Eligibility Requirements

Core Curriculum

Given the rapid evolution of necessary knowledge and skills and the need to take into account global, national, state, and local cultures, the core curriculum for institutions of higher education in the State of Texas must ensure students develop the essential knowledge and skills needed for success in college, career, and individual communities, and in life. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved a 42 semester credit hour core curriculum for all undergraduate students in Texas. The TTUHSC School of Nursing will ensure the students transferring into the baccalaureate nursing programs have completely met the core competencies of the 42 semester credit hour curriculum. Objectives for the core curriculum competencies include the following:

• Critical Thinking Skills – includes creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.
• Communication Skills – includes effective written, oral, and visual communication.
• Empirical and Quantitative Skills – includes the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
• Teamwork – includes the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.
• Personal Responsibility – includes the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.
• Social Responsibility – includes intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
  
  

Core Curriculum Requirements

Students who will be earning a baccalaureate degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) MUST satisfy the coursework requirements of the TTUHSC Core Curriculum. The curriculum complies with the 1997 Texas legislation that required each state-supported institution to establish a core curriculum that encompasses components of natural and applied sciences, social sciences, mathematics, humanities, visual and performing arts and tools of language and thoughts.

These courses or their equivalents for a total of 42 semester credit hours may be taken at any regionally accredited college or university and should be completed with a grade of “C” or higher BEFORE enrolling at TTUHSC. IF a student successfully completes a core curriculum of 42 or more semester credit hours at another accredited public institution of higher education in Texas, and the core curriculum meets the following specified “component area” requirements, the block of courses may be transferred to TTUHSC and substituted for the core curriculum here. The student will not be required to take any additional core curriculum courses. The State of Texas has specified the following component area requirements as found in the following table.

Criminal Background Check (CBC)

A Criminal Background Check (CBC) must be completed prior to enrollment at TTUHSC School of Nursing in compliance with TTUHSC OP 10.20 and SON OP 60.081. Each student is responsible for the cost of his/her CBC and any additional fees.

All applicants, once offered provisional admission, must complete a criminal background check before being allowed to matriculate. Those who do not complete a criminal background check are ineligible for progress in the nursing program. A history of criminal conduct or convictions may result in withdrawal of the admission offer. The TTUHSC SON utilizes the Texas Board of Nursing criminal background check process for all pre-licensure students. For RN-BSN, MSN and DNP students, the students will be required to use the institutionally approved vendor to process these background checks. Only those individuals with a BON Blue Card, a BON Declaratory Order with No Stipulations and approval from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs will be allowed to matriculate into the program.

In accordance with TTUHSC OP 10.20, students in the School of Nursing shall self-disclose relevant criminal history record information no later than five (5) business days following the charge of a crime. Failure to self-disclose may result in dismissal or withdrawal of acceptance from the university.

Additional background checks are required after a break in enrollment in accordance with TTUHSC OP 10.20.

If an applicant believes the record is in error and gives written notification to the School of the intent to challenge the report, matriculation will be put on hold pending the outcome of the challenge. Should the applicant fail to notify the School of the intent to challenge or the record is determined to be accurate at the conclusion of a vendor challenge by an applicant; the admission offer will be withdrawn.

Drug Screening

Drug screenings may be required if requested by the clinical institution site. If a student is requested to complete a required drug screening, this request must be completed within three days of receipt of notification. All results are confidential and are managed by the Office of Student Affairs. The cost of all drug screens are the responsibility of the student, including any additional screenings.

Essential Eligibility Requirements for Participation in the School of Nursing

Physical, cognitive, psychomotor, affective and social abilities are required in unique combinations to provide safe and effective nursing care. In order to be admitted and to progress in the nursing program, one must possess a functional level of ability to perform the duties required of a nurse. The applicant/student must be able to meet the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation’s throughout the program of learning. Admission, progression and graduation are contingent upon one’s ability to demonstrate the essential functions as identified by the school or additional essential functions as may be identified by affiliated clinical agencies. The TTUHSC School of Nursing reserves the right to amend the essential functions as deemed necessary.

Each student/applicant should use the following standard (essential eligibility requirements) for participation in the School of Nursing to assist in determining the necessity of accommodation or modifications.

1. Work in a standing position and do frequent walking for twelve hours.
2. Lift and transfer patients, both adult and children, from a stooped position up to six inches from surface, and push or pull the weight of an adult up to three feet.
3. Lift and transfer patients, both adult and children from a stooped to an upright position to accomplish bed to-chair and chair-to-bed transfers.
4. Use hands, wrists, and arms to physically apply up to ten pounds of pressure in the performance of specific procedures (e.g., to control bleeding, perform CPR).
5. Respond and react immediately to verbal instructions and requests, auditory sounds from monitoring equipment, and perform auditory auscultation of patients. Abilities to monitor and assess heath needs therefore must be able to hear monitor alarms, emergency signals, all auscultatory sounds, and cries for help.
6. Be able to move freely and physically maneuver in small spaces. Possess sufficient visual acuity to perform close and distant visual activities involving objects, persons, and paperwork, as well as the ability to discriminate depth and color perception.
7. Read calibrated scales of one-hundredth increments in not more than a three-inch distance.
8. Possess sufficient fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination to use small instruments and equipment.
9. Discriminate between sharp and dull, hot and cold.
10. Perform mathematical calculations for preparation and administration of medication in a timely manner.
11. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, using appropriate grammar, spelling, vocabulary and word usage.
12. Comprehend verbal and written directions and make appropriate notations.
13. Access patient/client information electronically and document care provided.
14. Develop the ability to make appropriate and timely decision under stressful situations.
15. Demonstrate sufficient endurance to complete a twelve hour clinical and/or simulation laboratory experience.

TTUHSC OP 10.15 complies with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and state and local requirements regarding students with disabilities. Under these laws, no otherwise qualified and competitive individual with a disability shall be denied access to or participation in services, programs and activities of TTUHSC solely on the basis of the disability. For additional information please see www.ttuhsc.edu/studentservices/ada/.

General Education Competencies

At Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, we expect students to enter the institution with a foundation in certain basic intellectual competencies. These include critical thinking skills, communication skills, empirical/quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility, and social responsibility. Through our undergraduate programs, we seek to build upon the existing foundation in order to enhance these basic competencies. TTUHSC uses a variety of methods to measure student progress in developing the desired competencies, including the ETS-Proficiency Profile. We will use the results from this instrument to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different student subgroups. The results will be used to make ongoing improvements to our undergraduate degree programs.

Government-Issued Identification

Government-issued identification (e.g., driver’s license, identification card, pass port) is required for admission and matriculation through completion of the School of Nursing degree program. There is no additional charge for review and verification of student government-issued identification. See SON OP 60.078.

Immunization Requirements

Students are expected to maintain a general state of good health. Failure to maintain documentation of immunization requirements in the appropriate departmental office can result in exclusion from clinical practice and a hold being placed on school records. The below information must be on file for a complete immunization record while enrolled in the School of Nursing.

Students should contact the Immunization Coordinator in the Office of Institutional Health/TTUHSC Infection Control for the most up-to-date information on obtaining immunizations by calling (806) 743-2264.

Keep personal immunization records in a safe place; immunization records are required for all healthcare workers employed in the healthcare industry. All copies of Personal Immunization Records provided to the School of Nursing become the property of the School of Nursing. Never supply the School of Nursing with original documents. There may be a fee charged to receive a copy of the immunization records from School of Nursing files. Other specialty-related immunizations or testing may be recommended to a student or may be required by a clinical agency. All students are expected to personally maintain immunization requirements; this maintenance should be documented in the appropriate departmental office for every semester the student is enrolled at TTUHSC – NO notification will be sent.

NCLEX-RN Examination Eligibility

The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has identified certain circumstances that may render a potential candidate ineligible for licensure as a registered nurse in the State of Texas. If there is a potential to be denied licensure, students should complete the Petition of Declaratory Order during the first semester of nursing school.

The Petition for Declaratory Order (http://www.bon.texas.gov/forms_declaratory_order.asp) is a formal disclosure to the BON of an outstanding eligibility issue that may prevent an applicant from taking the NCLEX examination. The Declaratory Order permits the BON to make decisions regarding a petitioner’s eligibility for licensure prior to entering or completing a nursing program. The petition should be completed as soon as possible. The review process can take a minimum of three (3) months but could be longer depending on the issue and volume of applications. Students who have obtained a Declaratory Order Petition must notify and inform the Traditional or Non-Traditional Undergraduate Associate Dean/Department Chair of the outcome of the petition. If a student answers yes to one of the following questions, a Petition for Declaratory Order must be completed.

For any criminal offense, including those pending appeal, have you:

• Been convicted of a misdemeanor?
• Been convicted of a felony?
• Pled nolo contendere, no contest, or guilty?
• Received deferred adjudication?
• Been placed on community supervision or court-ordered probation, whether or not adjudicated guilty?
• Been sentenced to serve jail or prison time? court-ordered confinement?
• Been granted pre-trial diversion?
• Been arrested or have any pending criminal charges?
• Been cited or charged with any violation of the law?
• Been subject of a court-martial; Article 15 violation; or received any form of military judgment/ punishment/action?

(You may only exclude Class C misdemeanor traffic violations.)

• Are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury or governmental agency investigation?
• Has any licensing authority refused to issue you a license or ever revoked, annulled, cancelled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a license, certificate or multi-state privilege held by you now or previously, or ever fined, censured, reprimanded or otherwise disciplined you?
• Within the past five (5) years, have you been addicted to and/or treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug?
• Within the past five (5) years have you been diagnosed with, treated, or hospitalized for schizophrenia and/or psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder?

*Pursuant to Occupations Code §301.207, information regarding a person’s diagnosis or treatment for a physical condition, mental condition, or chemical dependency is confidential to the same extent the information collected as part of an investigation is confidential under the Occupations Code §301.466. You may indicate “NO” if you have completed and/ or are in compliance with Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN) for substance abuse or mental illness.

NOTE: Expunged and Sealed Offenses:

While expunged or sealed offenses, arrests, tickets, or citations need not be disclosed, you are responsible for ensuring the offense, arrest, ticket or citation has, in fact, been expunged or sealed. Submission of a copy of the Court Order expunging or sealing the record in question to the Texas Board of Nursing is recommended. Failure to reveal an offense, arrest, ticket, or citation that is not in fact expunged or sealed, will at a minimum, subject your license to a disciplinary fine. Non-disclosure of relevant offenses raises questions related to truthfulness and character.

NOTE: Orders of Non-Disclosure:

Pursuant to Texas Government Code § 552.142(b), if you have criminal matters subject to an order of non-disclosure, you are not required to reveal those criminal matters on the declaratory order form. However, a criminal matter subject to an order of non-disclosure may become a character and fitness issue. Pursuant to other sections of the Government Code Chapter 411, the Texas Board of Nursing is entitled to access criminal history record information subject to an order of non-disclosure, even if you properly did not reveal the matter, the Board may require you to provide information about any conduct that raises issues of character.

Statues and Rules governing the Petition for Declaratory Order may be found in the Texas Occupations Code §§ 301.257, 301.452-304.454 (Nursing Practice Act), and in the Board Rules and Regulations relating to Nurse Education, Licensure and Practice, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Title 22 Examining Boards §§ 213.27-30 and §§ 217.11-12. These statutes and rules can be located on the BON’s website www. bon.state.tx.us.

The Nurse Practice Act (http://www.bon.texas.gov/nursinglaw/npa.html) was amended during the 2005 Texas legislative session, adding Texas Occupations Code § 301.4535, to authorize the Board of Nursing to deny or revoke licensure to an individual for certain criminal offenses. Under the provision, the BON shall refuse or withdraw a license if the person has been convicted of an identified offense or has noted on his or her criminal record a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. The Texas Board of Nursing may consider eligibility for licensure of an applicant, after the fifth anniversary of the successful completion of and dismissal from probation or parole. The criminal offenses barring licensure, as defined by Texas Penal Code, include the following: murder; capital murder; reckless manslaughter; kidnapping, unlawful restraint, or unlawful transport of a person for payment and punishable as a felony; sexual assault; aggravated sexual assault; indecency with a child, an elderly or disabled person; perpetrator of family violence, an agreement to abduct a child; the sale or purchase of a child; robbery; aggravated robbery; an offense that requires the individual to register as a sexual offender; and convictions for similar crimes in a military tribunal.