NURSING ADMISSIONS

Cayuga’s Nursing program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and Registered by the Office of Professions, NYSDE

3390 Peachtree Road, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-975-5000
https://www.acenursing.org/

Office of the Professions
New York State Education Department
2nd Floor, West Wing, EB
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234
HEGIS Code: 5208.10

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Admission to the Nursing Program is a two-application process. Applicants must fill out the Admissions application and a Nursing Admission Application. Completion of these two applications is free of charge and does not guarantee admission to the program.

NOTE: If you have already attended Cayuga as a matriculated student, contact the Center for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement at 315-294-8523 or studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu before completing an additional Admissions Application.

Step 1: Apply to Cayuga as a new, degree-seeking student (free of charge)

Step 2: Submit Official High School/TASC/GED and AP/IB/College Transcripts

Step 3: Apply to Cayuga’s Nursing program (free of charge)

NURSING PROGRAM APPLICATION AND REQUIREMENTS

The Nursing program has its own specific application form and process. The online application will be available October 1, 2024, and has a deadline of January 15, 2025. In addition, the following program requirements must be completed and proof submitted by the postmarked application deadline to be considered.

Admission to the nursing program is a selective and competitive process.

SELECTION PROCESS

Admission to the nursing program is selective. Decisions are made by members of the nursing faculty working together with the admissions office. They are based on high school or college grade averages, grades in required science, chemistry, and math courses, a personal essay, and references.

The following prerequisites must be completed before applying to the Nursing program:

• High school or general equivalency diploma (GED/TASC)
• Official College transcripts (if applicable)
• Algebra math proficiency:
  NOTE: Math placement more than 5 years old or out of state, placement will be determined by the Math Coordinator
• Testing or placing into Cayuga’s MATH 102 (Intermediate Algebra) or higher or
• Completion of Cayuga’s MATH 099 (Elementary Algebra) or higher with a minimum grade of C (or 70%) or
• Completion of pre-calculus or higher in high school with a minimum grade of C (or 70%)
• Satisfactory completion (C or 70%) of high school or college biology
  NOTE: we do not accept CHEM 151 from Onondaga Community College (OCC) without the 1 credit lab component
• Satisfactory completion (C or 70%) of high school chemistry (Regents or General) or college Chemistry 101 (CHEM 103 or equivalent). See High School Non-Regents Chemistry Courses.
• Minimum cumulative GPA or overall high school average of 75% or 2.5
• Applicants must submit two professional references using the Department of Nursing’s Professional Reference Form
• English language proficiency as demonstrated by compliance with a minimum required TOEFL or NYSESLAT score, required if English is not the first language. Applicants whose native language is not English, click here for more information.
• May be required to consent to drug testing upon request by the College or affiliating clinical agency
• Background check required for clinical
• An interview may be required

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a Nursing Information Session.
• Technical standards are abilities and behaviors that a nursing student must be able to perform to function safely. It is essential that nursing students possess and maintain the following functional requirements, with or without reasonable accommodations.
• Admission to the Nursing Program is a two-application process.
• Applicants must fill out the Admissions Application and a Nursing Admission Application. Completion of these two applications is free of charge and does not guarantee admission to the program. NOTE: If you have already attended Cayuga as a matriculated student, contact the Center for Student Engagement and Academic Advisement at 315-294-8523 or studenteng@cayuga-cc.edu before completing an additional Admissions Application.
• Send all official transcripts to the Auburn Admissions Office.
• Applicants will be notified of the acceptance decision in March for fall admission.
• Applicants not accepted may be placed on a waitlist; high school students (only) may receive a deferral option.
• Applicants not accepted must reapply to be considered for admission the following year.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

After being accepted into the Nursing program, the student must show evidence of the following by July 5:

• Completed physical exam and updated annually. The health record must show no physical condition which would limit the safe performance of Essential Functions and Abilities. See “Nursing Students – Health Report Form” to download the required form.
• Completed Mantoux test and immunization records
• Compliance with New York State health requirements

CPR REQUIREMENT

The student must hold CPR certification for the Professional Healthcare Provider throughout the program. We only accept courses taken through the American Heart Association or American Red Cross, which include Basic Life Support (BLS) for adults, infants, and children. Certification is valid for two years. Online certification or re-certification is accepted only if a competency demonstration is performed in person.

NOTE: “Heart Saver” and “Community CPR” do NOT meet the CPR requirement. An eCard or paper copy of CPR certification must be submitted to the Nursing Education office by August 1.

• A minimum passing grade of 77 (C+) must be achieved in each Nursing course. A grade less than C+ is considered an unsuccessful attempt.
• A “Satisfactory” clinical grade must be achieved in each clinical Nursing course.
• A minimum passing grade of C+ is required in BIOL 203, 204, and 216 courses.
• A student is limited to one W or unsuccessful attempt in any clinical Nursing course (NURS 101, 102, 214, 215, 216, 217). A second W or unsuccessful attempt in any clinical Nursing course will result in dismissal from the program.
• All required Nursing courses (except NURS 101) must be taken at Cayuga Community College.
• The following grading system is used by the Nursing faculty:

  The grading system used by the Nursing faculty

  Letter Grade	Numerical Grade
  A	93–100
  A-	90-92
  B+	87–89
  B	83-86
  B-	80–82
  C+	77–79
  C	73-76
  C-	70-72
  D+	67-69
  D	63-66
  D-	60-62
  F	less than 60

• A student receiving a W or a grade less than C+ in NURS 101 must reapply for admission to the Nursing program in accordance with specified application deadlines.
• A student receiving a W or a grade less than C+ in NURS 102, 214, 215, 216, or 217 must apply for re-entry to the program through the director of Nursing (email Mary Driscoll, Director of Nursing at driscollm@cayuga-cc.edu). The student must schedule a meeting with the director of Nursing three months prior to the course start date. Academic counseling will be initiated to develop a success plan. Re-entry is granted on a space-available basis and upon compliance with the re-entry procedure.
• A student seeking re-entry to the Nursing program must meet program policies in effect at the date of re-entry.
• Nursing courses must be completed within three years of starting NURS 101

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Clinical schedules include days, evenings, and occasional weekends. Students must provide their own transportation to clinical facilities. Clinical agencies include but are not limited to Finger Lakes Center for Living, St. Anthony on the Commons, Seneca Hill Manor, Auburn Community Hospital, Upstate University Hospital Downtown, Upstate University Hospital Community Campus, Lifetime Care, Veterans Medical Center, Oswego Hospital, Oswego County Health Department, and the Cayuga County Health Department.

NURSING DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The following curriculum represents the Nursing course sequence and minimum requirements for the A.A.S. degree in Nursing (total of 64 credit hours).

LEGAL LIMITATIONS FOR RN LICENSURE

The licensure exam requires that the applicant be of “good moral character.” Applicants should be aware that the New York State Education Office of Professional Discipline will investigate applicants who have been convicted of a crime (felony or misdemeanor) or have charges pending in any state or country to determine their eligibility for licensure as a registered nurse in New York State. Refer to www.op.nysed.gov/ for specific criteria.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENT

The candidate for the Associate in Applied Science degree in Nursing must meet the following requirements:

• Completion of 64 credits
• A cumulative average of no less than 2.0 and a minimum grade of “C+” in each Nursing and Biology course.

TECHNICAL STANDARDS

These are abilities and behaviors that a nursing student must be able to perform to function safely. It is essential that students of nursing meet the functional requirements with or without reasonable accommodations. Download Technical Standards For Nursing Students.

END OF PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon graduation from the Cayuga Community College Nursing Education program, the graduate will be able to:

• Practice within the professional, ethical, and legal standards, incorporating personal responsibility and accountability for continued self-development to promote professional identity.
• Provide safe, competent, patient-centered care in various healthcare settings while efficiently managing time and prioritizing care for a group of patients.
• Utilize the nursing process, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based practice to provide safe and effective care.
• Demonstrate caring behaviors that honor diversity and inclusion through global awareness, respect for each individual in the delivery of care, and advocacy for patients and families.
• Facilitate communication with patients, families, and healthcare team members in a professional and collaborative manner to support patient outcomes.
• Promote health and wellness of patients across the lifespan and within the community through leadership skills and principles of teaching and learning, to achieve inclusive, equitable outcomes.
• Utilize information technologies to advance knowledge, support evidence-based practice, and promote safe, quality patient outcomes.

TRANSFER INTO THE PROGRAM

Students requesting a transfer from another Nursing program must:

• Satisfy the admission criteria stated under the Admission Requirements section.
• Submit a Nursing Transfer Request form to the Director of Nursing at driscollm@cayuga-cc.edu before October 31.
• The only nursing course that may be accepted for transfer is NURS 101, pending a review of the course syllabus. A minimum grade of C+ (77) is required for NURS 101 credit transfer. The nursing course must be completed within one year of the transfer request.
• Apply for admission through the Admissions Office by October 31.
• Complete the Nursing Department Skill Competency Evaluation with a grade of satisfactory.
• Complete the nursing clinical review course with a passing grade.

TRANSFERRING INTO A BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM

Cayuga Community College has articulation agreements with a number of baccalaureate nursing programs. For information on these, contact the Director of Nursing at driscollm@cayuga-cc.edu.

A prior felony conviction may hinder a student’s ability to enroll in a course or complete the requirements of certain academic programs and/or meet the criteria for licensure required by certain professions.

Nursing students must be able to meet all established academic and clinical requirements to complete the program. By law and College policy, no qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of that disability, be excluded from the program. Cayuga Community College will provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified individual with a disability. The Office of Accessibility Resources is responsible for determining if reasonable accommodations can be identified and for ensuring that such accommodations are provided for students. It is the responsibility of the applicant or student to request the accommodations needed to meet the program’s Essential Functions and Abilities (see above). To be eligible for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must provide clear documentation of disability. Arranging for accommodations is a confidential process.

Professional Licensure Disclosures Policy

Federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified. The Associate in Applied Science in Nursing program at Cayuga Community College is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State.

Most of the courses required for Cayuga’s Nursing degree are offered on campus and at local clinical sites, and are not offered through distance education. Yet the cognate courses required for the Nursing degree (e.g., English 101, Psychology 101) are typically offered through distance learning as well as on campus. While Cayuga does not advertise its Nursing program in states other than New York, residents of other states do access program information electronically from Cayuga and/or SUNY and sometimes enroll in Cayuga courses.

Having made a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have been unable to identify a U.S. State with educational requirements for licensure/certification that could not be met by Cayuga’s Nursing degree. Accordingly, our good faith belief is that our Nursing program meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in all 50 U.S. States; however, it is important to note that Cayuga Community College is not the licensure/certification authority in these U.S. States and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in these U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes.