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Nursing Endorsement Programs

Nursing Education and Nursing Administration Endorsement Programs Description

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences endeavors to provide curricula that encourage individuals to pursue Christ-centered excellence in their nursing vocation as the future needs of the nursing profession come into view. The Nursing Education and Nursing Administration endorsement programs fit with the university’s mission to provide Christ-centered higher education that promotes excellence and character development in service to Church and society.

These programs provide an alternative for students who do not have the resources or desire/interest to complete an MSN or a post-graduate certificate (PGC). The Nursing endorsement programs will serve to develop nurse educators and leaders for the future by providing opportunities for practicing nurses with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to achieve higher levels of education and training in order to expand their career opportunities. For example, bedside nurses or APRNs who would like to move into academia will benefit from education courses. Those who would like to move into administration or healthcare leadership will benefit from nursing administration courses. 

Mission Statement

To prepare graduates for advanced professional nursing practice with specific functional and clinical abilities.

Program Outcomes

The nursing education endorsement prepares nurses for educator positions in various settings such as staff development, patient  education, schools, and colleges. The nursing administration endorsement prepares nurses for a variety of administrative and leadership positions in health care delivery systems.

Schedule

Endorsement programs consist of nine credit hours of core coursework. Core courses are offered online in the fall and spring, each with an optional two-credit hour clinical practicum that requires in-person clinical time with a preceptor. Practicums may require a time commitment of more than one day per week to meet the minimum number of required clinical hours.

Admission Requirements:

  1. Completed Union University College of Nursing and Health Science supplemental application with application fee of $50.
  2. Completion of an ACEN or CCNE accredited and stateapproved nursing program according to track specific options. Applicants with a previously earned bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing must complete or show evidence of completion of the designated courses for the specific track or program.
  3. Last 60 hours GPA 2.8 on 4.0 scale (minimum).

    Calculation of GPA for the last 60 hours will occur as follows:
    • The grades used to calculate the 60 hours GPA will be the most recent, and exactly 60 hours will be included in the calculation.  If a partial semester must be utilized, the course with the highest grade will be chosen, and the number of hours needed will be multiplied by the grade.  For example, if 2 hours are needed to complete the 60, and the applicant has a 3 hour course in which they earned an A, 8 points will be added (2 x 4 = 8).
    • If an applicant re-took a course, the higher grade will be used in the calculation; the lower grade will not count in the calculation at all.
    • Plus and minus grades will be considered as standard A, B, C, etc.  For example, an A+ and an A- will both be a assigned 4 quality points per credit hour.
  4. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions must be submitted. Transcripts must be received in a sealed envelope from all previous academic institutions attended.
  5. Proof of current unencumbered RN licensure in state of residence and eligible for licensure as an RN in Tennessee.
  6. Applicants from a country where the native language is not English may be required to show proof of English proficiency with scores no lower than 105 on the DuoLingo English Proficiency test.
  7. Three letters of professional/academic reference specifying the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study. One letter of reference must be from the applicant’s current supervisor.
  8. Cleared criminal background check and drug screen.

Students admitted to the program must have and maintain while in the program:

  1. Current CPR certification
  2. Evidence of Hepatitis B, MMR, and tetanus vaccination (TDaP unless TD within the past 2 years)
  3. Proof of 2 Varicella vaccinations or positive antibody  titer (If titer is negative, student must repeat the 2 vaccine series.
  4. Freedom from tuberculosis as evidenced by a negative PPD, negative QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus , or negative chest x-ray.
  5. Health insurance

Academic Standards, Requirements for Progression, Probation, and Dismissal

Students must maintain an overall B average. After completion of 9 graduate hours at Union University, a graduate student whose cumulative GPA from courses completed at Union University for graduate credit is below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. A student placed on academic probation has one semester to increase his or her cumulative GPA to 3.0 or greater to be removed from a probationary status. If the student fails to increase his or her cumulative GPA to or greater during the following semester, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program.

Students will also be dismissed without opportunity for probation if they:

  • Receive an “F” (i.e., any grade below a “C”) in any course
  • Receive more than two “C”s in any non-track specific courses.

Students must make a grade of B or higher in all track specific and 700-level courses (excluding pass/fail courses) in order to progress in or graduate from the graduate nursing program.

The program faculty recognize that situations may arise which prevent students from successfully matriculating through the program. Students who are concerned about their academic standing should contact their advisor. If it appears the student may not be able to achieve a minimum passing grade in a course, they may be encouraged by the appropriate Program Chair to withdraw from the program. This can potentially prevent the student from acquiring an F on their Union University transcript if the dropped class occurs prior to the deadline listed on the academic calendar (“last day to drop a class”). All students who withdraw or who are academically dismissed from the program can reapply for admission. However, readmission is not guaranteed.

Financial Information

Tuition is $685 per semester hour for post-graduate programs and $1,030 for post-graduate DNP programs. Full payment for a term is expected at the time of registration for classes.

General Student fee: $34/credit hr.

Any combination of the following payment methods is available:

  1. Check, cash, or credit card.
  2. Employer reimbursement.
  3. FACTS (and electronic monthly draft from a savings or checking account).

The cost of books is approximately $150 per course.

All financial information is subject to change without notice.

Employer Tuition Reimbursement Policies

  1. The student is responsible for providing information to the university regarding his/her employer’s policies for reimbursement.
  2. If the employer reimburses the student directly, the student must pay the university in full at the time of registration for classes.
  3. If the employer provides partial reimbursement directly to the university, the student must pay his/her portion of the tuition at the time of registration.
  4. The university will provide any required information to an employer when requested by the student.

Endorsement Program Completion Requirements

  1. Must demonstrate evidence of completion of a BSN through an accredited BSN Program.
  2. Successful completion of the specialty curriculum for selected nursing endorsement program
  3. Pay in full the student’s account in the Business Office.
  4. Discharge all other obligations (fines, credentials, fees, etc.) at the University.

 

Nursing Administration Endorsement—9 hours

Nursing Education Endorsement—9 hours