School of Nursing 2020 - 2021 Catalog

Student Information


Computer Requirements

Students spend a considerable amount of time utilizing resources online and must own a computer with broadband (high speed) internet to succeed in the chosen area of study. Daily computer access is expected of all students.


Technical Skills

Students are expected to possess basic skills in both the use of a computer and to function independently in the use of Microsoft Office. To assess skill level go to “Is Online Learning for You?” at http://nursing.ttuhsc.edu/skills/. If a student cannot function independently, the applicable Associate Dean/Department Chair reserves the right to place the student on an academic leave of absence until the student can demonstrate competence to learn, draft, and submit work independently. See https://www.ttuhsc.edu/nursing/help/system-requirements.aspx for specific minimum computer system requirements.


NOTE:

  • The Traditional BSN Undergraduate Program requires admitted students to own a laptop and a mobile device (iOS or Android). Students are required to bring their laptop to participate in classroom learning activities and testing. A mobile device capable of using specific nursing apps is required.
  • The Accelerated BSN Program requires admitted students to own a computer (preferably a laptop) and a mobile device (iOS or Android). A compatible mobile device capable of using specific nursing apps is required. Students are also required to have a webcam and microphone.
  • The RN to BSN Program requires admitted students to have webcam capabilities for making videos of presentations, clinical activities, and for online proctoring of exams and quizzes.
  • The MSN and DNP Programs highly recommend students bring a laptop to participate in classroom learning activities.

Tablet devices can be used to access some course content but will not substitute the need for a computer. Go to https://www.ttuhsc.edu/nursing/help/system-requirements.aspx for specific minimum computer system requirements.


Counseling Services

As in all professional health fields, if stress is not dealt with effectively, it can interfere with optimal academic performance. For a student experiencing excessive stress, the SON highly recommends self-referral for counseling. The following are the counseling options available for all School of Nursing students.

Program of Assistance for Students (PAS) is a professional, confidential, no cost counseling service for students and family members living in their households. Five sessions (per household) per academic year are available from licensed counselors who can provide assistance for a variety of problems related to daily living, including: family and relationship problems, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety, excessive stress, and other problems. No information is released to anyone in the SON and use of the program does not become part of a student’s record. For additional information visit https://www.ttuhsc.edu/student-affairs/mental.aspx.


  • Abilene students should contact Life Renovations at (325) 672-7055.
  • Amarillo students should contact the Professional Counseling Center at (806) 356-0404.
  • Austin students should contact the Samaritan Center for Counseling at (512) 451-7337, then “0”.
  • Dallas students should contact the Pastoral Counseling Center at (214) 526-4525.
  • Lubbock students have two options for counseling services: the Program of Assistance for Students (PAS)or the Student Counseling Center (SCC). For information for PAS, visit https://www.ttuhsc.edu/centers-institutes/counseling/pas.aspx or contact (806) 743-1327 or 1-800-327-0328. For information on the SCC go to the website http://www.depts.ttu.edu/scc/.
  • Permian Basin students should contact the Samaritan Counseling Center of West Texas, (432) 563-4144.
  • San Antonio area students should contact the Institute for Couple and Family Enhancement, (210) 496-0100.
  • Off-campus distance education students who want to receive counseling services should contact the Lubbock office of the Program of Assistance for Students at 1-800- 327-0328 or (806) 743-1327 to inquire about the availability of area counseling services.
  • All students regardless of campus have access to TAO Connect (Therapy Assistance Online). https://www.ttuhsc.edu/centers-institutes/counseling/tao.aspx

A 24-hour crisis/help line is available to all SON students and members of their household through the Program of Assistance for Students at 1-800-327-0328.


International Student Application Policy

International applicants must demonstrate adequate proficiency in the English language before they can be considered for admission. All international applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have an official score report sent directly to the University from Educational Testing Service (ETS). Because all educational programs in the School rely heavily or totally on computer and internet supported learning material, only the TOEFL iBT Test is accepted for purposes of making admission decisions.

  • TOEFL iBT minimum recognized scores: Applicants must have a minimum score of 20.76 on all sections: (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) with a minimum total score of 83 to be considered for admission.

Applicants who are citizens of countries exempt from English proficiency requirement (considered to have English as the predominant language) include: Australia, Canada (except the Province of Quebec), Commonwealth Caribbean countries (Anguilla, Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands), Republic of Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales), and the United States.

Applicants holding degrees from U.S. colleges and/or universities or universities in English proficiency-exempt countries are not required to submit TOEFL scores. The TOEFL requirement may be waived by the School if the student has graduated from a U.S. high school based upon SAT or ACT scores.

Information concerning the TOEFL may be obtained from Educational Testing Service, P. O. Box 899, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, U.S., or their website – www.toefl.org.

  • Transcripts: International applicants must provide academic records in the original language with certified English translation and United States equivalency.


Professional Societies

  • Iota Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the International Nursing Honor Society
    Membership is by invitation and is based on outstanding scholarly activities.
  • Phi Kappa Phi
    Membership is by invitation to top performing juniors, seniors, and graduate students.
  • Golden Key
    Membership is by invitation to the top 15% of juniors, seniors, and graduate students.
  • Student Government Association (SGA)
    The Student Government Association is recognized as the governing student body at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center with representatives from the School of Health Professions, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and School of Pharmacy. SGA Representatives assist in the promotion of student affairs and activities affecting all students throughout TTUHSC and encourage communication between the schools. Representatives are elected from the undergraduate and graduate programs. For more information regarding the Student Government Association, visit the Student Government Association’s Webpage at http://student.ttuhsc.edu/sga/.
  • Texas Nursing Students’ Association
    The Texas Nursing Students’ Association grants membership to any student in an Associate Degree, Diploma, Baccalaureate, generic Masters, generic Doctoral program preparing students for RN licensure, as well as RNs in a BSN completion program. This award winning group is highly active at school, state, and national levels. For more information, please visit http://www.tnsa.org/.
  • SALUTE: Veterans National Honor Society
    SALUTE is the first national honor society established for student veterans and military in 2-year and 4-year institutions of higher education. One unique element of our honor society includes the 4 tier system which is designed to encourage student veterans to strive to improve their GPAs and advance to higher tier levels in the honor society during their academic careers.


Resources and General Information


Activities, Athletics, Entertainment, and Recreation

As a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Big 12 Conference, Texas Tech provides intercollegiate programs for men and women. As part of the Texas Tech University (TTU) System, TTUHSC students participate in football, volleyball, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, track and field, golf and tennis with other members of the conference.

The Lubbock campus of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center includes the F. Marie Hall Synergistic Center providing students easy access to recreational and entertainment facilities. The TTUHSC Lubbock campus is located in close proximity to the TTU campus. The Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreational Center and Student Union Building, located on the TTU’s Lubbock campus are two of the most popular buildings on campus for out-of-class student activities.

For information about student organizations, fraternities, or sororities you may contact the TTUHSC Student Affairs office at (806) 743- 2300 or online at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/student-affairs/organizations/default.aspx.

For information about the TTU recreational center contact the TTU Department of Recreational Sports online at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/recsports/.


Awards

The School of Nursing participates in and offers awards including:

  • Excellence In Nursing – Undergraduate and Graduate students are eligible
  • SON Dean’s Leadership Award


Employment

The decision to work while enrolled as a student in the School of Nursing rests with the individual student; the school assumes no responsibility for student employment. Students should check with their enrolled program to determine if employment is discouraged. A student employed in a healthcare agency has the responsibility, personally and professionally, to accept and engage in only activities falling within the position description for which the student is qualified and do not conflict with legal and accreditation expectations.


Housing

Although students of the School of Nursing have access to TTU on-campus housing, it is not mandatory. For more information on housing, contact the TTU Student Housing Office at (806) 742-2661 or visit http://www.depts.ttu.edu/housing/.


Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) Core Curriculum

All TTUHSC students, regardless of school affiliation, are required to complete the IPE core curriculum prior to graduation. The IPE core curriculum is composed of two components including successful completion of a non-credit online course (>70% accuracy on the knowledge post-test) and successful participation in at least one registered IPE learning activity. Failure to complete the IPE core curriculum will result in delayed graduation. Students should consult their academic/program advisor and/or school catalog for additional information.


Simulation

The TTUHSC simulation centers located at the various campuses provide unique learning environments. These realistic environments support experiential learning activities promoting the development and maintenance of intra-professional and interprofessional competencies. Faculty and students from the School of Nursing, School of Medicine, School of Health Professions, School of Pharmacy, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences are engaged in simulation-based activities supported by these centers.


Student Service on Advisory Councils and Councils/Forums for Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

For purposes of promoting the TTUHSC School of Nursing, advisory bodies exist to maintain open communication between students and administration/faculty/staff:

  • Undergraduate Department Advisory Council (UDAC)
  • Non-Traditional Electronic Advisory Forums
  • Department Chairs’ Advisory Council for the MSN Program
  • Post-Master's DNP Student Advisory Council
  • BSN to DNP Student Advisory Council.

Students also have opportunities to serve as Student Representatives on School of Nursing Councils. Through service on the Student Advisory Councils and the School of Nursing Councils, student representatives provide feedback to the faculty and administration on ways to improve the educational experience while enrolled in the School of Nursing. Student representatives may volunteer or are selected by the appropriate Associate Dean/Department Chair to serve on the Student Advisory Councils and School of Nursing Councils. Students are expected to represent fellow students by bringing forth issues of importance to be addressed. Associate Deans/Department Chairs reserve the right to invite faculty or staff as appropriate to address student concerns.


TTUHSC Libraries of the Health Sciences

The TTUHSC Libraries of the Health Sciences provide facilities and learning/information resources with physical sites in Lubbock, Amarillo, and Odessa. The TTUHSC Library system collections presently contain more than 56,600 bound volumes and over 105,480 electronic books, plus 4,956 open access ebooks. The number of bound volumes will continually decrease however, as the Library makes room for more student study space. The system has 209 print journal subscriptions and approximately 25,616 electronic journals available at all TTUHSC sites. The libraries feature quiet and group study carrels and rooms, wifi display in two group study rooms, anatomy models, eleven 3D printers (one printer in Odessa and ten printers in Lubbock), computer labs, scanners, interlibrary loan and reference services, and Internet access. The online Ask A Librarian service (http://ttuhsc.libanswers.com/ask) allows students to email, text, or chat with a reference librarian for article and searching assistance. Step-by-step online guides to library services and resources are available at http://ttuhsc.libguides.com/new.

The TTUHSC Libraries provide on and off-campus electronic access to more than 347 databases and 215 that are open access. The databases related to the School of Nursing include, but are not limited to: MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL Complete with FullText, Nursing Reference Center Plus, Primal Pictures, Access Medicine, SportDiscus, EXAM MASTER online (NCLEXRN), Scopus, the LWW Health Library, Cochrane Databases, ClinicalKey, as well as general and academic TexShare databases. Bibliographic tools such as RefWorks and Endnote, full-text electronic journals, and a full array of electronic books are also accessible through the Libraries’ homepage: http://www.ttuhsc.edu/libraries/ via the TTUHSC e-Raider account. To meet the needs of all TTUHSC users including distance education, the TTUHSC Libraries provides online forms for ILL requests, search assistance, 3D prints, and library cards.

  • Preston Smith Library of the Health Sciences in Lubbock features 28 group study rooms and 17 computers in the Methodology Lab. An additional 12 public computers are located throughout the second and third floors along with seating for 362 individuals.
  • Harrington Library of the Health Sciences in Amarillo, has two computer areas with 15 stations, 106 seats and 4 study rooms.
  • Library of the Health Sciences in Odessa, has 71 study seats, 3 study rooms and 1 computer classroom with 10 desktop stations and 4 laptop stations.


Textbooks

Courses use information from various mediums, including textbooks. Students may have to purchase or rent specific textbooks. Each semester, the required and optional texts are listed for each course on the following website http://nursing.ttuhsc.edu/textbooks/. 


Sexual Harassment

Sexual Harassment is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. SEXUAL HARASSMENT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

The School of Nursing considers sexual harassment in all forms to be a serious offense subject to a range of actions up to and including suspension or dismissal. Sexual harassment is a violation of TTUHSC OP 51.02 and OP 51.03. Refer to the TTUHSC Institutional Student Handbook and the Title IX website located at http://www.ttuhsc.edu/title-ix/. Sexual harassment education is required for all students and is completed at the time of orientation. Contact the appropriate departmental office for further educational information and opportunities.


Student Health Information and Resources


Health Services

Medical services for TTUHSC students are available at the Abilene, Amarillo, Dallas, Lubbock, and Permian Basin, campuses. Refer to the TTUHSC Institutional Student Handbook online at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/student-affairs/handbook.aspx.


Health Insurance

Students are required by TTUHSC to pay a Medical Service Fee each semester. With this fee, access to healthcare is available at no charge for minimal or limited minor problems. Access to healthcare is through a TTUHSC clinic or a regional contracted provider (when available) for distance students. This fee is only waived for distance students.

TTUHSC and the School of Nursing strongly recommend each student maintain health insurance to cover major medical, emergency care, specialty care, and pharmacy services. Students should note many of the facilities where students receive clinical training require each student to be covered by health insurance. Hospital or clinic personnel may ask for proof of coverage at any time. Students may be denied access to clinical experience, at the discretion of the facility, if not covered by health insurance.

TTUHSC provides students the opportunity to purchase health insurance. Students may contact the TTUHSC Office of Student Affairs, Room 2C400, (806) 743-2300 for more information. The TTUHSC Office of Student Affairs can provide information on several insurance resources for students or visit https://www.ttuhsc.edu/student-affairs/health.aspx for further information.


TTUHSC Student Affairs

TTUHSC Student Affairs is an institutional centralized information office providing an array of student support services. TTUHSC Student Affairs collaborates with the school’s student affairs offices to offer assistance to aid in the success of TTUHSC students. For more information, visit their website at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/student-affairs/default.aspx.


Graduation

Students planning to graduate MUST complete a Graduation Application found here. Students should create a “Diploma” address in WebRaider to ensure the diploma will be mailed to the proper address. The TTUHSC Student Affairs office uses the diploma address to mail the diploma only if the diploma is not picked up at commencement.

Students must be enrolled at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and registered in the School of Nursing for a minimum of one (1) credit hour in the term of graduation.


Veterans and Military Advising

All military affiliated students and their families in need of services are required to self-identify, particularly if using VA or Hazlewood benefits. Contact Sara Henly in the TTUHSC Student Affairs office at sara.henly@ttuhsc.edu or (806) 743-7549, or visit the TTUHSC Veterans and Military website for information, instructions and forms at https://www.ttuhsc.edu/veterans-resource-center/default.aspx.