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Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Dr. Autumn Ladd, Undergraduate Program Director

The School of Nursing offers three tracks to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree: the BSN, the concurrent ADN-BSN, and the RN-BSN.  

Objectives

Based on the philosophy and mission statements of both the university and the School of Nursing, the following behaviors reflect expected program outcomes for the nursing program. 

  1. Professionalism: Uphold standards of practice using moral, altruistic, ethical, and humanistic principles, while maintaining legal and regulatory standards.
  2. Patient-Centered Care: Recognize individual preferences, values, and needs; anticipate the uniqueness of all individuals, families, and populations; and incorporate the patient/family/population in the plan and implementation of care.
  3. Evidence Based Practice (EBP): Synthesize and apply evidence, along with clinical expertise and patient values, to improve patient outcomes.
  4. Informatics & Technology: Use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.
  5. Quality Improvement: Use a systematic, data-guided approach to continuously improve outcomes and processes for the patient and healthcare systems.
  6. Teamwork and Collaboration: Function effectively in nursing and interprofessional teams and foster communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
  7. Wellness and Prevention: Assess health and wellness in individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations to promote health outcomes.
  8. Leadership: Promote the practice of professional nursing through leadership and advocacy.
  9. Safety: Implement measures to promote quality and a safe environment for patients, self, and others. 
  10. Strengths: Evaluate how strengths (signature talent themes) influence the role of the student nurse and clinical decision-making.

BSN

Upon successful completion of the BSN curriculum graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Advisement and Counseling

Nursing students may schedule appointments with nursing advisors by calling 903-566-7320 or by accessing the following web site: https://uttyler.campus.eab.com.

Prerequisites

All students must complete the Texas core curriculum requirements and prerequisite nursing courses with a grade of “C” or better and a minimum GPA of 3.0 (4.0 basis) to be considered for clinical placement. Prerequisite courses required for all BSN tracks include:

Physical and Biological Sciences
anatomy and physiology with laboratory 8 hours
chemistry with laboratory 4 hours
microbiology or bacteriology with laboratory 4 hours
nutrition 3 hours
Social Sciences and Humanities
life span growth and development 3 hours
general (intro) psychology 3 hours
Mathematics
math statistics 3 hours

Maintaining Status as a Nursing Major

Freshman

The University of Texas at Tyler freshmen interested in nursing are directly admitted to the major.  

Criteria to Maintain Status as a Nursing Major  

  1. All students are directly admitted into the nursing major.  
  2. To remain as a nursing major, all students must meet with an advisor prior to the start of each term to ensure requirements are met and the appropriate courses for the next level are taken. 
  3. Must attend and complete NURS 1000 within the first two semesters at UT Tyler.  
  4. Must attend each fall and spring semester at UT Tyler with no breaks in enrollment. 
  5. TSI Liable Students must complete all TSI Coursework within the first two semesters of attending UT Tyler. 
  6. Students must meet all requirements related to criminal background check and immunizations (including TB testing) prior to completing clinical placement application. 
  7. Students not meeting requirements or placed on probation must meet with an advisor to determine continuance in major. 

Requirements for Preferred Clinical Placement 

  1. Complete application for clinical placement one semester prior to clinicals starting.  
  2. Students must successfully complete all nursing science prerequisite courses with a grade of “C” or higher on the first attempt.  
  3. Achieve a GPA of 3.25 or higher in nursing prerequisites.  
  4. Complete the ATI TEAS exam with a minimum overall score of 65%. 
  5. Students that meet all these criteria, will receive placement on preferred campus based on availability.  

Requirements for General Clinical Placement  

  1. Complete application for clinical placement one semester prior to clinicals starting. 
  2. Achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher in nursing prerequisites.  
  3. Complete the ATI TEAS exam with a minimum overall score of 58.7%. 
  4. Students that meet all these criteria will be considered for placement per space available.  

Transfers

Students who are admitted to The University of Texas at Tyler as a Transfer BSN student are eligible to apply for the UT Tyler School of Nursing Upper Division coursework when the following criteria has been met:  

  1. Complete application for clinical placement one semester prior to clinicals starting. 
  2. Achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher in nursing prerequisites.
  3. Complete the ATI TEAS exam with a minimum overall score of 58.7%. 
  4. Students must meet all requirements related to criminal background check and immunizations (including TB testing) prior to completing clinical placement application.  
  5. Students not meeting requirements or placed on probation must meet with an advisor to determine continuance in major. 
  6. Must meet with an advisor before enrolling in the next semester. 

Re-Launch Program BSN

If students are dismissed from the program due to course failures, they may be eligible for the Re-Launch option. The following criteria must be met to be considered for the Re-Launch program: enrollment in nursing courses within the previous 12 months; no clinical failures; and no previous exemptions to the School of Nursing progression and retention policy.  This is a selected second chance opportunity and enrollment in the Re-Launch program and campus placement are not guaranteed. 

Achievement Examinations

Achievement examinations will be administered throughout the nursing program. In addition to fulfilling the academic requirements of the university and the nursing program, all students must take a comprehensive achievement examination in the final semester of the nursing program.

Expenses of the Nursing Program

In addition to general university tuition and fees, the student majoring in nursing assumes financial responsibility for payment of criminal background check, urine drug screen, uniforms, malpractice insurance, medical insurance, required immunizations and screenings, and clinical accessories. In the final semester of study, the student is required to pay fees for the application to take the NCLEX-RN and the application for licensure. Go to www.bon.state.tx.us for information on current fee structure.

One semester prior to applying for clinical placements, all students must submit evidence of completion of the following: (1) current immunizations- MMR, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, COVID, influenza (2) positive hepatitis B antibody titer (3) TB screening (updated on a yearly basis) (4) American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR, (5) professional liability insurance purchased through the School of Nursing, and (6) criminal background check. Note: A criminal history may impede one’s ability to take the national nursing licensure exam.  If you have questions about eligibility, please contact a nursing advisor.

The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System mandates health insurance for all health-related students enrolled in a clinical course. Every student must complete the health insurance certification process each term they are enrolled in a clinical course. Students must either provide information about their own coverage or confirm their participation in Academic HealthPlans.  Charges will show up on student bills until the AHP waiver has been completed and approved.

The student must also provide her/his own transportation to health care agencies. Driving distances will vary; clinical assignments will be based on availability of learning experiences.