Program Details

School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Jones 117A
912-279-5860
Program Coordinator:
Dr. Lydia Watkins  279-5906
lwatkins@ccga.edu

The Bachelor of Science in nursing is a four-year pre-licensure degree program that prepares a nurse generalist for leadership and practice in the role of professional nurse in a variety of health care settings and specialties. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) for entry into practice in any state. This is a broad-based program built upon courses in the humanities, sciences and social and behavioral studies. The program conforms to standards set by the Georgia Board of Nursing and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) located at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326 ACEN can also be reached by phone at (404)975-5000, or on line at www.acenursing.org. The curriculum also provides graduates with the requirements to enter a master’s program of study in nursing.

Students who are interested in this nursing program must meet the college admissions requirements listed in the Admissions section of this catalog. The BSN program has limited enrollment and a selective program admission process, which involves deadlines for testing, academic coursework, and submission of application materials. During the freshman and sophomore years, candidates for the BSN program are required to take 60 total credit hours: 60 hours of the core curriculum in Areas A through F (listed in this section). Interested applicants may contact the School of Nursing and Health Sciences (912) 279-5860.

CCGA does not discriminate on the basis of disability. Students who would like to receive accommodations on the basis of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Rehabilitation Act of 1973, must self-identify, must provide documentation of the disability, and must request accommodations through the College Disability Services.

Georgia Board of Nursing Information
The Georgia Board of Nursing requires criminal background checks for licensure and has the authority to refuse to grant a license to an applicant upon a finding by the board that the applicant has been convicted of any felony, crime involving moral turpitude, or crime violating a federal or state law relating to controlled substances or dangerous drugs in the courts of this state, any other state, territory, or country or in the courts of the United States, including, but not limited to a pleas of nolo contendere entered to the charge; or any licensing board or agency in Georgia or any other state denied the applicant’s license application, renewal or reinstatement; or revoked, suspended, restricted, or prohibited the applicant’s license, or requested or accepted surrender of the applicant’s license, or reprimanded, fined or disciplined the applicant. If you have questions you may review these policies on the State of Georgia web site or call (478) 207-1640. All new graduates must submit to a background check process as required by 43-26-7-(4). Please refer to Georgia Board of Nursing website www.sos.ga.gov/plb/rn for additional information.

The Georgia Board of Nursing requires a social security number to apply for licensure as a registered nurse in the State of Georgia.

General Information
Students must meet with a nursing advisor each semester and review the plan of study. Many core courses require prerequisite and co-requisite courses that must be met. Classes, laboratory, and clinical practice experiences in the BSN program require a commitment of approximately 25-35 hours per week.

Program Admission Information and Requirements
Applicants must meet specific requirements to be considered for admission to the BSN Program. Applications must be received in the School of Nursing Office by the deadline date posted on the college website. To be considered for admission, the student must ensure that all required documents (BSN program application, official transcripts, HESI A² results) are received in the Nursing and Health Science Office prior to the application deadline posted on the college website; however, the Progression and Admission Committee will continue to look at applications until the spaces are filled with qualified applicants. Applications will be considered based on qualifications and space availability. Letters of program status (acceptance or denial) will be mailed to all candidates. Please do not call our offices in regard to individual status as officials do not discuss this matter over the phone prior to the sending of letters. Meeting minimal admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the BSN Program.

Applicants must:

1. Complete the College of Coastal Georgia admission application, available at www.ccga.edu. Include official transcripts from all colleges attended, SAT or ACT scores (or take the Compass exam); immunization records, and declare the pre-nursing major. Submit application materials to the College Admissions Office. Students must be officially accepted to the College of Coastal Georgia prior to submitting an application to the BSN program.
2. Complete the BSN application, available at www.ccga.edu. Include all requested materials and submit to the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. All required admission materials must be submitted as a packet.
3. Submit official transcript(s) for all college work attempted.
4. Take the required HESI A2 and submit results with application (NO pending HESI A2 accepted). A score of 80% or higher must be achieved on the HESI A² Assessment Exam, on no more than 2 attempts (minimum of 30 days between tests) in each of the five (5) sections: Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and General Knowledge, Anatomy and Physiology, and Biology. See the college web site: (www.ccga.edu) for test instructions. Achieving the 80% on the HESI A² does NOT guarantee admission. If a student scored between 75%-79% on a section(s) of the HESI A² exam, they may be considered for conditional admission.
5. Have a minimum grade of C in all courses.
6. Have a minimum of a 2.8 overall grade point average (GPA).
7. Complete all required core courses prior to the start of the BSN courses.
8. Have completed BIOL 2111, BIOL 2112, and BIOL 2215 within the previous 5 years. If these courses are older than 5 years they may be subject to review by the School of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean and the student may be required to retake.
9. Have not repeated any science course more than once to achieve a passing grade of C or higher.
10. If the student has ever received a D or F in a nursing course in any nursing program, they will be evaluated on an individual basis by the Admission and Progression Committee. If a student has received a D or F in two or more nursing courses they are not eligible for admission to the BSN program.
11. Meet/perform the Core Performance Standards for nursing as listed below:
1. Critical thinking -- Critical-thinking ability sufficient for rapid clinical judgement and decision making.
2. Interpersonal -- Interpersonal abilities sufficient for interaction with individuals, families and groups, from various social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.
3. Communication in English -- Communications abilities sufficient for verbal and written interaction with others to include note taking abilities and the ability to rapidly interpret and disseminate information.
4. Mobility -- Physical abilities sufficient for movement from room to room and in small spaces.
5. Motor Skills -- Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient for providing safe, effective nursing care.
6. Hearing -- Auditory ability sufficient for monitoring and assessing health needs.
7. Visual -- Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care.
8. Tactile -- Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.

Once accepted into the Bachelor of Science Nursing Program, students are required to:

1. Attend the nursing orientation session.
2. Submit proof (form provided upon acceptance) of the following prior to the stated deadline:
1. Yearly TB skin (PPD) test or TB screening (first year in nursing program required 2 step-TB skin test).
2. Current physical health examination by a healthcare provider.
3. Additional immunizations required by the program or clinical agencies.
4. American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR Certification (the student must keep this certification current throughout the program).
5. Professional liability insurance (included in tuition and fees).
6. Health insurance may be required. If requested by the clinical agency, students must submit proof of personal health insurance prior to attendance in clinical education. The USG has a health insurance program which is available for students to purchase.
3. Adhere to the student guidelines specific to the BSN Program as outlined in the nursing student handbook.
4. Travel at own expense to clinical sites. Note: Some clinical experiences may be distances up to 100 miles.
5. Attend clinical practice experiences which may be scheduled during days, evenings/nights and weekends.
6. Undergo criminal background checks and/or drug testing as required by individual agencies. The cost will be the responsibility of the student. Background checks could result in denial to the clinical site and inability to pass a course or the program.
7. Purchase required School of Nursing uniforms and supplies.

Continuation and Progression in the BSN Program

1. Continuation in the BSN Program requires a minimum grade of C in all nursing courses. A student earning a grade of less than C or WF in a nursing course must repeat the course.
2. Letter grades for nursing courses (NURS) are computed as follows: A = 90-100 B = 80-89 C = 75-79 D = 66-74 F = 65 and below
3. Student is restricted to one withdrawal or failure during the entire nursing curriculum.
4. The student may repeat a nursing course once. Management of failures is as follows:
1. Withdrawal or Failure of one class requires a student to meet with their advisor to establish a progression plan.
2. Permission to re-enroll in any nursing course is contingent on space availability and is not guaranteed.
3. Withdrawal or failure of two classes will result in the student receiving a letter of dismissal from the School of Nursing.
4. Students who have been dismissed from the program are ineligible for readmission (see Nursing Student Handbook).
5. Leave of Absence from the program: Under catastrophic circumstances, a student may request a Leave of Absence from the Dean of School of Nursing and Health Sciences. See Nursing Student Handbook for specific guidelines.
6. All nursing courses must be completed within four years of the date of entry into the first nursing course.
7. All clinical nursing courses include a medication calculation requirement.
8. All pre-licensure nursing students will be required to participate in comprehensive assessment testing while enrolled in the nursing program. Additional fees per semester will be applicable.
9. Laboratory fees are charged.

School of Nursing and Health Science
Conditional Admit Policy
All students who are admitted to the School Nursing and Health Sciences have qualifications equal to or greater than the minimum standards outlined in the requirements for admission to a nursing or health science program except under rare and unusual circumstances. However, on appeal, the Admissions and Progression Committee may recommend, with the consent of the School Dean, that a student be admitted to a nursing or health science program with conditions. The Admissions and Progression Committee will require the student to maintain a grade of B higher than that of the minimum requirement of C for one semester, take a specified number of semester hours of coursework, and/or meet other conditions as specified by the Committee and/or Dean. A conditionally admitted student may also be required to remedy deficiencies, academic and/or behavioral, to remain in a program. A student who does not fulfill the conditions within the specified time may be dismissed from the program and/or the School of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Standardized Testing
All pre-licensure nursing students will be required to take standardized examinations as part of the course work. Students who score less than the benchmark are required to complete faculty supervised, independent remediation programs in order to successfully complete the requirement of the course (mastery of content).

Click to hide the core curriculum and see only the program specific curriculum.