All new graduate students are required to submit to a Background Check and a Drug Screen, as well as submit all medical documentation through www.CastleBranch.com. All MSN students will use the NV37 code to order the Drug Screen, Background Check and Medical Records Manager

We are able to accept results from www.CastleBranch.com only. Therefore, if you submit your Drug Screen to an unauthorized lab, you will be required to pay for a second Drug Screen through an authorized lab. Please follow the instructions carefully.

Your Background Check must be completed first. After you pay for and submit the Background Check, you will be provided with the necessary information to complete your Drug Screen. It is recommended that you begin this process immediately to avoid any possible delays.

The Medical Records Manager in CastleBranch is a document tracker which provides secure online storage for all of your important medical documents.  At the end of the online order process you will be prompted to upload specific documents required by the University of South Alabama College of Nursing for immunizations, licensures, and medical and certification records. Your school’s administrator can securely view your results online with their unique username and password.If you have any additional questions, please contact CastleBranch Service Desk at 888-914-7279 or email https://www.castlebranch.com/contact-us 

You will order your background check, drug screen and Medical Records Manager here:  https://www.CastleBranch.com  We will receive a copy of your results directly from the company; therefore, you are not required to wait and send the results to us.

The package code is:

NV37 – for residents of all states

If you are a current USA student or recently graduated from a program in the USA College of Nursing, please contact the College of Nursing Admissions Office at congradapp@southalabama.edu to determine if any portion of this requirement has already been met  before you order the package code for the Background Check, Drug Screen, and Medical Records Manager.

POLICY AND PROCEDURES
The curriculum at the College of Nursing includes, as a condition of admission to the Professional Component of the College of Nursing, each student be required to have a background check, and to submit, as requested, to additional checks once enrolled in the Professional Component.  The College of Nursing must certify to clinical agencies where students practice that each student has had an acceptable background screen.

BACKGROUND CHECKS UPON ADMISSION TO THE PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT
Students selected for admission to the Professional Component of the College of Nursing are admitted pending the background check.  Admission will be withdrawn for students who in the judgment of the Dean and the Admissions Committee have been convicted of or have pending a charge that would not be acceptable to our clinical agencies.

PROCEDURE FOR BACKGROUND CHECK
Students selected for admission to the Professional Component will be notified of the procedure to follow for the background check in their letter of admission.  Students will be required to follow the procedures established by the College.  The background check will be conducted by a qualified agency using established methods and procedures.  Confidentiality of the student will be protected.

BACKGROUND CHECK AFTER ADMISSION
Background testing for any student in the Professional Component can be requested by the College of Nursing at any time.  Refusal by a student to submit to the check will result in that student's dismissal from the Professional Component of the College of Nursing.  Depending upon results of the background check, continued participation in the program will be at the discretion of the Dean.

ADMISSION/READMISSION AFTER AN ADVERSE BACKGROUND CHECK
A student whose admission is withdrawn or who is dismissed from the Professional Component of the College of Nursing due to adverse findings from a background check will be considered for readmission on a case-by-case basis depending upon the particular situation.

I understand that as a requirement for admission to the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, I must submit to a background check of which the results will be provided to the Dean of the College of Nursing. I understand that I may be denied admission to the College of Nursing Professional Component if the background check is unfavorable. I further understand that I will be subject to background checks while enrolled in the USA College of Nursing. Any adverse findings may result in dismissal from the College of Nursing.

Procedure Statement
The mission of the USA College of Nursing is to provide educational programs to a diverse student body, to participate in research and scholarly activities, and to provide service to the University, the profession, and the public. The College accomplishes this by providing a caring, engaging environment for the empowerment of student learning potential, the professional development of faculty, and the promotion of the nursing profession. Therefore, in order to uphold the highest standards of the nursing profession, the College of Nursing has adopted a drug-free environment. As a condition of admission to the professional component of the College of Nursing, each student will be required to submit to a drug test, and to submit, as requested, to additional tests once enrolled in the professional component. The University of South Alabama Statement of Policy regarding drug use is the foundation for this policy statement. However, the USA College of Nursing Drug Policy and Procedure Statement is particular to this College.

Procedure for Drug Screening
Students selected for admission to the professional component will be notified of the procedure to follow for the drug screen in their letter of admission. Students will be required to follow the procedures established by the College and should not obtain a drug screen prior to being notified. All costs associated with screening are the responsibility of the student.

Screens will be conducted by a qualified laboratory using established methods and procedures. Confidentiality of the student as well as the integrity of the urine sample will be protected. The procedure for collection is determined by the collection site. The collection site’s procedure is determined by Federal laws. A drug test will be presumed positive if any of the drugs listed in Exhibit A (attached hereto) are found. Presumed positives will be confirmed by a second test from the original urine sample. If the test is positive, the available evidence, including health history, will be used to determine the presence or absence of drug abuse. The screening laboratory will notify the Dean of the College of Nursing or designee with screen results. The College of Nursing will ensure confidentiality of results by making the information available only to the student and appropriate College of Nursing Administrators. Students performing clinical rotations are subject to the policies of the clinical agency. Many clinical agencies do not accept dilute negative or inconclusive urine drug screen results.

Drug Screening After Admission
Drug screening for any student in the professional component can be requested by the College of Nursing. The cost of this drug screen will be borne by the College of Nursing. The procedure for screening as described in the above section, Drug Screening Procedure, will be followed. Refusal by a student to submit to screening will result in that student’s dismissal from the professional component of the College of Nursing. A student with a positive result from a drug screen will be dismissed from the professional component, and referred for counseling at the University of South Alabama Substance Education/Prevention Center (USA-SAEPC). Other appropriate disciplinary action may be initiated as necessary.

Any student who voluntarily reports that they have a chemical dependency problem will be counseled by the Dean’s office at the College of Nursing. Conditions, if any, for continued participation in the program will be at the discretion of the Dean. The student will submit to drug screens as requested by the College of Nursing and will be dismissed if a positive drug test is obtained.

Admission/Readmission

A student whose admission is withdrawn or who is dismissed from the professional component of the College of Nursing due to a positive drug screen will be considered for readmission if the following conditions are met:

1.  Submit to an evaluation for substance abuse by a College of Nursing approved evaluation and/or treatment agency and complete the prescribed treatment program (USAA students should call the USA Substance Education/Prevention Center at 251-460-7980 for an evaluation).

2.  Submission to a drug screen prior to admission/readmission. This drug screen will be at the student’s expense. A positive drug screen will result in ineligibility for admission/readmission.

3.  Submission to follow-up drug screens as requested by the College of Nursing after admittance to the professional component. A positive drug screen will result in permanent dismissal from the College of Nursing.

The Medical Professional Panel Drug Screens includes common street drugs and those drugs which health care workers have access to and abuse. Drugs monitored include:

EXHIBIT A
Amphetamines
Barbiturates
Benzodiazepines
Cannabinoid
Carboxy THC GC/MS Conf
Cocaine (Metabolic)
Creatinine  
Meperidine
Methadone
Opiates
Oxycodone/Oxymorphone, Urine
Phencyclidine
Propoxyphene
Tramadol

I understand that as a requirement for admission to the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, I must have a drug test at a designated laboratory, which will provide the results of the test to the Dean of the College of Nursing. I understand that if the test result is positive, I will be denied admission to the College of Nursing Professional Component.

I further understand that I will be subject to drug tests while enrolled in the USA College of Nursing. A positive drug test or refusal to submit to testing will result in dismissal from the College of Nursing.

The College of Nursing requires documentation from students verifying immunizations, physical examination, health insurance, certifications, and nursing license, as well as a statement of continued health responsibility, communicable disease statement and waiver of liability, and HIPAA and OSHA training certifications. Students are required to provide this information through www.CastleBranch.com. Students selected for admission to the professional component of the College of Nursing are admitted contingent on the required documentation being submitted as outlined on the Clinical Affairs Department Health Requirements Web Page at http://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/con/clinical/healthrequirements.html. Failure to submit all documentation is cause for immediate withdrawal from the program. The College of Nursing Administration has the right to provide the student’s Castlebranch summary report or individual documents directly to a clinical facility.

Students accepted into the graduate programs will attend a mandatory New Student Orientation. The New Student Orientation is located on USAOnline as a Virtual Orientation Site (VOS).  The orientation will include modules providing information for our online program. The Summer 2021 New Student VOS will open on April 19, 2021. This orientation is strongly recommended for all new students.

The Course Coordinators will provide a separate specialty specific orientation after the beginning of the semester. Please watch your jagmail account for more details on the specialty orientation.

Students in the BSN-MSN and RN-MSN  will start specialty courses as indicated on their curriculum schedules. These courses begin in the fall semester and students are required to follow the curriculum schedule as given to them upon admission to be eligible to begin the specialty courses.  Students who drop, withdraw, or are on Academic Probation, may be required to delay entrance into the specialty portion of the program.

Students are required to contact their academic advisor at congradapp@southalabama.edu if they make any changes to their curriculum schedule.

Students are able to progress from one clinical course to the next clinical course in succession by meeting the objectives of the course and exhibiting clinical performance at the level required for that specific course.

Clinical progression may not be allowed, and remediation may be recommended, if one or more of the following occurs:

1. Failure to meet specific clinical objectives of course;
2. Preceptor Clinical Evaluation of less than 80% at the end of the clinical rotation;
3. Final Faculty Clinical Evaluation of less than 80% at the end of each semester;
4. Inadequate student clinical performance during or at the end of the semester determined in consultation with other faculty, preceptor, agency, or others involved in the clinical preparation of student.

Students who require remediation may be assigned additional clinical hours. An individualized plan will be developed with the number of hours and course requirements to be determined by faculty. The student will have a "P" symbol recorded for the course and will register and pay for a remediation clinical course the following semester. A student will not be allowed to progress to the next clinical course until a grade is assigned for the remediation clinical course.

BSN-MSN

Students in the BSN to MSN must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 to remain in the program. Any term in which a student’s overall GPA drops below a 3.0, the student is placed on probationary status and has a period of two (2) terms to attain a program GPA of 3.0 or be dismissed.  A maximum of two (2) courses with a grade of “C” can be counted toward a degree; however, only one (1) “C” is permitted in a support or specialization course.  If a second “C” or lower is earned in a support (NU 518, NU 545, NU 578) or specialization course, the course in which the second “C” or lower is obtained must be repeated before a student may move forward with a specialty course. All corresponding specialty clinical and didactic courses must be taken in sequence.  A third “C” or lower will result in academic dismissal from the program.  Two (2) courses with a grade of “F” will result in academic dismissal. Degree requirements will not be fulfilled by a grade lower than a “C”.  The final outcome of the DNP Project Planning and Development course is “pass/fail”.  Students failing the course twice will be academically dismissed.

A student who has been academically dismissed is not eligible for readmission to the CON graduate programs. Failure to comply with legal, moral, and ethical standards required for licensure as a registered nurse/advance practice nurse merits immediate dismissal from the program.  

Regulations from clinical affiliates require the College of Nursing to know where our students live while in the Graduate Programs.  Students are required to update their address in PAWS should they move during their program.  If a student is in a clinical course, they should inform their faculty that they are moving so their clinical affiliation agreement can be updated.

Students can update their addresses by visiting PAWS (www.paws.southalabama.edu), selecting Personal Information and following Update Address(es) and Phone(s). Students may also update this information by providing a written change of address request to the Office of the Registrar. The written change of address requests must include your name, student ID or social security number (voluntary), your signature, your new address (please indicate if this is your permanent or local address), and your telephone number.

Students in a Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Geron CNS program are required to attend mandatory Clinical Skills Intensives (CSI) on the main campus.  The CSI includes basic skills workshops, simulation labs, and clinical exams. Students not progressing through the specialty courses in sequence are required to retake the Clinical Skills Intensive before returning to complete the specialty courses if they are not actively enrolled in specialty courses for one year or longer.

Students in the specialty component of a Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Geron CNS program are required to order Typhon, to log in their clinical documentation.

Introduction:


All incoming graduate nursing students are required to purchase a computer that conforms to the current college minimum standards by the time classes begin.  Below is the 2019-2020 list of minimal computer capabilities necessary for enrollment in the graduate program of nursing at the University of South Alabama, College of Nursing. Students will additionally be required to meet basic software requirements identified below.


The minimum 2019-2020 computer expectations are as follows:


1. Wireless capabilities: Wi-Fi (if purchasing a laptop)
2. Installed Memory Size: 4GB (minimum)
3. Hard Drive: 250 GB or larger
4. Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 (or newer version) or macOS 10.13 High Sierra (or newer).
a Windows RT and Windows 10 S (Silver) are not acceptable alternatives for an operating system.
b Android, Chrome, Linux, Apple iOS (Apple’s mobile operating system for tablets and phones), or a bootstrapped version of Windows on macOS are not acceptable alternatives for an operating system.
5. Traditional laptops with a touchscreen are acceptable.
a Hybrid laptops, 2-in1s, or tablets are not acceptable
6. Ethernet connection/receptacle
7. Built-in or external Web Camera
8. Built-in or external Microphone


** Hybrid laptops and 2-in-1s are laptops that function as laptops with keyboards that can be converted into tablets by removing or bending back the keyboard.

NOTE:
- Due to a recent policy change, the University of South Alabama’s College of Nursing is allowing graduate students to use macOS based computers starting in the spring of 2019.
- All specifications are subject to be updated periodically, as the capabilities of technology advance, so students should review these specifications just prior to entry into the graduate nursing program.
 

PC Support Statement:


Current technologies used by the College of Nursing are not supported by Apple iOS or Linux based computers. Therefore, a personal computer (PC) based computer running a Microsoft Windows 10 or macOS 10.13 Sierra (or newer) is required. No remedy or support can be provided by the College of Nursing should a student choose to use a computer running an operating system not supported by the above requirements.


Required Software Statement:


In order to maintain consistency across the curriculum, it is necessary to require the use of common software by all faculty and students. This practice helps ensure all students are able to complete required tasks with minimal technical difficulty.


Below are the general requirements that apply to all students in the nursing programs. It should be noted that individual courses or sub-specialties may add to this requirement as necessary.


• Microsoft Office Standard 2016, 2019 or Office 365
o University of South Alabama students can obtain a free version of Office 365 from the South Alabama website by signing up with their school email. Just follow this link to get started: https://www.southalabama.edu/msoffice
• Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
oDownload instructions can be provided upon request.


Internet Connection:


A cable modem or DSL connection is required. The use of dial-up or satellite internet service may not provide appropriate speed for the online learning and testing environments. Hotspots also may not provide appropriate speed or a stable enough connection for testing.


Suggested purchase: Headphones with built-in microphone.




For questions related to these technology requirements, please email
helpdesk@southalabama.edu or call: 251-460-6161.

Students follow the progression policies for the MSN Pathway for BSN-prepared RN's.  The Post-Graduate Certificates Program must be completed within 2 years from the semester the specialty option coursework begins.

The University of South Alabama is required to provide the following statements to Washington State students upon enrollment:


State of Washington Department of Health Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission: The University of South Alabama is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission to provide practice experiences in the state of Washington for RN-BSN, MSN and DNP programs. For more information go to this website link: http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/NursingCommission/NursingProg rams.aspx

The University of South Alabama College of Nursing (USACON), as a member of the community of scholars represented by the University at large, adheres to the guidelines for academic integrity set forth in the University’s publication, The Lowdown. According to The Lowdown, ensuring honesty and competence in academic work is the responsibility of both students and faculty. All students, faculty, and staff are responsible for acquainting themselves with, adhering to, and promoting policies governing academic conduct.

As stated in The Lowdown, academic misconduct is incompatible with the standards of the academic community. Such acts are viewed as moral and intellectual offenses and are subject to investigation and disciplinary action through due process of established University procedures. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to, activities such as giving or receiving unauthorized aid on examinations, improperly obtaining a copy of an examination, plagiarism, misrepresentation of information, or altering transcripts or university records. Penalties for academic misconduct may range from the loss of credit for a particular assignment to dismissal from the University. More information regarding procedures for resolution of matters of academic misconduct may be found in The Lowdown at http://www.southalabama.edu/departments/studentaffairs/lowdown/.
 
In addition to the general standards of academic conduct expected of the University at large, the USACON recognizes and accepts its specific obligation, as a member of the professional community of nursing, to create and maintain an environment that is supportive of the growth of virtues and excellences necessary for fulfillment of individual and collective ethical obligations of all nurses, regardless of professional role (American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses [ANACEN], Provision 6). Furthermore, the USACON faculty recognize and accept their obligation to create and maintain an environment which insures safe and effective health care to the public. To that end, the USACON has adopted an Honor Code, the specific basis of which is found in the ANACEN, as a succinct statement of the special obligations incumbent on nurses with respect to academic conduct. The USACON’s Honor Code is consistent with the Honor Code of the ANACEN, thus the USACON faculty believe that a commitment to upholding the Honor Code is a justifiable condition of enrollment. Students will affirm commitment to the Honor Code by signing a copy of the Honor Code during the first semester of enrollment in the professional component. Students may be required to reaffirm commitment to the Honor Code by signing an abbreviated statement as part of completion of any graded assignment or exam.

The USACON Honor Code is intended to be a systematic description of the basis for and descriptions of conduct that is deemed honorable for the student nurse. Honor, in general, is a commitment to excel in the achievement of virtue, to adhere to core values, and to do what is right. The American Nurses Association, in Provision 6.1 of the Code of Ethics for Nurses, provides relevant background for identifying habits of character that are central values for nurses and thus can be said to be attributes of honor in a nurse. “Virtues are habits of character that predispose persons to meet their moral obligations; that is, to do what is right. Excellences are habits of character that predispose a person to do a job particularly well.”

Students adhere to the Honor Code by abstaining from dishonest, deceitful, or fraudulent conduct, and by taking appropriate action to confront dishonest, deceitful, or fraudulent conduct in others when aware of such behavior.

Examples of Honor Code violations include but are not limited to the following:

Giving or receiving unauthorized aid on tests and examinations. Unauthorized aid may involve:
•  providing or developing written or recorded notes of specific exam questions after taking an exam
•  giving or receiving unauthorized assistance or working in groups while  taking  online quizzes, exams, or other assignments (this includes, but is not limited to, use of unauthorized written notations or prompts of any sort, and of unauthorized tactile, audio, or electronic memory prompts)
•  observing another student’s work or revealing one’s own work to another student during any exam
•  obtaining, reproducing, and/or  distributing a  partial  or  full  copy of  any assignment or examination without written consent from faculty
•  using  exam  material received from  others,  without  faculty verification that  use  of  the material has been approved

Misrepresenting information includes:
•  plagiarism
•  submitting work that was completed by another person or persons
•  falsifying or fabricating clinical experiences
•  altering transcripts or university records
•  charting or reporting assessments, treatments, or medications that were not performed or administered
•  calling in sick for clinical under false pretenses

Violating  the  Health  Insurance  Portability  and  Accountability  Act  (breaching  a  patient’s  right  to confidentiality)

Reporting to the clinical area under the influence of any substance, whether prescribed or illicit, that may interfere with the cognitive and/or physical ability to render safe patient care
Removing hospital or patient property from the premises or its rightful location
 
The student nurse acknowledges and accepts the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANACEN) as:

“a succinct statement of the ethical obligations and duties of every individual entering the profession of nursing,”

“the profession’s non-negotiable ethical standard,”

 “an expression of nursing’s own understanding of its commitment to society.”

The  student  nurse  accepts  the  imperative  that  academic  conduct  be  consistent  with  the  ethical obligations and duties of the profession in general as spelled out in the ANACEN:

Provision 3 – “take appropriate action regarding any instances of incompetent, unethical, illegal, or impaired practice.”

Provision 4 – “accept and retain accountability and responsibility for the quality of practice and conformity to standards of care.”

Provision 5 – “preserve integrity and safety, maintain competence, preserve wholeness of character, and continue personal and professional growth.”

The student acknowledges that a consequence of academic misconduct may be exposure of patients to unsafe and incompetent health care from unqualified individuals.

The student accepts that academic conduct involving dishonesty, deceit, or fraud is contrary to the ANACEN and that such conduct may jeopardize the student’s enrollment in the College of Nursing.

The student pledges to abstain from dishonest, deceitful, or fraudulent academic conduct and to report suspected observations or knowledge of such conduct to faculty.

Policy: Statement regarding the use of smart phones, social networking sites, and other online applications.

Purpose: Social and business networking sites (e.g. My Space, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and others) are increasingly used for instant and far reaching communication. Online venues allow for greater collaboration but can also contribute to crossing privacy, confidentiality, and professional boundaries. Privacy and confidentiality between health care providers and the patient is imperative; access to sensitive and legally protected health information must be safeguarded from unlawful or inappropriate release that could compromise the patient, health care providers, and the University. Unprofessional behavior may impair the health care provider’s ability to become licensed, practice, and/or participate in a position of trust/responsibility in the community. The intent of this policy is to set guidelines for appropriate use of online resources as they relate to nursing education at the University of South Alabama (USA).

Policy:

Health care providers must adhere to the following:

a.  Please refer to the specific course syllabus for the cell phone use policy of each course. If the use of cell phones in the clinical setting is permitted:

Personal calls should not be initiated and/or received in patient care areas, public service areas, within the view of patients or visitors.  Ring tones and alerts should be set to vibrate or silent mode.  Wireless headsets may not be used.

b. The use of personal entertainment devices, i.e. MP3 players, DVD players, cell phone entertainment features, cell phone texting, personal laptop, etc., are not allowed on patient care areas, public service areas, or within view of patients or visitors.

c. Devices must not produce electromagnetic interference (EMI) with biomedical equipment.

d. All material posted on the Internet via email, social media, or otherwise, be considered public and permanent; published information cannot be recovered. Be aware that your relationship to USA and the College of Nursing can be discovered on the Internet without including a specific reference to your USA affiliation in any post. Individuals must consider the content to be posted and the message it sends about them, their profession, and USA.  USA reserves the right to request that certain subjects be avoided and that individuals withdraw certain posts as well as remove inappropriate comments.

e. Individuals should use separate personal and professional social networking accounts. For personal activity, the use of a non-USA email address as your primary means of contact is required.

f. Interacting with any current or former patient on any social networking site or checking patient profiles on social networking sites is prohibited.

g. University computers should only be accessed to complete patient care related activities. Privacy is compromised when using institutional computers.

h. The individual is responsible for the content of his/her own internet and social media blogs/posts, pictures, etc. including but not limited to any legal liability incurred (defamation, harassment, obscenity, privacy issues regarding students or patients, etc).

i.  The tone and content of all electronic conversations should remain professional. Respect among colleagues and co-workers must occur in an interprofessional environment.

j. Do not post any content that is inappropriate. Inappropriate content includes, but is not limited to, material that is obscene, defamatory, profane, libelous, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, or embarrassing to another person or entity.

Patient Information
Identifiable protected health information (PHI) must never be posted on the Internet. This applies even if no one other than a patient is able to identify him/herself from the posted information.  Health care providers much adhere to all Health Information Patient Privacy Act (HIPPA) principles. Patient images may be obtained and transmitted only with written consent per the host facility policy. Patient images may only be obtained and transmitted on institutional equipment and never on personal equipment.

Providing Medical Advice
Medical advice on a social networking site should never be provided.

Privacy Settings
Health care providers should consider setting privacy at the highest level on all social networking sites.

The policy is not meant to discourage the use of innovative technologies, but to provide guidance and heighten the awareness of health care professionals associated with this University to the potential risks and consequences associated with technology.  The Social Media Policy applies to all students, staff, and faculty.  Violations of this policy or any USA computer or information privacy policies or laws will lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal/termination and/or legal action.