GSU could lose undergraduate nursing program
Grambling State University officials will meet with the Louisiana State Board of Nursing next month to learn the fate of the university's undergraduate nursing program.
For the past three years GSU's undergraduate nursing program has been on the board's "conditional approval" list because it has not maintained an 80 percent passing rate by students taking the NCLEX exam, which is required to get a nursing license.
LSBN Executive Director Dr. Karen Lyon said while the school has been on conditional approval the past three years, the board decided last year GSU would not be allowed to admit students into the undergraduate program.
The board will meet Feb. 19 in Baton Rouge where Lyon expects the board will take some action. The most serious sanction would be the elimination of the university's undergraduate nursing program.
If GSU's undergraduate program is eliminated, the university would have to go through the lengthy process of starting a program anew.
The board could opt to keep GSU on conditional approval with the requirement the university doesn't admit any new students.
The program currently has 201 undergraduate nursing students and 10 graduate students.
GSU Provost Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Janet Guyden said losing the undergraduate nursing program would be devastating, tarnishing the reputation of the institution and decreasing student enrollment.
"That program has had a strong reputation for years. I cannot even put into words what that loss would mean. We've worked diligently to ensure that doesn't happen," Guyden said.
GSU has revamped curriculum, assessment and testing to bring the program more in line with the type of material included on the NCLEX exam.
"The bottom line is we must do everything we can do so once our students leave us they will be successful," Guyden said.
She said the university must provide the appropriate level of education in this field, but it's up to the students to "do their due diligence" and prepare themselves for the NCLEX exam to move onto the next level.
If the State Nursing Board keeps GSU's undergraduate nursing program intact, Guyden said once the program is stabilized the university may look at smaller classes and a more selective admissions process.
University of Louisiana System president Sandra Woodley said GSU has worked with the State Board of Nursing for almost a year to increase its scores on the nursing licensure examination.
"Last year the LSBN recognized the progress of GSU's nursing school and scheduled the university to return in the spring to review the next cohort of test results. GSU has been preparing for a meeting with the LSBN this spring and hopes to present even further improvement in its students' test scores," Woodley said.
Earlier this month GSU's nursing program came under new scrutiny after the state nursing board learned of possible violations.
In a letter to GSU interim President Cynthia Warrick, Lyon discussed actions GSU administration has taken to allow failing students to continue within the program.
"At this time we are trying to determine what is going on with the students. We feel there is a violation, and we have the responsibility to address it," Lyon told The News-Star on Monday.
Guyden declined to comment on the issues involving the students, saying the university is investigating the matter.
"We will not comment on issues involving decisions made following individual student complaints or grievances. Grambling is in the process of increasing the rigor of its nursing program, and there will inevitably be some friction with that type of change. At the end of the day, we believe that our work and the thorough reviews by the LSBN will improve the integrity and overall value of the program to Grambling, its students, and the health care industry," Woodley said.
Lyon expressed concerns for the graduate family nursing practitioner program, where several students who failed the NUR 540 Advanced Health Assessment twice were allowed to continue in the program.
"Per the standing two-failure policy within the School of Nursing, the faculty made the decision to dismiss these students. The two-failure policy is standard operating procedure within most nursing programs within the United States," Lyon said.
However, Lyon said the university, in violation of its academic policy and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing's accreditation standards, allowed these students to enroll in their first clinical family nurse practitioner course.
Under authority by the Legislature, the State Board of Nursing has requested GSU withdraw the students from the program. If the students are involved in appealing their grades, the failing grade must stand until the appeals process is completed, Lyon said.
Lyon also learned GSU has allowed undergraduate students who failed a nursing course to enroll in clinical courses under a directive from the administration. She has directed GSU to cease this directive, a violation of the Nurse Practice Act.
"While students may progress to a didactic-only course, no student may enroll in a higher level clinical course with a failure in a per-requisite clinical course. The students are not safe to practice at the higher level and are a threat to public safety," Lyon said.
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