Academics
Programs of Study
The School of Nursing encourages students to work with their academic advisors to choose a progression track that fits with their schedule(s). We offer:
- The traditional 4-year (8 semester) track
- Track designed for extracurricular activities (i.e. Athletes & ROTC) – “Not Just a Student”
- Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies Minor
- Honors College BSN track
- Navy Nurse Pathway
BSN Program of Study
Optional Nursing Electives:
- NUR 150 Use Mindfulness for Better Health – 1 credit
- NUR 165 Intro. to Care of the Older Adults – 1 credit
- NUR 160 Intro. to Human Genetics and Genomics for Healthcare Professions – 1 credit
- NUR 214: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction – 2 credits
- NUR 365 Informatics – 1 credit
- NUR 419 Intro. to Global Health – Field Experience – 3 credits
First Year
| Fall Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| BMB 207 Fundamentals of Chemistry | 3 |
| BMB 209 Fundamentals of Chemistry Lab | 1 |
| BIO 100 Basic Biology | 4 |
| FSN 101 Introduction to Nutrition | 3 |
| ENG 101 English Composition | 3 |
| NUR 101 Issues & Opportunities in Nursing | 1 |
| Total | 15 |
| Spring Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| BMB 240 Microbiology | 3 |
| BMB 241 Microbiology Lab | 2 |
| BIO 208 Anatomy & Physiology | 4 |
| Math, if needed, or General Education | 3 |
| NUR 102 Foundations of Nursing Practice I | 2 |
| NUR 106 Foundations of Nursing Practice I Lab | 0.5 |
| Total | 14.5 |
Second Year
| Fall Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| STS 132 Statistics | 3 |
| PSY 100 General Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| CHF 201 Introduction to Child Development | 3 |
| NUR 103 Foundations of Nursing Practice II (Online) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Spring Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| NUR 200 Care of Adults I | 3 |
| NUR 201 Care of Adults I Clinical | 1.5 |
| NUR 202 Application of Theory to Nursing Practice I | 1.5 |
| NUR 300 Health Assessment | 3 |
| NUR 308 Health Assessment Lab | 1 |
| NUR 303 Pathophysiology (Online) | 3 |
| NUR 203 Dosage Calculation for Nurses | 1 |
| Total | 14 |
Third Year
| Fall Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| PHI Philosophy | 3 |
| NUR 301 Care of Adults II | 3 |
| NUR 306 Care of Adults II Clinical | 2 |
| NUR 302 Application of Theory to Nursing Practice II Lab | 1.5 |
| NUR 316 Pharmacology | 3 |
| General Elective (Writing, Arts, Nursing) | 3 |
| Total | 15.5 |
| Spring Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| NUR 413 Nursing Care Management of Women, Infants and Families | 3 |
| NUR 414 Nursing Care Management of Woman, Infants and Families Clinical | 1 |
| NUR 340 Psych/Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NUR 341 Psych/Mental Health Nursing Clinical | 2 |
| NUR 415 Sociocultural Issues (Online) | 3 |
| General Elective (Writing, Arts, Nursing) | 3 |
| NUR 310 Evidence-Based Practice in Healthcare (writing intensive) | 3 |
| Total | 18 |
Fourth Year
| Fall Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| NUR 334 Care of Adults III | 3 |
| NUR 335 Care of Adults III Clinical | 2 |
| NUR 416 Nursing Care Management of Children & Families | 3 |
| NUR 417 Nursing Care Management of Children & Families Clinical | 1 |
| NUR 452 Community & Population Health | 3 |
| NUR 453 Community & Population Health Clinical | 1 |
| NUR 435 End of Life Care (Online) | 1 |
| Total | 14 |
| Spring Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| NUR 456 Professional Nursing Practice Through the Lifespan | 4 |
| NUR 455 Senior Clinical Practicum | 5 |
| NUR 444 Management and Leadership (Online) | 3 |
| General Education | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
Please see UMaine Nursing website for additional progression track pathways (e.g. “Not Just a Student” and “Women Gender & Sexuality Studies Minor”), and meet with your advisor if you have any questions.
Academic Advising
Students accepted into the School of Nursing have a designated Academic Advisor for the first three semesters who specializes in the general education curriculum requirements. They transition their advisement to a nursing-specific Academic Advisor in semester four who remains their advisor through completion of the program.
Early College Opportunities
Three nursing courses are part of the Early College Program: NUR160, NUR165 and NUR166. These are 1-credit online courses. The Early College Program allows students to take college courses while they are still in high school. Students can take these courses either tuition-free or at a reduced early college rate. Students can also take Early College courses while enrolled at UMaine.
Students who are not matriculated as nursing students when they take early college courses will not be held accountable to SON handbook standards.
Academic Progression
Upon enrollment to the University of Maine BSN program, students are expected to take all coursework at the University of Maine. The BSN curriculum is designed to meet the expected learning outcomes at each level of the program sequence and the overall program goals. These goals are consistent with The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education in Professional Nursing Practice by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2008) and the School of Nursing mission. If the nursing student wishes to take a prerequisite course from another University of Maine System campus or from another institution, the student is required to work closely with their academic advisor to ensure course equivalency and transferability of credits prior to taking the course. “Prerequisite courses” refers to the prerequisite sciences and liberal arts courses. It does not apply to any NUR courses.
Academic Contracts
For traditional students, failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA after three semesters = dismissal. For transfer students who transfer into the second or third semester of our curriculum will need to achieve a 3.0 GPA to enroll in NUR200 level courses. Failure to achieve a 3.0 GPA will result in dismissal.
Nursing students will be evaluated using the current University of Maine policies on Probation Suspension— Dismissal related to academic performance as listed in the University of Maine Student Handbook. In addition, general appeal rights for students are outlined in the University of Maine Student Handbook.
Nursing students are required to achieve a minimum grade of C (77.0%) in all prerequisite courses. Students may repeat no more than two prerequisite courses, one time only, to improve their grades. Nursing students may take general elective courses on a pass/fail basis, but only one NUR course, NUR203. Courses completed as part of the nursing degree are taken for a letter grade with the following exceptions: The School of Nursing adheres to the University policy for accepting College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam scores (a minimum of 50 or higher) and for accepting Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores (a minimum of 3, 4, or 5) as meeting requirements for prerequisite course work. Examples of these include Biology, College Algebra, U.S. History, etc.
Students may repeat only one nursing course and may repeat that course one time only. Any student who fails to achieve a passing grade of “C” on the first attempt in another nursing course will be dismissed from the nursing major.
A student who needs to repeat a University of Maine course because they have failed to receive the minimum passing grade of C is required to repeat the course at the University of Maine. Taking a gen ed course outside of the University of Maine requires departmental permission. Students who wish to do so must consult with their advisor and provide a syllabus for review by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee who will determine whether the course is equivalent. Please note any course taken for transfer credit (to repeat a UMaine course) outside University of Maine will not change your GPA, only the letter grade will be replaced.
Students who withdraw from NUR or other prerequisite courses may experience a delay in progression through the nursing curriculum.
Nursing courses are sequential; that is, mastery of the content in one course is required before progressing to the next course in the curriculum plan. For example, NUR 316 is required to be passed before progression into 2nd-semester third-year courses. Progression to the next semester is contingent on satisfactorily fulfilling all prerequisite courses. Course prerequisites are indicated in the University of Maine Undergraduate Catalog.
Course grades will be determined by course evaluation criteria outlined in individual course syllabi. Nursing students are required to achieve a minimum grade of 77% in each component of all NUR courses to progress in their program of study. A 77% exam average AND 77% cumulative final course average is required in all NUR courses, with the exception of courses with math will follow course syllabi rules.
A student who receives below a 77% exam average will receive a C- as their course grade regardless of other assignments.
Students who need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability are directed to Student Accessibility Services (207-581-2319), for guidance.
Nursing students who find it necessary to request withdrawal from a course due to serious illness or injury, or to take a leave of absence or to withdraw from the University, are required to contact the College of College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture Associate Dean’s office (207-581-3225) for guidance in this process. In addition, they are required to contact their School of Nursing academic advisor. A Leave of Absence beyond 2 years may require repeating of courses.
STUDENT APPEAL PROCESS
- A student who wishes to appeal the School of Nursing programmatic academic action (for example, suspension or dismissal from the program, removal from the lab or clinical site) is required to:
- Communicate with their academic advisor as soon as possible for guidance regarding the academic appeal process and timeframe.
- Submit an appeal letter to the chairperson of the Policy Advisory Committee, which is the Director of the School of Nursing within 7 days of the last official day of the semester. The letter should include specific and objective extenuating circumstances that led to the academic violation and a remediation plan.
- The Director and the faculty members of the School’s Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) will review the appeal letter and the student’s academic record:
- The committee will decide the appeal.
- The student will be notified of the Committee’s decision in writing as soon as possible.
- A student who has been suspended from the University but wishes to return to the School of Nursing is required to apply for re-admission.
- Students who have been suspended from the University are not guaranteed readmission to the School of Nursing
- An interview with the appropriate nursing faculty advisor is required prior to re-admission to the Nursing major.
- The student’s appeal for re-admission will be reviewed by the Director and the School of Nursing Policy Advisory Committee to decide on re-entry.
- A student who has been dismissed from the university or the School of Nursing but wishes to return to the School of Nursing is required to send a letter of appeal for readmission to the School of Nursing Director.
- The student’s appeal for re-admission will be reviewed by the Director and the School of Nursing Policy Advisory Committee to decide on re-entry.
- A student who has been dismissed from the University is not guaranteed readmission.
Program Requirements
Program requirements include the technical requirements and the study abroad requirements.
Technical Requirements
The following technical standards of general abilities must be independently met, with or without accommodations:
- Observation
- Communication
- Motor
- Intellectual-conceptual, integrative and quantitative
- Behavioral and social attributes
1. OBSERVATION
A student must make accurate visual observations, both at a distance and close at hand. In addition, a student must have adequate vision and sensory modalities, including the sense of hearing and smell, to observe a patient accurately, perceive non-verbal communication, perform nursing assessments, interventions, and medication administration, and complete documentation and maintain accurate records.
2. COMMUNICATION
A student must have effective communication skills, including sufficient hearing and intelligible speech and understanding of non-verbal communication with fellow students, faculty, patients, family members, and healthcare professionals. In addition, the student must be able to speak, read, write and comprehend the English language to communicate effectively with students, faculty, clients, family members, and healthcare professionals.
3. MOTOR
A student must have motor skills to perform skills, including client assessment, palpation, percussion and auscultation, and other techniques used during health assessments. A student must have gross and fine motor skills to perform patient treatments, medication preparation and delivery, and routine and emergency skills within their professional nursing scope. The student must have the physical ability and stamina to stand and walk for prolonged periods, including climbing stairs, and have the physical ability to lift, transfer, and move patients.
4. INTELLECTUAL–CONCEPTUAL, INTEGRATIVE, AND QUANTITATIVE
A student must have intellectual, conceptual, and quantitative abilities to:
- Access, assess, and interpret medical documentation
- Retain and recall
- Exhibit cognitive abilities in assessment, interpretation, and incorporation of new information
- Comprehend the complexity of relationships, incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and other ancillary professionals to provide sound judgment
- Incorporate nursing and medical literature to create both short and long-term goals
- Problem-solve to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize both objective and subjective data
5. BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES
A student must possess the emotional health and maturity required for intellectual ability and exercise sound judgment. The student must maintain a mature, sensitive rapport and establish effective relationships with patients and their families, students, faculty, staff and other professionals in all circumstances, which may at times be highly stressful. Students must possess the physical and emotional health to make sound judgments appropriately and promptly and be able to function effectively in times of physical and mental stress. These attributes are displayed through compassion, sensitivity, concern for others, and professional integrity. In addition, the student must be able to adapt to a changing environment, display flexibility, and accept integrated constructive criticism.
STUDY ABROAD REQUIREMENTS
Students who wish to study abroad during their academic studies must have achieved a cumulative 3.0 GPA when applying to study abroad. Grade point averages are calculated on courses completed at The University of Maine and do not include courses transferred from other colleges and universities.
School of Nursing students who meet the study abroad requirements may do so during the 3rd semester of the curriculum and/or any summer session. A student planning to study abroad must begin planning Freshman year working closely with their academic advisor and the International Office.
ACADEMIC PROGRESSION REQUIREMENTS
Non-Nursing Courses
- Students are expected to achieve a “C”(77.00%) grade or better in all non-nursing courses (i.e. general education and nursing support classes) including those transferred once the student matriculates.
- Any general education or prerequisite course can be repeated, but only once, to achieve the necessary “C” grade or maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA.
- Course failures in any two non-nursing courses or a second course failure in the same non-nursing course results in program dismissal. Course failure is defined as less than a C (77.00%) in any non- nursing course, including those transferred in once a student matriculates; less than a C in any non- nursing course; or a second failure in the same non-nursing course; students who transfer in a failing non-nursing course grade will have this grade count as a course attempt.
- Students who withdraw from a non-nursing course must enroll in the course the next time it is offered. Withdrawal from the same course twice counts as a course failure. Students experiencing extenuating circumstances may be considered for an approved course withdrawal, which does not count against them, by writing an appeal to the Policy Advisory Committee as long as the appeal is made at the time of the occurrence and if the student is passing the course. Course withdrawal is not granted retroactively after the final course grade is recorded.
- Not meeting the benchmark in both BMB207 and BMB209 will only count as one failure versus two.
- Not meeting the benchmark in both BMB240 and BMB241 will only count as one failure, not two.
Core-Nursing Courses (NUR)
- A grade of “C” or better (at least or equivalent to 77.00%) must be achieved in all core nursing coursework (labeled NUR). Students are expected to maintain their GPA for progression in the program (see GPA requirements).
- A student is only permitted to repeat one nursing course in the process of completing the BSN program. A “course” is defined as either didactic, laboratory or clinical-based course with the NUR designation. Students who receive a grade of “C- = (76.99%)” or below in a nursing course are required to repeat and achieve a passing grade before progressing to any course in the subsequent semester. The student may retake one course; however, if the student receives below passing in that course again (the second time), or subsequently falls below the 77% benchmark to pass any other nursing course, the student will be recommended for dismissal from the program.
- Why Do You Need a >77%? “The public has a right to expect registered nurses to demonstrate professional competence through their careers (ANA, 2021, p.51).” Competency is an expected level of performance that integrates knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgements. Written examinations are one way nursing competency is measured. These examinations may include various question types and are one assessment tool faculty use to evaluate the development of learners. Exams are intentionally designed to assess course outcomes and are analyzed for statistical fairness. Faculty in the School of Nursing have determined from historical data that the benchmark of earning a >77% average on written examinations meets the level of competency needed for program progression. Nursing courses are intentionally leveled to develop nursing knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgements. Learners who do not meet this benchmark in a given course require additional engagement with the material to continue building a foundation for more success in the next level of nursing coursework. (American Nurses Association. (2021). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice, 4th ed. ANA.)
- At any point in the semester, if a student falls below the 77% benchmark for either a didactic or an associated lab or clinical course, students are required to meet with the course faculty and their academic advisor.
Co-requisites and Withdrawal Guidelines
- In all didactic courses associated with a laboratory or clinical course (e.g. NUR 200 with NUR201 and NUR202), students must meet a 77% benchmark in the entire grouping to continue academic progression. If students do not meet the 77% benchmark in the didactic course, the associated clinical and lab will need to be withdrawn. However, this will not count as three separate course withdrawals, but instead the entire grouping will count only as one withdrawal. Nursing students must meet or exceed the following academic requirements to progress to nursing (NUR) courses. Students are responsible for completing all pre-major and nursing courses at the designated class level before going on to the courses in the following semester.
- If a student chooses to withdraw before the end of the semester from a lab/clinical course associated with a didactic course because they are not meeting the 77% benchmark, they do not have to withdraw from the associated didactic course.
- FUNDAMENTALS
- If a student withdraws from NUR 102, they will be required to also withdraw from NUR 106. If a student has completed 3/4 of the NUR 106 lab curriculum when they withdraw from NUR 102, they may stay in the lab despite withdrawing from the didactic course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 106, they may stay in NUR 102.
- CARE OF ADULTS I
- If a student withdraws from NUR 200, they will be required to also withdraw from the co- requisite lab, NUR 202, and corequisite clinical, NUR 201. If a student has completed 3/4 of the NUR 202 lab curriculum when they withdraw from NUR 200, they may stay in the lab despite withdrawing from the didactic course. If a student has completed 58 hours of the NUR 201 clinical when they withdraw from NUR 200, they may stay in the clinical, despite withdrawing from the didactic course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 202, they will be required to also withdraw from NUR 201. They may stay in the didactic course, NUR 200. If a student has completed 58 hours of the NUR 201 clinical when they withdraw from NUR 202, they may stay in the clinical, despite withdrawing from the lab course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 201, they may stay in the corequisite didactic courses, NUR 200 and NUR 300, as well as the corequisite labs, NUR 202 and NUR 308.
- HEALTH ASSESSMENT
- If a student withdraws from NUR 300, they will be required to also withdraw from the co- requisite lab, NUR 308, and the corequisite clinical, NUR 201. If a student has completed 3/4 of the NUR 308 lab curriculum when they withdraw from NUR 300, they may stay in the lab despite withdrawing from the didactic course. If a student has completed 58 hours of the NUR 201 clinical when they withdraw from NUR 300, they may stay in the clinical, despite withdrawing from the didactic course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 308, they will be required to also withdraw from NUR 201. They may stay in the didactic course, NUR 300. If a student has completed 58 hours of the NUR 201 clinical when they withdraw from NUR 308, they may stay in the clinical, despite withdrawing from the lab course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 201, they may stay in the corequisite didactic courses, NUR 200 and NUR 300, as well as the corequisite labs, NUR 308 and NUR 202.
- CARE OF ADULTS II
- If a student withdraws from NUR 301, they will be required to also withdraw from the co- requisite lab, NUR 302, and the corequisite clinical, NUR 306. If a student has completed 3/4 of the NUR 302 lab curriculum when they withdraw from NUR 301, they may stay in the lab despite withdrawing from the didactic course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 316, they will be required to also withdraw from the co- requisite lab, NUR 302, and the corequisite clinical, NUR 306. If a student has completed 3/4 of the NUR 302 lab curriculum when they withdraw from NUR 316, they may stay in the lab despite withdrawing from the didactic course.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 302, they will be required to also withdraw from NUR 306. They may stay in the didactic courses, NUR 301 and NUR 316.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 306, they may stay in both didactic courses, NUR 301 and NUR 316, as well as the lab corequisite, NUR 302.
- CARE OF ADULTS III
- If a student withdraws from NUR 334, they will be required to also withdraw from the corequisite clinical, NUR 335.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 335, they may stay in the didactic course, NUR 334.
- MENTAL HEALTH
- If a student withdraws from NUR 340, they will be required to also withdraw from the corequisite clinical, NUR 341.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 341, they may stay in the didactic course, NUR 340.
- WOMEN, INFANTS & FAMILIES
- If a student withdraws from NUR 413, they will be required to also withdraw from the corequisite clinical, NUR 414.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 414, they may stay in the didactic course, NUR 413.
- NURSING CARE MANAGEMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
- If a student withdraws from NUR 416, they will be required to also withdraw from the corequisite clinical, NUR 417.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 417, they may stay in the didactic course, NUR 416.
- COMMUNITY AND POPULATION
- If a student withdraws from NUR 452, they will be required to also withdraw from the corequisite clinical, NUR 453.
- If a student withdraws from NUR 453, they may stay in the didactic course, NUR 452.
- FUNDAMENTALS
- Since some nursing courses are only offered once a year, nursing students should not drop coursework without first discussing the impact of doing so with the academic advisor. Dropping a class, particularly in the last two years of study, can result in a delay in degree completion.
- Students who did not meet the 77% benchmark in one course will be required to meet with their academic advisor(s) and course faculty to develop an individualized remediation and success plan to strengthen their ability to be successful in the program. The plan will include actions they need to take to ensure successful completion of that Students will be directed to additional resources, such as but not limited to: counseling, Title IX, tutor center, student success/wellness coordinator, peer tutoring etc.
- Faculty may ask the Nursing Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) to review a student’s record on the basis of classroom and/or clinical performance, professionalism, attendance or tardiness. The committee may choose to put the student on probation, make conditional requirements, or recommend dismissal from the program. If a student is dismissed, the student will receive a letter from PAC (via email) stating the action of the committee and a copy added to the student’s file. This letter will direct the student to Samantha Wheeler, Academic Advisor for NSFA to explore other majors.
- Appeals of the dismissal letter – See “Student Appeals Process” on page 18 and page 36, step 6 of this handbook for further details.
- Students that withdrawal from a didactic and/ or associated lab/clinical will not count as two-three separate withdrawals, rather just one withdrawal for the entire grouping.
Successful nursing students will meet or exceed the following academic requirements to progress to nursing (NUR) courses.
To progress to NUR 102, NUR 106, and NUR103:
- Achieve a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5
- Achieve a minimum Science GPA of 2.5
- Earn no less than a grade of “C” in any required coursework
- To progress to NUR 200 and higher-level nursing courses:
- Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
- Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the following science courses: BMB 207/209, BIO 100, BMB 240/241, and BIO 208
- Earn no less than a grade of “C” in any required coursework
- Complete 47 credit hours
- Complete all science, math, and social science prerequisite courses for the nursing major
These grade point averages are calculated on courses completed at The University of Maine and do not include courses transferred from other colleges and universities
Medical Math
Why is Medical Math Important? Medication knowledge and dosage calculation is critical to patient safety. Medication errors cause at least one death every day in the U.S. (WHO, 2017). Nurses have a serious duty to ensure patient safety and prevent harm through the careful administration of medications. Clinical agencies such as hospitals have strict policies and competencies for student nurses and newly hired nurses to pass prior to administering medications. Therefore, the School of Nursing has developed the medication math component to review prior math knowledge and build upon that in the context of medication administration and associated nursing care.
Medical Math Benchmarks Required for Academic Progression
- Assessment methods of math competency for progression is at the discretion of the course faculty as
noted in the course specific syllabi. - NUR 203: Dosage Calculation for Nurses is a 1.0 credit required course during the 4th semester. A cumulative course average of 77.0% and a 85% average on medication math quizzes/exams are required for progression in the nursing program. Failure to meet this benchmark will result in a remediation course and possible progression delay.
- Students who fall below the benchmark in NUR203 will have one opportunity to repeat the course before it will impact progression or status in the program.
- If students do not meet the 85% final grade requirement in remedial NUR203, they can repeat it in-person. However, students can only repeat it three times: twice in person and once remedial. Students will be dismissed from the major after three unsuccessful attempts at NUR203.
- NUR203 is graded using the University’s Pass/Fail policies.
- Any clinical courses with a medical math component must be passed with a 100% after two attempts.
These benchmarks are consistent with the guidelines set forth by the University that students must pass a math requirement for the quantitative literacy of Maine degree requirements.
A medication math exam will be required in all clinical courses in which students are administering medications. Students will be required to meet specific benchmarks, per individual course syllabi and hospital policies in order to remain in the clinical course. In some hospital settings, sStudents who do not meet the benchmark may have the opportunity to remediate and retake the exam. Students are expected to review course syllabi for details.
Students who do not meet the med math benchmarks will be required to meet with their academic advisor to discuss withdrawing from the course and the impact on corequisites and academic progression.
Kaplan Nursing Integrated Testing Program
The School of Nursing has contracted with Kaplan Integrated Testing and NCLEX-RN Review to provide UMaine nursing students with access to resources that support success in nursing school. The Kaplan Integrated Test (IT) scores are benchmarks for the curriculum and are mandatory for clinical courses and other key nursing courses. IT examinations are proctored examinations monitored by the School of Nursing and Kaplan Nursing. The Kaplan exams are administered to School of Nursing pre-licensure nursing students to assess whether each student has acquired the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully pass the respective content areas on the NCLEX-RN. These tests are administered as coursework is completed and at the end of the program.
- Participation in the Kaplan testing program is mandatory for all prelicensure nursing. This will provide access to these resources for the duration of the BSN program and immediately upon graduation.
Students will complete an Integrated Kaplan Exam at the end of most courses in the curriculum. The Integrated Exam is a comprehensive evaluation of students’ knowledge and understanding of the content covered in the associated course and previous courses and applying and analyzing this knowledge. To adequately prepare for the Kaplan Integrated Exams, students need to complete the following:
- Complete the Nursing School Success Resources in your Kaplan online resources
- Stay current on all course reading assignments
- Complete all practice questions and quizzes assigned by course faculty
- Attend all classes, clinical rotations, and simulations
- Complete all assigned focused-review tests in Kaplan
- Remediate assigned focused-review questions and retake the tests
- Read content associated with this course in your Kaplan Basics Textbook
In addition, each faculty will integrate other Kaplan student success resources into courses.
Kaplan Integrated Exams will count as an assignment grade for courses that use Kaplan at the discretion of the instructor. The percent effort allocated for each activity may vary across courses. Each course in which a Kaplan Integrated Exam is administered has a different Target Score.
The Integrated Exams are nationally normed, which means students’ performance is compared to a representative sample of nursing students across the country. To adequately prepare for NCLEX and safe nursing practice, students are expected to remediate items on the Integrated Exam answered incorrectly. Students’ remediation time and activities are tracked within the Kaplan website.
- Students are expected to be present on the days in which the respective Kaplan Level/Course examinations are administered. Students may not lobby to pressure faculty or other students to change test dates. Tests are generally scheduled at the beginning of each semester, and students must plan personal commitments and travel so that they can attend the examination. The course syllabus for any given semester will contain the exact date when the Kaplan Level/Course Examination will be administered.
- To assure the success of each student in taking the Kaplan course/level examinations, Kaplan has made available online practice examinations and remediation tools. Students should refer to the Kaplan website to access and take these practice exams, which are referred to as Focused Review
- If any questions or concerns/need help, please contact Customer Care Center at 1-877-572-8457 or you can email support@kaplan.com.
Mission of the Learning Resource and Simulation Education Center
The mission of the Learning Resource and Simulation Education Center (LRC) is to provide a collection of resources and space to support the clinical learning needs of the curriculum of the School of Nursing and to serve the University of Maine community. These resources are specific to meet the needs of active learning in the areas of health assessment, medication administration, skilled nursing care, therapeutic communication, clinical judgment, and critical thinking for the purpose of competency-based assessments to meet program level outcomes. In addition, the LRC provides a learning environment that is safe, supportive, and conducive to the socialization of students into the clinical practice of nursing.
HOURS OF OPERATION
The exact hours of operation of the LRC will vary each semester, based on needs of the programs.
The LRC staff will be available M, T, TH, F, 8-2, with additional hours on Wednesdays, afternoons, and evenings based on the availability of student employees, staff, and schedule of laboratory courses. Additional hours will be published each semester and made available to faculty and students.
Open Lab: The labs are usually open to all students on Fridays, 9a-12p, for the purpose of practicing clinical skills. Additional hours may be available upon request. Contact the LRC manager in advance for space availability.
Tours of the LRC are commonly scheduled in advance for prospective students, faculty, administration or donors. They are most likely to occur during the designated open lab times for Open House or Admitted Student Days, but not always.
Tours will not be permitted during simulation experiences or competency testing.
Director of the Learning Resource Center: Amanda Henderson, MSN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, CCE, Office: 232 Dunn Hall, Phone: 207.581.2588, Email: amanda.b.henderson@maine.edu
Manager of the Learning Resource Center: Amy Barnes, BSN, RN, Office: 129 Dunn Hall, Phone: 207. 581.3484, Email: amy.barnes@maine.edu
Lab Technician(s): Nursing Student, Assists with lab access, equipment, and maintenance, Office: 134J Dunn Hall
LOCATION/SPACE
The physical space that is regarded as the LRC is primarily located on the first floor of Dunn Hall (rooms 112/114, 115, 124/128, 130, 140, 142, & 144) with the exception of room 217 on the second floor.
DRESS CODE
Students are expected to dress professionally for all lab experiences.
Specific expectations will be described in each course syllabus and typically follow the expectations required for in-person clinical experiences.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner during all laboratory experiences – language, confidentiality, and mutual respect.
Attendance is mandatory for all assigned laboratory and simulation experiences.
Students are expected to do a “last look” before leaving any lab to return supplies and equipment to where they found them (i.e. bed low, side-rails up, and linens made), dispose of trash, and remove personal belongings.
The use of mobile phones is prohibited during skills and simulation laboratory sessions.
Students should refer to individual course syllabi for specifics related to all lab experiences for the course they are currently enrolled in. Course related questions should be directed to course faculty.
SAFETY
All medications, intravenous fluids, and related equipment provided for laboratory experiences are placebos and/or not intended for human use.
The use of needles, syringes, and IV equipment should be under the direct supervision of Nursing Faculty or LRC Staff.
Any injury in the lab should be reported to faculty/staff and the LRC manager. An incident report needs to be completed & submitted online by the supervising faculty.
Please report any suspicious or concerning activity, odors, or alerts to LRC Staff.
In the event of an emergency, there is a phone in the skills lab, room 140, and the simulation control room in room 124/128.
Fire exit pathways are posted throughout the LRC for reference in the event of an emergency.
No food is allowed in the clinical areas of the lab. All drink containers must have covers.
If you have a fever or other symptoms of infection on your scheduled day in the lab, stay home and communicate with faculty ASAP.
Appropriate hand hygiene and cough etiquette are to be practiced as well as other guidelines specified by the University or the CDC.
USE OF EQUIPMENT AND LAB SPACE
Most equipment and lab space can be made available to students. Any requests for use of the lab, equipment, and space outside of regularly scheduled labs, must be communicated via email to the lab manager at least 1 week in advance.
Please use all equipment as it is intended.
Ask LRC staff for assistance if you have questions about how to use equipment and report any details regarding broken or faulty equipment to LRC staff.
Clean hands and pencils, no pens, are required when working with any of the LRC manikins.
All equipment and supplies are expected to be left where and how it was set-up. All trash and personal effects should be managed accordingly.
ETHICS
Students are expected to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of any standardized patients, their peers, and competency or simulation course content. The use of social media, taking photos, and/or posting any identifiable information is strictly prohibited. Any violation of this policy will be regarded as a HIPPA violation and result in disciplinary action.
The LRC is considered a safe space for the purpose of developing and demonstrating professional nursing practice. Every effort will be made by faculty and staff to create this type of learning environment.
*Any breach of LRC expectations may result in being asked to leave the LRC.