Headquarters:
3400 S. 43rd St.
Milwaukee, WI 53234
Phone 414-382-6000
Fax: 414-382-6479
Website: alverno.edu
1201 Alma School Road Ste. 5450 Mesa, AZ 85210
Phone 414-382-6259
Fax: 414-382-6479
Website: alverno.edu
Alverno College prepares women for lives of personal and professional distinction and meaningful engagement with the world. Alverno extends this mission by offering graduate and adult programs to women and men. Inspired by its Catholic, Franciscan, and liberal arts heritage, the College intentionally creates an inclusive community that engages students in active and collaborative learning and fosters academic excellence.
Alverno College is a non-profit institution, and its key officers include:
● Katherine M. Hudson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
● Christy L. Brown, JD, President
● Kristine Obrecht, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
● Luther T. Griffith, CFO
For a full list of the Board of Trustees please visit https://www.alverno.edu/Trustees.
Designed for anyone who holds a bachelor’s degree from any background, the Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) program in the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing and Health Professions (JMSNHP) of Alverno College prepares students to enter the nursing profession as Nurse Generalists with graduate-level clinical assessment, patient care, and leadership skills.
During the course of this intensive, full-time 18-month program, students gain hands-on training and clinical experience with support from experienced faculty, earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), and prepare to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Accreditation
Alverno College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the JMSNHP nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). JMSNHP nursing programs are approved by the Wisconsin Board of Nursing. The DEMSN program administered in Mesa, Arizona has been granted provisional approval by the Arizona State Board of Nursing.
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) program is specifically designed for college graduates who hold a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing and aspire to complete a second degree; specifically, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Successful completion of the 77 credit program results in the concurrent conferral of a BSN and MSN degrees. Under no circumstance will partial completion of the program result in the conferral of a BSN degree only. Students in the DEMSN program are generally expected to attend full-time and take courses and advance in the program as a cohort in accordance with the 5-semester course sequence of the program. Dropping to part-time status requires permission from the Director of the DEMSN program. DEMSN students must take 3 semester credits (part-time status) to be eligible for financial aid; students must take 6 semester credits to be considered full-time. This is an on-ground program.
Director of the DEMSN-Mesa Location: Sheila Heinert, DNP, RN Sheila.heinert@alverno.edu
Didactic Course Modalities Defined
The modality by which didactic courses are delivered is determined by course faculty. Below are the definitions of the various theory course delivery modes used in the DEMSN program
Flex: Course is offered both in-person and virtually. Students choose whether to attend face to face or virtually. Faculty determine if virtual learning is offered synchronous and/or asynchronous.
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing, per credit is $755. Depending on a student’s individual situation, following is the estimated program cost:
Tuition: $58,134.00
Books: $3,000.00
Course Fees: $2,235.00
Uniform: $$60.00
Nurse Equipment Kit: $100.00
Misc. Fees including NCLEX Review: $5,350.00
Estimated Total (USD): $68,879.00
*Additional fees may apply. Tuition and fees are subject to change each academic year.
DEMSN students are required to arrange payment plans for their courses prior to attending class. Students are eligible to apply for Federal Student Aid.
Financial Aid for Direct-Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN).
The Financial Aid Office is available to assist students with any questions they may have pertaining to options to help fund the cost of their program.
Our main way to communicate with students is through their Alverno email address. Students’ network account information is sent to students with their acceptance packet. Students are instructed here to check their Alverno email regularly for important information from the Financial Aid Office.
To apply, fill out a FAFSA at fafsa.gov. Borrowers must also have completed Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentloans.gov.
Annual limit: $20,500 (If you use year-round, $6,833 is available each semester.)
Aggregate limit: $138,500 (includes prior undergraduate loan borrowing)
Fixed Interest Rate: 7.05%% (based on 2023-24 rates)
To apply, go to studentloans.gov. Students must have a valid FAFSA, apply for a Direct PLUS loan for graduate/professional students, be approved, and fill out a Master Promissory Note (MPN). More information is available at Alverno.edu/Financial-Aid-Student-Loans under the section heading “Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students”.
Annual limit: Students may borrow up to their Cost of Attendance minus any other financial aid received
Fixed Interest Rate: 8.05% (based on 2023-24 rates)
You can apply for a loan through a private bank, credit union or other lender of your choice. For more information, including a list of frequently used lenders, please visit: Alverno.edu/Financial-Aid-Student-Loans and visit the links under the section heading “Private/Alternative Student Loans”.
Annual limit: Students may borrow up to their Cost of Attendance (COA) minus any other financial aid received
Interest Rate: Based on borrower(s)’ credit. A cosigner may also be used. Fixed or Variable rates.
Alverno Financial Aid Website: alverno.edu/Financial-Aid
Interactive Online (IOL): iol.alverno.edu
FAFSA: fafsa.gov
Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling: studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling/
Stafford Loan Agreement/MPN: studentaid.gov/mpn/grad/landing/
Graduate PLUS loan application: studentaid.gov/plus-app/grad/landing/
Graduate PLUS loan MPN: studentaid/gov/mpn/grad/landing/
Private Loan options: choice.fastproducts.org/FastChoice/home/383200/2
If for any reason the school does not accept an applicant, they are entitled to a refund of all monies paid in the application process.
POLICY: Graduate nursing students who choose to drop a course are responsible to “officially drop” it through the Registrar's Office.
PROCEDURE:
Three-Day Cancellation: An applicant who provides written notice of cancellation within three days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and Federal and State Holidays) of signing an enrollment agreement is entitled to a refund of all monies paid. No later than 30 days of receiving the notice of cancellation, the school will provide the refund.
An applicant requesting cancellation more than three days after signing an enrollment agreement and making an initial payment, but prior to entering the school, is entitled to a refund of all monies paid.
Withdrawal from all Courses
To withdraw from all classes, you must contact the Advising Office. The withdrawal becomes effective on the date your advisor (or the Advising Office) receives notification. This date determines the amount of tuition and/or financial aid refund.
You are subject to the tuition adjustment schedule below for all courses.
Official Withdrawal
In the event it becomes necessary for you to drop courses or withdraw from the College, it is your responsibility to contact your Program Director or the Registrar's Office to complete the necessary forms. The date on which you make this contact will determine the amount of tuition adjustment, if any, you will receive (see adjustment schedule, below). Students must officially drop all courses when not attending. Complete nonattendance before the official enrollment date may drop you from a course and may drop you from a cohort.
When a course is dropped, the following adjustment schedule will be used:
Student Drops:
Student Pays:
Before course begins: 0%
Day 1-14: 0%
Day 15 and after: 100%
Unofficial Withdrawal
An unofficial withdrawal occurs when you earn zero credits in a single semester. A report is run within 30 days from the last day in the semester. If no credits have been earned, the Financial Aid Office will refer to the student’s last date of attendance, as recorded by their instructor(s) to determine if a recalculation of aid (R2T4) is required. If the last date of attendance is not recorded, the midpoint of the semester will be used. If a student has attended beyond the 60% point of a semester, no recalculation will occur. Otherwise, the return calculation will be performed, and aid will be adjusted in accordance with the policy stated above.
Please consult with your advisor, the Financial Aid Office, and the Business Office before you withdraw from the College. It is strongly recommended that you follow the official withdrawal procedures if you need to withdraw from the College.
Students Receiving Financial Aid
Your financial aid is based on your financial need and the amount of semester hours you are enrolled for. Because changes in your semester hours may affect your financial aid eligibility, you are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office (Financial Aid Office) before you adjust your semester hours. Depending on the date you withdraw from a class, a recalculation of your financial aid may be required.
Students dropping some (but not all) courses: When you officially withdraw from a class or classes, you are eligible for a tuition refund if the deadline date for receiving a tuition refund has not passed. If you academically participated in the course(s) as of the financial aid census date, you are eligible to keep your financial aid for the course(s) as long as you continue to attend one or more credits past the 60% point of the semester.
If it is determined that you received a greater amount of financial aid than you were eligible for, we are required to return that portion back to the funding source(s). The return will take place within 30 days of the date of determination that you withdrew. 18 Federal funds will be returned in accordance with Federal Return to Title IV (R2T4) regulations in the following order (not all aid types will be applicable to you):
If it is determined that you received a lesser amount of financial aid than you were eligible for, you will receive a written notification via email regarding your eligibility for a post-withdrawal disbursement (PWD). You are encouraged to respond to the email in writing within 14 days to let us know whether or not you would like us to make the post- withdrawal disbursement of grants or loans. If we do not receive a response within 45 days of the date of determination that you withdrew, Alverno College will credit any grants to your account in accordance with post-withdrawal disbursement regulations, up to current outstanding charges. Loans will not be credited to your account unless we receive written notification within 180 days that you would like us to make the disbursement. The full withdrawal policy can be accessed from:
https://www.alverno.edu/files/galleries/UPDATED_Alverno_College_Withdrawal_Policy_092220_( 3).pdf
Leave of Absence
If you wish to temporarily withdraw from Alverno, you may become a “Student on Leave.” To complete a transition interview and Student on Leave form, contact the Advising Office or your graduate advisor. You are eligible to be on leave for up to four consecutive semesters. As a Student on Leave, you may enroll at Alverno without applying for re-admission. To register, contact the Advising Office to have your Student On Leave hold ended and also contact your faculty advisor for assistance with course selection.
If you do not choose to enroll at the expiration of your leave, your status is considered the same as a withdrawal. If you decide to return to Alverno at a later date, you must request to re-admit to the College through the Advising Office.
For financial aid purposes, the date you become a Student on Leave is treated the same way as an official withdrawal. Please see the section above on “Withdrawal from All Courses” for details on how your financial aid will be handled.
Any holder of this consumer credit contract is subject to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert against the seller of goods or services obtained pursuant hereto or with the proceeds, hereof Recovery hereunder by the debtor shall not exceed amounts paid by the debtor (FTC Rule effective 5-14-76).
Book & Material Refunds
The student is responsible for purchasing the required books and materials on their own and therefore the school will not refund the students for purchased books or materials, including eBooks and resources.
Refunds will be issued within 30 days of the date of student notification, or date of school determination (withdrawn due to criteria as specified in the school catalog), or in the case of a student not returning from an authorized Leave of Absence (LOA), within 30 days of the date the student was scheduled to return 19 from the LOA and did not return
Instructional Services
Instructional Services provides academic resources to assist students to achieve their educational goals. It creates a foundation for the curriculum by using the college’s teaching, learning, and assessment processes to build a bridge between a student’s abilities and coursework demands. Independent learning is promoted by assisting students to develop strategies and processes transferable to multiple contexts.
Access for Students with Disabilities
Alverno College makes every effort to provide accessible facilities and programs for individuals with disabilities. For accommodations/services, please contact the Student Accessibility Coordinator at 414-382-6026.
Center for Clinical Education
The Center for Clinical Education (CCE) houses the equipment and resources needed to learn and demonstrate clinical nursing therapeutic interventions, including physical assessment. The CCE is home to the Clinical Learning Center (CLC) and the state-of-the-art Clinical Simulation Center (CSC). The Simulation Center is designed with four high fidelity simulation rooms to mimic unique hospital settings, including a birthing suite. The simulation center has a pre-briefing/debriefing room for students to view live or recorded simulation audio/visual data as part of performance, debriefing, and/or assessment purposes. Each room is equipped with a computer, whiteboard, and display monitor for students to use a variety of recorded or live media to enhance their experiential learning experience. The CLC portion of the CCE contains a large six bed space for learning, practicing, and validating proficiency of clinical skills and assessments. Skill practice and validation are conducted by nursing faculty.
Student Development and Success
Under the leadership of the Vice President for Student Development and Success and working with faculty, students, and staff, Student Development and Success staff are dedicated to creating a campus environment that engages everyone and supports the Alverno community’s social, occupational, spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, and environmental needs. Student Affairs collaborates with multiple other offices to provide orientation for new students, assist in their self-direction, and to integrate them into the college life and culture. Counseling services are available. Most services are provided free of charge or at a nominal fee.
Library
The library offers an online catalog (online since 1992), membership (since 1976) in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), and access to more than 75 online databases. The Alverno library website, email ask a librarian program, interlibrary loan, e-books, research guides and tutorials, and e-reserves provide a wealth of information to support all aspects of Alverno’s graduate program curricula. E-reserves provide access to copyright-compliant materials used in various DEMSN courses. Library staff has been especially responsive to assisting graduate students. Library staff provide orientation to the library’s online databases (http://depts.alverno.edu/library/) and helpful tips for effective library search strategies. In sum, Alverno is an institution focused on student learning; therefore, the provision of physical and technical resources and services as well as thoughtful approaches to teaching/learning is everyone’s 20 concern and responsibility. As a result, large investments are made in providing the academic supports that facilitate all the nursing programs in meeting our mission, goals, and expected outcomes.
Graduate Student Requirements to Practice as a RN in Arizona
Licensed Registered Nurses can work in a variety of locations, including hospitals, medical offices, nursing homes, home healthcare services and outpatient clinics, to name a few.
Graduates must apply for their Registered Nurse License through the Arizona State Board of Nursing. Many questions about the application process can be answered by visiting the RN / LPN Licensure by Examination FAQs.
Application Instructions for RN / LPN Licensure by Examination Please read this flyer for detailed instructions.
To check the status of your application please log into your nurse portal and check the message center for updates. Please allow up to 30 days for your application to show up in the license verification system before contacting the Board.
Arizona is a Compact State
Requirements for Multistate Licensure:
U.S. EDUCATED APPLICANTS:
COMPLETE THE NCLEX REGISTRATION by going
to pearsonvue.com/nclex OR by phone 866-496-2539
CITIZENSHIP / NATIONALITY / ALIEN STATUS DOCUMENTATION
SUBMIT A FINGERPRINT CARD
Results can take up to 6-8 weeks to receive.
Additional Information
Fees and Payment Methods
All fees are in US Dollars and are non-refundable.
Felony Convictions
The Board shall revoke a nursing license or multistate privileges or deny licensure if the applicant has one or more felony convictions that have not previously been disclosed to the Board and has not received an absolute discharge from the sentences for all felony convictions 3 or more years prior to the date of filing an application. If this law pertains to you, your application will be processed, and proceedings for revocation of your Arizona license or multistate privileges in Arizona or denial of your application shall be instituted by the Board.
Reporting of Criminal Charges
Applicants for licensure / certification must notify the Arizona State Board of Nursing of criminal charges within 10 days of being charged.
Undesignated Offense
For purposes of the Nursing Board's felony bar statutes, A.R.S. Sections 32-166(B)(17) & 1646(B), the commission of any felony offense on or after July 23, 2010, which results in a conviction of an undesignated offense, shall be treated by the Board as a felony "until such time as the court may actually enter an order designating the offense a misdemeanor" pursuant to
A.R.S. Section 13-604(A).
Timeframes for Licensure
The Board is required to process applications for licensure within certain time periods, per R4- 19-102 in the Nurse Practice Act.
Deficiency Notice
When you submit an application, the Board will send you a deficiency notice identifying any elements of the application process which remain outstanding. If you fail to respond to a deficiency notice within the applicable time period, your application will be withdrawn. After withdrawal, if you are still interested in obtaining licensure you would need to submit a new application and applicable fee.
Class and Course Cancellation
Instructor: If an instructor is ill and a class is cancelled, a notice will be placed on the classroom door and an email sent to students.
Registrar: A course for which you have registered may be dropped from the official semester’s course offering due to insufficient enrollment. If this should occur, we will notify you prior to the beginning of the semester.
Weather Conditions: If weather conditions are poor and classes are held, we ask you to exercise discretion regarding your safety in traveling to campus. Students not in class can make arrangements regarding homework with their faculty. If classes are cancelled, please link to MOODLE for a message from your faculty about assignments or make-up arrangements and watch for information from your faculty via email or posted on MOODLE about assignments or makeup arrangements. Closings will be announced in the following ways:
Teachout Policy:
In the unlikely event the DEMSN Program is cancelled, per the Higher Learning Commission, you can find Alverno College’s Teachout Policy for program cancellation at:
https://www.alverno.edu/Registrar- TeachOut-Policy watch for information from your faculty via email or posted on MOODLE about assignments or makeup arrangements. Closings will be announced in the following ways:
In the unlikely event the Program is cancelled, per the Higher Learning Commission, you can find Alverno College’s Teachout Policy for program cancellation at: https://www.alverno.edu/Registrar- Teach-Out-Policy.
Alverno College prepares women for lives of personal and professional distinction and meaningful engagement with the world. Alverno extends this mission by offering graduate and adult programs to women and men. Inspired by its Catholic, Franciscan, and liberal arts heritage, the College intentionally creates and inclusive community that engages students in active and collaborative learning and fosters academic excellence.
Mission
The mission of the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing & Health Professions (JMSNHP) at Alverno College is to prepare proficient, devoted professionals who are grounded in science to promote the well-being of diverse populations in global communities. Our essential focus is to design student learning opportunities to guide the education of unique individuals, highlighting personal and professional development of practitioners who are prepared for leadership and life-long learning.
Vision
The vision of the JMSNHP is to develop professionals with global influence through innovative education.
Philosophy of Education
The JMSNHP believes the focus of our work is the learner’s personal and professional development. We prepare a nursing professional who is compassionate, ethical, proactive, proficient, and dedicated to lifelong learning in our diverse and ever-changing global communities.
An ability-based curriculum underlies the art and science of nursing education. Founded on the liberal arts, the curriculum integrates human connection, science, and technology to promote health and intervene holistically to human responses. Through innovative learning experiences, we assist the learner to cultivate, apply, and transfer comprehensive knowledge, skills, and abilities that lead to reflective nursing practice.
Alverno faculty and staff believe education goes beyond knowing to being able to do what one knows. Sensitive to unique learning needs, nursing faculty commit to performance-based, multidisciplinary educational practice including public criteria, feedback, and self-assessment. Developmental and varied experiences contribute to learning and increasing professional competence.
The teaching/learning process is a collaborative partnership among learners, educators, health care systems, and the broader community. Educators and learners are mutually responsible to take ownership of and actively engage in learning experiences. Curricula continually evolve to incorporate current theory, research, science, standards, and evidence-based practices. As accomplished educators, learners, researchers, practitioners, and socialized professionals, Alverno faculty serve as role models of lifelong learning. Our goal is to promote a process of teaching and learning that provides guidance to students in the development of career goals and advancement of nursing practice.
Purposes of Graduate Nursing Program
The purposes of the Graduate Nursing Program are to provide and evaluate advanced programs of study in nursing and opportunities for personal development that enable graduates to maximize their scope of practice to positively impact the health of individuals, families, and communities; improve healthcare quality and accessibility, especially to vulnerable populations; and advance the nursing profession. In doing so, graduate nursing faculty provide direction for the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing & Health Professions consistent with the purposes of Alverno College: namely creating a community of learning, creating a curriculum, creating ties to the community, and creating relationships with higher education.
The Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) program is specifically designed for college graduates who hold a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than nursing and aspire to complete a second degree; specifically, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Successful completion of the 77 credit program results in the concurrent conferral of a BSN and MSN degree. Under no circumstance will partial completion of the program result in the conferral of a BSN degree only.
Foundations of DEMSN Curriculum
Three American Nurses Association (ANA) documents espouse the basis for all nursing practice, and Alverno nursing faculty use these documents to underpin the curriculum and structure its content and learning experiences:
The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2021) Outcomes of DEMSN Curriculum In the role of the nurse generalist, the DEMSN program graduate:
DEMSN Program Admission Requirements All Applicants:
Prior completion of an approved undergraduate or graduate-level inferential statistics course with a grade of “B” or better within 5 years of admission.
Non-U.S. Applicants: minimum TOEFL score of 550.
Summary of DEMSN Curriculum
The DEMSN Program delivered at Alverno’s Mesa, AZ location is an accelerated 5-semester MSN degree program that prepares nurse generalists. Students are generally expected to attend full-time. DEMSN students must take at least three semester credits (part-time status) to be eligible for financial aid; students must take at least six semester credits to be considered full-time.
DEMSN Program 5-Semestser Curriculum (Topical Outline) Credits ~ Clinical Hours*
Semester 1 MSN-600B Orientation to DEMSN Program 0 BI-338C Physiological Mechanisms Disease 4 N-500 Professional Nursing Practice Essentials 3
N-518
Pharmacology I
1
N-522
Ethics for Nurses
1
N-524
Health Assessment: Nursing Theory and Practice
5
105
N-546
Nursing Management of Aging Adults
2
Sub-total
16
Semester 2
N-519
Pharmacology 2
2
N-526
Clinical Nursing Skills
1
N-528
Theories of Holistic Nursing
4
N-529
Clinical Nursing Practice 1
4
180
N-530
Nursing Inquiry: Evidence-Based Practice and Quality
2
16
Improvement
Subtotal
13
Semester 3 N-545 Nursing Management: Women & Children 3 N-556 Nursing Management: Complex Clients 3 N-557 Nursing in Complex Communities 3 N-565 Clinical Nursing Practice II 3 135 MSN-610 Nursing Leadership: Advocacy, Activism, Innovation, and Policy 3 Subtotal 15
Semester 4 N-570 Clinical Nursing Practice III 6 MSN-605 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology 3 MSN 629 Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Teams 2 MSN-631 Advanced Health and Physical Assessment 3 MSN-632 Advanced Nursing Theory I 3 Subtotal 17 270
Semester 5 MSN 614 Nursing Research and Scholarship 3 MSN 618 Population-Based Health 3 MSN 770 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics and Clinical Decision-Making 3 MSN 775 Advanced Nursing Theory II 3 MSN 776 Nursing Clinical Practice IV 4 180 Subtotal 16 TOTAL 77 870
*Clinical hours may reflect a mix of lab/simulation and direct patient care experiences (30 lab hours = 1 cr; 1 hour simulation = 2 hours of clinical; in any given course, less than 50% of clinical hours are simulated)
DEMSN Course Descriptions
MSN-600B Orientation to DEMSN Program (0 credits)
Prerequisite: Admission into the DEMSN Program. Current CPR certification and all health requirements met.
BI-338C Physiological Mechanisms Disease (4 credits)
Prerequisites: Admission to the DEMSN program. Current CPR Certification and all program health requirements met. This course deals primarily with the physiological bases of illness and the treatments used. Starting from the principles of physiology, the student learns to understand disease in terms of the damage it causes to the body, the body’s attempt to compensate, and methods used to help the body compensate. The student uses and interprets the technical terminology associated with disease and its treatment.
N-290 Clinical Re-Entry (0-credits) This 0-credit course is required for students who are returning to a clinical setting after every semester with no clinical nursing course. This course must be completed prior to the semester in which the student will return to a clinical setting. This course is also required for students with an interrupted program of studies.
N-500 Professional Nursing Practice Essentials (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: Admission to the DEMSN program; current CPR Certification and all program health requirements met; BI-338C completed or concurrent.
This course introduces students to professional nursing practice, including nurse licensure levels, and
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provides foundational concepts through the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics for Nurses, Social Policy Statement, and the QSEN competencies. There is further emphasis on the nursing process and legal aspects of nursing. The concepts of holistic patient-centered care to promote health and wellness, disease prevention, and safety are explored from professional, personal, cultural, family and community standpoints.
N-518 Pharmacology 1 (1 credit)
Pre/Co-requisites: Admission to the DEMSN program; current CPR Certification and all program health requirements met; BI-338C completed or concurrent.
This course addresses introductory concepts and principles of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacotherapeutics. The emphasis is on the nurse's role in clinical applications of drug therapy and safety across the lifespan, including correct dosage calculations using the nursing process.
N-519 Pharmacology 2 (2 credits)
Prerequisites: BI-338C and N-518 completed.
This course builds on the concepts of N-518 and highlights pharmacology application. The emphasis is on the nurse's role in safe clinical application of drug therapy related to body systems, chemotherapy and infectious disease across the lifespan, including correct dosage calculations.
N-522 Ethics for Nurses (1 credit)
Prerequisites: Admission to the DEMSN program. Current CPR Certification and all program health requirements met. In this course, students examine their own moral decision-making and the values that inform it. They learn ethical models and frameworks and use ethical decision-making processes that relate to nursing practice and practice situations. The role of ethics committees and consultations is explored.
N-524 Health Assessment: Nursing Theory and Practice (5 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: Admission to the DEMSN program; current CPR Certification and all program health requirements met; BI-338C, N-500, and N-522 completed or concurrent.
In this course, students learn to perform a health history, physical assessment, and nursing skills with an emphasis on patient safety. Learning strategies include demonstrations in the classroom, skills lab, and clinical arena. Students are expected to practice clinical skills outside of scheduled class time in the laboratory setting. Students must successfully demonstrate safe skill technique before given the opportunity to perform nursing care in a clinical setting. This course provides guided clinical experience correlated with theoretical content.
N-526 Clinical Nursing Skills (1 credit)
Prerequisites: BI-338C, N-500, and N-524 completed.
In this course, students learn to demonstrate the application of the nursing process using professional psychomotor nursing skills and therapeutic communication while in a simulated environment. There is a focus on safety, timely/organized skills performance, interprofessional collaboration, and patient outcomes.
This course focuses on introducing higher-level psychomotor nursing skills to complement the student’s first hospital clinical. As students demonstrate successful validations, they will begin providing similar nursing care in the clinical environment with real patients.
N-528 Theories of Holistic Nursing (4 credits)
Prerequisites: BI-338C, N-500, N-518, N-522, N-524, and N-546 completed.
Drawing on prior learning, students apply the nursing process to holistically examine health promotion and nursing care of individuals’ responses to experiencing acute and chronic conditions. Culturally congruent evidence-based practice in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations is
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emphasized. The concepts of a multidisciplinary approach and health promotion are applied throughout the course.
N-529 Clinical Nursing Practice I (Practicum) (4 credits)
Co-requisites: N-519, N-526, and N-528 completed or concurrent. . N-529 cannot be continued (i.e., the student must drop the course) if N-519, N-526, or N-528 are dropped.
In this course, students continue to refine their nursing practice in an acute care setting managing multiple patients, growing in independence and engaging in collaborative teams.
N-530 Nursing Inquiry, Evidence-Based Practice, and Quality Improvement (2 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-500 completed; N-522 completed or concurrent.
In this course, students build upon their prior knowledge of the scientific method and basic statistics to gain understanding about how research findings are combined with clinical expertise and patient values to deliver safe, high quality, cost-effective patient care. Concepts of nursing research, evidence-based nursing practice, and quality improvement and patient safety are emphasized.
N-545 Nursing Management: Women & Children (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-519, N-526, N-528, and N-529 completed; N-530 completed or concurrent.
In this course, students apply the nursing process to holistically examine health promotion and nursing care of the childbearing and childrearing family. Principles of best evidence are applied in determining appropriate care of the childbearing and childrearing family during antepartum, intrapartum, post-partum, neonatal and pediatric care.
N-546 Nursing Management of Aging Adults D (2 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: Admission to the DEMSN program; current CPR Certification and all program health requirements met; BI-338C, N-500, and N-522 completed or concurrent.
This course addresses health promotion, health protection, and disease prevention and treatment in older adult-geriatric individuals and sub-populations. There is an emphasis on holistic person-directed nursing care of episodic and chronic health conditions, interprofessional teamwork, and care at end-of-life. Students are expected to build upon prior knowledge gained from the sciences.
N-556 Nursing Management: Complex Clients (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites:. N-519 and N-528 completed; N-526, N-529 and N-530 completed or concurrent.
Building on previous nursing coursework, students examine, apply and evaluate multiple factors related to nursing care of the complex patient population. Students foster interdisciplinary collaboration and integrate evidence-based standards to promote well-being and population health.
N-557 Nursing in Complex Communities (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-519, N-526, N-528, and N-529 completed; N-530 completed or concurrent.
Building on previous coursework, theoretical concepts, and best practices, the student creates approaches to nursing care within complex patient populations and health situations in local, national, and global contexts. The student is challenged to synthesize multiple factors associated with complexity, consider dynamic interrelationships, and design innovative strategies to care for diverse populations and cultures. In doing so, the student must consider available resources and constraints.
N-565 Clinical Nursing Practice II (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-545, N-556, and N-557 completed or concurrent.. N-565 cannot be continued (i.e., the student must drop the course) if N-545, N-556, or N-556 are dropped.
In this course, the student integrates, applies, and evaluates advanced nursing science concepts in professional practice. Refining clinical judgment abilities, the student crafts interventions appropriate to
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the unique needs of individuals, groups, or populations. The student generates and implements new and innovative strategies.
N-570 Clinical Nursing Practice III (6 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-565 completed; MSN-605, MSN-629, MSN-631, and MSN-632 completed or concurrent. N-570 cannot be continued (i.e., the student must drop the course) if MSN-605, MSN-629, MSN-631 or MSN-632 are dropped.
Building upon previous nursing coursework, students continue to refine nursing practice in an acute care setting managing multiple patients, growing in independence and engaging in collaborative teams.
MSN-605 Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (3 credits)
Prerequisites: N-545 and N-556 completed.
In this course, students use theory and research to explore the etiology, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of common diseases for individuals across the lifespan including adult and older adult populations. Variations in physiological health and illness processes attributable to age, race, culture, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status are also considered.
MSN-610 Nursing Leadership: Advocacy, Activism, Innovation, and Policy (3 cr)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-529 completed; N-528 and N-530 completed or concurrent.
This course emphasizes personal leadership development in the context of ever-changing complex organizations and environments. The student critically examines current and emerging health issues at the local to global system level. Students explore and integrate the many facets of leadership and the skill sets needed to facilitate change, including their roles within the professional organization to advance nursing and health care. They advocate for policies and strategies that maintain or improve health outcomes for diverse populations, especially considering organizational structures and the economics of health care.
MSN-614 Nursing Research and Scholarship (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites:N-530 completed;MSN-618 and MSN-629 completed or concurrent.
In this course, students develop research skills and gain an elevated understanding of the research process and advancing competence. Students identify researchable clinical practice problems, search databases for research evidence or quality improvement projects, analyze the significance of quantitative and qualitative data, apply ethical principles and practices for using human subjects in research, critique research studies, synthesize research findings, and translate evidence into practice.
MSN-618 Population-Based Health (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-546, N-556, N-557, and N-565 completed; MSN-605 and MSN-614 completed or concurrent.
This course introduces students to health promotion fundamentals in advanced nursing science. Basic epidemiological principles are discussed as they relate to population-based health. Local, national, and international health promotion goals are examined with emphasis on cultural competence, environmental principles, individual assessment and evidence-based practice. Students continue to explore the concepts of inter-professional and patient-centered care as they relate to the leadership role of advanced nursing practice. Students analyze and describe health information technologies and data sources that promote safe practice environments, patient safety, cost-effectiveness, and optimal population health outcomes.
MSN-629 Advanced Nursing Roles and Interprofessional Teams (2 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: MSN-610 completed; N-545 and N-556 completed or concurrent.
In this course, students explore current and emerging roles of master’s-prepared nurses in various settings, teams, and professional organizations including required competencies and scope of practice. Students examine the nurse’s role in macro-level decision making and apply theoretical
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frameworks used by the nursing profession to impact structure and process outcomes in healthcare. Students learn about pioneers in nursing and their contribution to nursing practice.
MSN-631 Advanced Health and Physical Assessment (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-545 and N-556 completed; MSN-605 completed or concurrent.
Students examine and apply advanced health and physical assessment techniques and theories in the collaborative care of culturally diverse individuals, families and communities with an emphasis on adult-geriatric populations. They use clinical judgment to identify physical and/or psychological illness, given lifestyle practices and health-seeking behavior of clients, families, and communities.
MSN-632 Advanced Nursing Theory I (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-545, N-556, N-565 and MSN-610 completed; MSN-605 and MSN-629 completed or concurrent. In this course, students apply their knowledge of general nursing principles to individuals and/or populations with unstable, emergent critical health alterations. The course uses a variety of modalities to integrate theoretical foundations and clinical judgment to promote optimal health within diverse populations.
MSN-770 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics and Clinical Decision-Making (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites:N-519 completed; MSN-605 and MSN-631 completed or concurrent.
This course builds on the concepts of N-518 & N-519 as students examine and synthesize principles of pharmacokinetics, pharmacotherapeutics, and clinical judgment in the care of clients across the lifespan. Students evaluate genomic pharmacological evidence to discern clinical applications.
MSN-775 Advanced Nursing Theory II (3 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites: N-570, MSN-605, MSN-631, and MSN-632 completed; MSN-614, MSN-618, MSN-629, MSN-770 completed or concurrent; MSN-776 concurrent. MSN-775 cannot be continued (i.e., the student must drop the course) if MSN-776 is dropped.
In this course, students begin their transition to the professional nurse role, advancing their clinical judgment and decision-making abilities with a special emphasis on safe patient care across the care continuum, including chronic illness and palliative care.
MSN-776 Nursing Clinical Practice IV (4 credits)
Pre/Co-requisites MSN-570, MSN-605, MSN631, and MSN-632 completed; MSN-614, MSN-618, MSN-629, and MSN-770 completed or concurrent. MSN-775 concurrent. MSN-776 cannot be continued (i.e., the student must drop the course) if MSN-775 is dropped.
In this course, students apply knowledge and skills at the advanced level during situated experiential learning opportunities. Focus is on managing multiple complex patients in a health care setting with minimal supervision. Holistic care of diverse and vulnerable complex patients is emphasized.
This section of the Handbook outlines specific policies that govern students’ progression in graduate nursing programs. Policies of the JMSNHP may differ from general policies of Alverno College. Differences between School and College policies may stem from any of the following:
JMSNHP students are accountable for knowing and acting in accordance with those differences when participating in learning experiences in the classroom, Alverno Center for Clinical Education, and the clinical environment. Students are advised to seek clarification from their course faculty in the event of variances in course and College policy. Program Directors can provide clarification about variances in School and College policies. Unless otherwise stated, the policies and procedures presented in this section of the Handbook apply to all students enrolled in graduate nursing programs at Alverno College. Students should be aware that failure to comply with any JMSNHP policy herein or College policy may result in sanctions, including but not limited to, academic probation or dismissal from their program of study, the JMSNHP, or the College.
Absence from Theory Courses and Clinical Practica
POLICY:
Because learning is socially constructed, attendance and active participation is expected in all scheduled classes, skills labs, and clinical practica, whether taught face-to-face on-campus, synchronously online, or in the clinical setting. Online classes delivered asynchronously may require students to participate in interactive online learning activities including, but not limited to, asynchronous online discussions with peers, faculty, or community members. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the course faculty, via email, of an impending absence from a scheduled class, skills lab, or clinical practicum prior to the scheduled start time. When extraordinary circumstances lead to an absence and prior notification is not possible, it is expected that the student will communicate with the course faculty and/or the clinical preceptor (as appropriate) about the absence as soon as possible.
Upon enrolling in a course, the student is accountable for all the requirements of that course. Consistent and active participation is essential to students’ achievement of course outcomes; therefore, students are expected to attend all scheduled classes, skills labs, and clinical practica, arriving on time and actively participating for the duration those meetings. Consistent tardiness, lack of participation, and leaving early may be equated to absence by a course faculty. Opportunities for make-up assignments and alternative clinical experiences may be limited and determined by individual course faculty on a case-by-case basis. Students should be aware that missing more than two scheduled classes, skills labs, or clinical practicum days puts them in jeopardy of not meeting course outcomes and thereby, unsuccessful course completion and the administration of an unsuccessful “U” course progress code for the course. This is particularly true for absence from clinicals because a student cannot successfully complete a clinical course without participating in the clinical experience in the clinical setting sufficient to demonstrate course outcomes. Clinical practica provide “situated learning experiences” critical to the development of professional nurses because they provide the opportunity for students to learn and “do” what they “know.”
Faculty have the responsibility for reviewing and determining a student’s progress in their courses based on course outcomes. Students have the responsibility to contact course faculty to learn whether additional requirements must be met as the result of their absence from a scheduled class, skills lab, or clinical practicum day. Faculty have the responsibility to inform a student whose absence from a class, skills lab, or practicum has jeopardized their continuance in a course. Faculty may deem the student ineligible to continue in a theory or clinical practicum course if the first scheduled class or practicum is missed, expectations regarding communication about absence(s) have not been met, participation has not been regular or timely, and/or multiple absences have negatively impacted the student’s progress such that the course outcomes can no longer be met.
PROCEDURE:
Academic Misconduct
POLICY:
Alverno College nursing students are exposed to a variety of learning strategies. In some courses, faculty require students to complete assignments and/or assessments in collaborative small group work sessions; in others, students are required to complete assignments and/or assessments independently. Each approach offers unique opportunities for student learning, and both can be stimulating and rewarding. All students are expected to assume personal responsibility for the completion and submission of coursework in accordance with faculty instruction and sound academic principles. This means that as a matter of personal and professional integrity, the student stands behind their coursework completed as a contributing member of a team when collaborative work is required; likewise, the student stands behind their coursework completed as the individual who thought it through and carried it out when independent work is required.
It is expected that JMSNHP students consistently demonstrate personal and professional integrity in all academic endeavors and nursing practice, including, but not limited to, the honest completion of course assignments, assessments, and required forms as well as the honest accounting of practicum experiences and hours, and the honest documentation of client health information in the medical health record. In contrast, academic misconduct is rooted in fraudulence. Some examples of academic misconduct include cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, fabrication, and falsification. In all its forms, the academic misconduct of a student constitutes a serious breach in personal and professional integrity. Any student engaged in academic misconduct of any type is in jeopardy of being dismissed from their program of study, the JMSNHP, and the College.
Cheating. Cheating is dishonest behavior. Examples of cheating include: taking credit for all or part of an assignment that was completed by someone else; copying the answers of another person in the completion of a quiz, assignment, or learning assessment; accessing or using unauthorized resources or concealed information in the completion of an assignment, quiz, or assessment; providing unauthorized information about an assignment, quiz, or assessment to a peer; submitting the same assignment (e.g., a written paper) in more than one course without obtaining explicit prior permission to do so from all course faculty involved; and completing an online assessment in a manner or environment other than that prescribed by the course faculty (e.g., accessing and completing an online assessment off campus when faculty have directed it is to be completed on campus). Students may not have notes, a cellular phone, or any other mechanism on their person during an assessment that could be used to access unauthorized information to cheat or assist other students in cheating on an assessment.
Plagiarism. It is expected that JMSNHP students consistently attribute knowledge to its primary source in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the most current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). Plagiarism is the use of intellectual material without acknowledging its source. Whether deliberate or not, direct word-for-word transcribed plagiarism and mosaic plagiarism (substituting synonyms for another author’s words while maintaining the same general sentence structure and meaning) constitute academic misconduct. Self-plagiarism (submitting previously completed coursework [all or part] as new scholarship in a subsequent course) also constitutes academic misconduct. All forms of plagiarism enacted by a student warrant dismissal from their program of study, the JMSNHP, and the College.
Misrepresentation, Fabrication, and Falsification. Claiming ideas/work that is essentially someone else’s constitutes misrepresentation. Failure to identify oneself honestly in any personal or professional situation also constitutes misrepresentation. Representing fabricated or altered information as legitimate constitutes falsification. Like cheating and plagiarism, misrepresentation, fabrication, and falsification are legitimate bases for dismissal from all nursing programs, the JMSNHP, and the College. Some examples of academic misconduct by misrepresentation, fabrication, and falsification include:
All records of disciplinary actions are maintained as part of a student’s academic record by the Dean of Students, or by an appropriately designated Officer of the Department of Student Development and Success.
PROCEDURE:
Access for Students with Disabilities
POLICY:
Current federal legislation (e.g., the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in higher education programs. Academically qualified students with disabilities are reasonably accommodated in instruction. In order to maintain consistency in efforts to provide support for students with disabilities, the Student Accessibility Coordinator has been designated as the College contact to work with students to obtain documentation and identify reasonable and appropriate accommodations. If a student has previously made contact with the Coordinator and is eligible for accommodations, an accommodation request memo from Student Accessibility is provided to the student to be given to course faculty. This memo outlines the recommended accommodations; however, it does not identify the specific disability or how the disability impacts the student’s functioning. It is the student’s right to determine whether or not to reveal a specific disability to their faculty. The student should make introductions with the faculty
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at the beginning of the course, meet with the faculty to discuss the recommended accommodations, and follow up throughout the semester as needed (Request copies of Guidelines for Communicating with Instructors and Communicating with Instructors Worksheet from the Student Accessibility Coordinator). Note: If a student makes a request for disability-related alterations in the classroom but does not share the accommodation memo with the course faculty, the faculty will not know what adjustments to make for the student. The Alverno College Handbook for Students with Disabilities can be found at https://www.alverno.edu/files/galleries/Handbook-for-Students-with-Disabilities.pdf
Clinical Participation Requirements-Mesa
Bloodborne Pathogens Training
POLICY:
All students must successfully complete bloodborne pathogens training prior to participation in clinical practica.
PROCEDURE:
1.
The student completes bloodborne pathogens training delivered via CastleBranch online learning modules as a requirement of successful completion of their program orientation course (MSN-600B).
2.
The student may not participate in clinical practica without prior successful completion of bloodborne pathogens training delivered via CastleBranch online learning modules and those required in MyClinicalExchange.
Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure
POLICY:
Students are expected to practice standard precautions to protect themselves against exposure to bloodborne pathogens throughout the nursing program. Even with appropriate adherence to all exposure practices, exposure to injury/illness/blood borne pathogens may occur during select activities during courses on campus and/or at clinical sites.
An exposure incident is defined as an eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, non-intact skin or parenteral contact with blood, or the inhalation or ingestion of potentially infectious materials that results from the performance of clinical tasks. If an incident occurs, the student must immediately notify their clinical faculty. Students exposed to any blood or body fluids, including those of an HIV positive client, must follow the health care agency’s policy and procedure regarding exposure, as well as those of the School and the College. Any financial costs incurred for medical evaluation and follow-up resulting from an exposure incident is the responsibility of the student.
PROCEDURE:
Upon determination of exposure:
1.
The student immediately notifies their clinical faculty.
2.
The following incident reports are completed and become part of the student's record:
a.
Any required clinical site incident report form
b.
JMSNHP incident report form
3.
Clinical faculty assists the student in following the clinical site/JMSNHP policy and procedure for exposure incidents.
4.
The student follows clinical site/JMSNHP policy regarding post-exposure medical evaluation (at
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student's expense)
which may include but are not necessarily limited to:
a.
Laboratory tests as recommended.
b.
Post-exposure prophylaxis as needed.
c.
Counseling as needed.
5.
The student follows up with personal health care professional.
6.
The clinical faculty reports the incident to the student’s program clinical coordinator and Director within 10 hours of the incident.
7.
The student’s Program Director reports the incident to the Dean of the JMSNHP, who logs the incident and follows up with the student as appropriate.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification
POLICY:
Current CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)-Healthcare Provider certification obtained through the American Heart Association (AHA) is required of all students in the JMSNHP. CPR certification obtained from vendors other than the AHA or in other categories do not meet the program requirement. AHA CPR recertification may be obtained through successful completion of a traditional, in-person, AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider course or through an alternative AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider course that includes online learning plus in-person practice/performance testing components. No other online method of CPR recertification is acceptable.
Like all clinical requirements, evidence of current AHA CPR certification must be submitted to and maintained in the student’s CastleBranch account and in MyClinicalExchange.
Students’ CPR certification must be current prior to the start of each semester and may not expire at any point therein.
PROCEDURE:
1.
The student establishes an account with CastleBranch and in MyClinicalExchange using the instructions provided in MSN-MSN 600B, as appropriate.
2.
The student submits evidence of compliance with the clinical requirement of current AHA CPR certification to their CastleBranch and MyClinicalExchange accounts.
3.
The student does not participate in the clinical practicum experience in the clinical setting without evidence of current AHA CPR certification being uploaded to and approved in CastleBranch and MyClinicalExchange. Student participation in the clinical experience in the clinical setting when they are out of compliance with the AHA CPR certification requirement will result trigger an investigation of academic misconduct (see Academic Misconduct Policy [Misrepresentation] found in this Handbook).
4.
The student is responsible to maintain record of current AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider certification with CastleBranch and MyClinicalExchange throughout enrollment in their program of study. Failure to do so will prevent course registration as described in the Mesa Clinical Compliance policy and procedures section to this Handbook.
5.
The JMSNHP Clinical Liaison at any location is not responsible for notifying students when they are out of compliance with clinical requirements; rather it is the student’s responsibility to ensure they continuously meet the AHA CPR certification clinical requirement.
6. The student who is unable to meet the requirement for AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider certification due to a physical disability is responsible for AHA CPR theory measured by a written test. A letter from the student’s health care provider explaining why the student cannot obtain AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider certification must be submitted to the student’s CastleBranch account during the student’s program orientation course and/or upon request of the Director or Chair of the student’s
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program of study.
7.
All expenses incurred fulfilling the AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider requirement are the responsibility of the student.
8.
All expenses for establishing a MyClinicalExchange account are the responsibility of the student.
9.
The student is responsible for obtaining AHA CPR-Healthcare Provider certification and may contact the American Heart Association directly by phone or online to determine dates, times and locations for CPR Certification Courses. The JMSNHP does not have responsibility in facilitating students’ original CPR certification or recertification.
Caregiver Background Checks and Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Cards
POLICY:
Students enrolled in a program delivered through our Mesa, Arizona location must complete a caregiver background check in accordance with the State of Arizona regulations. In addition to submitting to a background check, Mesa students must submit to fingerprinting for Arizona Level 1 Fingerprint clearance issued by Arizona Department of Public Safety. On an annual basis, all students are required to sign and submit a disclaimer indicating that no new criminal charge(s) have been leveled in the prior 12 months.
The existence of a criminal record does not automatically preclude a student’s clinical placement; rather, each criminal record is considered in view of its relationship to crimes that constitute restrictions or “bars” to clinical placement. Under the law, health care agencies must prohibit the clinical placement of a student, whose caregiver background check reveals criminal records cited as restrictions or bars to employment or educational experiences in health care environments. In addition, the clinical placement of students can also be prohibited based on a health care agency’s criteria/policy regarding criminal background information.
PROCEDURE:
1.
During MSN-600B and every four years after, students enrolled in the program submits to the Caregiver Background check through CastleBranch. in accordance with the State of Arizona regulations. In addition to submitting to a background check, Mesa students must submit to fingerprinting. Explicit requirements for Mesa students are communicated in writing during their MSN-600B orientation course and must be followed accordingly.
2.
All information regarding the student’s caregiver background check(s) is kept strictly confidential. In the event of a criminal record(s) posing concern, the student is contacted by the Dean of the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing & Health Professions and advised accordingly.
3.
In the event of a criminal record and upon request, the student is responsible to prepare a letter of explanation to accompany copies of the charge(s) sent by the JMSNHP to requesting health care agencies. The letter must explain the circumstances of the charge(s) and whether there were/are extenuating conditions that could mediate understanding of the situation and suggest that the student’s criminal history is no longer a liability. The student must deliver the letter to the Dean of the School within two weeks of receipt of the request.
4.
In collaboration with and as deemed appropriate by the Dean, the student provides additional information as requested by health care agencies.
5.
On a yearly basis following completion of the initial caregiver background check(s), all students are responsible to sign and submit a disclaimer to their CastleBranch account indicating that no new criminal charges have been leveled in the prior 12 months.
6.
The student cannot participate in any clinical practicum experience in the clinical setting (including orientation to the clinical setting) unless the required caregiver background check forms have been completed by the student and uploaded to and approved by CastleBranch. Additional background checks may be required by clinical facilities as a part of ongoing compliance in
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MyClinicalExchange.
Student participation in the clinical practicum experience in the clinical setting when they are out of compliance with the initial or annual background check requirement will result trigger an investigation of academic misconduct (see Academic Misconduct Policy [Misrepresentation]) found in this handbook.
7.
The JMSNHP Clinical Liaison at any location is not responsible for notifying students when they are out of compliance with clinical requirements; rather it is the student’s responsibility to ensure they meet the initial and annual Caregiver Background Check requirements.
CastleBranch/MyClinicalExchange-Mesa Location
POLICY:
CastleBranch is an external company contracted by the JMSNHP to facilitate, track, and validate student compliance with clinical requirements (e.g., care giver background check, drug screening, AHA CPR certification, and health requirements, etc. [Appendix A]). Upon entry to a JMSNHP program, all students establish an account with CastleBranch, following the instructions provided in the orientation course of their program of study (MSN-600, MSN-600B, MSN-600B, or DNP-800). All students must submit documentation of compliance with clinical requirements through their CastleBranch account. Under no circumstance will documentation sent via email to JMSNHP faculty or staff be accepted as evidence of compliance.
Documentation submitted via CastleBranch may be reviewed to determine student compliance by CastleBranch employee reviewers and/or JMSNHP staff and faculty with responsibility for determining student compliance with clinical requirements only as designated by the Dean of the JMSNHP. Student compliance, or lack thereof, may be communicated to program directors and or clinical faculty to ensure that no student who is out of compliance with clinical requirements participates in clinical practica.
Each semester, student clinical placements in the JMSNHP are dependent upon the opportunities opened to us by our health care system partners. Students and faculty must always keep in mind that we are guests in the clinical setting, and it is incumbent upon us to abide by the policies, procedures, and traditions therein. The requirements for student clinical placement set forth by our healthcare system partners include, but are not limited to, pre-clinical requirements such as the submission of individual student placement information on a deadline, many weeks in advance of any given semester start; attestation of student compliance with all CastleBranch requirements; and confirmation that students have completed site-specific orientation requirements. Accordingly,
•
The last day to register for fall semester clinical courses is JULY 1.
•
The last day to register for spring semester clinical courses is DECEMBER 1.
•
The last day to register for summer semester clinical courses (DEMSN only) is APRIL 1.
Students should be aware that late registration for clinical courses will not be permitted. Consequently, students with CastleBranch, financial, or other registration “HOLDs” must work to clear them prior to registration deadlines. Students are encouraged to reach out to the Registrar’s Office, the Office of Student Development and Success, and/or the Office of Financial Aid for assistance, if necessary. *Note: DEMSN students do not self-register; however, they should be aware that registration deadlines still apply.
CastleBranch Deadlines and Clinical Course Registration HOLDs:
→
A registration “HOLD” will be applied when a student is not in compliance with one or more CastleBranch requirements.
→
A CastleBranch “HOLD” will disallow student registration for all nursing courses for the upcoming semester.
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→
CastleBranch registration “HOLDs” will not be removed until all relevant requirements have been met, as evidenced by CastleBranch approval of the documentation a student submits to their CastleBranch account.
→
CastleBranch “HOLDs” that are cleared after the clinical course registration deadline will NOT result in a student’s ability to be registered for a clinical course in the upcoming semester. The clinical course registration deadlines above are FIRM.
CastleBranch Requirements and Participation in Clinical Courses
•
Last day to demonstrate compliance with all CastleBranch requirements for the fall semester is AUGUST 5
•
Last day to demonstrate compliance with all CastleBranch requirements for the spring semester is JANUARY 5.
•
Last day to demonstrate compliance with CastleBranch requirements for the summer semester is MAY 5
All students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all CastleBranch requirements for the entirety of any given upcoming semester by the respective August 5, January 5, and May 5 semester deadlines. In part, this means that neither annual nor biannual CastleBranch requirements can be set to expire on a date that falls during the semester of a student’s clinical course.
•
As an example, if a student’s AHA CPR certification will expire at any time during the spring 2023 semester, they must recertify and submit documentation of current certification sufficient to support CastleBranch approval of that evidence no later than the January 5 deadline.
•
As a second example, if a student’s one-step TB test annual renewal is due anytime during the spring 2023 semester, they must complete the test and submit the related documentation sufficient to support CastleBranch approval of that evidence no later than the January 5 deadline.
Students should keep in mind that:
•
It may take up to three days for CastleBranch to review and respond to the documentation they submit.
•
“Rejected” submissions must be addressed by the student in a timely manner, because it may take up to three days for CastleBranch to review and respond to their re-submissions.
•
The August 5, January 5, and May 5 deadlines are firm, meaning, in part, that they will not be adjusted in the case of “rejected” documentation.
•
The single exception to the August 5 due date is the annual influenza vaccination requirement. Evidence of meeting that requirement must be submitted and approved in CastleBranch by October 15 each year. The influenza vaccine for any given year is typically available to the public in early September.
MyClinical Exchange
MyClinicalExchange is an external company that the clinical facilities affiliated with DEMSN Mesa location use for maintaining clinical compliance and records of all students participating in clinical rotations in the respective facilities. Students at the Mesa location must establish and maintain a MyClinical Exchange account in addition to the CastleBranch account throughout their enrollment in the program.
PROCEDURE:
1.
The student establishes CastleBranch and MyClinicalExchange accounts as directed in their program orientation course.
2.
The student establishes and ensures continuous compliance with all CastleBranch requirements for fall, spring, and summer semesters no later than August 5, January 5, and May 5, respectively.
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3.
Students found to be out of compliance with CastleBranch requirements after the August 5, January 5, and May 5 deadlines will be administratively removed from their respective fall, spring, or summer clinical course. The next possible opportunity to register for the course will be the following semester.
4.
Students must maintain compliance with MyClinicalExchange items as required by each clinical facility. Students not compliant with MyClinicalExchange by the due date will be removed from the clinical rotation.
5.
Documentation of compliance with clinical requirements is to be submitted via the student’s CastleBranch or MyClinicalExchange accounts. Students are directed NOT to email evidence of their compliance with clinical requirements to the Dean, Program Directors, Clinical Liaison, faculty, or nursing administrative assistant as it will NOT be considered or accepted.
6.
Students may NOT PARTICIPATE in their clinical course at the clinical site if they are not fully compliant with all clinical requirements in CastleBranch and MyClinical Exchange. Formal approval of the documentation uploaded to CastleBranch constitutes “compliance” with any given clinical requirement. Students must have a Green Thumbs up in MyClinical Exchange to attend clinical experiences at the clinical facility.
7.
Because full participation in clinical courses in the clinical setting is necessary to meet course outcomes, students who miss clinical(s) due to non-compliance with CastleBranch and/or MyClinicalExchange requirements are at very high risk for the administration of a progress code of “U” for the course. In the event of a missed clinical, faculty may require a student to complete additional course assignments, but such assignments are not to be considered an alternative to actual participation in clinical.
8.
The JMSNHP Clinical Liaison routinely checks student CastleBranch accounts for compliance on the 15th and last day of the month only. There will not be multiple checks per week or “off-schedule” review of CastleBranch by the clinical liaison in response to individual student requests.
9.
Students must have all documents in compliance for the entire semester in MyClinicalExchange. Students will not be allowed to attend any part of the clinical rotation if any item is set to expire during the rotation.
10.
If the student fails to establish and maintain compliance with all health care requirements through their CastleBranch account, a CastleBranch HOLD will be placed on the student’s Alverno account, preventing registration for future courses. Once the required evidence has been submitted and is validated by CastleBranch, the registration HOLD is removed, and the student can be registered for courses if the due date for registration has not passed. The student is to be aware that without exception:
a.
Last day to register for fall semester clinical courses is JULY 1
b.
Last day to register for spring semester clinical courses is DECEMBER 1
c.
Last day to register for summer semester clinical courses (DEMSN only) is APRIL 1
11.
A registration “HOLD” will be applied when a student is not in compliance with one or more CastleBranch requirements.
12.
A CastleBranch registration “HOLD” will disallow student registration for all nursing courses for the upcoming semester.
13.
CastleBranch registration “HOLDs” will not be removed until all relevant requirements have been met, as evidenced by CastleBranch approval of the documentation a student submits to their CastleBranch account.
14.
CastleBranch “HOLDs” that are cleared after the clinical course registration deadline will NOT result in a student’s ability to be registered for a clinical course in the upcoming semester. The clinical course registration deadlines above are FIRM.
Clinical Event/Error/Near Miss Reporting
POLICY:
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The JMSNHP is committed to fostering the development of professional nursing students in providing safe, high quality health care. The Alverno College graduate nursing student may be exposed to a variety of clinical practice areas, including but not limited to, hospital and community settings. In practicum courses, students are required to provide direct care to clients. At any time in the client care process, potential and actual errors can occur. Reporting of these errors is fundamental to error prevention. In 2000, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report To err is human: Building a safer health system suggesting that preventable adverse events in the hospital were the leading cause of death in the United States. Since then, health care systems and secondary education facilities have become committed to preventing errors. The IOM report emphasized the importance of error reporting by using systems to “provide information that leads to improved safety.” Reporting of a potential error (i.e., “near-miss”), which is an error intercepted prior to reaching the client, is as important as reporting actual errors that have reached the client. Reporting of near-misses can provide valuable information for reducing errors. Analysis of near-miss and error reporting data can lead to an understanding of gaps in the system that may eventually cause client harm.
Students in the JMSNHP will participate in near miss and error identification and reporting in an effort to ensure safe and quality care is being provided to clients. These data will be used in the quality improvement process to identify the root cause of the incident. As patterns emerge from the data analysis, potential JMSNHP or clinical agency changes will be pursued in an effort to ensure the Alverno students are providing safe, quality client care. In the event that a clinical error was deemed to be intentional or negligent by the student, further disciplinary action will occur (see Academic Misconduct and Professionalism policies in this Handbook).
Reference: Institute of Medicine. (2000). To error is human: Building a safer health system. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences.
PROCEDURE:
Near-Miss Procedure:
1.
Identification of a near-miss can be made by faculty, the JMSNHP student, or practicum agency staff.
2.
The practicum faculty will meet individually with the student involved in the near-miss to gather situational data.
3.
The practicum faculty will notify the Clinical Course Coordinator and Program Director of near-misses, as appropriate.
4.
The practicum faculty will complete the Near-Miss and Error Report and submit it to the Director of Graduate Nursing Programs in hard-copy or electronic form within 24 hours of the incident.
5.
A data analysis on all clinical error and near-miss events will be conducted.
6.
A report will be generated at the end of each semester and reviewed by the Graduate Nursing Curriculum Committee (GNCC).
7.
Recommendations for quality improvement initiatives will be generated and proposed to the appropriate decision-making body.
Clinical Event/Error Procedure:
1.
Identification of an adverse event/error can be made by the faculty, JMSNHP student, or practicum agency staff.
2.
The practicum faculty member should be notified immediately of all adverse events.
3.
The practicum nursing faculty will meet individually with the student involved in the adverse event to gather situational data.
4.
The practicum faculty will intervene in the clinical situation to minimize harm to the client.
5.
The practicum faculty will notify appropriate clinical agency staff and follow organizational procedure based on the organizational policy.
6.
The practicum faculty will notify the Clinical Course Coordinator and Program Director of any
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adverse event/error.
7.
The practicum nursing faculty will complete a Near-Miss and Error Report in hard-copy or electronically within 24 hours of the adverse event/error incident.
8.
All Near-Miss and Error Reports will be routed simultaneously by the practicum faculty to the course Coordinator Director.
9.
The Director collaborates with the Dean to determine if any individual action must occur involving the practicum faculty and/or JMSNHP student.
10.
The Director will perform data analysis on all clinical error and near-miss events.
a.
A report will be generated per semester and reviewed by GNCC.
b.
Recommendations for quality improvement initiatives will be generated and proposed to the appropriate decision-making body.
Drug Screening
POLICY:
The purposes of the JMSNHP Drug Screen Policy are to comply with regulations of area health care agencies, provide optimal care to patients, and support the profession’s zero tolerance position related to the illicit use of substances. Students must abide by the drug screening policies of the JMSNHP and each health care agency wherein clinical practicum experiences occur.
Drug screening for the JMSNHP is overseen by CastleBranch. Initial drug screening occurs after admission to the program, as a requirement of program orientation courses. The student must submit authorization allowing a laboratory designated by CastleBranch or the JMSNHP to collect and test a urine specimen for the presence of illicit drugs and verify the results through CastleBranch. Random drug screening may be required of a student at any time by course faculty. In addition, the student may be subject to testing per a health care agency affiliation agreement and/or for cause, such as, slurred speech, impaired physical coordination, inappropriate behavior, or pupillary changes. Test results are confidential; the Dean of the School is notified when drug screen results are positive.
Failure to submit to a drug screen, or attempting to tamper with, contaminate, or switch a urine sample violates professional standards, precluding the student from continuing in a course and achieving practicum course outcomes; consequently, the student is dismissed from the program.
The student who tests positive for one or more illicit drugs may not continue in practicum experiences and therefore, cannot meet practicum course outcomes; consequently, the student is dismissed from the program. Students who test positive due to medication prescribed by a health care provider must follow the directions provided by CastleBranch for documenting that the drug is legally prescribed. All screening test results are communicated to the Dean of the School and remain confidential.
PROCEDURE:
1.
The student is notified that an order for a drug screen has been placed. Drug screens must be completed within 48 hours.
2.
The student receives an email from CastleBranch directing how and where to set up an appointment for drug screening. The student can complete the urine drug screen and any of the numerous approved laboratory urine collection sites located throughout the United States.
3.
The cost of drug screening is covered by the CastleBranch course fee associated with the student’s orientation course.
4.
The student must provide photo proof of identification upon arriving at the specimen collection site.
5.
CastleBranch reports drug screen results to the Dean of the School. Results are also available to the student.
6.
If the drug screen results are negative, no further action is required.
7.
If the drug screen results are positive, the student may not attend practicum experiences. The student
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is asked to meet with the Dean of the School for information on next steps.
a.
If the positive result is due to the use of illicit drugs, the student is not allowed to attend practicum experiences and consequently, cannot meet practicum course outcomes. Therefore, the student is dismissed from the program. The student may be eligible to retest and apply for readmission to the program if the positive result occurred with the initial screening.
b.
If the results are positive and consequent to a prescribed medication, the student must follow the procedures outlined by CastleBranch for documenting heath care provider prescribed use of the drug. The decision whether the student can attend practicum experiences is made by the health care agency and the Dean of the McGrath School of Nursing and Health Professions.
Health Requirements
POLICY:
The delivery of nursing care occurs in multiple environments that may carry high health risks. Therefore, a health status that contributes to a safe environment for the client and student is the minimal expectation of the JMSNHP. Health history, physical examination, immunization, and all other clinical requirements for student participation in clinical courses were determined in collaboration with JMSNHP clinical agency affiliates.
It is the student’s responsibility to submit and maintain accurate and timely health information to their CastleBranch and MyClinicalExchange accounts as required for initial and continued enrollment in their program (see Appendix A). Documentation must be submitted in accordance with semester due dates as described in the Mesa Clinical Compliance policy and procedures section of this Handbook. Failure to comply with student health requirements policy results in the student’s exclusion from practicum sites, being dropped from graduate courses, and/or the placement of a CastleBranch HOLD on future course registration (See Mesa Clinical Compliance policy section of this handbook). Health requirements not maintained or updated as required in MyClinicalExchange will result in removal of the student from the clinical rotation for the remainder of the semester.
The student and faculty have the professional responsibility to determine appropriate action(s) when health problems jeopardizing the safety of clients or students are present. When concerns are present, a statement of health status from a student’s health care provider may be required to continue in a course.
If a health issue that may jeopardize patients or staff arises at the practicum setting and the clinical faculty is not on site, the student should follow the direction of their preceptor. The practicum faculty must be alerted to the problem immediately thereafter.
Those students with a history of a positive TB test must annually complete the Questionnaire for Evaluation of Signs and Symptoms of TB in Nursing Students (available in CastleBranch and on the Graduate Critical News Board). Students with symptoms of TB will be referred to their health care provider and documentation of treatment recommendations is required (see CastleBranch). Clearance by a health care provider and a clear chest x-ray are required prior to any practicum. Send the “clearance” documentation to the Clinical Liaison and the chest x-ray to CastleBranch.
Additional health requirements including immunizations may be required for clinical practice by selected health care agencies. Notes about COVID (also see the COVID section of Appendix A):
All students in the JMSNHP are expected to comply with the most current COVID-19 safety and vaccination protocols of Alverno College. Students at the Mesa location are currently not required to be
35
vaccinated for COVID-19. If any clinical facility affiliated with the Mesa location initiates this requirement, students will be required to become compliant.
HIPAA Training
POLICY:
The 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) articulates that all patients have the right to control who sees their protected identifiable health information. Only the patient and those individuals authorized by the patient may access the patient’s protected identifiable health information. Penalties for violating HIPAA regulations can include civil and/or criminal penalties, with fines up to $250,000 and 10 years imprisonment. JMSNHP students complete HIPPA training through CastleBranch, as a clinical requirement, and must comply with HIPAA regulations in course-related, employment-related, and all other health care settings. In addition, all students are expected to fulfill health care agency-specific HIPAA requirements. Additional HIPPA training may be required when completing facility specific compliance in MyClinicalExchange and students must complete this additional training.
PROCEDURE:
1.
The student completes the clinical education Module in their CastleBranch account as a requirement of their program orientation course.
2.
The student completes all additional clinical education modules in MyClinicalExchange.
3.
The student consistently complies with HIPAA regulations in all health care settings.
4.
The student complies with practicum, employer, and other health care agency-specific HIPAA requirements, which may or may not be part of the previously completed HIPPA education requirements..
5.
The student who violates HIPAA regulations is in jeopardy of dismissal from the graduate nursing program.
6.
The graduate nursing student may not take agency-owned laptops off-site of the practicum unless explicitly cleared by the practicum instructor and the agency that owns the laptop.
Center for Clinical Education (CCE)
DEMSN students at the Mesa location are referred to the Student Center for Clinical Education and Simulations Handbook for Labs and Simulations for Mesa-specific policy and procedures. The handbook is provided during the Student Success Residency orientation to the lab.
Others in the CCE: The CCE is available for Alverno College Nursing Student use ONLY. It is not available for students of other disciplines or children. Children who are not part of a validation demonstration or simulation are not allowed in the CCE at any time. Student parents will need to make childcare arrangements when working and/or practicing in the CCE.
Use of equipment outside of the CCE: Supplies (such as otoscopes and laryngoscopes) and computers are available in the CCE. All equipment is to be used in the CCE and only in the CCE, unless the CCE Manager has given the student specific permission to remove it. All equipment removed from the CCE must be “signed out” and “signed in upon return” by the student under the direct supervision of the CCE Manager or designee.
Students are expected to demonstrate safe and professional behavior at all times, especially when participating in performance demonstrations and psychomotor skill validations.
Students are expected to be prompt when appointments are made for required demonstrations and/or
36
practice sessions. Further description of expectations, resources, and guidelines for behaviors are provided to students in selected courses.
Food and beverages are not allowed in the CCE without expressed permission of the CCE Manager.
Cell phones and computers are not allowed in the CCE without expressed permission of the CCE Manager.
1.
Behavior Incident Form: Unprofessional behavior exhibited by any student, as determined by CCE staff or faculty, will be reported to the relevant course faculty and the CCE Manager by way of the Behavior Incident Form. A copy will be placed in the student’s file. Students are advised to refer to the Professional Behavior policy and procedures section of this Handbook as professional behavior violations can result in serious consequences for student progression in their program.
Copyright and Fair Use
POLICY:
JMSNHP students are expected to comply with copyright law, which in part, governs the rights and opportunities of persons and agencies to use and share copyrighted materials. It is illegal to reproduce copyrighted materials without prior permission of the copyright holder, and college students have been successfully prosecuted for copyright violations.
Violation of copyright law constitutes academic misconduct. Therefore, students must obtain permission from copyright holders prior to reproducing protected works (e.g., text, poetry, novels, journal articles, lyrics, sheet music, CD-ROMs, recorded performances, photos, cartoons, drawings, paintings, videos, movies, software codes, charts, diagrams, conceptual/theoretical models or frameworks, and survey instruments etc.) via the Internet or social media, on posters, and in manuscripts intended for dissemination or publication beyond the classroom.
In some cases, under Fair Use Guidelines, copying of copyrighted material for limited purposes such as commentary, review, critical analysis, or parody does not require that prior permission be obtained from the copyright owner. Fair Use Guidelines allow for the use of approximately 10% of the written text or images of a book or information from a web page to be copied for educational coursework. Students can also play excerpts from movies and music in coursework under Fair Use Guidelines.
Much of the material in the Alverno College Library and on the Internet can be used for educational purposes without obtaining prior permission from the copyright holder in accordance with Fair Use Guidelines. Additionally, there are Library resources available to students that have been paid for by the College. Students are encouraged to regularly visit the College library and webpage for resources and updates. More information can be found in the Alverno College Student Handbook at College Policies < Alverno College
PROCEDURE:
1.
The student consistently upholds copyright law, seeking advice from faculty and/or Alverno College librarians as needed.
2.
The student obtains and retains written evidence of prior permission to use and reproduce protected materials from the copyright holder.
3.
In the event there is concern that a student has violated copyright law, the course faculty is responsible to investigate the concern and meet with the student to ensure that all pertinent information and circumstances are explored prior to determining whether copyright infringement by the student has occurred.
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4.
If violation of copyright law is jeopardizing a student’s continuance in a course, the course faculty notifies the student in writing.
5.
If the course faculty determines that a student is ineligible to continue in a course as the result of an infringement of copyright law, the course faculty notifies the student in writing. In addition, the faculty may send recommendations regarding the student’s progression in their program to GNAA. The Academic Misconduct and/or Professional Behavior policies and procedures found in this handbook are applicable in the case of copyright infringement.
Critical News Board
POLICY:
The Graduate Nursing Critical News Board-ONG Moodle course has been created to communicate critical updates throughout the semester. JMSNHP administrative assistants enroll students in the critical news board specific to their program status (undergraduate or graduate). Critical updates and information are posted to the critical news boards by the Dean, Program Directors, and DEMSN Program Success Coaches.
Students are expected to review news board frequently to ensure that they are aware of critical JMSNHP program updates. If a student does not have access to their program critical news board on the course Moodle page, they are to notify their advisor and request that they be enrolled in the ONG course. ONG = “ongoing.”
PROCEDURE:
Dropping Courses
POLICY:
JMSNHP students who choose to drop a course are responsible for officially dropping it through the Registrar’s Office. Prior to dropping any course, it is expected that the student will consult with College Advising, their nursing faculty advisor, the Offices of Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and the Registrar prior to dropping a course to ensure that they understand the full academic and financial implications of dropping courses.
PROCEDURE:
Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services
The JMSNHP recognizes the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (Committee on doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2018). Ethics concepts are threaded throughout the curricula of all the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs in our school. The Nursing Faculty aim to support our students in gaining sufficient knowledge about health care ethics to inform their personal and professional behaviors.
Identification Cards
POLICY:
The Office of Student Development and Success issues all new students of Alverno College an initial identification card (ID) at no charge. The staff at the Mesa Location takes the photo for the ID cards. When the ID cards are created, the student’s government issued identification is checked to ensure the identity of the individual. For purpose of identification, students are encouraged to carry their Alverno College student ID card at all times. The Alverno ID card is intended to be used the entire time students are associated with the College. It is not necessary to obtain a new card each semester. In order to prevent unauthorized use, it is each student’s responsibility to report a lost or stolen ID card to the Mesa Location Director or Office Manager
Development and Success and obtain a new card at the expense of the student. Alverno College is not responsible for any loss or expense resulting from the loss, theft or misuse of this card. Once reported lost or stolen, the lost card will be deactivated.
Failure to produce a valid ID card when requested by a college official, fraudulent use of the card, and/or transfer of an ID card to another person, may result in confiscation, loss of privileges and/or disciplinary action.
PROCEDURE:
Practica: DEMSN Program Clinical Practicum Experience
POLICY:
All DEMSN students are required to complete clinical practicum hours, which are incorporated into designated courses. Clinical hours in the Alverno College DEMSN program are designed so that students build upon and assimilate knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for and inherent to professional nursing practice. Clinical faculty are assigned to each section of a clinical course. Depending on availability, the student may have an opportunity to complete a 1:1 internship rather than a group clinical experience in the final semester of their program. Clinical practicum sites and schedules are assigned by the Program Director and are always to be considered tentative, in part, because health care system partner agencies may open or close clinical practicum sites/days/shifts at any time (prior to or during any given semester).
Students are reminded here that registration deadlines for clinical courses are firm, such that they must ensure that there are no REGISTRATION HOLDS on their account as of July 1 for fall semester courses, December 1 for spring semester courses, and April 1 for summer semester courses. Students are directed to reach out to the Office of the Registrar, Student Development and Success, Advising, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts for assistance as needed.
PROCEDURE:
DEMSN Student Clinical Uniform and Equipment Requirements
POLICY:
The official Alverno nursing uniform with the Alverno patch is required for clinical practice courses. DEMSN students are discouraged from purchasing items other than the approved and designated uniform pieces because they will not be allowed to be worn in the clinical setting and thus will result in unnecessary and added expense. For the safety of students and others, clinical uniforms, including shoes must be clean and in good repair. Students may not wear leggings in lieu of the required uniform pants.
All uniforms, scrub jackets, and shirts must be purchased per guidelines designated by the DEMSN Program Director at the Mesa location. An Alverno photo ID is to be worn with the uniform at all times in clinical settings. It is expected that students consistently maintain a professional appearance in the clinical setting that demonstrates respect for and facilitates the safety of clients, others, and self. This includes:
Refraining from smoking while traveling to clinical settings and during clinical practice breaks. Third hand smoke poses a danger to our patients.
Students may be dismissed from the clinical environment for violations of the uniform policy. Absence from the clinical environment jeopardizes students’ ability to successfully meet course outcomes and successfully complete the course.
Equipment required for clinical courses is identified in course syllabi. Students are required to furnish the basic medical equipment necessary for client care (e.g., stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pen light, reflex hammer), which can be purchased through local medical supply stores. Students are advised to clearly mark their personal medical equipment with their name.
PROCEDURE:
Professional Behavior
POLICY:
JMSNHP students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of professional behaviors and ethics. Honesty, integrity, ethical conduct, and respect are central to the practice of professional nursing.
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Students are required to demonstrate the behaviors expected of members of the professional nursing community to which they are being educated. As part of the nursing community, all students are subject to the ANA (American Nurses Association) Code of Ethics for Nurses (https://www.nursingworld.org/coe-view-only) as well as the JMSNHP Professional Behavior policy.
Professional Standards
CastleBranch
and MyClinical Exchange clinical requirement.
Violations of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses are unacceptable.
At all times and in all settings, JMSNHP students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner when interacting with Alverno faculty and staff, peers, health care agency affiliates, preceptors or other professionals, patients and their significant others, and the public. Professionalism is identified as an expectation of students in every JMSNHP nursing course syllabus. All JMSNHP students are required to review, sign, and submit the JMSNHP Student Professional Behavior Agreement (Appendix B) as assigned in selected courses. Any JMSNHP student who, through their personal or clinical misconduct places the safety of a patient or clinical agency staff member in danger or places Alverno’s access to a practicum site in jeopardy, is at risk of being dropped from their clinical practicum course and/or dismissed from their program.
If the student is observed or reported to be in violation of expectations for behavior and professional conduct in nursing, in or outside any scheduled class or practice experience, the faculty reviews the student’s progress in the course based on the Professional Behavior Policy and the JMSNHP Student Professional Behavior Agreement and notifies the student if unacceptable behavior/violation of professional conduct in nursing is jeopardizing their ability to meet course outcomes.
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In all cases where a student’s unacceptable behavior/violation of professional conduct in nursing is reported or suspected, an immediate investigation is initiated by the course faculty. The matter is first discussed with the student. If the faculty concludes that unacceptable behavior/violation of professional conduct in nursing has occurred, the faculty may impose an appropriate sanction, which may include any of the following:
If the faculty determines that a student is not eligible to continue in a course as the result of unacceptable behavior or a violation(s) of conduct in professional nursing, the faculty has the responsibility to notify the student in writing. In addition, the faculty may send recommendations regarding the student’s progression in their program to GNAA.
Unacceptable behaviors/violations of professional conduct in nursing may result in the student’s ineligibility to continue in class, lab, or clinical practicum learning experiences; the administration of an unsuccessful (U) course progress code despite the quality of the student’s other coursework; and/or the student’s dismissal from their program of study. Students may also face sanctions imposed by the College.
PROCEDURE:
Professional Liability Insurance
POLICY:
JMSNHP students are in a position of being held liable for personal actions and judgments that occur while working with clients. Commissions and omissions in judgments and actions that are the expected duties and responsibilities of a practicing student can result in litigation.
Students are required to carry professional liability protection throughout enrollment in the program. As a requirement of clinical agencies, Alverno College has procured professional liability insurance coverage that protects each student in the School. This coverage protects the student and the College any time the student is involved with a client or group of clients within the defined student role. This policy does not cover students beyond their student role at Alverno College.
PROCEDURE:
The Student Accounts Department adds the cost of professional liability insurance to the student’s total tuition bill, each semester of enrollment, as is required by policy.
Progression in Graduate Nursing Courses and Programs
Assessment of Student Learning
Prior learning experiences form the foundation upon which all nursing courses are built; therefore, it is expected that graduate nursing students apply the knowledge, skills, and abilities mastered in prerequisite courses in all subsequent courses, as appropriate. Students’ written and verbal communication are expected to meet the Alverno criteria for effective writing (Appendix C) and speaking (Appendix D) commensurate with graduate-level education. In addition, students are expected to consistently apply the Alverno criteria for social interaction (Appendix E) in all interpersonal experiences in their courses. Written self assessment is valued as important element of students’ learning in graduate nursing courses and requires self-reflection, judgement, evidence, and planning for the future on the part of the student. Students’ achievement of course outcomes is determined through one or more of the following in any given course: NCLEX-style (DEMSN program) objective assessments, medication calculation competency assessments, psychomotor skills validations, and criterion-referenced assessments of student performance.
NCLEX-style/ Objective Assessments
NCLEX-style/ objective assessments are administered in the JMSNHP via computerized platforms; whenever possible, assessments are administered on campus rather than from/to a remote location. Objective assessments in online asynchronous courses are administered remotely with a remote proctoring service engaged. All objective assessments are to be completed independently by the student without the use of notes, books, or other resources, unless explicitly directed otherwise by the course faculty.
Students must achieve 80% of the total assessment points possible to successfully complete any given nursing course that includes objective NCLEX-style objective assessments. The 80% benchmark is a determinant of successful completion of all JMSNHP courses wherein NCLEX-style assessments are administered. Under no circumstances will assessment scores be rounded up to assist a student in achieving the 80% benchmark (e.g., 79.9% will not be rounded up to 80%). Missed assessment questions cannot be remediated for points. Likewise, at no time will extra credit be offered as an opportunity for students to earn back points for missed assessment questions to assist them in meeting or exceeding the 80% benchmark.
Except in extraordinary circumstances, all objective assessments must be completed in accordance with scheduled course due dates. Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and only granted in the event of extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances, as determined by the course faculty. This means that no late objective assessment will be allowed or accepted without (a) student communication with the course faculty prior to a scheduled assessment and (b) documented faculty approval obtained by the student prior to a scheduled assessment. In the case of a missed objective assessment without prior faculty approval, the student will earn an assessment score of zero, which will be averaged with all other assessment scores when the student’s overall progress toward achievement of the 80% benchmark is determined by the course faculty.
In the event that the student is granted the opportunity to make up a missed objective assessment, that make-up assessment may contain different questions than the original assessment but will assess the same learning outcomes. Make-up assessments in all JMSNHP courses are ONLY administered during the last weeks of classes. When granted the opportunity to make-up one or more assessments in one or more courses, , the student is required to complete all of those make-up assessments during the last week of classes. The only exception to this rule is for ATI Content Mastery Assessments, which must be completed based on the time-table to allow for the required remediation process.
Medication Calculation Competency Assessments
Nurse competence in medication calculation is a critical element of safe nursing practice; therefore, medication calculation competency assessments are integrated throughout the DEMSN program curriculum. Students’ medication calculation competence is assessed at a level commensurate with their level of progression in their program.
Medication calculation competency assessments may be included in didactic or clinical courses. In didactic courses, medication calculation questions may be included as elements of a broader NCLEX-style assessment. In DEMSN clinical practicum courses, medication calculation competency assessments serve as a key determinant (Major Criterion) of successful course completion, meaning that a student cannot successfully complete a clinical course without successfully completing the medication calculation competency assessment, regardless of their achievement of any other course assessments or benchmarks.
Medication calculation competency assessments administered in clinical courses are timed and involve multiple questions aimed at assessing the students’ ability to complete medication calculations accurately and to demonstrate pharmacological and nursing knowledge essential to the safe administration of mediation to patients. To successfully demonstrate the required level of medication calculation competence in a clinical course, DEMSN students must successfully complete an assigned medication calculation competency assessment by the course deadline. Medication calculation competency assessment due dates occurs prior to the first day of scheduled direct patient care in any given clinical course. Students are referred to their course syllabus and/or course calendar, accordingly.
If after three attempts, the student has not yet successfully completed the medication calculation competency assessment, they will no longer be eligible to continue in the clinical course. In that case, the student is responsible for formally dropping the course through the Registrar’s office.
Objective Assessment Environment Policy and Procedures:
All students are required to read, sign, and submit the JMSNHP Objective Assessment Environment Policy and Procedures Student Acknowledgment Form (Appendix F) as directed in any given course by their nursing faculty. Beginning spring 2023 all graduate students entering their program will submit this signed form as a requirement of their MSN Orientation course (MSN-600b [DEMSN program]. Students are expected to follow the policy and procedures therein. The JMSNHP Proctor Checklist (Appendix G) is aimed at assisting proctors in knowing and fulfilling their responsibilities relative to the administration of assessments in group settings and private rooms with video-monitoring in the Alverno College Assessment Center or elsewhere on campus as determined by the course faculty. Objective assessment policy and procedures of the JMSNHP apply in all assessment settings.
Criterion-Referenced Assessment of Student Performance
Assessments are conducted to evaluate student learning. Criterion-referenced assessment of student performance (sometimes referred to as key assessments of student performance) in JMSNHP graduate nursing courses are designed by nursing faculty to engage students in disciplinary and professional contexts; assessment criteria reflect professional standards for achievement in graduate-level nursing. Criterion-referenced assessments of student performance are rigorous and help the student and course faculty to determine not only what a student knows but how well they can apply what they know. A student that does not meet or exceed the criteria established for a criterion-referenced assessment of student performance (Major Criterion) in any given course does not successfully complete that course, regardless of their level of achievement on other course assessments or benchmarks.
Successful, Incomplete, or Unsuccessful Course Progression
POLICY:
Successful student progression in graduate nursing programs is based on students’ achievement of course outcomes as outlined in each course syllabus and requires a pattern of effective demonstration of abilities in practice, criterion-referenced projects and key assessments of performance, objective assessments. If there is an identified pattern of a student’s difficulty in meeting these requirements, strategies to strengthen necessary abilities may be required before the student is allowed to progress in the program. These strategies may be documented in an individualized Learning Agreement. The student is responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the Learning Agreement.
The graduate student is expected to complete assigned coursework within the constraints of course calendars. An incomplete (I) progress code is assigned at the discretion of faculty when, due to extraordinary circumstances, a student is prevented from completing all required coursework on time. A student anticipating the need for an “I,” is responsible for initiating the conversation with faculty. Typically, an “I” is assigned when only a minimal amount of work remains to be completed. The administration of an “Incomplete” progress code may only occur in accordance with College policy.
Any graduate nursing student with a course progress code of “U” is reviewed by GNAA and the Alverno College Status of Students Committee and placed on Probation with Warning. A student who is unsuccessful in the same course twice or has unsuccessful outcomes in any two graduate nursing program courses is dismissed from their program. Dismissal from a graduate nursing program results in automatic dismissal from the College. If a student earns their second progress code of U in a course in the final semester sequence of courses in their program, they will be allowed to repeat the course the following semester. If the student is unsuccessful on the second attempt, they then will be dismissed from their program, the JMSNHP, and the College.
PROCEDURE:
Appeal of Unsuccessful Progress Code:
Third Level of Appeal: If the student does not accept the Dean’s determination or is not satisfied that due process was fully or properly applied, they have the right to appeal. In that case, the student submits a letter of appeal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA). The third and final level of appeal is not intended to reconsider the substance of the case. Instead, this appeal is designed to ensure that fairness and due process has been properly applied, and that the established process has been properly followed. The appeal letter from the student to the VPAA should directly and explicitly address where the student believes there has been a violation of due process or where there has been an act of either an arbitrary or capricious nature that has resulted in a wrongful decision. The VPAA may follow-up with the student, course faculty, program Director, Chair of GNAA, or Dean of the JMSNHP, as appropriate. If the VPAA determines that the appeal lacks sufficient warrant or justification based on the available evidence, the VPAA will notify the student in writing of the decision within 10 working days of that decision. The VPAA is also responsible for notifying the course faculty, program Director, the Dean of Students, the Director of Academic Advising, and the Dean of the JMSNHP of the determination. If the VPAA determines that due process has not been properly afforded to a student for any reason, the unsuccessful progress code may be overturned. Prior to overturning any decision made by the Dean of JMSNHP, the VPAA must consult with the Dean of the JMSNHP, Chair of GNAA, and if needed, GNAA-as-a-shole to discuss where there is a perceived problem and the appropriate recourse to remedy the issue. All decisions made by the VPAA are final.
Appeal of Dismissal Resulting from Unsuccessful Progression:
GNAA reviews the progression of all students earning a “U” (or UW) in any given semester. A student earning a “U” (or UW) in the same course twice or who has been unsuccessful in any two nursing courses is recommended by GNAA for dismissal from their program (2-U rule) to the Graduate Status Committee. If the recommendation for dismissal is accepted, the student is notified of their dismissal from the College by the Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies within 5 days of that decision. First Level of Appeal: If the student does not accept their dismissal from the College or is not satisfied that due process was fully or properly applied, they have the right to appeal. If the student wishes to appeal, they must send a letter of appeal to the Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies within 10 working days their receipt of the notice of dismissal. Upon receipt of the student’s letter of appeal, the Dean launches an investigation, and within 5 working days, offers the student an opportunity to present their perspective in writing or via a 1:1 meeting. The Dean also meets with the Chair of GNAA as well as the Program Director and/or relevant course faculty, as appropriate. The Dean carefully considers the findings of the investigation and renders a decision, which is communicated to the student, in writing, within 10 working days of that decision. Second Level of Appeal: If the student does not accept the determination of the Chair of the Graduate Council or is not satisfied that that due process was fully or properly applied, they may submit a letter of appeal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) within 10 working days of receiving notice of that Dean’s decision. The second appeal is not intended to reconsider the substance of the case. Instead, this appeal is designed to ensure that fairness and due process has been properly applied, and that the established process has been properly followed. The appeal letter from the student to the VPAA should directly and explicitly address where the student believes there has been a violation of due process or where there has been an act of either an arbitrary or capricious nature that has resulted in a wrongful decision. The VPAA may follow-up with the student, the Chair of the Graduate Council, the Dean of the JMSNHP, the Program Director, the Chair of GNAA, or GNAA, as appropriate. If the VPAA determines that the appeal lacks sufficient warrant or justification based on the available evidence, the VPAA will notify the student in writing within 5 working days of their decision. The VPAA is also responsible for notifying the Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, Dean of the JMSNHP, Program Director, Dean of Students, and Director of Academic Advising of the determination.
If the VPAA determines that due process has not been properly afforded to a student for any reason, the unsuccessful progress code may be overturned. Prior to overturning any decision made by the Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, the VPAA must consult with that Dean and the Dean of JMSNHP, and if appropriate, the Program Director, Chair of GNAA, and/or GNAA-as-a-shole to discuss where there is a perceived problem and the appropriate recourse to remedy the issue. All decisions made by the VPAA are final.
Interrupted Program of Study Return after Leave of Absence
POLICY:
If a graduate nursing student wishes to return to a graduate nursing program after a leave of absence extending one semester or longer, the student must submit a written letter of intent and request to re-enter their program to the Chair of GNAA. GNAA reviews the request and determines whether the student may re-enter the program and, if appropriate, under what conditions. The number of semesters the student has been on leave will be taken into consideration when determining the student’s requirements for satisfactory return to their program. There is no guarantee that a student’s request for re-entry will be granted, and in some cases, the student may be required to reapply for admission. If the student has been enrolled at another institution of higher learning during their absence from the JMSNHP, they must provide official transcripts from those institutions attended.
DEMSN program students returning to a clinical course, after one semester or more of not being enrolled and participating in a clinical practicum course must register for and successfully complete N 290: Clinical Re-entry prior to their return.
PROCEDURE:
Requesting Readmission after Dismissal from Program
POLICY:
GNAA will consider requests for readmission from students who have been dismissed from their graduate nursing program. At minimum, a student who has been dismissed from a JMSNHP program will be out for at least one semester. Students who have been dismissed but are seeking readmission must send a letter requesting readmission to the Chair of GNAA. GNAA will then review the request and determine whether the student may be readmitted and if appropriate, under what conditions. There is no guarantee that a student’s request for readmission will be granted. If the student has been enrolled at another institution of higher learning since the time of their dismissal from the JMSNHP, they must provide official transcripts from those institutions attended.
PROCEDURE:
Graduation
POLICY:
The graduate student who has successfully completed all required courses (or equivalent) in their program, and the MSN Capstone project (as appropriate) is eligible for graduation. Students should anticipate and plan for special expenses associated with graduation.
PROCEDURE:
Responsibility for Contents of the
Graduate Nursing Handbook, Policies, and Procedures
POLICY:
The graduate student is responsible to secure and maintain current knowledge of the JoAnn McGrath Alverno College School of Nursing & Health Professions’ Graduate Nursing Student Handbook, Policies, and Procedures that is specific to their location (Mesa or Milwaukee). A record of student acknowledgement of securing the Handbook and responsibility for knowing its contents is maintained in the School office. A record of the student’s signed Permission Form-Nursing Program of Studies granting permission for their work to be shared for academic purposes only, with notification by faculty is maintained in the School office.
PROCEDURE:
Skills Practice Requirements
POLICY & PROCEDURE
All DEMSN students enrolled in a clinical course are expected to practice health assessment and clinical skills in the CCE (lab) for a minimum of 2 hours per week, outside of their scheduled class/lab/clinical time.
Student Advising
A primary goal of advising at Alverno College is to assist the student to become a self-directed learner in professional studies. Faculty advisors provide students with academic information, assist with planning a program of study, and act as a counselor or referral agent for other concerns. When students are accepted in a nursing graduate program, an advisor is assigned to each. It is important for graduate students to initiate and maintain ongoing contact with their faculty advisor throughout the program.
Graduate nursing students also have access to other faculty who may assist with various aspects of the students’ program. The Director of the DEMSN-Mesa program serves as a resources for policies, procedures, and academic curricular assistance. Graduate faculty have weekly office hours posted near their offices and on-line.
If a student is not able to reach an advisor in Mesa, a message can be left:
In any message, students should identify themselves and the nature of the inquiry. Indicate a phone number for a return call or an e-mail address, and a schedule of times available. The advisor can then contact the student.
Suggested times to meet with the advisor:
Student Conflict Resolution
POLICY:
All members of the Alverno academic community are expected to act in ways that contribute to a supportive academic environment. Students, faculty, and staff are expected to use skills in communication, social interaction, and problem solving in positive ways to resolve conflicts. Graduate students are accountable for adhering to this process. When academic performance is at issue, students must review their own progress using feedback and assessments of faculty and attempting to resolve conflicts with persons involved.
PROCEDURE:
There may be times when the graduate student disagrees with various policies or actions taken by individual faculty or staff members, Graduate Nursing Program Committees, or the JMSNHP leadership. At times students may wish to share opinions in a formal way with the JMSNHP, individual faculty, or staff member. The following procedures have been established to assist students in resolving problems and sharing viewpoints that may arise:
Student Employment
POLICY:
DEMSN Program: It is expected that students enrolled in the DEMSN 5-Semestser (accelerated)
Sequence are not employed during their program of study; rather, they should consider their coursework
as their “job,” given the demands and the rigor of the program.” Students in the DEMSN program
sequences are to be aware that their course schedules will not be adjusted to accommodate their work
(employment) schedules.
Student Responsibilities
Course Participation
Alverno faculty believe that knowledge is co-constructed; therefore, regular course attendance and active participation in class, online discussions, and practice are required of all graduate students and essential for successful progression in the program. In addition to scheduled coursework, the student is expected to complete independently scheduled and assigned practicum experiences. Successful progression in the program is dependent, in part, on the student’s consistent demonstration of highly effective communication, social interaction, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
The graduate curricula have traditional, hybrid and synchronous and asynchronous online courses. Both types require class participation. In hybrid courses, students are expected to log into Alverno College online learning systems multiple times during the week, as directed, to fully engage in graduate courses and with peers. On weeks when classes do not meet face-to-face, online and video discussions as well as other learning activities are assigned to ensure that all course content is fully covered and understood. Students have the freedom to do assigned coursework on their own schedule but must ensure that all scheduled due dates are met.
Self-Monitoring
Graduate students have primary responsibility for knowing and completing all requirements of their graduate program and therefore, it is important for students to continually self-monitor their progression through their program. All graduate courses have prerequisites and faculty advisors recommend course completion sequence to maximize learning and the professional development of the student.
Engagement in Alverno Graduate Nursing Learning Community
The personal and professional development of graduate students is central to the mission of Alverno College. Toward the achievement of this mission, graduate faculty have identified purposes, which include, but are not limited to, creating a dynamic graduate curriculum and fostering a community of learners. Student engagement is critical to the accomplishment of these purposes; thus, students are encouraged to communicate their personal perspectives on learning and meaningful participation in activities related to graduate courses, program policies, and governance. Students are expected to engage in the graduate learning community by:
Technical Standards for Nursing
POLICY:
To protect patient safety, ensure the delivery of effective patient care, and promote the development of professional nurses, all students enrolled in all nursing programs in the JMSNHP must meet the essential requirements outlined in the Technical Standards for Nursing. Reasonable accommodations will be granted to qualified students with disabilities to the extent that the accommodation will enable them to perform the essential functions of a professional nurse and will not create an undue hardship on the
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program. A reasonable accommodation is one that does not require a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program requirement or the lowering of academic and/or clinical standards of performance. Health care provider documentation of a student’s disability and consequent need for accommodations is required.
To demonstrate competency for any given clinical skill, all students must successfully perform that skill in accordance with criteria established by the JMSNHP. All students must demonstrate the nursing knowledge, clinical skills competencies, and professional attitudes required in any given nursing course to successfully meet the course outcomes and progress toward meeting the outcomes of their program of study. If a prospective or current student has or develops a physical, cognitive, or mental health condition that poses a significant risk to the health and/or safety of patients, self, or others that cannot be eliminated without a reasonable accommodation, the student may be denied admission, delayed in their program, or removed from their program.
Technical Standards for Nursing:
The following technical standards have been established to provide guidance to students regarding the physical and cognitive functions essential to the successful completion of Alverno nursing programs and ultimately, professional nursing practice in the clinical setting. Students must meet the following technical standards with or without a reasonable accommodation:
SENSORY/OBSERVATION
The student must have:
MOTOR SKILLS
The student must have:
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
The student must have:
Textbook Orders
Alverno is in partnership with Follett for students to order textbooks. The link for Alverno is: https://www.bkstr.com/alvernostore/home Students can access the Follett link from the Course Catalog through Alverno Self-Service and on the Alverno website. There is also a list of required books for a specific course in the course’s syllabus.
Use of Alverno College Technology
Alverno’s technology use policies outlined in the Alverno Student Handbook govern the rights and responsibilities for all Alverno students. They are based on the following principles:
Be Ethical
It is expected that the MSN student accurately identifies self and affiliations; uses the Alverno College name only for official school business; and engages with Alverno College technologies for lawful purposes only.
Be Respectful:
It is expected that the MSN student does not share confidential information; does not send offensive communications or materials; and does not send chain letters, spam, or unsolicited advertisements.
Be Secure:
It is expected that the MSN student does not share personal passwords; changes passwords when prompted; and if using a personal computer, the student ensures that it has anti-virus software.
Special Concerns Related to FERPA and HIPAA
For JMSNHP students, special attention needs to be followed with regard to information and photos associated with clinical practice and practice sites. Information posted online is public information and inadvertent use of identifying information could be in violation of FERPA or HIPAA regulations. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to be prudent when posting information on social media sites. Alverno College does not routinely monitor online communities, however, pictures and information brought to the attention of the College describing or documenting behavior considered to be in violation of College policies, such as those listed on page one of this document or in other official college handbooks, on campus or off campus at a College sponsored event, will be subject to further investigation. Any College policies found to be in violation are documented as a result of the investigation and will result in appropriate disciplinary action.
JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing & Health Professions Committee Structure
The organizational structure of the JMSNHP provides the framework for the work of the program in the accomplishment of the goals and objectives of the College and the School. The Dean of the JMSNHP is responsible for the administration of the School and reports directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the College. The Graduate Nursing Program Director is responsible for all graduate nursing programs and reports to the Dean. Advanced Practice MSN Program Chairs are responsible for oversight and execution of their respective program tracks. Each reports to the Director of the Graduate Nursing Programs. DEMESN Program Directors are responsible for oversight and execution their programs at their location (Milwaukee or Mesa) and report directly to the Dean. Faculty members assume multiple roles and responsibilities to support and assure the effectiveness of the JMSNHP.
The following committees have been established for programmatic decision making within the nursing graduate programs and to encourage shared governance between faculty and administration.
Graduate Nursing Admission and Advancement Committee (GNAA)
The GNAA committee reviews applicants for the graduate nursing programs and determines individual admissibility. It creates and monitors policies related to the admission and advancement of students into and through the graduate nursing programs. The Committee provides a forum for students requesting permission to deviate from a course of studies and petitioning review of their academic status. The GNAA collaborates with Alverno’s Graduate Council to determine and implement processes to support masters’ student admissions, advising, and determination of status.
Graduate Nursing Curriculum Committee (GNCC)
The GNCC is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of graduate nursing course syllabi, learning experiences, and key assessments of student performance that are appropriate to the graduate student’s developmental level and congruent with graduate course and program outcomes. The GNCC is also responsible to assure the quality of the graduate program through implementation of the graduate curriculum evaluation plan.
JMSNHP Assessment Committee The JMSNHP Assessment Committee is responsible for ensuring the quality and congruence of undergraduate and graduate nursing assessments, respective of JMSNHP curricula and Alverno College pedagogy. Members of the Committee are responsible for systematically reviewing and evaluating all new criterion-referenced assessments of student performance. The Committee also periodically reviews, evaluates, and provides feedback on all extant course-based and external (as appropriate) criterion-referenced assessments of student performance. As needed, the Committee monitors the administration of criterion-referenced assessments of student performance, including recruiting, training, and evaluating assessors in the undergraduate program.
JMSNHP Program Evaluation Committee
Evaluation of educational programs is essential and should be approached systematically. Planning for quality improvement requires ongoing self-assessment and analysis of performance data, both quantitative and qualitative. The Program Evaluation Committee has the overall responsibility for program evaluation design, the synthesis and analysis of data, and the interpretation of results for all programs in the JoAnn McGrath School of Nursing and Health Professions. All faculty assist with development, revision and implementation of data collection tools and the process of data collection.
Program evaluation processes are designed to meet the following outcomes:
Provide data needed by administration, faculty, and accrediting bodies related to achievement of program outcomes and mission.
JMSNHP Community Advisory Board
The JMSNHP Community Advisory Board (CAB) may be comprised of persons from Southeastern Wisconsin area health care systems, nursing education communities, other employers, and representatives from the other communities of interest. The CAB is responsible to provide advice to the JMSNHP, the nursing leadership team, and nursing faculty about curriculum, course projects and assessments, practice hours/preceptorships, and other issues as brought to the Board.
Right to Modify Course Syllabi and Maps, and
Graduate Nursing Handbook, Policies, and Procedures
Nursing faculty reserve the right to modify, amend, or change any course syllabus and map (schedule, course assignments and assessments, determinants of student performance, etc.) and the content of the Graduate Nursing Handbook, Policies, and Procedures herein, including policies and procedures, in response to the assessment of student engagement, learning, and need, and/or upon considering published evidence and recommendations set forth by professional organizations, national credentialing agencies, and accrediting bodies. Students will be notified, via the Graduate Critical News Board-ONG Moodle, of program and policy updates made subsequent to the publication of this handbook in any given academic year.