's degree or a
diploma in nursing and wish to obtain the baccalaureate degree may apply to the
accelerated track leading to the BSN. The master's and doctoral degree programs
are designed to prepare professionals for advanced clinical practice and
research in nursing.
The baccalaureate program is accredited by the National League for Nursing and
the State of Texas Board of Nurse Examiners.
The purpose of the School of Nursing is to contribute to the teaching,
research, and service missions of the University of Texas at Austin through
- Preparing generalists in professional nursing practice at the baccalaureate
level.
- Preparing specialists at the graduate level in nursing to assume roles in
practice, administration, education, and research.
- Promoting excellence in nursing scholarship.
- Contributing to the body of nursing knowledge.
- Offering educational, consultative, and other health care services to the
community.
The graduate of the baccalaureate program in nursing is expected to
- Integrate knowledge from nursing, physical and behavioral sciences, and the
humanities in planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care.
- Utilize nursing process to meet the health care needs of individuals,
families, and groups in a variety of settings.
- Accept responsibility and accountability for providing nursing
interventions and evaluating their results.
- Participate in the delivery of health care through interdisciplinary
collaboration, coordination, and consultation.
- Participate in nursing and interdisciplinary efforts to improve the
delivery of high-quality health care to individuals and communities.
- Demonstrate continued personal and professional growth.
- Practice nursing according to professional standards.
- Critically appraise and apply research findings to professional nursing
practice.
Physical activity courses are offered by the Department of Kinesiology and
Health Education. They may not be counted toward a degree in the School of
Nursing; however, they are counted among courses for which the student is
enrolled, and the grades in physical activity courses are included in the grade
point average.
The dean has the authority to substitute an equivalent air force science,
military science, or naval science course or courses for a course or courses
prescribed by the School of Nursing and to make adjustments to compensate for
any differences in semester hour value. The total number of semester hours
required for the degree remains unchanged.
Three semester hours of upper-division coursework in air force science,
military science, or naval science may be counted toward the nursing degree as
electives by students who complete the ROTC program at the University.
Credit that a University student in residence earns simultaneously by
correspondence or extension from the University or elsewhere or in residence at
another school will not be counted toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
degree unless specifically approved in advance by the dean. No more than nine
of the semester hours required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
may be taken by correspondence.
This program consists of two and one-half academic years or four semesters and
two summer sessions of nursing prerequisite courses (the preprofessional
sequence) taken at an accredited college or university, followed by two and
one-half years or four semesters and a summer session of upper-division nursing
courses (the professional sequence) taken at the University of Texas at Austin
School of Nursing. Upon completion of the program, students are awarded the
Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and have fulfilled the prescribed course
of study and clinical practice required to take the National Council Licensure
Examination (NCLEX) for licensure as a registered nurse.
Students may fulfill the foreign language component of the University's basic
education requirements by completing two years of a single foreign language in
high school, by earning an appropriate score on one of the placement
examinations administered by the University, or by completing two semesters of
college coursework in a single foreign language in addition to the degree
requirements given below.
Preprofessional Sequence
Students
must complete the seventy-two or seventy-three semester hours of coursework
(preprofessional sequence) listed below. Completion usually requires two and
one-half academic years (or four semesters and two summer sessions). All
courses must be completed before the student enrolls in upper-division courses
in nursing.
| Courses | Semester Hours
|
|
Natural Sciences
|
| | Anatomy and physiology: Zoology 314K,
316K, 116L | 7
|
| | Biology 302, 303 | 6
|
| | Chemistry (including three hours of
biochemistry): Chemistry 313N, 113P, 314N,
114P | 8
|
| | Mathematics 301, 302, 303D, 403K, or 305G
| 3 or 4
|
| | Microbiology 228, 129K | 3
|
| | Nutrition 311 (section for nonscience
majors) | 3
|
|
Liberal Arts
|
| | English 306, 316K | 6
|
| | American government, including Texas
government | 6
|
| | Child Development 313 | 3
|
| | American history | 6
|
| | Psychology 301 | 3
|
| | Fine arts elective | 3
|
|
Nursing
|
| | Nursing 305, Health Promotion
| 3
|
| | Nursing 310, Communication in Health
Care Settings | 3
|
| | Nursing 311, Ethics of Health
Care[1] | 3
|
|
Other Courses
|
| | Introductory statistics | 3
|
| | Pharmacy 338 | 3
|
|
| | | Total | 72 or
73 |
Professional Sequence
The
student may begin taking nursing courses in his or her sophomore year, but the
final sixty-four semester hours of coursework in nursing must be completed
after the student has achieved upper-division standing. The free elective may
be taken during either the preprofessional sequence or the professional
sequence. The following courses may be completed in two academic years and a
summer session.
| Courses | Semester Hours
|
|
Nursing
|
| | Nursing 224, Health Assessment
Skills
|
| | Nursing 225, Adult Health
Nursing I
|
| | Nursing 425P, Adult Health
Nursing I (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 226, Conceptual and
Applied Bases of Mental Health Nursing
|
| | Nursing 327, Conceptual Bases of
Aging
|
| | Nursing 127P, Clinical Nursing
Skills I (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 347, Specialized Topics
in Nursing
|
| | Nursing 455, Adult Health
Nursing II
|
| | Nursing 455P, Adult Health
Nursing II (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 356, Conceptual Bases of
Mental Health Problems
|
| | Nursing 456P, Problems in Mental
Health Nursing (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 157P, Clinical Nursing
Skills II (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 264, Nursing
Research
|
| | Nursing 265, Nursing Care of
Childbearing Families
|
| | Nursing 465P, Nursing Care of
Childbearing Families (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 266, Nursing Care of
Children and Their Families
|
| | Nursing 466P, Nursing Care of
Children and Their Families (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 167P, Clinical Nursing
Skills III (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 275, Community Health
Nursing
|
| | Nursing 475P, Community Health
Nursing (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 377, Management of
Nursing Care
|
| | Nursing 477P, Clinical Care
Management (Practicum)
|
| | Nursing 278, Synthesis of
Nursing Knowledge[2]
|
| | Nursing 178P, Clinical Nursing Skills
IV (Practicum) | 64
|
|
Other Courses
|
| | Free elective
[3] | 3
|
|
| | | Total | 67
|
| | |
|
| | | Total for Degree |
139 or 140 |
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28 August 1996. Registrar's Web Team
Comments to rgcat@utxdp.dp.utexas.edu