Policy Statement
This policy defines time limitations for program completion for the 2nd Entry and Post RN Internationally Educated Nurses BScN programs. Time limitations are important to ensure cohesion and continuity of content, current competence and associated patient safety within the context of professional nursing education. Please refer to the Policy for Undergraduate Nursing Student Leave of Absence for other related information.
These time limitations take into account the programs’ compressed structures and plans of study, as well as the frequency of course offerings, and the degree to which nursing knowledge and practice change over time.
GUIDELINES
- Length of completion of programs
- The 2nd Entry BScN program is a two-year full-time program (6 consecutive terms ). Students normally must complete this program within four (4) years (12 terms) from the time of admission.
- The Post-RN Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) BScN program is a five (5) term full-time program. Students normally must complete the IEN program within four (4) years (12 terms) from the time of admission.
- Unsuccessful completion of program requirements within the designated timeframe
- A student who is unsuccessful in completing the program requirements within the designated timeframe, notwithstanding approved leaves under the Policy for Undergraduate Nursing Student Leave of Absence, must withdraw from their nursing program. If a student is not able to complete the program within the required timeframe, the exit reason will be coded as: “Ineligible to Continue or Graduate”.
- The student may apply to be reinstated to the program, in light of extraordinary extenuating circumstances, for instance, severe illness or personal loss. Reinstatement may require clinical or academic remediation as per the individual student’s standing in the program.
- Students who are with withdrawn from a nursing program on the basis of exceeding the time limitations for program completion may pursue admission or transfer to another degree program at the University.
Undergraduate students may only register within a “session” (i.e., Fall/Winter and Summer) as opposed to a “term”, and exit decisions from a program can only be determined at the end of a session. All exit decisions must be made coincident with the completion of course work in any given session. Since nursing students may be concurrently enrolled in courses that both span a full session (6 credits) and are completed in one term (3 credits), discretion regarding the timing of a final decision on student progress and/or exit may be necessary. The School of Nursing will ensure registration and exit decisions are communicated to the Registrar’s office for application to a student’s record at the end of the relevant academic session.