Admissions Information: Advanced Placement/Transfer Credit

ADVANCED STANDING

For all Applicants

1. Official transcripts must be received from all educational programs previously attended. Official course descriptions and/or course outlines may be needed in order to properly evaluate previous learning.
2. All students are required to complete a minimum of three semesters at The Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing to be eligible to graduate from the school. Nursing 200 (One Semester); and Nursing 300 & 301 (One Semester) are required. Determination of additional semester of coursework will be made on an individual basis.

Applicants who have previously attended a post-secondary educational institution and who apply for admission to this School of Nursing, may, under certain circumstances, receive credit for work previously undertaken as follows:

Non-Nursing Courses

Applicants who have completed one or more non-nursing college level courses with a grade of "C" or better, at an accredited institution of higher education, will receive transfer credit if these courses are similar in nature, length, and content with those courses currently required by this School of Nursing. Those credits accepted for transfer will be recorded and kept in the student's permanent record.

Professional Nursing

Applicants who have completed one or more courses in nursing at the professional level with a grade of "C" or better from a National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) accredited school of nursing within the last three years, will receive transfer credit if those courses are similar in nature, length, and content with those courses provided by this School of Nursing. Applicants who were previously students at this School of Nursing will receive credit for courses taken here if within the last three years, providing they achieved a "C" grade or better.

Applicants who have completed one or more courses in nursing at the professional level with a grade of "C" or better from a non-NLNAC accredited school of nursing (including this School of Nursing), but not within the past three years, or if the courses were not similar in nature, length, or content with those courses provided by this School of Nursing, will be given the opportunity to challenge any nursing courses in the curriculum for which the approximate equivalent has been completed previously. Evidence of previously acquired knowledge will be determined through a written examination in each course challenged. Applicants will have the opportunity to study the course and unit outlines and may purchase the current text(s) for the course(s). The passing grade shall be 80. Each examination may be taken one time only. If a grade of less than 80 is received, that course must be taken at this School of Nursing. Any examination successfully passed means that course will not need to be taken at this School of Nursing. This is an optional part of the program. The student may decline to exercise this option and may elect to take all courses in the curriculum.

LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE

Proof of licensure is required of all LPN applicants seeking advanced standing. An LPN Competency Form is to be completed by the LPN applicant at the time of interview.

Applicants who have completed an approved Licensed Practical Nursing program within the last five years, have successfully passed the licensing examination, and are actively employed in nursing will be given the opportunity to challenge six credits of Nursing 100 by taking the NLN Mobility Profile Test and achieving a decision score of 75 or higher. The NLN Mobility Profile test can be taken only once.

NAPNES Certified LPN:

If the LPN is National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Services (NAPNES) certified, and the LPN successfully passes the NLN Mobility Profile test, the LPN will receive advanced standing for 7.5 credits of Nursing 100. The LPN must attend selected classes, laboratory, and clinical practice in Nursing Process, Pharmacology, and Administration of Medications. The student must achieve a passing grade of 80% or higher in each unit. Following successful completion of the selected nursing units, the student will achieve the additional 2.5 credits of Nursing 100 (for a total of 10 credits).

NON-NAPNES Certified LPN:

If the student is not NAPNES certified and successfully passes the NLN Mobility Challenge Test, the LPN will receive advanced standing for 6 credits of Nursing 100. The LPN must attend selected classes, laboratory, and clinical practice which includes Nursing Process, Introduction to Pharmacology, and Administration of Medications. The student must achieve a passing grade of 80% or higher in each unit. Following successful completion of the selected nursing units, the student will achieve the additional 4 credits of Nursing 100 (for a total of 10 credits).

Licensed Practical Nurses not actively employed in nursing and/or LPN's who have completed an approved LPN program more than five years ago and successfully passed the licensing examination will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Clinical competence for all LPN's will be determined by nursing instructor(s). A minimum of one day clinical competency testing will be arranged between the instructor and the LPN applicant seeking advanced standing. A fee is charged.

Transfer of Credit

It is the policy of The Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing to accept credits earned at other colleges or universities or NLNAC accredited schools of nursing. Students may transfer credit only from an institution that has been accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools or its equivalent.

1. All credits earned at the previous institution(s) will be evaluated by the Admissions, Promotions, and Graduation Committee.
2. Courses to be considered for transfer MUST have a grade of "C" or better. Courses taken more than five years before the student enrolls in the School of Nursing will be evaluated on an individual basis.
3. Only those nursing credits earned at The Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing will be used to compute the student's quality point average.
4. In order for transfer credit to be considered, a student must obtain the following materials from the previous institution(s):
   1. The institution's catalog or photocopy of the course description from the catalog; and
   2. Grade code description taken from the institution's catalog or transcript.
5. These materials are to be mailed to the Administrative Assistant of The Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing.
6. Descriptions of courses from a foreign school need to have an English translation for both the course description and grade codes.