UNIVERSITY
OF DELAWARE
Several program/course changes and a new honors
program are being submitted for approval by the College Curriculum Committee
and Undergraduate Studies Committee. These changes have been approved by
nursing department faculty, the department curriculum committee, and the
department chair. The following is a summary of these changes:
New Undergraduate Nursing
Curriculum:
Major in
University Catalog (see attached catalog page 177)
Replace
“Pathways Course/Elective” on page 179 in Catalog with HESC 155, Personal
Health Management: An Approach for a Lifetime.
RATIONALE: When the new undergraduate
nursing curriculum was planned a few years ago, the faculty was not certain of
the permanent number, title, and details of the pathways course to be offered
by the College of Health and Nursing Sciences. Since that time, HESC 155 has
been developed, approved, and offered. Nursing students are officially required
to enroll in that particular pathways course.
OVERALL
RATIONALE: Some
pre- and co-requisites were omitted or listed incorrectly when curriculum
originally approved. Further course
planning has stimulated discussion about what knowledge and experiences are
necessary in order to most effectively learn course content and skills.
Discussions resulted in some revisions.
NURS 220 NURS 411
NURS 240 NURS 453
NURS 353 NURS 454
NURS 355 NURS 455
NURS 357 NURS 474
NURS 362
RATIONALE: Review of content of NURS
220 during recent course planning by assigned faculty resulted in fine tuning
of the NURS 230 description to more accurately reflect the focus of the course.
OVERALL
RATIONALE:
The new curriculum includes 3 more nursing credits as well as increased lab and
discussion time in several courses. After further course planning and review of
the number of student hours/semester especially at the senior level, it was
decided that a 3:1 ratio may not be necessary to meet course requirements.
Additionally, we found that some of the extra contact hours were going to be
provided for students to complete course assignments that should be considered
“homework” and course preparation time rather than class time. Faculty expect
students to come to class, lab, and practica prepared. Finally, completion of
some lab skills practice will be accomplished through independent practice time
with lab personnel or teachers’assistants present at open lab times, and review
of CD-ROMs, Web enhanced info, etc. as pre-lab assignments. This will decrease
the number of class/clinical hours that have to be devoted to lab demonstration
by faculty. The current “old”
curriculum has operated with a 2:1 ratio.
NURS 220 NURS 353 NURS 453
NURS 230 NURS 355 NURS 455
NURS 240 NURS 359 NURS 475
5. Creation of Honors Program in Nursing (see attached Academic Program
Approval Form for rationale and summary)
The Department of Nursing offers a
program that allows registered nurses to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
1. Changes in
Admission Criteria: Eliminate National League for Nursing
Accelerated
Challenge Exams (NLN-ACE II)
Successful completion of National League for Nursing Accelerated Challenge examinations (NLN-ACE II) for diploma school graduates will no longer be required as part of admission to the program.
RATIONALE: Since 1993, data indicate
that an overwhelming majority of diploma school graduates in the University of
Delaware Baccalaureate Program for the Registered Nurse (BRN) pass the National League for Nursing
Accelerated Challenge Examinations (NLN-ACE II). Associate degree applicants
have never been required to take the National League for Nursing Accelerated
Challenge Examinations (NLN-ACE II) for admission. Mean grade point averages following BRN program completion have
been highly comparable among diploma and associate degree students at the
University of Delaware. Nursing literature supports the fact that the grade
point average from the initial nursing program (diploma or associate’s degree)
is a reliable indicator of success in a subsequent baccalaureate nursing
program. Therefore, admission criteria for diploma nurses should depend on the
grade point average from their basic program (and other college/university
course work if applicable) and successful completion of the National Council
Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) licensure exam.
Currently, diploma school graduates are awarded thirty transfer credits with the stipulation that they pass the National League for Nursing Accelerated Challenge examinations (NLN-ACE II). With the elimination of the NLN-ACE II requirement, diploma nurses will be awarded 30 credits for completion of their basic program and successful completion of the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This practice is currently in place for associate degree nurses.
RATIONALE: Associate degree and diploma
prepared nurses are required to pass the same National Council Licensure
Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to enter the BRN program. Therefore,
admission criteria should be the same for associate degree and diploma nurses.
11/6/01