Licensed Practical Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing - Florida

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Program Admissions Requirements

Submit a completed WCU application for admissions
Submit WCU approved documentation of high school graduation or equivalent a) Foreign high school diplomas/credentials or their equivalent must have an official evaluation performed by an approved organization)
Participate in an admissions interview arranged by a University admissions advisor
Achieve a HESI composite score of 76 or higher a) HESI exam scores must be within three (3) years of enrollment date. b) HESI exam scores below 76 are denied admission c) Examination Retake Details i) BSN applicants will have a maximum of two attempts, a week apart, to successfully pass the admissions exam. ii) If an applicant does not pass the admissions exam after two attempts, he or she must wait a period of 1 month to retest and must provide proof of remediation. d) Additional acceptable external scores are eligible for full admission: i) TEAS score of 43 or higher a) TEAS exam scores must be within three (3) years of enrollment date ii) SAT score of 835 or higher or ACT score of 16 or higher a) SAT or B41ACT must be within three (3) years of enrollment date b) WCU only collects Verbal and Quantitative scores for SAT and ACT
Complete an enrollment agreement (must be signed by a parent or guardian if the applicant is under 18 years of age)

Program Pre-Requisites

Pre-Licensure Nursing Requirements prior to clinical assignments (ADN, BSN & LPN to BSN):

Obtain a criminal background clearance (information on how to obtain this clearance will be provided to students during the enrollment process). A misdemeanor or felony may interfere with clinical placement and subsequent licensure as a Registered Nurse;
Submit documentation of required immunizations;
Provide and maintain a current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (CPR) for Health Providers;
Provide a current Fire Card, where required;
Meet the requirements outlined in the “Essentials of RN Job Functions” as documented by a licensed Physician, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant;
Undergo drug screening.
Provide acceptable proof of adequate health insurance coverage;
Comply with clinical site specific requirements.

Program Transfer Credit Policy

To receive transfer credit for this program, previous General Education courses must have achieved a grade of at least a "C", and Core courses require a minimum grade of a "C+". Approval on transfer credit is based on the program's discretion.

BSN and LVN/LPN-BSN applicants requesting transfer credit evaluation must provide official transcripts by the Add/Drop deadline on the second Tuesday of the term. All general education, prerequisite, and core nursing coursework must have been taken at an accredited post-secondary institution. For nursing credits to be considered for transfer credit, there can be only one year between the end of the last nursing course taken at a previous institution and the beginning of the first course at West Coast University. Exceptions may be considered. Science courses must be taken within the last five years to be accepted for transfer credit. Course syllabi for courses previously taken at another nursing program should be submitted for review to the campus dean for nursing. The maximum allowable transfer credits applied to the BSN program shall not exceed 52 credits of general education, and for the ADN (Florida only) program shall not exceed 27 credits of general education. See the Challenge Credit policy for additional information on receiving nursing credit for previously completed nursing courses. Authority for all final transfer credit decisions is given to the Program Dean/Chair. Transfer credit will not be awarded based on unofficial transcripts, however, students may be scheduled for their first semester of courses based on unofficial transfer credit review. Financial packaging for the first semester will be estimated without transfer credit unless/until official transcripts are received and evaluated. If transfer credit is evaluated after the add/drop date of the first semester, it will be reflected in financial aid offers for the subsequent semester.
Individuals who are concurrently enrolled at another institution at the time of their matriculation to West Coast University, may be allowed to request transfer credit for courses that are in-progress. In this situation, official transcripts must be received by the end of the first term of matriculation in order to receive transfer credit.
All applicants who are veterans or seeking transfer credit must submit all official applicable postsecondary transcripts by the Add/Drop deadline on the second Tuesday of the term regardless of applicable transfer credits for timely certification of the veterans request for benefits and receipt of funds. Please see the Veterans Educational Benefits policy in the Financial Policies and Information Section of the Catalog.

General Education Information

Category and Requirements	WCU Course Requirements	Transferable / Options
Foundational Course	FHE 100 (3): Foundations of Higher Education (Texas, Miami and Orange County)	Non-transferable
A. Written Communications (6 Semester Credits)	ENGL 140 (3): Written Communication I ENGL 240 (3): Written Communication II	Equivalent to ENGL 140 Equivalent to ENGL 240
B. Oral and Interpersonal Communications (3 Semester Credits)	*SPCH 142 (3): Oral Communication	Equivalent to SPCH 142
C. Critical Thinking and Ethical Reasoning (3 Semester Credits)	*PHIL 341 (3): Critical Reasoning	Equivalent to PHIL 341
D. Quantitative Literacy (6 Semester Credits)	MATH 108 (3): College Mathematics I MATH 211 (3): Statistics	Equivalent to MATH 108 Equivalent to MATH 211
E. Social and Behavioral Awareness (6 Semester Credits)	PSYC 160 (3): Psychology PSYC 290 (3): Life Span Psychology	Equivalent to PSYC 160 Equivalent to PSYC 290
F. Historical, Cultural, and Aesthetic Recognition (3 Semester Credits)	*HUM 370 (3): Cultural Pluralism	Equivalent to HUM 370
G. Scientific Reasoning (16 Semester Credits)	ANAT 260 (4): Human Anatomy PHYS 261 (4): Human Physiology CHEM 280 (4): Chemistry MICR 290 (4): General Microbiology	Equivalent to ANAT 260 Equivalent to PHYS 261 Non-transferable at the Orange County Campus starting Summer I 2023 Equivalent to CHEM 280 Equivalent to MICR 290
General Education Capstone (3 Semester Credits)	CAPS 401 (3): General Education Capstone (Los Angeles and Ontario)	Non-transferable
*A minimum of 46 credits is required for graduation.*

Note: The following course must have been taken in the last 5 years: ANAT 260, CHEM 280, MICR 290, and PHYS 261.

Note: If scheduled, the following courses are to be taken at WCU: FHE 100, CAPS 401, and PATH 370 and PHYS 261

**As of April 2019, this course will be delivered online, asynchronously, through the institution's Learning Management System except where otherwise authorized by the Program Dean/Director.

Breakdown of Credits

Course Category	Credits
General Education Credits	52
Undergraduate Core Credits	59
Approved Credit from Previous Licensure	9
Total	120

Program Licensure Requirements

LVN/LPN to BSN applicants who possess a current unobstructed LVN/LPN license may be admitted into the West Coast University LVN/LPN to BSN program without requiring transcripts if they meet all other specific program admission requirements, which would include military training. LVN/LPN’s who were able to obtain their LVN/LPN license using their military training as the academic qualifier and those who have graduated from a school that has since closed and transcripts are no longer available.

Program Clinical Requirements

Standard BSN Requirements

Residency Requirement

A minimum of 30 credits must be taken at WCU for the BSN and LPN to BSN programs. Exceptions may be considered.

Health Insurance Requirement

Provide acceptable proof of health insurance coverage when assigned to academic activities requiring health insurance as a prerequisite of participation (on/off campus clinical or practical experiences)

Program Dismissal Policy

Pre-licensure Nursing Students: Pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ADN, LVN-BSN, LPN-BSN, BSN) program students will be dismissed if they receive:

Four (4) non-passing grades taken at West Coast University in General Education, or two (2) non-passing grades in any Nursing (NURS) courses, or
Receive a non-passing grade twice for the same course regardless of whether the course was in General Education or Nursing.

Additional notes:

Grades from courses NURS 493, NURS 493R, NURS 499, DEP 098, FHE 100, and FYS 001 will not be considered when determining student status for programmatic dismissal.
Please see the grade scale located in the University Catalog for additional information on passing/non-passing grades. Students in graduate programs should consult with their program director/dean regarding what constitutes passing/non-passing grades in graduate courses.
A student who has passed NURS340/342L and fails any or all courses in the subsequent terms will not be dismissed. The student will be provided one (1) opportunity to repeat the required coursework, and if any additional non-passing grades are earned, the student will be dismissed from the University.

A student who fails NURS 493 on the first attempt will be provided no more than two (2) additional opportunities to repeat the course without added cost or being dismissed regardless of the number of previous course failures. If the student fails or is unsuccessful on their third attempt to repeat the class, the student will be dismissed from the University. Students enrolled at a California campus may be approved to sit for the NCLEX as a "non-graduate" if unsuccessful in passing NURS 493. See Campus Director of Nursing for more information.

Additional Program-Specific Policies or Requirements

Examination Fees

Starting in the August 2013 term, new/reentry students will be required to pay for Authorization to Test (ATT) fees and NCLEX-RN fees as part of the NCLEX Incentive Program. This program is designed to provide a financial incentive for students to pass the examination on first attempt. Upon enrollment in NURS 493 Integration of Nursing Concepts, the student account will accrue a one-time charge for examination and licensures fees. The University will forward these funds to Pearson (NCLEX) and the State Board of Nursing. On successfully completing the NCLEX examination on first attempt, the University will refund the testing fees noted above and provide the student with a financial incentive. Please see the campus Testing Coordinator for the NCLEX Incentive Program eligibility criteria.

Immunizations
Based on the CDC Recommended Immunizations for Health-Care Personnel (HCP), all HCPs must submit documentation of immunization to Hepatitis B (series of three doses with anti-HBs serologic testing 1-2 months after dose #3), proof of immunity to Hepatitis B, or a signed declination; Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Varicella (chickenpox); and Tetanus, include Influenza (yearly), Hepatitis A, and Pneumonia. For some individuals, a titer test will be indicated vs. vaccinations. Titer tests showing immunity to listed pathogens are acceptable. Titer tests showing a negative response require appropriate immunizations and follow-up titers must be completed and submitted. Diphtheria and Pertussis (booster every 10 years) are highly recommended immunizations for HCPs. If one or more of the listed immunizations are contraindicated, documentation must be submitted clearly identifying the reason(s). Clinical laboratory reports with the facility stamp and a medical doctor’s signature is required. See the Nursing Student Handbook for additional information. WCU’s clinical site partners require students to provide proof of immunization against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) to participate in the clinical experience rotation at their site. In addition, healthcare settings require proof of immunization including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) for employment. If the student is unable to fulfill the clinical site’s requirements, they will not be able to progress towards their degree, and may be withdrawn from the program.

For more information on immunizations and vaccines, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/.

Public Health Nurse Certification

Graduates of the BSN program at West Coast University, and who have obtained an unobstructed RN license in the State of California, will be eligible to apply for Public Health Nurse Certification with the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). For information about the Public Health Nurse Certification application process, visit the California Board of Registered Nursing website at www.rn.ca.gov

NURS 493 Comprehensive Predictor

Each student will take the ATI Comprehensive Predictor Assessment during the last week of the NURS 493 course. Each student must achieve an ATI predictive probability of passing NCLEX at or above 92%. Each student will have ONE (1) attempt to meet the benchmark.

NURS 493 is graded on a Pass/No Pass scale. Only students who meet the benchmark will be given a "Pass" (P) for the course and be allowed to graduate from the program. Students who do not achieve a score of 92%, will be given a "No Pass" (NP) grade and will need to take NURS 493 the following term.

Students scoring at least or above 92% probability of NCLEX success on the ATI Comprehensive Predictor given in week 9 of the course will:

Complete a focused review of the Comprehensive Predictor
Attend the full ATI Live Review
Work through the ATI Live Review Study plan to prepare for NCLEX
Students will be enrolled into the Virtual ATI online NCLEX review for post-graduation support to prepare for NCLEX.

Students scoring below 92% probability of NCLEX success on the ATI Comprehensive Predictor will be required to complete the following:

NURS 493R course including:
1. Completing alternative capstone assignments
2. Completing ATI assessments
3. Retaking the ATI Comprehensive Predictor
4. Attending the ATI Live Review if Comprehensive Predictor is passed.
Students who have taken NURS 493 and passed the course will be identified as needing additional support and, after attending the Live Review and meeting all University requirements to graduate and test for NCLEX, will be enrolled in the Virtual ATI online NCLEX review for continued post-graduation review and support to prepare for NCLEX.
Billing details regarding repeating NURS 493 Integration of Nursing Concepts can be found on the Tuition and Fees Catalog page.