Decker School of Nursing undergraduate programs lead to the bachelor of science degree with the major in nursing. These programs prepare graduates to provide high-quality health care, foster commitment to lifelong learning and the moral and ethical values of nursing, and promote social responsibility through community service.
Upon program completion, graduates are eligible to take the national licensure examination (NCLEX-RN) to become registered professional nurses and are prepared for beginning professional practice in a variety of settings, such as hospitals and community health agencies. The programs also provide the foundation for continuing education at the graduate level.
Decker School of Nursing is registered by the State Education Department and is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Decker School of Nursing is a member of CCNE and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
A part-time study option is available for students wishing to extend the upper-division nursing coursework beyond the traditional four semesters. A program plan is developed for the student in consultation with a faculty adviser.
An accelerated baccalaureate track program is available to students admitted to the Decker School who have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in another field and who are interested in a career change to professional nursing. Candidates for the program must have completed all prerequisite courses to the nursing major and be able to study full time for one calendar year. Admission to the program is selective, requiring a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 in prior academic work and in courses prerequisite to the nursing major to be considered for the program.
An RN accelerated track program is available to registered nurse students. Students who have practice experience as a registered nurse, who have completed all courses prerequisite to the nursing major, the majority of the General Education requirements and a significant number of elective credits are eligible for consideration. Registered nurses with a degree in another field or who have taken a significant number of courses in other colleges are eligible. Candidates for the program must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 in prior academic work, including courses prerequisite to the nursing major.
Course sequencing for students in part-time or accelerated programs may differ from the sample curriculum plan.
The procedure for candidates applying for admission is the same as for other students applying for admission to Binghamton University. Specific information may be found in the general section on Admissions in this publication.
Students admitted into another undergraduate school at Binghamton University may apply for admission to the Decker School at the sophomore or junior level.
Admitted students eligible for one of the accelerated programs must apply in writing to the Decker School in order to be considered for the specific program.
The University holds general articulation agreements with a significant number of community colleges within the SUNY system. Information about specific transfer mechanisms between programs may be found at the transfer counseling office of the community college or at Decker School.
The Decker School of Nursing has no limit on the number of transfer credits allowed, given that coursework is completed with a grade of C or better. Transfer credits include 20 credits of nursing coursework to meet upper division nursing course requirements for students that are licensed graduates of associate degree programs in nursing. An additional 32 credits of nursing course work is required and must be completed at Binghamton University in order to meet degree requirements. The remaining credits required for the degree will be made up of General Education courses, prerequisite courses, and general elective courses to total 128 credits. RNs with diplomas earned from hospital schools of nursing complete prerequisites, General Education courses, and general electives towards the degree. Diploma RNs may earn up to 24 nursing credits by passing three Regents College Examinations with scores of C or better: Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, and Maternal Child Nursing. Registered nurse students are encouraged to consider the Excelsior College Examinations (ECE) and/or the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) to gain additional college credits in areas of prior learning and personal interest.
Decker School has developed policies and procedures by which students with baccalaureate nursing credit from another program may transfer some portion of that credit to meet nursing course requirements at Binghamton University. Designated credits may be used to fulfill a limited number of the credits required to complete the nursing major. Information about specific transfer credit mechanisms is available at Decker School.
Students who apply for readmission to the Decker School of Nursing after withdrawal from Binghamton University for a minimum of one semester must submit an Application for Readmission to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Decisions regarding readmission are based upon:
Students who meet these criteria for readmission may be readmitted to complete the Decker School program described in the Binghamton University Bulletin in effect at the time of the readmission, if the student has been absent three or more semesters (not including summers) before returning. Students readmitted prior to advance registration for that semester are permitted to advance register for courses.
In accordance with University policy, Decker School students who withdraw from all classes during a semester may register for the following semester without applying for readmission.
Students in the Decker School of Nursing are subject to all general regulations listed in the Academic Policies section of this publication. Additionally, any student wishing to register for more than 18 credits per semester must file a petition for academic overload with Decker School. A complete description of all policies pertaining to undergraduate nursing students is contained in the Decker School of Nursing Undergraduate Programs Student Handbook .
See Advanced Placement in the Admissions section of this publication. Information is also available in the Decker School of Nursing Undergraduate Programs Student Handbook .
[ top ]A. Policy for transfer of nursing prerequisite courses for junior level Traditional Track nursing students:
B. Policy for transfer of nursing prerequisite courses for Baccalaureate Accelerated Track nursing students:
Grades in courses offered by the University are normally recorded as follows: A, A, B+, B, B, C+, C, C, D and F.
A grade of C- or higher in nursing courses is required for progression in the nursing curriculum. A grade of D or less in a nursing course will require repeating that course.
A cumulative grade-point average is computed for all courses and the following values are assigned to these letter grades:
A = 4.0
A = 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3.0
B = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2.0
C = 1.7
D = 1.0
F = 0.0
Grades of I (Incomplete), W (Withdrawn), WP (Withdrawn Passing), WF (Withdrawn Failing) and AU (Audit) may be given. These grades are not included in cumulative totals.
For all non-nursing courses, the following applies:
I. General Education and Prerequisites
A. General Education: Students are encouraged to meet the General Education requirements prior to entering upper-division nursing coursework. A number of the General Education requirements also fulfill prerequisites for the upper-division nursing coursework. (A full description of General Education requirements is found elsewhere in this publication. All General Education courses that double as nursing curriculum prerequisites must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a C or better. All other General Education courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a D or better, unless the only grade option for a course is Pass/Fail.) The General Education requirements of the University apply to all students entering the University who do not hold a baccalaureate or higher degree.
B. Prerequisites: The following prerequisite courses must be completed with a C- or better before starting the upper-division nursing curriculum:
Exceptions to DSON Prerequisite/Corequisite Policy for Licensed RNs:
There are two exceptions to the completion of prerequisites rule that apply only to those licensed RNs enrolling in non-accelerated program tracks. RNs enrolling in non-accelerated program tracks may opt to complete statistics prior to or concurrently with Nursing 360 (Socialization II: Nursing Research) and also may opt to complete the chemistry prerequisites (Chemistry I and Chemistry II) prior to or concurrently with the respective pathophysiology/psychopathology required courses, Nursing 351 (Pathophysiology/Psychopathology I) and Nursing 361 (Pathophysiology/Psychopathology II).
II. General Electives
All additional credits needed to meet the Decker School requirement of 128 credits for graduation, exclusive of nursing courses, prerequisites and the General Education requirements, may be taken Pass/Fail. Nursing elective credit beyond the required two credits may be taken Pass/Fail at the discretion of the instructor. The grading option for all electives must be chosen by the drop deadline.
III. Dropping Courses
Students requesting to drop courses after the drop deadline must seek approval of the Decker School through the Student Services Office. Grades are recorded according to the established systems of the respective schools of Binghamton University.
Students in the Decker School of Nursing must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students whose end-of-semester GPA is below 2.0 or whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will receive one of the following academic actions:
1. Academic Warning
2. Initial Academic Probation
3. Continuing Academic Probation
4. Academic Suspension/Dismissal
A full-time student normally completes the degree in the Decker School in a four- to five-year period. The requirements to complete the nursing degree must be met within six years from the time the student is enrolled in the first nursing course.
Nursing courses in which a student receives a D, F, or W may be repeated only once, regardless of the number of credits the course carries. Failure to pass the course on the second attempt results in the students dismissal from the Decker School.
The Decker School adheres to University policy pertaining to attendance in class. In addition, attendance for all laboratory experiences is mandatory. Students must notify their instructors if they are unable to meet this commitment because of illness or other circumstances beyond their control. All course-related assignments must be completed as indicated in course syllabi unless prior arrangements are made with course faculty.
The Decker School of Nursing (DSON) has formal affiliations with healthcare agencies for student clinical laboratory experiences. Healthcare agencies must comply with the New York State (NYS) Department of Health Code 405.3, which includes health requirements necessary for all persons engaged in patient contact. Agencies may have additional health requirements over and above those mandated by NYS (i.e., substance-abuse screening; removal of artificial/acrylic nails). The DSON must comply with NYS and agency requirements prior to student placement in the clinical agency.
Prior to enrollment in clinical nursing courses, all students are required to submit an annual health evaluation to the clinical site coordinator in the Decker School. The health evaluation must include:
Agencies have the right to request this information from the DSON and students are required to sign a waiver authorizing the release of this information by the DSON. Failure to sign a release may lead to a delay/denial of clinical placement.
Clinical agencies require that students have annual training in infection control and blood-borne pathogens and HIPAA. Relevant content is presented to students through the DSON. Registered Nurse (RN) students employed in healthcare agencies, who have received the above training through their places of employment and can provide documentation of such, may satisfy this requirement. Some agencies have very specific training that they require students to participate in prior to the beginning of a clinical experience and students are expected to oblige by such requests.
Prior to enrollment in clinical nursing courses, all students are required to submit evidence of annual cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification (including AED training) at the professional rescuer level to the clinical site coordinator in the DSON. Decker School of Nursing does not accept online CPR training. CPR is required annually.
All DSON students enrolled in clinical nursing courses are required to submit proof of current personal health insurance. This documentation should be submitted to the clinical site coordinator prior to beginning any clinical experience.
All students enrolled in clinical nursing courses are required to purchase malpractice and liability insurance through the University. The cost of this insurance currently is $35 per semester, but is subject to change each semester. RN students who may have their own malpractice and liability insurance policy are also required to purchase this malpractice and liability insurance, as it provides coverage for their practice as a student in clinical nursing courses.
Some agencies, in order to protect clients, require information related to students past employment and documentation as to whether they have ever been convicted of a criminal offense, including misdemeanors and felonies, other than vehicular violations. Students may be asked to respond to such questions.
The DSON will not provide opportunities for clinical experiences for students who fail to meet the requirements/responsibilities as outlined above.
[ top ]Clinical agencies are beginning to require criminal background checks for everyone working in the facility, including students. All DSON students participating in a clinical experience are required by clinical agencies used by the DSON to undergo a criminal background screening and/or drug screen. In addition, some agencies may require more stringent screening than indicated below, including fingerprinting. The student will be required to submit to DSON results of a criminal background screening by Certified Background.com or another approved agency as determined by the DSON (such as federal military clearance) done within the past calendar year. This documentation will be due prior to the start of the semester in accordance with the due dates for all other clinical requirements (health forms, proof of CPR, etc). The student is responsible for all costs associated with these requirements. The Criminal Background Screening will be required annually while attending DSON. For more information about this process and its costs, please see http://www.certifiedbackground.com.
Results will be disclosed to the agency/clinical site to determine if the student can attend clinical within the facility. Any student that delays, fails or refuses to provide a Criminal Background Screening to the DSON by its due date, will be unable to attend clinical, which may result in a failure for the course. Positive Criminal Background Screening results may hinder a student's opportunity for state licensure. DSON recommends a student contact his/her state board of licensure to clarify any concerns regarding licensure. Should a student be convicted of a criminal offense between the first and second background screening, he/she must immediately disclose this to the DSON for review with the clinical site. The clinical site will determine whether the student will be permitted to continue to participate in clinical. Any such incident may jeopardize the student's enrollment at the University and licensure.
Reports from Criminal Background Screening will be stored with the student's health file in the clinical site coordinator's locked filing cabinet. After the student signs a release each year, the DSON will assume responsibility for releasing written verification of a clear criminal background check to the clinical agency. Again, failure, delay or refusal to sign the release, allowing the DSON to provide the results to the agencies, will prevent the student from attending clinical, which may result in a failure for the course. All documentation from the Criminal Background Screening reports will be destroyed upon graduation or dismissal from the program.
Disclaimer: The Criminal Background Screening procedure does not ensure the security of students, patients, faculty or staff.
Students are required to purchase uniforms beginning in the junior year of the nursing curriculum from a vendor of their choice for selected clinical experiences. Student ID cards are worn as a name badge and must be visibly displayed as a required piece of the student nurse uniform. Plastic holders are used to display the ID card and are attached to the uniform with a pocket clip or on a break-away lanyard worn around the neck, available for sale at the University Bookstore. The complete student nurse Uniform Policy of the Decker School is posted via the DSON Undergraduate Handbook.
Students are required to purchase basic medical equipment and a pharmacology pack prior to the first clinical course in the nursing curriculum. Information for acquiring required equipment is posted online prior to the start of the fall semester for traditional track students and prior to the summer session for Baccalaureate Accelerated Track (BAT) students; equipment information is also included in mailings sent in a timely fashion to enrolled students.
Additionally, nursing students beginning nursing coursework are required to pay a one-time $30 supply/equipment fee at the beginning of the junior year.Baccalaureate Accelerated Track (BAT) and RN Accelerated Track (RAT) students pay a $25 fee to cover their one-year program costs. This fee is charged to all students to offset costs of supplies and equipment used by students while completing their nursing curriculum.
The University assumes no responsibility for providing transportation for travel from campus to the clinical health agencies used for student clinical experiences. Students arrange their own transportation to clinical agencies. Some clinical experiences require students to travel up to a 150 mile distance away from campus. There may be parking costs at some clinical agencies.
Students are expected to comply with the University Rules for Student Conduct and the policies related to professional ethics and academic honesty as stated in the Decker School of Nursing Undergraduate Programs Student Handbook .
Decker School has a Deans List for all students who have an outstanding academic record. To qualify for inclusion in the Deans List for that semester, students must meet the following criteria:
Deans List is noted on the students official transcript for each semester it is achieved.
Honors are awarded as follows:
3.50-3.69 GPA: cum laude
3.70-3.84 GPA: magna cum laude
3.85-4.00 GPA: summa cum laude
The appropriate graduation honors are indicated on the diploma and on the final transcript.
Sigma Theta Tau International, the international honor society of nursing, recognizes outstanding graduate and undergraduate students, faculty and practitioners of nursing. Candidates for membership in Binghamtons Zeta Iota chapter must have demonstrated:
Eligibility for membership in the Zeta Iota chapter is by invitation to students who have completed at least half of the courses in the nursing major, have a GPA of 3.0 and above and rank in the top 35 percent of their class in scholarship.
To qualify for the bachelor of science degree with the major in nursing, the student must:
Satisfactory completion of specific courses in the social, behavioral and natural sciences is required for admission to the first course in the nursing sequence. Refer to Prerequisites in the Grading System section for a list of the prerequisite courses all students must complete prior to beginning upper-level nursing coursework. In addition, students must secure the approval of their faculty advisers before registering for the nursing courses. Students are expected to complete approximately 64 credits toward the degree prior to beginning the nursing major.
In addition to the courses listed under General Requirements, the following courses are required for the upper-division major in nursing:
Following is a sample of a typical program of studies sequence of courses for the nursing program.
First Year/fall
|
Composition course |
4 |
|
|
Intro Chem I (inorganic) |
4 |
|
|
Intro Psychology |
4 |
|
|
General Education/Elective |
4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
16 |
First Year/spring
|
Intro Biology (lecture) |
4 |
|
|
Intro Chem II (organic/biochem) |
4 |
|
|
Dev Psychology |
4 |
|
|
Second Composition Course |
4 |
|
|
Physical Activity/Wellness |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL |
17 |
Second Year/fall
|
Anatomy and Physiology I |
4 |
|
|
Statistics (or humanities) |
4 |
|
|
General Education/Elective |
4 |
|
|
General Education/Elective |
4 |
|
|
Physical Activity/Wellness |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL |
17 |
Second Year/spring
|
Anatomy and Physiology II |
4 |
|
|
Microbiology |
4 |
|
|
General Education/Elective |
4 |
|
|
General Education/Elective |
4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
16 |
Third Year/fall
|
NURS 320. Socialization I: Introduction to Professional Nursing |
4 |
|
|
NURS 321. Nursing Assessment of Clients |
4 |
|
|
NURS 322. The Client System of Nursing |
4 |
|
|
NURS 351. Pathophysiology and Psychopathology I |
2 |
|
|
Elective |
2/4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
16-18 |
Third Year/spring
|
NURS 361. Pathophysiology and Psychopathology II |
4 |
|
|
NURS 352. Practice of Nursing I |
4 |
|
|
NURS 353. Practice of Nursing II |
4 |
|
|
Elective |
4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
16 |
Fourth Year/fall
|
NURS 360. Socialization II: Nursing Research |
2 |
|
|
NURS 362. Practice of Nursing III |
4 |
|
|
NURS 363. Practice of Nursing IV |
4 |
|
|
NURS 365. Pharmacology in Nursing |
2 |
|
|
Elective |
2/4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
14-16 |
Fourth Year/spring
|
NURS 470. Socialization III: Professional Issues |
4 |
|
|
NURS 471. Practice of Nursing V |
8 |
|
|
Nursing Elective |
2 |
|
|
Elective |
2/4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
16-18 |
The accelerated baccalaureate in nursing program is a 12-month, three-semester program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing. Applicants to the program are expected to have earned a baccalaureate or higher degree in another field and to have a desire to make a career change to professional nursing. They must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the prior degree and in prerequisite courses to be considered for the program.
Students selecting this option complete all required courses in the nursing major in a sequence that provides accelerated progression to achieve the undergraduate program objectives. This selective program option is designed for the mature, highly motivated student.
Summer Session Term I
|
Nurs 320 Socialization I: Introduction to Professional Nursing |
4 |
|
|
Nurs 321 Nursing Assessment of Clients (Lecture ONLY) |
4 | |
|
Nurs 351 Pathophysiology / Psychopathology I |
2 |
|
|
Nursing elective (one required--may be taken summer or spring) |
2 |
|
| Total Per Summer Session I | 10-12 |
Summer Session Term II
|
Nurs 321 Nursing Assessment of Clients (Lab ONLY) |
n/a |
|
|
Nurs 360 Socialization II: Nursing Research |
2 | |
|
Nurs 361 Pathophysiology / Psychopathology II |
4 |
|
|
Nursing elective (one required--may be taken summer or spring) |
2 |
|
| Total Per Summer Session II | 6-8 |
Fall Semester
|
NURS 322. The Client System of Nursing |
4 |
|
|
NURS 352. Practice of Nursing I (1/2 semester course) |
4 |
|
|
NURS 353. Practice of Nursing II (1/2 semester course) |
4 |
|
|
NURS 362. Practice of Nursing III (1/2 semester course) |
4 |
|
|
NURS 365. Pharmacology in Nursing |
2 |
|
|
TOTAL |
18 |
Spring Semester
|
NURS 363. Practice of Nursing IV (1/2 semester course) |
4 |
|
|
NURS 470. Socialization III: Professional Issues |
4 |
|
|
NURS 471. Practice of Nursing V |
8 |
|
|
Nursing Elective (one required; take summer or spring) |
2 |
|
|
TOTAL |
16-18 |
Registered nurses who wish to earn the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing have the opportunity to do so at Binghamton University. Decker School of Nursing offers several options for registered nurses who have earned an associates degree in nursing from a community college or have graduated from a hospital diploma program. Degree requirements for the nursing major are 128 credits, 52 of which must be nursing. RNs transfer 20 credits from associate degree nursing programs to fulfill nursing course requirements. See more information on transfer credits in this publication. Required nursing courses (32 credits) for all registered nurse students include NURS 322, 323, 351, 360, 361, 364, 365, 470, 472 and a nursing elective. Full- and part-time study options are available. Each RN student meets with an RN adviser to develop an individual program plan.
Listed here is a sample of a sequence of courses for registered nurse students who have completed all prerequisite courses to the nursing major, including inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and statistics, and the majority of the General Education requirements (for more information on how General Education applies to a registered nurse student, consult an adviser).
Third Year/fall
|
NURS 322 The Client System of Nursing |
4 |
|
|
NURS 323 Transitions in Professional Role Development I |
4 | |
|
NURS 351 Pathophysiology and Psychopathology I |
2 |
|
|
General Education or Elective (if needed) |
4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
10-14 |
Third Year/spring
|
NURS 361 Pathophysiology and Psychopathology II |
4 |
|
|
General Education or Elective (if needed) |
4 |
|
|
General Education or Elective (if needed) |
4 |
|
|
Nursing Elective |
2 | |
|
TOTAL |
4-14 |
Fourth Year/fall
|
NURS 360 Socialization II: Nursing Research |
2 |
|
|
NURS 364 Population-Focused Care in the Community |
2 |
|
|
NURS 365 Pharmacology in Nursing (if not taken above) |
2 |
|
|
General Education or Elective (if needed) |
4 |
|
|
General Education or Elective (if needed) |
4 |
|
|
TOTAL |
6-14 |
Fourth Year/spring
|
NURS 470 Socialization III: Professional Issues |
4 |
|
|
NURS 472 Practice of Nursing V for Registered Nurses |
6 |
|
|
Nursing elective (if needed) |
2 |
|
|
TOTAL |
10-12 |
A two-semester accelerated program is available for registered nurses who have completed 76 credits, including all prerequisite courses and General Education requirements, with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Criteria for selection include potential for success based on previous education, professional work references, work experience and a personal interview.
| Fall |
Credits |
Spring |
Credits |
|
|
NURS 322 |
4 |
NURS 361 |
4 |
|
|
NURS 323 |
4 |
NURS 470 |
4 |
|
|
NURS 351 |
2 |
NURS 472 |
6 |
|
|
NURS 360 |
2 |
Nursing elective |
2 |
|
|
NURS 364 |
2 |
|||
|
NURS 365 |
2 |
|||
|
TOTAL |
16 |
TOTAL |
16 |
The nursing curriculum places its focus on knowledge and theory drawn from health science and the related disciplines. Students apply this knowledge and theory in a number of clinical settings, giving them an opportunity to develop skill in clinical practice, critical thinking and problem solving. The Decker School of Nursing places students in agencies locally and throughout New York state and Pennsylvania. Included among nearly 400 clinical affiliations are the following.