651Fourth Ave.
New Kensington, PA 15068
(724) 337-5090
E-mail cson@wpahs.org

• Admissions Criteria
• Educational Effectiveness

Beginning Your Education At Citizens School of Nursing

Admission Criteria

Applicants who meet admission criteria will be admitted to the School of Nursing. A class of regular students starts in August of each year. Advanced Placement LPN students begin the Bridge Course during Term I.

The School of Nursing Education Program administered by Alle-Kiski Medical Center shall not exclude from participation, deny benefits to or subject to discrimination any qualified individual solely by reason of his or her disability. Also, the school does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age or ancestry.

Applicants must graduate from an accredited high school and must present 16 Carnegie Units distributed as follows:

English		4 units
Social Sciences		3 units
Electives		5 units
Mathematics (One unit Algebra is required)		2 units
Science		2 units

(Biology, Algebra and Chemistry with achievement of a "C" or better in each course is required.)

Applicants who are deficient in any one of the above may be considered for provisional admission providing arrangements can be made for the satisfactory make-up of deficiencies prior to enrollment. These courses may be taken at the high school or college level. Anatomy taken in Term I is acceptable remediation for Biology when a student is provisionally accepted. All other courses must be remediated before enrollment.

In lieu of a high school diploma, an applicant who successfully passes the GED examination will be considered for admission providing he/she has achieved a letter grade of "C" or better in high school Algebra, Biology and Chemistry courses. These courses may be taken at the college level prior to nursing school enrollment.

Psychological Service Bureau, Inc. Reading Comprehension Exam is required of all students unless they have a Baccalaureate degree or a 580 Verbal score on the SAT's. A 40 percentile score is required. A student scoring below 40 percentile will be required to send documentation of being able to read at the 10th grade level before they can be considered for admission.

College Entrance Examination Board Test (S.A.T.) scores of Math 400 and Verbal 430 are preferred. Applicants with scores below this level will be considered based on references and high school performance evaluation. If the applicant graduated from high school more than 5 years prior to application and has never taken the S.A.T., this requirement will be waived.

Those interested in seeking admission to the School of Nursing should request an application from: The Registrar at Citizens School of Nursing, 200 Freeport Road, New Kensington, PA 15068 724-337-5090.

The completed application along with the application fee should be sent to the Registrar of the School of Nursing. Each applicant is required to have a high school transcript, the results of College Entrance Examination Board Test (S.A.T.) and two (2) personal references sent to the school.

The completed file will be reviewed by the School. Qualified applicants will have a personal interview with a member of the Admissions Committee. At the time of interview, the applicant is required to take the Reading Test. There is a nominal charge for this test. Each applicant will be notified in writing of his/her reading test results and admission status.

There must be evidence of a health status that does not interfere with ability to participate in the educational program.

After acceptance to the School of Nursing, each person is strongly encouraged to begin taking the college courses.

Applicants who have previously attended an accredited college or university and have maintained a "C" or better in the required courses may have these college courses credited toward the school diploma. Acceptance of these college courses will be on an individual basis. A course description may be required before credit is given.

All accepted applicants will be required to attend an orientation day in the spring prior to enrollment.

In order for a student to be considered for admission four (4) items must be on file with the School of Nursing. They are 1) the completed application form, 2) transcripts, 3) two completed reference forms and 4) the $15.00 non-refundable application fee.

Transcripts

The school requires official transcripts from high school and all other higher education courses. An official transcript is signed, bears the seal of the school, and is mailed directly to the School of Nursing.

References

Two (2) written references are required from mature persons, which reflect the applicant's seriousness of purpose, and personal characteristics, which indicate potential to fulfill the role demands of the professional nurse. Suggested sources of references are guidance counselors, teachers, clergy, and an employer or person in a supervisory capacity.

Felony Conviction

Each applicant is to be aware that conviction of a felony prior to or during the course of the educational program may result in the denial of licensure by the State Board of Nursing.

Personal Interview

Once the required materials are on file at the Nursing School Office, the qualified applicant will have a personal interview with a faculty member representing the Admissions Committee. At this time the applicant may request to meet with the Financial Aid Director and may also tour the school. The interview will be scheduled by the Registrar.

Health Status

A health status that does not interfere with meeting the objectives of the educational program is required.

Notification Of Acceptance

Each applicant will be notified in writing concerning admission status. Students who have been accepted into the program must submit a $25.00 non-refundable acceptance fee.

In the event that an applicant might need remedial study to obtain admission, the Director, School of Nursing will counsel the student regarding alternatives to remedy academic deficiencies and the applicant may then reapply to the School of Nursing.

Waiting List Status

In the event that a class is full, a qualified applicant may be accepted and placed on a waiting list. This means the applicant will be guaranteed a seat in the following class and will be given a place on the waiting list for the class in which he/she originally sought admission.

As seats become available, students will be formally offered a seat in the class. The possibility of waiting list status will be discussed at the time of interview.

Transfer Between Classes

Sometimes because of academic, health or personal reasons, students are unable to enter the program at the time specified in the admission letter. When this happens students must submit a written request asking to be transferred to the next class. This kind of request will be granted once. Subsequent requests will necessitate the payment of a $35.00 processing fee and meeting with Director, School of Nursing. Students are requested to notify the School of Nursing as soon as they know they will not be entering the program at the specified time.

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing will be considered for the following applicants:

1. Students with previous college courses
2. Licensed Practical Nurses
3. Transfer students from other professional nursing programs

Criteria For College Students

1. Attendance at an accredited college or university
2. Attainment of "C" or better for required courses
3. Course description must be submitted if not currently on file at the school. Acceptance of these courses will be based on the course content
4. College credits obtained by challenge examination at a college/university, CLEP or Regent's College Examination will be reviewed for credit toward the nursing diploma.
5. Attainment of all other admission criteria

Criteria For Licensed Practical Nurses

1. Verification of current Pennsylvania Practical Nurse Licensure.
2. Recent experience in an acute/skilled care setting or graduation from LPN School within one year of entering the program
   NOTE: If deficient in recent employment experience area, the Applicant may be eligible to enter Term 1.
3. A decision score of 65% correct or better on the NLN Mobility I, Book I
4. Successful completion of Bridge Course
5. Documentation of competency in basic clinical nursing skills. The applicant will request that his/her current immediate nursing supervisor submit the following:
   • LPN Advanced Placement Clinical Competency Evaluation Form.
   • Professional Reference Form.
     NOTE: If an applicant cannot provide validation of the basic clinical competencies, the applicant may be eligible to enter the program in Term 1.
6. Official transcript from practical nursing program
7. The cumulative point average must be a 2.0 or better in practical nursing school
8. High School graduate or G.E.D.
9. Personal Interview
10. One (1) additional Professional Reference must be completed by someone other than the immediate nursing supervisor.
11. All LPN's who are granted Advanced Placement will be required to complete Terms 2 and 3 in the first year and Terms 4, 5, 6 and 7 in the second year.
12. Advanced Standing LPN's who enter the program must present documentation of satisfactory completion of college level Anatomy and Introduction to Psychology prior to graduation. This requirement can be met by the following options:
    • Completion of the courses prior to enrollment at Citizens School of Nursing
    • Completion of the course at a college or university prior to graduation by taking them concurrently with the nursing curriculum
    • Completing college/university challenge examination, CLEP or the Regent's College Examination.

Criteria For Transfer Student From Another Professional Nursing Program

1. A grade of "C" or better in courses completed in former nursing program.
2. Attainment of a "C" or better in required courses.
3. A letter from the applicant explaining the reason for transfer.
   NOTE: An applicant is eligible for transfer status only if enrolled in an educational program within the last year.
4. A letter of recommendation from the Director or Dean of the former nursing program.
5. Placement in the program will be determined on individual educational background
6. Will be required to complete as a minimum, the last academic year of the educational program granting the diploma (Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing Regulation, Section 21-103).

College Courses

Students who have previously attended an accredited college or university and have maintained a "C" or better in the required courses may have these courses accepted by the School of Nursing as fulfilling all or part of the requirement. Acceptance of these college courses will be on an individual basis. A course description may be required before credit is given.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation(CPR) & Advanced Cardiac Life Support(ACLS)

Faculty and students are required to have certification of CPR (CPR for Health Care Providers) and to maintain current certification barring any major physical handicaps. Those with handicaps must attend an annual review of the cognitive portion of CPR. Students and faculty may obtain CPR for Health Care Providers Certification using community resources such as the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

Educational Effectiveness: The Student's Right To Know

NCLEX-RN

In order to practice as a Registered Nurse, graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The pass rates for the last three classes are as follows:

Class of 2000 - 90%
Class of 1999 - 93%
Class of 1998 - 95%

Retention Rates

Class of 2001 - 68%
Class of 2000 - 63%
Class of 1999 - 76%

Employment Patterns

Employment of graduates at six months after program completion is as follows:

Class of 2001 - 100% (at time of graduation)
Class of 2000 - 100%
Class of 1999 - 100%
Class of 1998 - 100%

Standardized Testing

The Mosby Assess Test is administered prior to graduation. It is a comprehensive examination that measures nursing behaviors, focus of care, clinical areas and client needs. The test identifies strengths and weaknesses as the student prepares for the NCLEX-RN. The performance of the last three classes is as follows:

Class of 2001 - 1 point above the mean of the National Norm Group
Class of 2000 - 2 points below the mean of the National Norm Group
Class of 1999 - 2 points below the mean of the National Norm Group

Graduate And Employer Satisfaction

Parallel studies of recent Citizens General Hospital Graduates and their employers showed that graduates were satisfied with the education they received at the School of Nursing. Both graduates and their employers responded that the graduates were well prepared for entry level nursing practice.

Campus Security Statement

Citizens School of Nursing, consisting of a single building, is located in a residential area. The School is not aware of, and does not recognize, any other building or property that may be controlled by student organizations. The AKMC, Allegheny Valley Hospital is located in Natrona Heights, PA, is approximately four (4) miles from the school.

There has not been a reported instance or any known occurrence of an arrest for any of the following criminal offenses for the last three reporting years:

  1. Murder/Negligent, Non-Negligent Manslaughter
  2. Rape (Forcible And Non-Forcible Sex Offenses)
  3. Aggravated Assault
  4. Motor Vehicle Theft
  5. Robbery
  6. Arson

There was one arrest for assault/harassment on Citizens General Hospital premises not involving students or Citizens General Hospital employees in August 1999.

There was one arrest for burglary.

Also, there have been no known arrests occurring on campus for the last three reporting years for the following crimes:

  1. Liquor Law Violations
  2. Drug Abuse Violations
  3. Weapons Possessions

The yearly statistical report, which also contains policies related to security and safety, drugs and alcohol, and sexual assault is on file in the School of Nursing Office and available upon request.

The School has developed and implemented policies and procedures to facilitate the reporting and documentation of any criminal activity such as listed above.

The Director of Security of AKMC, Allegheny Valley Hospital, has full authority for enforcing safety and security policies and practices at the school. In addition, the Director of Security maintains close working relationships with both local and state police agencies in the event that immediate assistance is required for either emergency or investigative services.

The School has adopted policies to insure that all students and employees are informed regarding safety and security measures. Special programs are conducted relative to drug and alcohol abuse, rape and sexual assault, the incidence of violent crimes and other forms of abuse. Policies concerning safety and security are published in the student handbook.