REVISED 03/19/2018 DB JS Preparing for Admission PARAMEDIC-RN TRANSITION A one-stop interactive guide designed to help you prepare your Associate Degree Nursing application. Admission policies/criteria are reviewed each semester and are subject to change between admission periods. Some changes could affect your eligibility to apply to the program.
STEP ONE General Admission Requirements Each applicant must meet all of the following general Associate Degree Nursing admission requirements. Click on the underlined link to view more information. Be 18 years of age You must be at least 18 years of age at the time you submit your application. Accepted as a TJC student You must have applied to TJC and been accepted as a TJC student. You are assigned an A Number (student ID) which is needed for your ADN application. TSI complete or exempt You are required to be TSI complete or exempt in all areas before submitting an application. Complete Prerequisites You must complete the prerequisite courses, meeting the criteria stated in this packet. Meet Required Grade Point Average Requirement Your Required Grade Point Average calculation must meet the minimum requirement. Good Standing at any previous Nursing or Health Science Program If you were previously enrolled in a different Nursing or Health Science program you must provide proof that you graduated or that you were in good standing when you left the program. Transfer credit received and evaluated Transfer credit from ALL colleges attended must be submitted to and evaluated by the TJC Registrar s Office before you submit an application. Hold a valid Paramedic license You must hold a valid license before you begin the Paramedic-RN Transition program. You must also maintain your Paramedic license throughout the duration of the program. Applicants enrolled in the last semester of a Paramedic program can submit a conditional application. Complete the ATI entrance exams You must meet the ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 & Critical Thinking entrance exam criteria stated in this packet. page 2
STEP ONE Paramedic License To submit an application to the Paramedic-RN Transition track you must meet the following requirements in regards to your Paramedic license: 1. Hold a valid Texas or National Registry Paramedic license at the time you submit your application. OR Be currently enrolled in your last semester of a Paramedic program at the time you submit your application (a conditional applicant). 2. Maintain your Paramedic license throughout the duration of the program. 3. Graduated from a Paramedic program within the last five years. Proof of graduation must be submitted with your application. OR Employed as a Paramedic for a minimum of six months within the last five years, from the start of the admission period. An Employment Verification form must be completed and submitted with your application. How do I know if my graduation is over five years ago? 1. Find out what semester and year you graduated from your Paramedic program. Example: Fall 2014 2. Estimate the month the semester ended. Example: Fall 2014 semester ended in December 2014 3. From the month and year, count forward five years. The outcome is your expiration date. Example: Your graduation will expire at the end of December in the year 2019. page 3
STEP TWO Immunization & Health Requirements Before you can participate in clinical rotations, you must meet the state and Associate Degree Nursing Department immunization and health requirements. The following requirements must be met before submitting an application to the program. Blood Titers A blood titer for a vaccine identifies the amount of antibodies in a person s blood. As part of your application you must have a blood titer that shows immunity for the following: Hepatitis B Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (a seperate titer for each) Varicella Vaccinations With your application you must also submit proof that you have received the following vaccines: A negative TB skin test, TB blood test, or chest X-Ray. Results must be dated within the last 12 months from the start of the admission period. A Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDaP) or Tetanus Diphtheria (TD) vaccination administered within the last 10 years. If your last vaccination was a TD booster, you must also submit proof that you have recevied an initial dose of TDaP. CPR Certification Your CPR certification must meet all of the following requirements: Issued by American Heart Association (AHA) CPR cards issued by any other organization will not be accepted. Basic Life Support (BLS) Health Care Provider page 4
STEP THREE Prerequisite Courses Before you can apply to the Associate Degree Nursing Paramedic-RN Transition track there are six prerequisite courses that you must complete: BIOL 2401 - Anatomy & Physiology I (A&P I) BIOL 2402 - Anatomy & Physiology II (A&P II) PSYC 2301 - General Psychology PSYC 2314 - Lifespan, Growth & Development ENGL 1301 - Composition I Language/Philosophy/Cultural OR Creative Arts Elective The following courses will be accepted: ENGL 2332, ENGL 2333, HIST 2311, HIST 2312, HUMA 1301, PHIL 1301, PHIL 1304, PHIL 2306, ARTS 1301, DANC 2303, DRAM 1310, MUSI 1306, MUSI 1310. 1. All courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher. 2. A&P I and A&P II must be completed within the last five years. 3. A&P I must be completed and cannot be in progress at the time of application. 4. A maximum of two courses can be in progress at the time of application (a conditional application) To see if your A&P courses are expired (over five years old) and view your renewal options, click here for more information. I have a prerequisite courses in progress, what do I need to do? If you have one or two prerequisite course is in progress at the time you submit your application, you are classified as a conditional applicant because you do not meet the full prerequisite criteria. Conditional applicants must meet additional conditions outside of the standard admission requirements in order to maintain a valid application. If you take a CLEP and are awarded credit for a course, this does count as a course completion, however, because there is no grade assigned for the course, it will not count towards any additional points for grades achieved, TJC completion points, or be factored into your RGPA calculation. page 5
STEP THREE Conditional Applications To submit a conditional application you must meet and maintain the following additional criteria: 1. A maximum of TWO of the following courses can be in progress at the time you apply: BIOL 2402, PSYC 2314, PSYC 2301, ENGL 1301 or Language/Philosophy/Cultural OR Creative Arts Elective 2. If A&P II (BIOL 2402) is in progress the course must be completed with a grade of B or better. 3. All other in progress courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. 4. Enrolled in the LAST semester of a Paramedic program. Proof of graduation and Paramedic licensure must be submitted 60 days after completing the Paramedic program in order to remain eligible for admission. In Progress is defined as currently attending class (in person or online) at the time you submit your application. Future enrollment in a course does not meet this criteria. How do I show that courses are in progress? I am enrolled in the course(s) at TJC: Your enrollment and final grades are available to the ADN office in Degree Works. You do not need to submit anything with your application. I am enrolled in the course(s) at a different college: Include an official transcript with your application showing current enrollment in the course(s). Once the course(s) are complete, submit an official transcript to the TJC Registrar s Office and complete the online Transcript Evaluation Request form. Transfer credit must be evaluated within 4 weeks of course completion. Points for TJC completion and/or points for final grades will NOT be awarded to any course that is in progress at the time of application. For TJC completion points and/or points for final grades to be awarded, the course must be completed with a grade PRIOR to submitting an application. page 6
STEP THREE Expired A&P Course Renewal How do I know if my courses are expired? 1. Find out what semester and year you completed each A&P course. Example: Fall 2014 2. Estimate the month the semester ended. Example: Fall 2014 semester ended in December 2014 3. From the month and year, count forward five years. The outcome is when your class expires. Example: The class will expire at the end of December in the year 2019. 1. HESI A2 Test - Anatomy & Physiology section ONLY The fast track option to renew your A&P courses. Request a HESI A2 testing ticket from the ADN Department (RNHS 0.020) before you test. Payment for your exam should be submitted to the Rogers Student Center Testing Center. Minimum passing score is 80% HESI scores valid for one year One attempt at the exam per year Cost: approximately $50 2. Continuing Education A&P Refresher Course (SCIT 6003) The A&P CE refresher course is an 8 week course offered online. It provides students with a comprehensive review of the important aspects of A&P I and A&P II. Students can work at their own pace and have the ability to complete the course sooner than 8 weeks. You must download and read the CE Refresher Course information sheet from our downloads page before registering for the course. A new course begins on the first monday of each month. Must complete the course PRIOR to submitting an application Certificate valid for five years Unlimited attempts Cost: approximately $35 Passing test scores or a certificate of completion must be included with your application packet. page 7
STEP FOUR Degree Required Courses Degree required courses are specific, non-nursing courses that you have to complete as part of the AAS in Nursing degree plan. These courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher. These courses do not have to be taken prior to submitting a Paramedic-RN Transition application. If any degree required course is not complete upon acceptance into the Associate Degree Nursing program the missing course(s) must be taken in the order/semester they are listed on the AAS, Nursing (Medic-RN) degree plan. BIOL 2420 - Microbiology This course must be completed PRIOR to beginning the last semester in the program. In Progress is defined as currently attending class (in person or online) at the time you submit your application. Future enrollment in a course does not meet this criteria. If a degree required course is in progress at the time an application is submitted, the Required Grade Point Average will not be recalculated once a final grade has been awarded for the course(s). If you take a CLEP and are awarded credit for a course, this does count as a course completion, however, because there is no grade assigned for the course, it will not count towards any additional points for grades achieved, TJC completion points, or be factored into your RGPA calculation. page 8
STEP FIVE Required Grade Point Average A Required Grade Point Average (RGPA) does not factor in all of your college course credit and will be different than your GPA listed on a transcript or in Degree Works. To be eligible to submit an application your RGPA must meet the following criteria: RGPA s are calculated using the most recent attempt of the following courses: BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, BIOL 2420, ENGL 1301, PSYC 2301, PSYC 2314, & one Language/ Philosophy/Cultural OR Creative Arts Elective Credit Received (CR) courses are NOT factored in to your RGPA The grade for the most recent attempt at each course will be used (A, B, C, D, and F). The current standing grade will be used even if a course is being retaken ( in progress ). RGPA s will NOT be recalculated after an in progress course is completed. RGPA s are calculated to three decimal places & are not rounded up. An RGPA of 2.495 will not be rounded up to 2.500. How do I calculate my RGPA? Course Grade 1. Write down your most recent grade for each course you have completed. Grades of D and F should be included, a W should not be included. 2. Next to each grade, assign a Grade value based on the scale below: A = 4 B = 3 C = 2 D = 1 F = 0 3. Next to the Grade value, write down the Credit Hours for each course. 4. Then for each course, multiply the Grade value (0-4) by the Credit Hours. 5. This number is the Grade Points earned for each course. 6. Add together the Grade Points from each course, this is your Total Grade Points. 7. Add together the Credit Hours for each course, this is your Total Credit Hours. 8. Divide your Total Grade Points by your Total Credit Hours to get your estimated RGPA. BIOL 2401 BIOL 2402 BIOL 2420 ENGL 1301 PSYC 2301 PSYC 2314 Huma/Fine Arts Total Grade Points Total Credit Hours Credit Hours Grade Points Estimated RGPA page 9
STEP SIX Prior NHS Program Enrollment If you were previously enrolled in a Nursing or Health Science (NHS) program you might not be eligible to apply to certain ADN tracks. Use the tables on pages 10 & 11 to determine your eligibility to apply and what actions are required. PRIOR ENROLLMENT IN A NURSING PROGRAM Program Program Status Track Eligibility Required Actions Vocational Nursing Associate Degree Nursing (AAS) Bachelor Science Nursing (BSN) Withdrew 1 unsuccessful course Not entry or first semester 2 or more unsuccessful courses Unsuccessful in an entry or first semester course ELIGIBLE to apply to the Traditional RN track NOT ELIGIBLE to apply to the Traditional RN track For an application to be eligible: VGS form must be submitted VGS form must be approved To obtain eligibility to apply to a Traditional RN or Transition track: Must successfully complete a Vocational Nursing or EMS- Paramedic program after initial nursing program failure. Must obtain LVN/Paramedic licensure. Program Program Status Track Eligibility Required Actions LVN-ADN Transition (AAS) LVN-BSN Transition (BSN) Paramedic-ADN Transition (AAS) Withdrew 1 unsuccessful course Not entry or first semester 2 or more unsuccessful courses Unsuccessful in an entry or first semester course ELIGIBLE to apply to Traditional RN track or a Transition track ELIGIBLE to apply to the Traditional RN track NOT ELIGIBLE to apply to any Transition tracks For an application to be eligible: VGS form must be submitted VGS form must be approved For a Traditional RN application to be eligible: VGS form must be submitted VGS form must be approved What is Verification of Good Standing (VGS)? To be considered in Good Standing at your previous program(s), you must provide proof that no academic, clinical and/or professional disciplinary actions were incured during your current enrollment in the program(s). A Verification of Good Standing (VGS) form must be completed by the director/department chair for each program in which you were enrolled and did not successfully complete. The VGS form(s) must be submitted with your application in a sealed institution envelope. All VGS forms are subject to approval. page 10
STEP SIX Prior NHS Program Enrollment PRIOR ENROLLMENT IN A HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAM Program Program Status Track Eligibility Required Actions Dental Studies Sonography Medical Lab Technology Physical Therapist Asst. Occupational Therapist Asst. Ophthalmic Medical Asst. Radiologic Technologist Respiratory Therapist Surgical Technologist Withdrew or had 1 or more unsuccessful course ELIGIBLE to apply to the Traditional RN track For an application to be eligible: VGS form must be submitted VGS form must be approved SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A NURSING OR HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAM Program Program Status Track Eligibility Required Actions Dental Studies EMS-Paramedic Sonography Medical Lab Technology Physical Therapist Asst. Occupational Therapist Asst. Ophthalmic Medical Asst. Radiologic Technologist Respiratory Therapist Surgical Technologist Vocational Nursing Awarded a degree, diploma, or certificate of completion ELIGIBLE to apply to Traditional RN track or a Transition track Submit proof of graduation or program completion by one of the following: Diploma Certificate of completion Academic transcript The applicant name, the program, and date of program completion/ graduation must be shown on the document. page 11
STEP SEVEN ATI Entrance Exam Requirements Paramedic-RN Transition applicants will complete two entrance exams, the ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 exam and the ATI Critical Thinking exam. The ADN Department will administer the ATI testing AFTER you submit your application. Dates & registration information will be provided in the Application Packet. ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 & ATI Critical Thinking Requirements: ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 score: Level One or higher ATI Critical Thinking Exam score: No minimum ONE attempt per admission period If multiple attempts are made within an admission period only the first exam score will be accepted. Exam scores expire ONE year after the test date Study materials are available for purchase (atitesting.com): Fundamentals of Nursing Review Module - Edition 9.0-2016 RN Fundamentals Online Practice 2016 A or B Taking the ATI RN Fundamentals & ATI Critical Thinking Exams: Exams can only be taken through the ADN administered testing Time limit is 110 minutes (70 minutes and 40 minutes) ATI RN Fundamentals Exam 2016-70 Questions ATI Critical Thinking Exam - 40 Questions A four-function calculator will be provided at the time of testing page 12
STEP EIGHT Notice of Drug Screen & Background Drug Screen To begin the Associate Degree Nursing program you must complete a drug screen and the results must be negative. A drug screen is ONLY required for applicants who are offered conditional acceptance. Texas Board of Nursing Background Check The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) needs to be aware of any criminal charges, arrests, addictions, substance abuse, or mental health diagnoses that you may have had. In order to begin a Nursing Program and be eligible to take your state examination (NCLEX-RN) you must complete a background check. If you DO NOT have criminal charges, arrests, addictions, substance abuse, or mental health diagnoses to disclose, you will follow the standard background check process. This takes approximately eight to ten weeks and begins when the ADN Department submits a roster of ONLY conditionally accepted and alternate candidiate applicants to the BON for processing. Do NOT complete the Petition for Declaratory Order. If you DO have criminal charges, arrests, addictions, substance abuse, or mental health diagnoses to disclose, you are required to file a Petition for Declaratory Order (DO) with the BON. The processing time varies between each case and can take anywhere from three months up to a year to complete. How do I find out if I need to submit a Declaratory Order? Follow the steps below to determine if you need to file a Petition for Declaratory Order: 1. Visit the Texas Board of Nursing website 2. Select Forms 3. Select Declaratory Order and download the packet 4. If you can answer YES to any of the questions you may need to file a DO 5. If you are still unsure, contact the Texas Board of Nursing for clarification If you already have an Operations/Enforcement Outcome letter or Eligibility Order from the BON, the letter/order must have been issued no earlier than ONE YEAR prior to the start of the admission period in which you are applying. If your letter/order was issued prior to this time frame, contact the Texas Board of Nursing for directions on how to obtain a more recent letter/order. page 13
STEP NINE General Admission to TJC Before you can complete your Associate Degree Nursing application, you must be accepted as a TJC student. You can submit your application for general admission to the college online. It s really simple to complete the application process, just visit the TJC website and follow the directions. Once your application has been processed you will be assigned a student ID number, this is called an A Number. You will need your A Number for almost everything you do on campus, so it s always helpful to learn it or keep it in an available place. I have been enrolled as a student at TJC in the past, do I still need to apply for general admission? If you have not been enrolled in courses at TJC for more than two consecutive semesters (Fall, Spring) you need to re-apply for admission to TJC. You can apply online on the TJC website using the link above. If you need assistance with your application or have questions, contact the Apache Enrollment Center at (903) 510 2200 and request to speak with an Admissions Recruiter. The general admission application to TJC is a different process and is not an application to the Associate Degree Nursing program. Once you have been accepted as a TJC student, approximately two months prior to the admission period, the ADN Application Packet (a seperate, PDF document) will be available to download from the ADN webpage. page 14
STEP TEN Transcript Submission & Evaluation If you have attended other colleges or universities, you have to send all of these transcripts to the TJC Registrar s Office for evaluation. All transcripts that you submit need to be official and sealed. The TJC Transfer Student page has all the information you need to know regarding submitting your transcripts to TJC. Your application will be automatically denied if a transcript has not been received and/or evaluated before you submit your Associate Degree Nursing application. How do I make sure that my application isn t denied because of a missing or unevaluated transcript? Submit your transcripts early It can take four to six weeks for a transcript to be evaluated so don t submit them at the last minute! Don t forget to submit a transcript Make sure you submit an official transcript from each college or university you attended. If you are missing a transcript, your application will not be processed. Request a Transcript Evaluation You need to complete and submit the online Transcript Evaluation Request Form for each transcript. If you do not complete this form, your transcripts will not be evaluated. Check your accout before applying Make sure that all courses from each college have been posted to your account. You can do this by logging in to Apache Access and viewing your records in Degree Works. Resolve any problems If you cannot see your courses in Degree Works, or you belive a grade was posted incorrectly, contact the Registrar s Office to get the problem resolved. page 15
APPLICATION PACKET When & Where to Download When you have read and can verify that you meet all of the requirements in the Preparation for Admission packet, you are ready to begin completing your Application Packet forms and requirements. The Application Packet is set up in a similar format with step-by-step instruction pages followed by the application forms that you submit. The LVN or Paramedic Transition Application Packet will ONLY be available online on the Associate Degree Nursing page of the TJC website. Application Packets will be available for download two months prior to the start of the upcoming admission period. If you are applying to more than one ADN Track or you are applying to more than one cohort within an ADN Track, you MUST submit SEPARATE application packets and supporting documentation for each track/cohort. How to download the Paramedic-RN Transition Application Packet: 1. Visit the TJC Associate Degree Nursing webpage 2. Locate the Paramedic-RN Transition Track 3. Click on How to Apply 4. Scroll down to the expandable tabs and click on the Download Application Packet tab 5. Click on the yellow Download Application Packet button 6. Follow the links and prompts to download and save the PDF document to your device 7. Make sure you download the LVN or Paramedic Transition Application Packet page 16
PARAMEDIC-RN TRANSITION Selection Points Criteria CATEGORY EXPLANATION STAGE ONE Stage One points are calculated after the application is submitted ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 Exam ATI Critical Thinking Exam District Status POSSIBLE POINTS [ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 Score] X 0.20 = [Your Points] 20 points [ATI Critical Thinking Exam] X 0.10 = [Your Points] 10 points In District = 1 points Service Area = 0.5 point District status is determined by the TJC Admissions office and is calculated using the current residency information on file at the time of the admission period. 1 points Anatomy & Physiology Grades Most recent attempt at BIOL 2401 & BIOL 2402* Anatomy & Physiology Honors A&P Courses Completed at TJC* Completion of Paramedic program at TJC BIOL 2401 [Grade: A] = 5 points BIOL 2401 [Grade: B] = 3 points BIOL 2402 [Grade: A] = 5 points BIOL 2402 [Grade: B] = 3 points *If BIOL 2402 is considered in progress at the time you submit your application, points WILL NOT be awarded once the course is completed. BIOL 2401 Honor Course Successfully Completed = 2 Points BIOL 2402 Honor Course Successfully Completed = 2 Points To receive the points, the honors course must be the most recent attempt and completed with a grade of A, B or C. BIOL 2401 completed at TJC = 1 points BIOL 2402 completed at TJC = 1 points *A passing grade (A, B or C) must be achieved, and the most recent attempt of the course(s) must be at TJC in order to receive the TJC completion points. Additional points are awarded for completion of Paramedic program at TJC. Paramedic program must be completed at time of application in order to receive points. 10 points 4 points 2 points 2 points STAGE TWO Top applicants from Stage One are identified and scheduled for an interview Interviews Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) will be conducted. Components include short interviews & a communication, and writing evaluation. 20 points Selection is based on the points each applicant achieves through out the application process. Applicants are ranked for selection from highest points to lowest points. In the event of a tie, the ADN Admissions Committee will split the tie first by ATI RN Fundamentals 2016 Score, then by Required Grade Point Average. page 17
NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES Academic Advisors NHS Academic Advising Team Jessie Tilmon Lead Academic Advisor Xochi Adame Academic Advisor Kristyl Hester Academic Advisor Quenton Lowery Academic Advisor Amber Rios Academic Advisor Nursing & Health Sciences Academic Advising Second Floor Rogers Student Center (RSC) Tel: (903) 510 2662 Schedule an appointment or walk in and wait for an available advisor. Please contact the office for available hours. Academic Advising webpage. page 18