General Policies

Academic Progression Policy

To qualify for continued matriculation in the Nursing program, all students must maintain ongoing cumulative averages of 2.70 or better by achieving the following averages at the end of each semester:

1. a semester average of 2.70 or better,
2. not less than a grade C+ in any professional major course,
3. a semester average of 2.70 or better for professional courses attempted in the major,
4. a cumulative grade point average of 2.700 or better in required science courses. 

Appeal Process for Program Dismissal

Students who are dismissed from the Baccalaureate Nursing program may appeal the decision regarding their continuation in the program by submitting a letter of appeal to the chairperson of the Solomont School of Nursing by the listed due date in their dismissal letter, so it can be forwarded to the Professional Review Committee. The appeal letter should address what happened, how it happened, what options you would like the committee to consider, and what resources you will use to be successful in the Nursing program should you be allowed to continue. You may either bring your letter of appeal to the Solomont School of Nursing or send it as an attachment to Sadia Fathi, department assistant. After carefully deliberating all the data available, the committee will make their recommendations and a decision will be sent prior to the beginning of the semester to your University of Massachusetts Lowell email address.

Students must meet the conditions for continuation in the Solomont School of Nursing as described in their detailed probation conditions correspondence and per the undergraduate course catalog on retention and continuance in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences and its programs; this is a one-time probationary period. Failure to maintain all school academic requirements subsequent to that, as outlined in the catalogue “will result in dismissal from the program” with no further appeal to the Solomont School of Nursing.

Students who cannot continue in the Nursing program must withdraw from all enrolled nursing courses and change their major. Students may select and apply for another major within the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences or university if they qualify under university policies.

HESI Policy

All pre-licensure nursing students will be required to take nationally normed tests throughout the curriculum. The specialty tests, which become part of the course grade, will be given in the following courses:

• Nursing Health Assessment,
• Introduction to Nursing Practice,
• Health Promotion and Risk Reduction of Families I and II
• Pharmacology, and
• Acute Care Nursing

All pre-licensure senior level-nursing students will take two HESI Exit comprehensive exams while enrolled in NURS.4130 Role Transition. These exams also are a part of the course grade. Senior nursing students who do not achieve a HESI score of 900 or higher on the first HESI exit exam must enroll in an approved online review course and provide evidence of ongoing participation prior to taking the second HESI exit exam.

In addition to enforcing the policy, a HESI Confidentiality Statement will be signed by all students prior to taking HESI exams. The agreement states that students consent not to disclose to any individual or remove any documents about the content of HESI test items, answers, or rationales. Failure to honor this agreement will result in their name being submitted to the MA BORN and in possible legal action.

Basic Math Competency and Medication Calculation Policy

To assure safe administration of medication to patients in the clinical area the following policy was implemented:

1. The general UMass Lowell Math test will be given by Admissions during orientation. This is a requirement by Massachusetts Department of Education.
2. Regardless of the score achieved on the UML Math Test, NURS.1010 Strategies for Academic Success will assure exposure to basic math needed for medication calculation. Weekly math assignments are integrated as homework for 12 weeks.
3. The NURS.2120 Introduction to Nursing Practice Math recitation seminar will devote approximately 50 minutes per class to medication calculation using Dimensional Analysis. A medication calculations test will be given in this course. Students must pass with 90% or higher. They may re-take the test a second time. If they do not pass then they must take the course HSCI.2100 Clinical Calculations (or independent study equivalent; see item 3) the following fall semester, going into junior year and achieve an A-.
4. HSCI.2100 Clinical Calculations will be offered fall and spring semesters every year when enrollments permit its offering. Pending enrollment size, an independent study utilizing the HSCI.2100 syllabus, course outline, and objectives may be offered.
5. Junior year fall and spring leveled medication calculation tests will be given at the beginning of each semester. Students must pass with 90% or higher. If they do not pass, then they may re-take take the test a second time. If they do not pass the second time, they will be required to take the HSCI.2100 Clinical Calculations course during that semester and achieve an A-.  If they have taken HSCI.2100 Clinical Calculations and they fail the second time, they may take the test a third time and if they fail, they will be dismissed from the program.
6. A medication calculation test will be given at the beginning of the senior year. Students must achieve a 90% or higher. If they do not, then they may re-take take the test a second time. If they do not pass the second time, they will be required to take the HCSI.2100 Clinical Calculations course during that semester and achieve an A-. If they have taken HCSI.2100 Clinical Calculations AND they fail the second time, they may take the test a third time and if they fail, they are dismissed from the program.

Withdrawal from Nursing

Students who wish to withdraw from any nursing course are advised that such withdrawal may result in termination of enrollment in the Nursing program.

Such students who wish to apply for readmission to the nursing program as members of subsequent graduation classes are advised that consideration for readmission is determined not only by academic eligibility requirements in effect for the class to which admission is sought but also by enrollment quotas. Accordingly, students are advised to confer with the chairperson of the Solomont School of Nursing prior to applying for readmission in order to ascertain if program vacancies exist.