Upon successful completion of the nursing curriculum, students will have acquired the knowledge and skills to establish eligibility for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) required to become licensed as a Registered Nurse. Upon licensure, graduates will have a reasonable opportunity to secure employment in the nursing field.

The Nursing curriculum consists of a theory and clinical component and is designed to prepare the graduate for a beginning staff position in a variety of health care settings. Upon successful completion of the required courses in the Nursing concentration, an Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded.

The Nursing program is approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326. The Department and the College hold agency membership in the National League for Nursing, National League for Nursing Council of Associate Degree Programs, National Organization of Associate Degree Nursing and the Southern Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing.

This program is not designed for transfer, although many institutions accept all or part of the course work toward a bachelor’s degree.

Students presenting with nursing course work which was completed more than four years previously will be required to repeat the course work. A transition curriculum is available for LPNs.

Faculty policy statements concerning attendance, grading, progression and professional dress requirements are available upon request. In addition to tuition, fees and books, students will incur other expenses such as uniforms, lab skills kit, a watch that indicates seconds and testing preparation packages. Transportation to class and clinical is the responsibility of the student.

Two different sequences are available to students who are eligible for the nursing program. The first one consists of four semesters offered predominantly during daytime hours, may include hybrid (on campus and online) coursework and does not include summer nursing coursework.  The second sequence is part-time over six semesters, including hybrid (online and on campus) and summer nursing courses.

The sequences are not interchangeable. Students will not be able to change sequences once admitted.

The sequence of required courses for student nurses and the admissions requirements are listed in the following information. Both sequences may be altered to take general education courses prior to admission to the nursing program. Courses which are not completed prior to admission must be taken before or during the semester scheduled according to the summary of required hours.

To be eligible for admission students must take a nursing admissions exam and pass with an appropriate score (listed in the nursing information packet). This is in addition to current criteria: completing all required learning support courses, equivalent of high school chemistry with a “C” or better and a GPA of 2.75 on required nursing academics. If the entrance exam score is less than required for passing, a student may also be eligible to enter the program if he/she has achieved a 3.0 GPA in all three required science courses (BIOL 2010, BIOL 2020, BIOL 2230)¹ on the initial attempt.

¹Student may only repeat the science courses one time.

Nursing Program Admission Requirements

The Nursing program at Cleveland State Community College (CSCC) is a limited enrollment program. Admission to the program is highly competitive. An applicant scoring tool is used to admit eligible applicants when the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of students that can be admitted. Contact the Nursing Office at 423-478-6228 or 800-604-2722, ext. 228, for more information or visit Nursing Overview.

Nursing Admission and Progression Standards

A.  Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for admission (for LPN transition, see LPN Transition below):

1. Be accepted for admission to Cleveland State Community College and comply with all college requirements.
2. Remove any deficiencies as a result of admission assessment and complete the appropriate learning support courses prior to submitting an application to the Nursing program.
3. Complete a course in high school or college chemistry with a “C” or better prior to admission to the Nursing program and submit transcript to the Nursing Office.
4. Complete an application to the program and submit to the Nursing Office. Application forms are available online. For the day sequence, applications for admission must be received no later than March 1 of the year in which the student desires to enter the Nursing program. Students currently enrolled at CSCC will be given admission priority over transfer students. For the evening part-time sequence, applications for admission must be received no later than September 1, prior to the spring semester in which the student desires to enter the Nursing program. This option is available every other year.
5. Satisfy one of the following four category requirements:

1. High School Graduates:

1. Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above on a 4.0 scale.
2. Should have completed a unit in general science, a unit in biology, a unit in chemistry and two units in algebra prior to admission into the Nursing program.
3. Will be ranked utilizing a high school applicant tool.

2. GED Graduates must establish a college GPA of 2.75 or above on a 4.0 scale on required academic courses for the Nursing program.

1. Should have completed a unit in general science, a unit in biology, a unit in chemistry and two units in algebra prior to admission into the Nursing program.
2. Will be ranked utilizing a high school applicant tool.

6. Must adhere to the schedule specified in the Summary of Required Hours in the Nursing curriculum for courses which are not completed prior to admission to the Nursing program.
7. Science courses may be repeated one time in a five-year period for admission application.
8. Priority admission to the Cleveland State Community College Nursing program is given to current CSCC students.  A current student is defined as a student who has completed a course at CSCC with a passing grade.

B.  Students taking any required course in the Nursing curriculum must make a “C” or better to progress.

1. Grades below “C” will result in ineligibility.

​Grading and Progression Policy
Nursing is an applied science and requires the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, as well as the ability to apply that knowledge. Each nursing course has a classroom component, a skills lab component and a clinical component. The faculty utilizes a variety of methods to assess the learning outcomes of each course. These may include written examinations, quizzes, selected skills lab examinations (check-offs) and the performance of students in the clinical setting, which includes any required written assignment such as: assessments, care plans, concept maps and/or reflection paper(s). Students must successfully pass all three components (classroom or theory component, skills lab and clinical) to pass the course.

Classroom Evaluation
It is necessary to achieve 77% in theory (classroom component).  This grade is comprised primarily of unit exams and a comprehensive final exam.

Skills Lab Evaluation
Each skill check-off must be satisfactorily completed as further described in the course syllabus.  Students who are unsuccessful after the 3rd attempt are required to remediate and practice with a designated faculty/staff member prior to the 4th evaluation attempt.  The 4th attempt will be scheduled with a new evaluator.  Four failures of the same skill will result in an unsatisfactory. If unsuccessful on the 4th attempt, students will have the option to withdraw from the course in accordance with College policy.

Clinical Evaluation
Each student is required to achieve a passing clinical evaluation average of 77% or better in order to pass the clinical component of the course. Unsatisfactory in the clinical component constitutes an “F” in the course. Successful completion of the clinical component of the course is required to progress in the nursing program.

2. Students taking nursing courses must achieve a grade of “C” or above in each course to progress in the program. Students are allowed to repeat one nursing course if a grade less than a “C” is received. A second failure to achieve a “C” or above in the same or any subsequent nursing course will result in dismissal from the respective program.

3. Students making multiple “Ds” and/or “Fs” (two or more) should re-evaluate their professional goals.

3. A maximum of four years is allowed to complete all nursing courses.
4. Students must maintain a current card denoting successful completion of an American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers course while in the Nursing program. Students are required to purchase malpractice insurance through the college at the time of registration.
5. Applicants who are not admitted to the Nursing program and wish to be considered for admission for the subsequent year must reapply. Applicants who do not reapply will not be considered for admission.
6. Health

1. Once conditional admission to the Nursing program has been granted, a student will be required to undergo a physical exam/health verification before final admission to the program. Students will be required, during the course of the program, to demonstrate their physical and/or emotional fitness to meet the essential requirements of the program. Any appraisal measures used to determine such physical and/or emotional fitness will be in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Core performance standards for admission and progression which comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are available from the office of the Nursing Department.
2. The nursing faculty reserve the right to ask a student to submit to further testing during the admission process and throughout the program of study if deemed necessary. Referral and counseling may be recommended.
3. Students will be required to meet all health guidelines of the affiliating clinical agencies. For example, health insurance may be required by some affiliating agencies. Not having health insurance could limit a student’s educational experience. Students are responsible for costs incurred from injury or illness while in the Nursing program.

7. Other 

1. Applicants who have been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation could be ineligible for nursing licensure in the State of Tennessee, even though they may successfully complete the program. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to contact the Tennessee Board of Nursing in order to determine eligibility for licensure.
2. Students are required to undergo a criminal background check prior to clinical experiences. If as a result of a required criminal background check a student is prohibited from a clinical affiliate agency, the student may be dismissed from the program.
3. Applicants who have ever had a nursing or health related license suspended, revoked or denied or been the subject of disciplinary action could be ineligible for nursing licensure in the State of Tennessee, even though they may successfully complete the program. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to contact the Tennessee Board of Nursing in order to determine eligibility for licensure.
4. Students who are admitted to the Nursing program whose use of alcohol or consciousness-altering drugs interferes with their performance of educational activities will be handled in accordance with campus and departmental drug/alcohol policies. Failure to correct the problem will result in termination from the Nursing program.
5. Students will be required to meet all health and safety guidelines of affiliating clinical agencies, including a urine or blood drug, alcohol screen and any additional requirements.
6. Students in the Nursing program will be exposed to latex and may be exposed to blood and other body fluids. Students may also be required to draw blood and perform tests on blood and other body fluids, under supervision, for patients with infectious diseases. Any student refusing assignment to an infectious patient may be subject to dismissal from the program.

Nursing Readmission/Transfer

Students seeking readmission or transfer into the nursing program must meet the admission and progression criteria. Guidelines from the state board of nursing, ACEN and clinical agencies influence the number of student positions available.

A.  Readmission applicants:

1. Must apply to the Nursing program prior to registration for the semester preceding the one in which readmission is desired.
2. Will be considered only once for readmission within one year following unsuccessful academic progression in the Nursing program.
   1. Day Sequence: Day sequence nursing students will be allowed to return to the withdrawn or failed course within one year.  If the student does not return within the one year window, they will be required to reapply to the program and start from the beginning.
   2. Evening Sequence: Because evening sequence courses are only offered once every two years, evening students will not be eligible for readmission.  After a withdrawal or failure, evening sequence students may be eligible to reapply to the Nursing program and start from the beginning if they desire to continue.
3. Readmission to the Nursing program is dependent upon successful completion of the readmission application criteria.
4. The total number of accepted applicants will be on a space-available basis each semester.

B.  Transfer students:

1. Must submit all official transcripts and appropriate course descriptions from the previous school of nursing.
2. Must submit a letter of recommendation from the director of the previous nursing program.
3. Should understand that nursing courses from other programs will be evaluated for transfer credit on an individual basis.
4. Students desiring to transfer nursing courses from another Nursing program must have achieved a minimum grade sufficient to allow progression at that program but not less than a “C” for the course to be eligible for transfer credit. Students should understand that a grade in a nursing course that does not allow progression in a previous nursing program counts as the first failure. Students receiving a grade less than a “C” or a grade that prohibits progression in two nursing courses at another institution are not eligible for admission into the nursing program.
5. A maximum of four years is allowed to complete all nursing courses including transfer nursing courses.

LPN Transition - Nursing Program Only

Students requesting advanced placement in the nursing sequence will be considered on an individual basis after admission to the Nursing program. LPNs must submit records of all previous academic work and proof of LPN licensure results to the Nursing Office. Contact the Nursing Office at 423-478-6228 or 800-604-2722, ext. 228, for more information, or visit Nursing Overview.

A.  Admission Requirements for Transition Curriculum

1. Meet admission requirements for Cleveland State Community College and the Nursing program.
2. Provide verification of one year full-time work experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse within the two years prior to admission to CSCC’s Nursing program or approval of program director.
3. Be admitted to CSCC’s Nursing program.
4. Declare intention to pursue the transition curriculum at the time of acceptance into CSCC’s Nursing program.
5. Students who have been unsuccessful and are no longer eligible to return to the RN program at CSCC may be reconsidered after being licensed and working for one year as an LPN.

B.  Enrollment and Progression in Transition Curriculum

1. Meet all admission requirements to the transition curriculum.
2. Register for and successfully complete appropriate Transition to Professional Nursing Course.
3. Complete all required courses in the nursing transition curriculum prior to registering for NRSG 1330 - Pediatric Nursing  and NRSG 2730 - Medical Surgical Nursing II . Students who are successful in required nursing courses will be awarded additional hours of credit for prior experience.
4. Students in the Nursing program will be exposed to latex and may be exposed to blood and other body fluids. Students may also be required to draw blood and perform tests on blood and other body fluids, under supervision, for patients with infectious diseases. Any student refusing assignment to an infectious disease may be subject to dismissal from the program.