The School of Nursing offers an Associate of Science in Nursing for qualified individuals who wish to provide direct patient care as members of the health care delivery system.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Graduates will utilize clinical judgment and critical thinking within the framework of the nursing process to provide safe, quality, patient-centered care.
- Graduates will evaluate information from knowledge sources to provide safe, quality, patient-centered care.
- Graduates will participate in quality improvement initiatives that improve patient care outcomes.
- Graduates will collaborate with healthcare disciplines to deliver effective nursing care that meets the dynamic healthcare needs of patients.
- Graduates will incorporate professional standards in the delivery of evidence-based nursing practice.
- Graduates will demonstrate the ability to prioritize, manage, and delegate safe, quality, patient-centered care.
Approval and Accreditation
The ASN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326, telephone 404-975-5000, www.acenursing.org.
The most recent decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioner for the ASN program is Continuing Accreditation.
The ASN program is approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), 17373 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810, telephone 225-755-7500, www.lsbn.state.la.us.
Admission Requirements
Applications to the ASN nursing program are accepted in the fall and spring semesters. The School of Nursing accepts a pre-determined number of students for Spring and Fall admission. If the last and next to last students have the same cumulative GPA, then both students will be admitted into the nursing program.
To be eligible for admission, the applicant must meet the following criteria:
1. Be unconditionally admitted to LSUA and have declared Nursing as major (see Categories of Admission for admission procedures).
2. Be enrolled in courses at LSUA during the semester of application.
3. Have attained a grade of “C” or higher in each of the required prerequisite courses.
a. Required prerequisites for generic ASN students are as follows:
b. Required prerequisites for LPN to ASN students are as follows:
c. Both ASN students and LPN to ASN students must have completed all prerequisite courses by the end of the semester of application. Summer coursework is not accepted when applying for fall admission.
d. BIOL 1161 must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher within five years of application to the generic ASN and LPN to ASN programs. Transfer Credit for BIOL 1162 will be awarded if the course is completed with a grade of “C” or higher within five years of application to the ASN program.
4. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher at the time of application. An overall GPA of 2.7 or higher must be maintained through the end of the semester of application and through the summer for fall admission. Students with a baccalaureate degree or higher may choose to have their admission to the program based on their cumulative GPA at the time of application or the GPA for the prerequisite courses. If applicants choose to have their admission based on their GPA for the prerequisite courses, they must indicate that choice on their application.
5. Students are advised to regularly check LSUA email for information related to the application process. Applications will be available two weeks prior to submission deadline established by the nursing program. Late applications will not be accepted.
6. Have submitted all official grades from other universities by May 1 for fall selection, and by December 1 for spring selection. Students may not be enrolled at another university during the semester of application.
7. Have completed nine credit hours of coursework at LSUA. LPNs and students with a baccalaureate degree or higher are exempt from this requirement.
8. Complete the PAX Exam with a minimum score of 102 during the semester of application and submit a copy of the scores to the Department of Nursing prior to the end of the semester of application. Students are allowed two opportunities to take the examination. Examination dates will be provided to students and can be scheduled through the LSUA Testing Center. Scores are valid for two years.
9. Be approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to enter clinical courses.
Students who are not admitted to the program may reapply by the next scheduled application date; if they do, they must resubmit all required paperwork to the School of Nursing. Student who reapply will be considered among all other applicants using the same selection criteria. Students who are unsuccessful or withdraw from NURS 1030 /NURS 1031 or NURS 1019 but remain eligible to return to the program may also reapply at the next scheduled application time and will be considered among all other applicants using the same selection criteria.
Applicants who have ever been arrested, charged with, convicted of, pled guilty or no contest to, or been sentenced for any criminal offense in any state or foreign country should access the Louisiana State Board of Nursing website at: http://www.lsbn.state.la.us/ for information regarding how to proceed for application to clinical courses.
Students who hold or have held licensure in any healthcare discipline and who have had disciplinary action against that license must petition the LSBN for review and action regarding approval to enter the clinical nursing practice area.
Students dismissed from a nursing program at another university will not be allowed to enter the LSUA nursing program until three years after the date of dismissal. Students who have been placed on probation or who have been dismissed for academic reasons or professional misconduct from another university are ineligible for admission to the LSUA nursing program. Nursing course grades and credits from other universities are nontransferable.
Criteria for Enrollment in Subsequent Nursing Courses (Continuing and Re-entry Students)
If a student’s progression in nursing courses is interrupted for any reason, the student must apply to re-enroll in a clinical nursing course. Re-enrollment applications will be accepted in the next regular semester. When completing the application for re-enrollment, the student must also:
- Submit the “Application to Re-Enter Nursing” by December 1st for spring courses or by May 1st for fall courses. (Example: a student who fails or withdraws from a fall semester clinical nursing course may re-apply by December 1st for spring re-entry.)
- Meet all academic requirements in effect at the time of re-enrollment:
- Students who have interrupted their enrollment for two consecutive regular semesters must complete any new curricular requirements in effect at the time of their reentry.
- Students who have interrupted their enrollment in nursing courses for a period of three years must repeat all required courses titled Nursing.
- Students who have interrupted their enrollment for more than one semester will be required to complete a drug screen at their own expense within 30 days prior to reentry. Drug screen results are sent directly to the Department of Nursing from the screening agency.
Course placement of students meeting criteria for re-enrollment will vary and may be altered according to resources available each term/semester. If the number of students applying for re-entry exceeds the number of openings, re-entry applicants with the highest overall GPA will be given preference.
Degree Requirements
- Students must complete all of the requirements pertaining to associate degree as prescribed in Degree Requirements .
- Students are required to make a grade of “C” or higher in all non-nursing and nursing courses applied to the ASN curriculum.
Degree Audit Sheet
A fillable degree audit sheet for students and their academic advisors is available here.