Nursing Informatics

Admission Criteria

1. FIRST, submit an application to Albany State University's Graduate School and be admitted in good standing.
   • To enter the program leading to the Master of Science in Nursing Degree, the student must meet the requirements established for all graduate degree programs at Albany State University, as established by its Graduate School.
2. AFTER being accepted as a graduate student at Albany State University, submit the completed application and the $20.00 application fee money order by the application deadline.
3. Possess a baccalaureate degree in nursing from an accredited nursing program.
4. Have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or 2.0 (on a 3.0 scale).
5. Complete the following undergraduate courses: Assessment in Health Care/Health Assessment; Pathophysiology/Pathophysiology for RN's; Research/Research in Nursing; and Introduction to Statistics.
6. Have documentation of current Professional Nursing Licensure in their state of practice prior to entering the functional track.
   • Students intending to practice or satisfy clinical requirements within the state of Georgia must also provide documentation of current Professional Nursing Licensure in Georgia.
7. Arrange for a personal interview with the Graduate Nursing Programs Director.
8. Submit three (3) references regarding professional accomplishments and academic potential (if the references submitted to the Graduate School are not professional references).
9. Following admission to the nursing program, students must submit the following documentation prior to the course’s established pre-clinical deadline: certificate of immunization, current basic life support (BLS) for healthcare providers, malpractice insurance, proof of active health insurance (or enrollment into the student health insurance plan), a complete criminal background check, a drug test, and an annual health physical at the expense of the student. The criminal background check will be completed utilizing PreCheck.com.
   • Certificate of Immunization: Must be on file in Student Health Services indicating that all immunizations are current based on his/her age. Immunizations include Hepatitis B (or waiver), MMR, tetanus, varicella, tuberculosis, and any other immunization(s) deemed necessary by the University and/or the clinical site.
   • BLS Card: A current CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) basic life support (BLS) for healthcare providers card . All students must be certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) in child and adult BLS for health care providers. This certification must be maintained throughout the program (renewed every 2 years). An outdated CPR certification will prohibit the student from attending clinical practice experiences.
   • Students are subjected to compulsory background checks per clinical agency requirements and may also be required to submit to random tests for illegal use of controlled substance as a provided by the law or regulations of the contracting agency. If the site refuses to allow a student to attend clinical experiences, the nursing program is not obligated to find another clinical site. The student may not be able to complete the nursing program at ASU. Therefore, it is important to conduct personal record checks prior to admission to the nursing program.
10. A student who has failed (C, D, F, or WF) two (2) graduate nursing courses—whether at ASU or another graduate-level program—will be ineligible for admission (or continuation) in the nursing program at ASU. Students who have been dismissed for two (2) nursing failures or for cause may request readmission after two (2) years of receiving notice of dismissal. For readmission policies, please refer to the appropriate section in the Graduate Nursing Student Handbook.

 Admission Procedures

PHASE 1: INTERVIEWS

Review of applications will be conducted January through March of each year. Applications received earliest will be reviewed first and may receive priority in scheduling interviews.

On-campus and online interviews, offered to the most qualified applicants, will be scheduled beginning late March through April. During the interview day candidates will have the opportunity to meet faculty and staff. All invitations for interviews will be extended by the end of March. Applicants not interviewed will not be eligible for admission to the Albany State University Nursing Informatics.

PHASE 2: ACCEPTANCE DETERMINATION

Notification of acceptance will occur after all candidates have been interviewed. All requirements for the desire graduate nursing program must be completed and verified prior to matriculation.

Following the interview and committee selection decision, interviewees will receive a letter assigning one of the following categories: Conditional Acceptance, Alternate Candidate, or Regret.

Interviewees who are selected as conditional or alternate candidates for the graduate nursing program must complete and submit the following:

1. Acknowledgment of receipt of student handbook: Print, sign, and submit the form at the end of the handbook to signify understanding of the contents contained within.
2. Documentation of active professional nursing licensure within the state in which you intend to complete your clinicals.
3. Documentation of successful completion of a Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Providers course certified by the American Health Association (AHA). Automated External Defibrillators (AED) courses and courses that are “consistent with” AHA standards (but do not explicitly specify AHA certification) will NOT satisfy this requirement.
4. Documentation of current malpractice insurance, which must meet the following coverage requirements:
   • Medical Specialty: Explicit reference to coverage as a “student” within your current program of study. For example, for undergraduates, this may appear as “Registered Nurse Student.” Please note that having coverage as only a “Registered Nurse” or “Employed Nurse” will NOT satisfy this requirement.
   • Professional Liability Amount: Students must have a minimum coverage amount of $1,000,000 each claim and $6,000,000 aggregate.
5. Effective Fall 2014, nursing students are required to show proof of active medical insurance coverage, which is a Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia mandate; this insurance must be maintained through a student’s matriculation. A health insurance fee will be charged to all nursing students’ accounts at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters (the Summer semester is covered by the Spring payment), and students may either enroll in the student health insurance plan (SHIP) or waive this fee prior to the end of the enrollment period by selecting the desired option and providing the requested information at https://studentcenter.uhcsr.com/asurams. Students will be automatically enrolled in the SHIP if either (1) no action is taken or (2) the waiver (and any potential resulting appeals) is denied
6. Documentation verifying the purchase of a background check done by PreCheck.com.
   • Students are subjected to compulsory background checks per clinical agency requirements and may also be required to submit to random tests for illegal use of controlled substance as a provided by the law or regulations of the contracting agency. If the site refuses to allow a student to attend clinical experiences, the nursing program is not obligated to find another clinical site. The student may not be able to complete the nursing program at ASU. Therefore, it is important to conduct personal record checks prior to admission to the nursing program.
7. Students must receive a 10-panel drug screening from a site approved to perform these types of screenings. The drug screening does NOT have to come from a specific facility.
   1. The most common version of a 10-panel drug screening checks for the following: Amphetamines (AMP), Marijuana (THC), Cocaine (COC), Opiates (OPI), Methamphetamines (MAMP), Benzodiazepines (BZO), Methadone (MTD), Barbiturates (BAR), MDMA (Ecstasy), and Phencyclidine (PCP).
   2. Some sites may additionally and/or alternatively test for OxyContin/Oxycodone (OXY), Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA), and/or Propoxyphene (PPX).
8. Documentation of current immunizations, which should include the following:
   • Hepatitis B: Recommended for clinical settings, but NOT required. You may elect to either receive the three-series shot (plus titer) or refuse and provide a signed Hepatitis B Waiver Form (available from the department upon request).
   • Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, and Rubella: By a positive titer, physician’s diagnosis of disease, or two (2) doses of vaccine. Depending on your medical history, you may have had these vaccinations given individually or as part of an MMR series.
   • Tetanus: Required if you have not received a vaccination in the past 10 years. This can be taken individually or as part of the TDAP vaccination series. If your learning experience is in women’s services, neonate, pediatric, urgent care, or emergency department, you must be compliant with the Varicella information as noted below and have at least one dose of the TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria, aceulluar pertussis) vaccine if your last TD (tetanus, diphtheria) vaccine was two or more years ago.
   • Varicella: By a positive titer, physician’s diagnosis of disease, or two (2) doses of vaccine. The school must notify the clinical site if you have no immunity to Varicella, and any exposure to chicken pox or shingles must be reported immediately.
     • NOTE: Declinations for any of the required vaccinations listed above will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may affect clinical participation.

9. Documentation of annual tuberculosis screening. The following are the most common screenings given for tuberculosis, all of which are acceptable:
   • Purified Protein Derivative (PPD): expires after 1 year; requires an intradermal injection; results are typically read within 48 to 72 hours after initial injection
   • T-SPOT®.TB Test (T-spot): expires after 1 year; requires a blood sample to be drawn from patient; results are typically available within 24 hours
   • QuantiFERON® TB Gold In-Tube Test (QFT-GIT): expires after 1 year; requires a blood sample to be drawn from patient; results are typically available within 24 hours
   • Chest X-ray: expires after 4 years; utilizes chest radiography; result availability varies
     • NOTE: Students with positive screening results and/or evidence of active tuberculosis may require additional testing (including chest x-rays) and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, which may affect clinical participation.

10. Documentation of a current health physical—most frequently received from a student’s current employer or appropriate health facility—denoting that a student has no limitations that would prevent him/her from performing or completing his/her clinical duties and requirements. Depending on the site from which the physical is given, the examination may be brief or thorough and can include any of the following: medical history; vital signs; general appearance; heart, lung, head/neck, vision, abdominal, neurological, dermatological, and extremities exams; and any gender-specific exams.

PHASE 3: FINAL SELECTION

Applicants are given notice of final selection by mail once all requirements have been met.

It is imperative that applicants have made financial and personal preparations to ensure readiness to begin the program.

Program of Study

• Graduate Catalog: MSN-NI Program of Study

 Curriculum Pattern Example

Full-Time Plan of Study

• First Year In-Program
• Second Year In-Program