Orlando (Lake Mary) Nursing Programs - Specific Policies (Applicants also see Admissions Policies and Academic Policies for further details)

Class Scheduling / Hours of Operation. Classes will be held Monday-Friday and will be scheduled between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm. Clinical experiences can be scheduled at any time during the week, including weekends. Prospective students should also be aware that clinical experiences are scheduled for the convenience of the clinical site and may be held during evenings or nights. For example, a student may have a shift of 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm or 11:00 pm – 7:00 am. Due to the high-intensity nature of this program, it is advised that a student not have outside employment.

Administrative office hours may differ from scheduled class hours. Administrative office hours are generally Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Classes are offered and scheduled by ECPI University in sequences or combinations to allow the student to complete the program in a timely manner. ECPI University reserves the right to alter schedules so that proper facilities, equipment, and faculty are available. As per the Florida Board of Nursing regulations, the maximum number of students in a clinical placement is 12 students to 1 faculty ratio and the maximum ratio for preceptored experiences is 18 students to 1 faculty ratio.

The sequence in which courses are taught during the program may change at the discretion of ECPI University. Prerequisites for all courses are listed in the Course Description section of this catalog.

Attendance Policy.

Class Time. It is an expectation that students attend all classes and all clinical experiences. The second-degree program is a full-time program, with students in class or clinical five days a week. Because of the high intensity of this program, outside employment is not recommended.

If a student is aware of the need to miss a class, he or she is to notify the faculty in advance, if possible. If a student misses a class, he or she is responsible for determining what materials were presented in the missed class and for making his or her own arrangements to obtain this information from available sources such as faculty, classmates, Moodle, or other on-line or reference sources.

ECPI University – Orlando faculty feel very strongly that it is important for students to attend all classes in order to achieve a full understanding of essential core content throughout the nursing curriculum. Attendance will be taken daily by the course faculty. Students who do not meet the attendance requirements, as stated by the course faculty, will be marked absent. Students who are absent for multiple class days will have points deducted from the final course grade as follows: 

• Absent 1 day = no reduction in course grade

• Absent 2 days = 1 point

• Absent 3 days = 2 points

• Absent 4 days = 3 points

• Absent 5 days = 4 points

• Absent 6 days = 5 points

• Absent 7 days = 6 points

• Absent 8 days = 7 points

• Absent 9 days = 8 points

• Absent 10 days = 9 points

• Absent 11 days = 10 points

Exams. If the student anticipates missing a scheduled exam, he or she needs to notify the instructor. A different version of the missed exam may be administered at the faculty’s discretion.  Penalties for missing exams and quizzes will be applied as outlined in the course syllabi.

If the student anticipates missing a scheduled exam, he /she needs to notify the faculty member prior to the exam, unless it is an emergency situation without phone access. A five percent reduction will occur on any course make-up exam, while a ten percent reduction will occur on any make-up for a comprehensive final exam. For example, if a student scores a 93% on a course make-up exam, he/she will achieve an exam score of 88%.  If a student scores a 93% on a comprehensive final make-up exam, he/she will achieve an exam score of 83%.  If a student has missed an exam, another version of the exam is developed at the faculty member’s discretion.

Students who miss an exam are not allowed to participate in the exam review for the missed exam. All make-up exams are scheduled during Week 12 and after final exams.

Clinical/Laboratory Time. A critical component of the nursing curriculum is that students demonstrate clinical competency (meeting the clinical evaluation criteria, either on-site in a skills laboratory or off-site at a clinical site).

“Clinical Time” means the time spent on-site at a clinical site or in a skills laboratory, including all required experiences, pre -/post-conferences and observations outlined by faculty.

“Clinical Absence” means the time scheduled at a clinical site or in a skills lab that the student does not attend.

Clinical Time schedules may be adjusted from time to time. Notice of schedule changes will be given to students as soon as reasonably possible after a schedule change has been made.

Attendance during the required amount of Clinical Time is mandatory in order to receive a passing grade. Accordingly, all Clinical Absences must be made up in accordance with the requirements set forth below, or the student will not be deemed to have passed the course:

• Students must be making satisfactory progress toward all course competencies in order to be eligible to make up a Clinical Absence.
• Students may be able to make up a missed clinical day. However, if more than one clinical day, or more than 20% of Clinical Time (whichever is greater) in a course is missed, the student will receive a failing grade.
• Tardiness and early departures constitute a Clinical Absence, and the time missed due to tardiness or early departure must be made up. A student who arrives to clinical more than 10 minutes late will be dismissed for the day and will have to make up the clinical time.
• For purposes of measuring the 20% of Clinical Time missed limitation, all missed Clinical Absences will be accumulated without regard to previous makeup time. (For example, if a student has missed 5% of the Clinical Time, has made up that 5%, and then misses another 16% of Clinical Time, the student will have exceeded the 20% missed Clinical Time limitation and will not be permitted to make up additional time and will fail the course.)
• A student who has not previously exceeded the 20% of Clinical Time missed limitation will be eligible to withdraw and not receive a failing grade only (a) due to extenuating circumstances approved in advance by the Dean, or (b) in the event of a genuine medical emergency of the student or an immediate family member. [Vacations, weddings, funerals (other than those of immediate family members), child care or other family care giving obligations will not be considered to be extenuating circumstances.]
• Faculty and course coordinators have the right to determine the nature of the experience that will be required for any Clinical Time that must be made up.
• Direct patient care is typically required in clinical instruction. If faculty and clinical sites are available, the student must attend the makeup Clinical Time at the clinical site on the scheduled makeup day. If patient experiences are not available, alternative assignments will be offered for makeup time. Students are not guaranteed patient experiences for makeup Clinical Time.
• If makeup Clinical Time is scheduled at a clinical site, all students with missed Clinical Time will be required to make up the missed Clinical Time on the scheduled makeup day. A student who misses scheduled makeup day may not be able to be scheduled for a second makeup day, and therefore may fail the course. All clinical makeup time must be completed before the end of the term. Makeup Clinical Time may routinely be schedule for Week 12, after final exams. Accordingly, it may not be possible to make up Clinical Time missed near the end of the term.
• Makeup Clinical Time is coordinated by the lead instructor for each clinical course. Other faculty, including clinical adjunct faculty, are not authorized to schedule makeup Clinical Time. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the lead instructor of any clinical course regarding missed clinical Time. The student will then be notified of the scheduled makeup opportunity.
• If the makeup Clinical Time scheduled does not fall within the times that faculty is regularly scheduled at a clinical location, the student will be required to makeup Clinical Time. Makeup Clinical Time will be scheduled only to the extent that faculty and clinical space are available and there can be no assurance that makeup Clinical Time other than those scheduled by the college will be available.
• If there is an emergency or illness resulting in absence, the student should notify his or her assigned clinical instructor at least one hour prior to the start of the scheduled Clinical Time
• A student may be instructed to leave a clinical site if, if in the opinion of the clinical instructor or clinical supervisor, the student's tardiness, preparedness, or other conditions render the student incapable of providing safe patient care or having been tardy to the extent that it adversely affects the student's ability to achieve the intended educational objective of the clinical experience. In the event the student is instructed to leave the clinical site, the student will be deemed to have a Clinical Absence for portion of the scheduled Clinical Time missed.

Program Purpose. The purposes of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program are to provide undergraduate students with (1) Ability to practice professional nursing as a generalist, (2) the Academic foundation necessary to pursue graduate education.

Essential Functional Abilities.  Nursing is a profession that requires specific abilities. Students must be able to complete the minimal level of abilities to practice as a nurse as published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. RNs should be able to fully function in the following areas:

• Physical (gross and the fine motor, physical endurance, physical strength, mobility)

• Sensory (visual, tactile, olfactory, hearing)

• Cognitive (reading, arithmetic, analytical and critical thinking)

• Interactive (interpersonal, communicative)

• Contact the Program Director for questions or more information if you have questions about any one or all of the essential functional abilities. Also see the catalog section on Americans with Disabilities Act.

• Baccalaureate nursing education is the basic preparation for professional nursing practice, and establishes the foundation for life-long learning. The faculty members believe that the baccalaureate graduate is a generalist, prepared to provide clinical leadership in the assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of health care for individuals, families and communities.
• The curriculum is structured to enable the student to demonstrate that they have developed an understanding and mastery of baccalaureate-level nursing and related concepts as they progress through their educational experience. Related concepts emphasized in the nursing curriculum include ethical decision-making, critical thinking, effective communication, leadership and management.
• As envisioned by the faculty members of the University, the nursing paradigm includes:
• Person. Each person is a unique being with basic rights and choices who experiences multiple stressors from their continually changing internal and external environments with varying degrees of adaptation. The ultimate goal that a person has is to find, establish and maintain balance with health. Clients of nursing care are composed of individuals, families, groups, and communities with diverse backgrounds, sharing common goals and values. Perceptions, attitudes, values, and goals are influenced by culture, race, spirituality, age, gender, and abilities.
• Environment. The environment is a complex, open system existing in a dynamic state of change. Economic, political, environmental, and technological factors exert their effects on society. The nurse promotes an environment in which the person’s needs may be met, while respecting individual differences related to values, customs, and responses to life experiences.
• Health. Health is regarded as dynamic and multidimensional, with physical, mental, spiritual and social components that are all interrelated on the wellness-illness continuum, varying from a high level of wellness to varying degrees of illness. Health is influenced by both internal and external factors to the individuals’ optimal level of functioning. When adaptive abilities are inadequate or stressed, the individual moves on the wellness-illness continuum toward a lower level of functioning. All people have the inherent right to make informed decisions regarding their health care, including self-determination.
• Nursing. Nursing is both an art and a science. Professional nursing provides comprehensive health care services to clients in an effort to support them in attaining their optimal level of independence and wellness through the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health. The role of the nurse is multifaceted, conceptualized in three primary categories: provider of care, coordinator of care and member of the profession. Nursing education is an interactive process, allowing the adult learner to incorporate previously learned knowledge, building a foundation for providing holistic, outcomes-oriented care. The profession works collaboratively with other members of the health care interdisciplinary team to facilitate optimal client outcomes. The faculty believes that the baccalaureate degree is the professional degree for nursing, providing the groundwork for the graduate degree.
• Learning. Faculty members of the University believe baccalaureate education in nursing is the basis for professional practice as a nurse generalist, and offers preparation for professional development and life-long learning. Baccalaureate nursing education, based upon a liberal arts education, is the synthesis of knowledge from a variety of disciplines, including humanities, social, behavioral, and natural sciences.
• Learning is a collaborative partnership between the student and the faculty member, promoted by critical thinking, problem-solving and effective decision-making. Learning occurs in a variety of settings, with each student responsible for maximizing his or her own experiences. Each student has unique life, educational and work experiences and therefore, has individual learning needs. Outcome assessments quantitatively and qualitatively measure achievement of programmatic goals

Prerequisite Courses. Applicants must have successfully completed all prerequisite courses, with no more than two being allowed to be in progress at the time of application. A grade of B- or higher is required for the Anatomy and Physiology prerequisites. All other Bachelor to BSN General Education Prerequisites will be reviewed in accordance with the Transfer of Credit policies outlined in the University Catalog.  Required prerequisite courses are:

Progression Policy. A numeric grade of 77 or better is required in all nursing courses to graduate from the nursing program. In order to receive a passing grade in the course, students are required to pass the clinical, lab, and theory portions of the course. Failure in the theory, lab, or clinical component requires repeating all aspects of the course. Academic progression in the nursing program is determined by a student’s weighted exam average in each course without consideration for any additional assignments. The benchmark for passing each course is a weighted exam grade average of 77 or greater. Students who achieve a final course grade of less than 77 in any nursing course cannot enroll in subsequent clinical nursing courses. If the student does not pass the exam portion of the course with this average, other course requirements (such as papers and presentations) will not suffice to raise the grade to passing.

Only one nursing course may be repeated to raise an unsatisfactory grade. Students may not enroll in any course for which they do not have the necessary prerequisites as a result of course failure or course withdrawal. A Student who is unsuccessful in a course may be allowed to reattempt that course the next time it is offered, based on availability. In order to be considered to repeat the failed course, the student must write a letter to the Dean/Chief Nursing Administrator requesting permission to repeat the course ECPI University’s Nursing Admission, Progression, and Graduation Committee will determine reinstatements and reviews each case individually. Re-admission to the nursing program is not guaranteed.

A student who fails more than one course, or who fails one course twice, will be dismissed from the program and will not be eligible for re-enrollment.

Student Evaluation. At the completion of certain courses, students are required to complete a computerized, national examination that tests the student’s comprehensive knowledge of the course content. Any fees for these examinations are included in the program costs.

Students are evaluated according to course-specific performance criteria designated on the syllabus. Students will receive a written evaluation in each clinical course at mid-term and at the completion of the clinical course. The instructor will review the evaluation with the student, and upon completion of the review, the student and the instructor will sign the evaluation. The student’s signature does not constitute an acknowledgement that the student agrees with the instructor’s evaluation, but serves as confirmation that the evaluation has been reviewed with and provided to the student. The student may make written comments in response to the evaluation, attaching it to the evaluation.

In the final quarter of the program, students are required to take a course entitled Senior Seminar and as a part of the course requirements, must pass a comprehensive computerized examination provided by ATI, containing questions similar to those found on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (“NCLEX-RN”). Students who fail to achieve a passing score of 70 or greater on the exam, as graded by the testing service, will not pass the Senior Seminar course, and will not be eligible for graduation until they pass the Senior Seminar course. During the Senior Seminar course, students are given three (3) opportunities to achieve a passing score on the comprehensive computerized examination. Students who do not achieve a passing score on the ATI comprehensive computerized examination during the Senior Seminar course, will receive a failing grade for the course.