Education

To apply to The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing, follow these Instructions for Applicants, including reading the Disclosure Statements for the most recent year. The Class of 2015 School Calendar, for Nursing Courses only, is also provided.

Instructions for Applicants

Follow these steps to apply to The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing.

1. Complete the Application for Admissions to The Western Pennsylvania Hospital and Clarion University of Pa. The Application for Admissions is available from the School (4900 Friendship Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15224), by e-mailing sonadmissions@wpahs.org, or download the Application for Admissions form in Adobe Acrobat Reader and print out (both sides). 

    

2. Read the Disclosure Statements in the next section regarding Retention and cohort completion rates, Achievement on standardized tests, Number of graduates, NCLEX-RN pass rates, Graduate employment rate, Criminal acts and licensure in Pennsylvania, Higher Education Opportunity Act data, and Campus crime security data.

    

3. Sign and date the Application for Admissions.

    

4. Enclose the non-refundable fee of $50 in the form of a check or money order made payable to "The Western Pennsylvania Hospital”. This fee is for application to both the West Penn Hospital School of Nursing and Clarion University.

    

5. Send the completed and signed Application for Admissions with the fee to:

   Admissions Office
   The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing
   4900 Friendship Avenue
   Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15224

    

6. Request that the following materials be sent directly to the School of Nursing:  

   A. Official high school transcript or G.E.D. scores, as applicable. Request the school to include:

   • Cumulative GPA and
   • Graduation class rank

   B. Official transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions.

   C. SAT scores (if not printed on high school transcript).

   D. A minimum of two (2) completed School of Nursing Reference for Admission forms. The Reference for Admission form may be obtained by visiting or mailing The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing (4900 Friendship Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15224), by e-mailing sonadmissions@wpahs.org, or download the Reference Form in Adobe Acrobat Reader to print out (both sides):

   • The reference forms should be completed by individuals such as teachers, counselors, employers, nurses, or clergy. References should not be from relatives, friends, or acquaintances.
   • Ask those to whom you give the Reference for Admission forms to complete the form as soon as possible to facilitate the application process.
   • The completed forms must be returned directly to the School of Nursing.

Disclosure Statements 2012

The following statistical information is provided to all prospective students of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, Pa. Information is current as of August 2012, except as noted.

Please read this information before signing your Application for Admissions to The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing.

Retention and Cohort Completion Rates
The retention rate (% of students who completed the program) for the Class of 2011 is 73%. Reasons for leaving the program are academic and personal. The cohort completion rate (% of students pursuing post-secondary education for the first time who completed the program) for the Class of 2011 is 74%.

Achievement on Standardized Tests
The results of achievement on standardized tests administered during the program are on file and are available upon request.

Number of Graduates
The number of graduates as of June 2012 is 5905.

NCLEX-RN Pass Rates
Pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for graduates of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing (SON) as compared with that year's Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing average (PA Average) for all Pennsylvania schools of nursing are shown in the table that follows:

Graduate Employment Rate
The employment rate for members of the Class of 2011 who passed the NCLEX-RN, 6 months after graduation, was 95%.

Criminal Acts and Licensure in Pennsylvania
Involvement in criminal acts may prohibit licensure in Pennsylvania as determined by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. As stated in the Professional Nursing Law Act of 1951, P.L. 317, No. 69 as amended:

"The Board shall not issue a license or certificate to an applicant who has been convicted of a felonious act prohibited by the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L. 233, No. 64), known as 'The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act,' or convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance in a court of law of the United States or any other state, territory or country unless:

• at least ten (10) years have elapsed from the date of conviction;

• the applicant satisfactorily demonstrates to the Board that he has made significant progress in personal rehabilitation since the conviction such that licensure of the applicant should not be expected to create a substantial risk of harm to the health and safety of patients or the public or a substantial risk of further criminal violations; and

• the applicant otherwise satisfies the qualifications contained in or authorized by this Act.

As used in this subsection the term 'convicted' shall include a judgment, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere.....(6 amended Dec. 15, 1986, P.L. 1607, No. 179)."

Higher Education Opportunity Act Data
As required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act section 488(a), The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing discloses the following information for the school year 2010-2011:

Number of students who completed the program  = 47
Number of students who completed the program with a Pell grant = 17
Number of students who completed the program with any student loan debt = 29
     Median federal student loan debt = $12,000
     Median private student loan debt = $21,000
     Median institutional loan debt = $0
Normal program completion time = 22 months
Number/percentage of students who completed the program in the normal time = 42/89%

Total number of students who received a federal Pell grant = 45

•  % of total students who were male = 11%
•  % of total students who were female = 89%

Total students' ethnicity:

• White = 96%
• African-American = 2%
• Hispanic/Asian = 2%
• African-American/White = 0%
• American Indian/Alaskan Native = 0%

Fire Safety Data
Listed below are the reasons for activation of the fire alarms in the School of Nursing building in 2011 to 2012:

• Cooking incidents = 5
• Steam-released-caused = 5
• Smoke detector malfunction = 2
• Other = 4

Campus Crime Security Data
The Campus Crime Security Data for the most recent year (2011) are as follows for the campus of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pa. ("Hospital Campus") and for the School of Nursing building ("Residence"): 

Class of 2015 School Calendar

The following calendar lists Nursing Courses only for school years 2013 through 2015 for students admitted to the Class of 2015 at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, Pa.

2013-2014 Nursing Courses Only
(for college courses, refer to Clarion University Calendar)

2014-2015 Nursing Courses Only
(for college courses, refer to Clarion University Calendar)

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