BS Nursing & LVN to BS Admission & Program Information

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Nursing Admissions

Application Process

All Application materials must be submitted to the Admissions Office by the application deadline: April 1 for fall admission and September 1 for spring admission. Late applications and incomplete files will not be considered.

  1. Apply Online to Southwestern Adventist University
  2. Obtain two professional references from teachers, employers, and/or church pastors, which attest to professional competence, scholastic ability, emotional stability, and physical health. Forms may be printed from the website or obtained from the Nursing Department. Send completed forms to the Admissions Office, Southwestern Adventist University, 100 W. Hillcrest Street, Keene, TX 76059.
  3. Send official transcripts from all schools attended (high school, colleges, and/or universities) to Southwestern Adventist University Admissions Office.
  4. Successfully complete at least 48 semester hours of nursing prerequisites, nursing cognate, and general education requirements. Courses in progress may be included.
  5. Successfully complete the ATI TEAS Nursing Admission Exam with a score of proficient level or higher. Note: There is a limit fo two TEAS exam attempts per admission cycle. Register for the TEAS Exam: [http://www.atitesting.com/]  and select Southwestern Adventist University. Call 817-202-6658 for testing dates if not listed. An official TEAS transcript must be sent directly from ATI to the SWAU Nursing Department if the exam is not taken at SWAU.

NOTE: In compliance with the Texas State Board of Nursing policy, completion of the Nursing Program does not guarantee eligibility for the registered nurse license exam (NCLEX). An individual who may be ineligible for licensure due to physical/emotional disabilities or past criminal convictions which are likely to affect professional practice and/or behavior should seek departmental and/or legal advising prior to enrolling in any professional nursing program in Texas.

Admission Criteria

  1. Meet all admission requirements for enrollment at Southwestern Adventist University.
  2. Complete all the steps in the Nursing Application Process.
  3. Successfully complete the Nursing pre-requisite courses (36 credits):
    • BIOL 220 Microbiology* (4 semester credits with lab)
    • BIOL 101 and BIOL 102 Anatomy and Physiology I and II* (8 semester credits with lab)
    • CHEM 105 Survey of Chemistry* (4 semester credits with lab)
    • ENGL 121 Freshman Composition (3 semester credits)
    • ENGL 220 Research Writing (3 semester credits)
    • History Electives (6 semester credits)
    • MATH 141 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3 semester credits)
    • PSYC 212 General Psychology* (3 semester credits)
    • PSYC 220 Human Growth and Development* (3 semester credits)
    • SOCI 111 Intro to Sociology (3 semester credits)
  4. Maintain a cumulative college GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  5. Successfully complete the ATI TEAS Nursing Admission Exam with a score of proficient level or higher.

     *Completed within the last 7 years with a minimum grade of a C or better.

Student Selection

Admission to Southwestern Adventist University Nursing Program is limited, with a new group admitted each Fall and Spring semesters. To be considered for admission, an applicant must successfully complete all requirements and submit all documents and forms. Guaranteed admission is granted to students who have taken all their academic courses at Southwestern Adventist University and meet admission requirements – cumulative college GPA 3.0 or higher and overall TEAS score proficient or higher. Transfer students are considered according to the following factors, with the most qualified applicants given first consideration. 

  1. Cumulative GPA (Cumulative GPA must be 3.0 or higher)
  2. ATI TEAS Admission Exam score (Overall TEAS score must be proficient level or higher)
  3. Seventh-day Adventist applicants who meet the admission criteria

Admission Process

After receipt of the letter of admission to the Nursing Program, applicants must complete additional requirements to confirm and retain their place in the class.

  1. $200 Non-Refundable Nursing Deposit, paid to the Admissions Office by the published deadline, to reserve a place in the upcoming class.
  2. Criminal Background Check as required by the Texas Board of Nursing. Instructions will be provided following admission.
  3. Orientation: All newly admitted nursing students are required to attend the nursing orientation on the Thursday prior to the beginning of the semester. Failure to attend will forfeit admission to the program.
  4. Uniforms are to be purchased from the designated provider. Fitting and ordering will be completed during nursing orientation.
  5. Drug Testing will take place during the first semester. A fee of $39 will be payable at that time.
  6. Background checks as required by clinical facilities will be completed during the first semester. A fee of $40 will be payable at that time.

The following immunization and clinical requirements must be completed and uploaded to CastleBranch, SWAU's compliance management company, prior to Nursing Orientation. Instructions will be provided following admission.

Physician Report of Physical Examination. Forms may be printed from the SWAU nursing website or obtained from the Nursing Department.

Continuing Immunization Requirements

Proof of immunizations:

  1. Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis immunization or proof of immunity/positive titer.
  2. Two doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) immunization or proof of immunity/positive titer.
  3. Two doses of Varicella (chicken pox) immunization or proof of immunity/positive titer.
  4. Hepatitis B immunization series (3 immunizations), or proof of immunity/positive titer.
  5. Annual flu vaccine before posted date.

Tuberculosis clearance:

Negative TB Skin test (PPD), QuantiFERON blood test, or chest x-ray annually.

CPR Requirement

CPR for the Healthcare Provider (American Heart Association) Basic Life Support (BLS)

Licensed Vocational Nurse Applicants (LVN-BS Nursing)

The licensed vocational nurse who wishes placement with advanced standing to earn a B.S. degree in nursing must:

  • Currently, hold an unencumbered license as an LVN/LPN.
  • Have at least one year of work experience as an LVN/LPN in a hospital or long-term care facility within the last 4 years.
  • Fulfill the admission criteria and prerequisites for the B.S. program. General education, science, and cognate requirements are met through transfer of credit or completion of courses in residence. Credits for NURS 221 and NURS 315 (clinical portion) may be awarded by validation of LVN course work.

Bachelor of Science Applicants/Transfer Students from Another School of Nursing

The student transferring from another school of nursing must follow the application process outlined for the nursing program and submit a letter of good standing from the dean/director of the previous nursing program. If accepted, the student will enter the B.S. degree plan at the place determined by the Nursing Department and Registrar's Office.

Nursing Policies

Continuation and Progression Policies

All nursing students must read and abide by the rules set forth in the SWAU Department of Nursing Student Handbook, and sign the Nursing Student Agreement.

  1. Nursing students are required to meet the curriculum and progression guidelines published in the most recent edition of the University Bulletin.
  2. The Department of Nursing reserves the right to require withdrawal of a nursing student from the program or a nursing course who fails to demonstrate competency or academic integrity and/or displays inappropriate/unprofessional/dishonest or unsafe behavior. Additional criteria for continuation in the program are consistent with the standards of the Texas Board of Nursing (BON).
  3. Students must maintain a cumulative nursing GPA of at least 2.5 in required nursing courses to progress in nursing and to graduate. No grade lower than 75% (C) will be accepted in nursing and nursing cognate courses. Students whose nursing GPA falls below 2.5 at any time during the program must raise their nursing GPA to 2.5 or better in the next semester to continue in the program. If the nursing GPA remains below 2.5 for a second semester, the student will be required to repeat a nursing course (including clinical), specified by the Nursing Faculty Committee to raise the nursing GPA to 2.5 or above. Students who repeat a nursing course to raise their nursing GPA must re-enroll in the course within one year. If the nursing GPA remains below 2.5 after the repeated nursing course, the student will be permanently dropped from the program.
  4. Students are allowed only one repeated nursing course (this policy does not include NURS 450 Nursing Capstone).
  5. Students are allowed only one nursing course withdrawal, which must be withdrawn by the university withdrawal date.
  6. All nursing courses are to be completed within a six-year time frame.
  7. Students must complete all nursing courses at Southwestern Adventist University. Exceptions to this policy will be evaluated on an individual basis.
  8. LVN students must maintain current unencumbered Texas licensure throughout their enrollment in the nursing program.
  9. LVN students must complete nursing courses in the sequence specified in the full-time degree plan.
  10. After acceptance but before the first clinical, all students must submit to and pay for a background check and drug screen completed through the Nursing Department's compliance management company, CastleBranch. Proof of required immunizations, TB test, and CPR documentation must also be submitted to CastleBranch prior to Nursing Orientation and updated to remain current throughout the Nursing Program.
  11. All nursing students must meet all functional abilities necessary for clinical practice as outlined in the SWAU Nursing Student Handbook.
  12. Students must pass a medication dosage calculation exam at the beginning of Medical Surgical Nursing I, II, III, and IV, with a score of 100% within three attempts. This must be completed by the end of the 2nd week of school. If a student is unable to successfully pass this exam, remediation will be assigned by the course instructor and clinical experiences may be impacted.
  13. Students who fail or withdraw from a required NURS course cannot enroll in further nursing courses, except for the following which allows continuation: NURS 227 Gerontological Nursing, NURS 321 Evidence-based Practice, and NURS 426 Nursing Leadership. Students may repeat the failed/dropped course on a space-available basis.
  14. Students must successfully complete all NCLEX review components as outlined in the NURS 450 Nursing Capstone syllabus. A probability score of at least 94% on the comprehensive NCLEX predictor exam, along with nursing program completion, is required for NCLEX release to the Board of Nursing. Students who score below 94% on the NCLEX predictor exam are required to complete 100% of Virtual ATI and encouraged to achieve green light, along with nursing program completion, before NCLEX release to the Board of Nursing. An extension of Virtual ATI beyond the twelve-week program is at the student's expense.
  15. In order to support student success, nursing graduates are required to take NCLEX within three months of NURS 450 Nursing Capstone course completion. Graduates who fail to meet this deadline must complete an approved remediation program prior to NCLEX release. Remediation costs are the responsibility of the graduate.

Termination Policy

The following situations or conditions will result in termination from the nursing program:

  • Unsafe, unethical, or unprofessional nursing practice
  • Failure to abide by the SWAU Nursing Student Handbook
  • Unresolved issues with the drug screen and background checks

Readmission Policy

Students who fail to complete a nursing course, or for any reason are out of the program for one or more semesters, must reapply to the nursing program. Readmission is not guaranteed and space for re-entering students may be limited.

Readmission is possible for nursing students who left the program in good standing and according to the nursing progression criteria. A new background check and drug screen must be completed and approved as part of the readmission process. Students who have been out of the program will return under the current bulletin at a point in the program specified by the Nursing Faculty Committee. All nursing courses must be completed within six years.

Transportation Policies

Students are expected to provide their own transportation to and from off-campus clinical labs. Faculty will not provide transportation. Students are advised not to transport patients in their own vehicles under any circumstances. This policy protects both the student and the patient. Texas law requires proof of automobile liability insurance.

Student Rights and Appeals Policy

The Nursing Department abides by the student rights and appeals policy as outlined in the University Bulletin.