Progression
The minimum passing grade in the general education courses and the nursing major is a C/satisfactory. Any nursing student who receives less than a C/satisfactory in any course required for the baccalaureate degree must repeat the course with a C/satisfactory or better. Progression to the next level of all prerequisite clinical courses is based upon satisfactory completion of all prerequisite courses of the current year. Non-clinical courses at the next level in the nursing major may be taken before students officially progress to that level. Appeal of all progression issues is made to the Undergraduate Program Committee. The clinical laboratory grading system is satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Unsatisfactory clinical application results in a grade of F for the course.

A student may fail a clinical course prior to the completion of the course under certain circumstances. A student whose conduct is judged to be clinically unsafe may be dismissed at any time from a clinical unit. Unsafe clinical performance is defined as behavior that is actually or potentially injurious to patients or staff and is out of the range of ordinary student mistakes. Dismissal for the remainder of the course results in a failing grade for the course as does any failure to meet course objectives.

There are additional requirements for satisfactory progression in the School of Nursing and all students are responsible for compliance with additional school policies, listed in the School of Nursing Policy Manual, available on the School of Nursing Web site at www.nursing.vcu.edu.

Further, any student who has been convicted of a felony may be ineligible for licensure or employment as a registered nurse in Virginia. Students or applicants should address any questions of this nature to a legal adviser prior to entry.

Completion of degree requirements – time limit
Once the student enrolls in the School of Nursing, the degree requirements must be completed within six calendar years. The credentials and programs of a candidate unable to meet this requirement may be evaluated by the Undergraduate Program Committee upon request. Such a candidate may have to meet additional requirements established during the interval since matriculation.

CPR
Students entering the School of Nursing are required to have current certification in Basic Life Support for Health Care Workers from the American Heart Association before they begin their first clinical nursing course and maintain certification throughout enrollment in VCU School of Nursing.

Students must show a valid CPR certification to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services prior to the first day of classes of each academic year. Students with expired BLS certification will be unable to enroll in clinical courses.

Health requirements
All nursing students will have an annual TB screening valid for the academic year. Nursing students enrolled in clinical courses are also required to complete the hepatitis B vaccination series or to provide proof of a positive antibody titer to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services. The first injection of the series must be received prior to matriculation into the School of Nursing. Any university health-related requirement for full-time students shall also apply to part-time students. Students who have not completed the above requirements may not enroll in clinical courses. Students are required to present annual documentation to the Office of Enrollment and Student Services by the published deadlines.

HIPAA certification training
All students must complete HIPAA training prior to enrollment in their first clinical course.

FERPA Compliance in clinical areas
By a student’s signature on the Student Record Certification Form, the student authorizes the following:

“In my clinical experiences, faculty may discuss my clinical performance with my preceptor or others who supervise my clinical work, including whether my performance is satisfactory.”

Other requirements
As a condition for participation in a practicum or internship experience, students may be required, by the facility providing the experience, to disclose or allow the university to disclose, information about their health status or immunizations, academic status or achievements, licensure status, and other information. Further, students may be required, by the facility providing the practicum or internship experience, to undergo a criminal background check, submit to drug screening, waive their right to sue the facility, comply with regulations of the facility and other requirements.

Separation from the school
Before withdrawing from the School of Nursing, the student must drop or withdraw from all nursing courses. The student should contact the university registrar for any additional guidance and requirements for separation from the school.

Readmission
Following dismissal from the School of Nursing, a student may not apply for readmission for two consecutive semesters, including the summer session. In order to be considered for possible readmission, a student must do the following:

Obtain an educational assessment from the Office of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students on the MCV Campus (or a comparable agency) or document an assessment completed no earlier than the student's last semester of attendance at VCU.
Take a minimum of 9 credits at an academic institution and attain a minimum GPA of 3.0 on these credits.
Submit a complete readmission packet:
- Include a reference letter from a faculty member in one of the courses taken since dismissal from the program.
- In the personal statement accompanying the admission packet, demonstrate insight into the reasons for the dismissal and present a thoughtful, reasoned plan for success, if readmitted.

The above is intended neither to be all-inclusive nor to imply that completing these activities guarantees a successful application for readmission. Additional information relevant to the student’s particular situation may be required by the Undergraduate Program Committee. All courses required for the nursing major that are taken after the student is readmitted to the program, must be completed with a grade of C/satisfactory or better. If a course is failed with a D/unsatisfactory or below, the student may not proceed in the nursing major and is dismissed from the School of Nursing.

When a student is readmitted after a previous dismissal from the program, the student may not enroll in more than 13 credits per semester of attendance unless the number of nursing credits required by the student’s curriculum plan is greater. In this case, the student may enroll in no more than 15 credits, including nursing courses, per semester. Once a readmitted student has attained a semester GPA of at least 3.0 for at least two consecutive semesters, the credit limit will be rescinded.

Information: The Office of Health Careers/Education and Special Services for Students is located in the VMI Building at 1000 E. Marshall St., Room 202 and can be contacted at (804) 828-9782. Courses to demonstrate amelioration of academic deficiencies may be taken at an appropriate two- or four-year institution. The student should carefully consider the academic difficulties encountered in the School of Nursing and select courses that demonstrate mastery of particular content or directly related skills (e.g. critical thinking or problem solving). That is to say, a broad array of topics from the academic disciplines may be appropriate, particularly if they help the student to think critically, to analyze information or to develop competent writing skills.