SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 1 Mission and Governance
School of Nursing Mission
Our mission is to provide students a foundation for success as graduate nurses who are ethical,
competent critical thinkers by providing an educational environment that promotes holistic
health care in an educational community dedicated to teaching, research, creativity and service.
The mission of the School of Nursing (SON) is congruent with both the mission of the College
of Sciences and Mathematics (CoSM) and the University. The three mission statements address
providing the student a foundation for success, a commitment to ethical and responsible
citizenship and professionalism, and an educational environment dedicated to teaching, research,
creativity and service.
School of Nursing Core Values
The Individual Student:
An individual, group, or community with unique genetic endowment, self-care knowledge and
resources, perception and culture, experiences, and adaptation potential. The client/student is a
valued and respected partner in achieving maximum potential.
Teaching and Learning:
Facilitation of meaningful learning which provides a university level foundation on which to
base graduate education in the discipline of nursing. Each nursing graduate is expected to meet
the academic and ethical standards of the profession of nursing by thinking in disciplined,
critical, quantitative, and qualitative ways.
Intellectual and Creative Discover:
Encourage the student to investigate the health needs of a changing society and to think in
creative ways to provide holistic health care to culturally diverse populations.
Service:
Provide interdisciplinary collaboration to meet the needs of culturally diverse population.
Academic Achievement:
Provide an environment in which the student becomes an ethically guided, critical thinker who
uses a substantive general education in traditional and nontraditional ways to provide proactive,
compassionate care.
Nursing:
A profession of arts and science dedicated to facilitating, nurturing, and providing unconditional
acceptance in the attainment of an individual’s maximum potential. Nursing encourages positive
integration of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning to build cognitive structures for
problem solving.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Health:
Maximum potential denoted by dynamic equilibrium among various cognitive, psychosocial,
emotional, and physiological subsystems of the client.
Environment:
Internal/external stressors/distressors experienced by the client.
Evidence Based Practice:
Integration of current research with clinical expertise and client/student preferences and values
for achievement of maximum potential.
School of Nursing Philosophy:
The philosophy/conceptual framework of the SON are a composite of several theories and
frameworks that describe the school’s beliefs about education and the profession of nursing. The
educational structure for the framework is derived from Ausubel’s Assimilation Learning Theory
(Ausubel, 1968; Novak, 1998) while the nursing profession foundation is grounded in the work
of Erikson’s related to role modeling (Erickson, Tomlin & Swain, 1983).
Faculty members believe knowledge learned meaningfully is retained longer and is available
for use in different situations in comparison to knowledge learned by rote and quickly forgotten.
The ALT emphasizes the differentiation between reception and discovery learning. Reception
learning takes place when faculty members are present content to the student in its entirety.
Discovery learning demands that the material to be learned be independently discovered by the
learner, not given to the student in final form. All classroom learning takes place along these two
independent dimensions: the rote-meaningful continuum and the reception-discovery continuum.
Faculty members believe that meaningful learning is the process of knowledge acquisition in
which the learner relates new knowledge to already existing knowledge. The learner must have
an
existing relative knowledge base already in place, the knowledge to be learned must be
meaningful, and the learner must consciously choose to learn in a meaningful way. During this
process, new knowledge is linked to old knowledge and this link alters both the old and the new
knowledge.
Program Learning Outcomes
The Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are based on current best practices. The Institute of
Medicine (IOM), the Texas Board of Nursing Differentiated Competencies (DECs), American
Nurse Associations Code of Ethics, National Patient Safety Goals, and the NCLEX blueprint
guided the development. Graduates of the SON will meet the following Program Learning
Outcomes:
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
1. Apply knowledge of the physical, social, and behavioral sciences in the provision of nursing
care based on theory and evidence based practice.
2. Deliver nursing care within an established legal and ethical parameters in collaboration with
clients and members of the interdisciplinary health care team
3. Provide holistic nursing care to clients while respecting individual and cultural diversity.
4. Demonstrate effective leadership that fosters independent thinking, use of informatics, and
collaborative communication in the management of nursing care.
5. Assume responsibility and accountability for quality improvement and delivery of safe and
effective nursing care.
6. Serve as an advocate for clients and for the profession of nursing.
7. Demonstrate continuing competence, growth, and development in the profession of nursing.
History of the School of Nursing:
The School of Nursing has been in existence for over thirty years and accepted its first class in
the summer of 1978. This was an RN transition course of study. In 1981, the first four-year BSN
generic students were accepted. The SON has grown from admitting five to ten new students
each semester to the present admission rate of sixty to eighty students each semester. Faculty
has increased accordingly to meet the needs of the students. The SON moved to our new
location at 5707 North Street, Nacogdoches, Texas, in January, 2010.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 2 Organization Structure of the School of Nursing
Organizational Structure
The organizational structure of the SON consists of a Director, an Assistant Director, and Level
Coordinators. In addition, a RN to BSN Transition Coordinator and Simulation Coordinator also
reports to the Director. Various committees implement the by-laws. The organizational and
communication charts for the SON are found in the Appendices Section (Appendix C and
Appendix D).
Support Staff
Administrative Assistant
Responsibilities include all administrative duties associated with the running of the department.
The Administrative Assistant reports directly to the Director of the School of Nursing.
Senior Secretary
Responsibilities include assisting the Administrative Assistant with SON operations and
providing secretarial support to the faculty. The Senior Secretary oversees the records
management of student information, assists in maintaining the Nursing webpage, and assists
faculty, as needed.
Academic Advisor
Responsibilities include management of the majority of the admission process for the SON and
conducting walk-in or appointment advising for students with 35-plus hours and transfer
students..
Student Work Study Students
The SON utilizes part-time student workers. The Administrative Assistant oversees the work
study students who are available to assist the faculty with secretarial support. Most of the tasks
required of the students are directed to them through the Administrative Assistant’s or Senior
Secretary’s offices. The work study students have an in-basket in the workroom where work
requests can be placed for completion.
Committees
The Director, faculty, and students participate in the governance of the SON. Various
committees are designated in accordance with the SON Faculty Committee By-Laws. Faculty
members are active on at least two School of Nursing committees. Participation in the SON
governance is addressed in committee by-laws and confirmation of participation may be found in
committee minutes. All committees directly report to the Director. Faculty meetings, which
include the entire nursing faculty, are led by the Director of the SON and are conducted once a
month.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 3 Curriculum and Course Information
Curriculum
First Semester
NUR 305
NUR 306
NUR 307
NUR 308
Introduction to
Nursing
Basic Nursing Care
Assessment Across
of Adult Clients
the Lifespan
Second Semester
NUR 330
NUR 331
Nursing Care of Young
Adult to Elderly
Nursing Care of Women
Nursing Care in Promotion of
and Children I
Mental Wellness
Third Semester
NUR 406
NUR 407
NUR 408
Nursing Care of Clients
with Complex Health
Needs
Nursing Care of Women
and Children II
Nursing Care of Clients with
Complex Mental Health Needs
Pharmacology
NUR 332
Fourth Semester
NUR 430
NUR 431
NUR 432
NUR 433
Nursing Research and
Capstone
Application
Nursing Care of
Leadership /
Nursing
Community Populations
Coordination of
Nursing
*Four hours of Nursing Electives are required prior to graduation.
*All classes meet in the Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing building, physically
located at 5707 North Street. Faculty offices are in the Administration Building at the same
physical address.
Syllabus
The course syllabus reflects the content of the course and should be an accurate reflection of both
content and evaluation. To ensure that essential materials are included in all SON syllabi, a
syllabus template has been developed by a subcommittee of the faculty and approved by all
faculty members.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
The syllabi are developed through the Curriculum Committee of the SON under the
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), Board of Nursing (BON), and
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) guidelines. Content relating to the Course
Descriptions, Program Learning Outcomes, Student Learning Outcomes, Unit objectives, DEC
Statements, and Clinical Learning Outcomes cannot be modified or deleted in any way, except
under the direction of the Curriculum Committee.
The copy of the course syllabus will be posted on a Web-based system, such as D2L, and on the
University website (www.sfasu.edu). Copies are not printed for the students. You will be
responsible for posting your own information on the Web-based system. The Senior Secretary
will maintain the postings on the University website and will maintain the semester syllabus
notebook.
Course Credit Distribution/Failure Notifications
A passing grade of “C” (75%) is needed to pass all nursing classes. The student must also obtain
at least a 75% test average in order to pass the class. In the event that the student has a test
average below 75% and/or an overall class average below 75%, the student fails the course.
Students who do not achieve a 75% or better on an exam are encouraged to meet with their
faculty. Students who are not passing the class at mid-semester should be notified by the faculty.
The Director should be notified with the names of the students who are in jeopardy of failing
your course; a letter will be sent to the student.
Standardized Tests
Several courses administer a course specific standardized test at the end of the semester. The
rationale for computerized standardized testing is to familiarize the student with computerized
testing, identify areas of weakness, and experience nationally normed questions, thus allowing
the student to remediate prior to the last semester of study. Students are allowed to sign up for an
independent study remediation course.
The SON is currently using the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Exam for all standardized
testing. The tests are administered in the computer classroom in the student classroom area of the
new building.
Grade Posting
Grades will be posted on the University-wide Web-based system. Faculty members are required
to enter final grades on Banner under the Faculty and Advisors Menu tab, Final Grades selection.
The faculty will receive notification from the Registrar’s Office regarding entry deadlines with
attached entry instructions.
Textbooks & Classroom Technology
Textbooks
Faculty may choose the textbook that best meets the needs of the course. The Senior Secretary,
or fellow faculty member, can give you access to phone numbers of the major textbook sales
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representatives for the SON. Generally, the sales representatives will provide you with a desk
copy to review. Each semester, the Senior Secretary will ask each course leader for a list of
books to be used the next semester. The list will then be forwarded to the bookstores.
PowerPoint
At the discretion of the faculty, a student copy of the PowerPoint lecture may be posted on the
Web-based learning system prior to or following the lecture to assist the student with note taking.
Podcast
A recording of the lecture may also be placed on the Web-based system at the discretion of the
faculty member.
TurningPoint and Clickers
TurningPoint is software in which students submit their assignments for faculty review and
feedback.
At the discretion of the faculty, clickers may be used by students to submit answers to quiz
questions that are interspersed throughout the lecture(s).
Other Resources
To check out equipment to be used off campus, see the Administrative Assistant.
Course Evaluations
Course, faculty, preceptor, and clinical evaluations are completed by the students each semester.
The evaluations are done online. Results are given to the faculty and discussed with the SON
Director. The Director asks for written responses to all evaluation areas that more than 30% of
the students respond negatively.
The students complete an evaluation of the clinical agency per semester. Evaluations will be
done using Typhon and/or Qualtrex. Instructions will be given by the Evaluation Committee
each semester.
Each faculty member completes an Annual Evaluation of his/her activities in teaching, scholarly
activities, and service. This is due to the director in the fall of each year.
Each faculty member identifies goals which are included in the FAR. Each year, the Director or
Director’s designee evaluates the teaching effectiveness of faculty.
Faculty members perform student clinical activity evaluations at the end of the semester using
the approved clinical evaluation tools. Documented evaluation and feedback must be done
throughout the semester.
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Chapter 4 Clinical Information and Expectations
Preceptor Agreement Policy and Forms
A Preceptor Agreement Handbook PowerPoint is available on the common nursing drive.
Clinical Information and Hours
The clinical experience should be designed to enhance and extend the learning experiences of the
students. The School of Nursing has clinical contracts with numerous health care agencies in the
area. The SON Administrative Assistant maintains a list of these agencies. As a clinical
instructor, you may want to seek out other clinical sites. Refer to SON Policy and Procedures
manual for guidance with this procedure.
Clinical Hours
The ratio of clinical to classroom hours is 3:1. Therefore, for every hour of clinical, we calculate
3 hours of clinical. This is based on a 14-week semester. The formula is as follows:
Course credit hours minus didactic hours = number of clinical hours.
The clinical credit hours is multiplied by 3, and then multiplied by the number of weeks.
Using NUR 406 as an example, the formula would work as follows: NUR 406 is a 6-credit hour
course with 3 classroom hours per week. The clinical is 126 hours per semester.
Course credit - didactic hours = number of clinical hours
(6
-
3)
=
3 clinical hours.
Then, 3 clinical hours x 3 x number of weeks.
The faculty teaching at the same level coordinates clinical schedules. There is no mandated
clinical schedule that must be followed. We try to meet the learning needs of the students while
working around the available clinical facilities. Some clinical courses use preceptors to assist in
the supervision of the students and to provide the students with a more in-depth clinical
experience.
Uniforms and Name Tags:
The student clinical dress code is addressed in the Policies and Procedures Manual (Policy No.
18). In general, the faculty follows the same code as the students. Name tags (ID’s) for the SON
are obtained from Auxiliary Services in the University Center (936-468-3403). The student ID
differs from the faculty ID. Be sure you ask for School of Nursing identification. All clinical
faculty members must wear an ID during all clinical activities off campus.
Conference Forms and ‘F’ Days/Clinical Late Days (Policy No. 22)
Conference forms must be used to document communication between faculty and students
regarding professional expectations and student performance. Unacceptable nursing practice in
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the clinical setting is grounds for receiving a clinical fail day (F Day). Students receiving more
than two ‘F’ days in any clinical course will receive a grade of F for the course. The ‘F’ day must
be documented on a conference form (Form 22, located in the Policy and Procedures manual and
on the nursing website). Information regarding the conference forms and ‘F’ Days can be found
in the Policy and Procedures manual (Policy No. 22). All conference forms are submitted to the
Senior Secretary for posting in the data tracker. These are then filed in the student’s file in the
secured room.
Clinical Evaluations
A clinical evaluation will be completed on each student and documented in his/her permanent
record at midterm and at the end of each semester. Refer to the SON Common Y-drive for the
appropriate course form.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 5 Ed & Gwen Cole Simulation Laboratory/
Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence
Ed & Gwen Cole Simulation Laboratory/Laerdal Center of Educational Excellence
Stephen F. Austin Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing was named a Laerdal Center of
Educational Excellence on January 23, 2010. This designation is awarded to centers that have
consistently demonstrated excellence in educational philosophy and programs
Simulation Center
The simulation lab is open for scheduled faculty and student use Monday through Friday. The
lab features realistic patient rooms with hospital beds, state of the art mannequins, monitors,
bedside tables, and additional medical equipment. Mannequins can be controlled at bedside or
from a separate control room. All rooms have A-V capabilities with video streaming to control
room and classroom wing. The lab is 9,000 square feet with realistic inpatient and outpatient
settings. There is a health assessment lab with ten exam tables each equipped with a wallmounted otoscopes and opthalmoscopes. The medical surgical lab is a ten-bed unit with a fully
functional nurse’s station. The women/children unit has four rooms and a full nursery/NICU
area. There is also an ER with a foyer, two ER bays with four triage stations each, and a fully
functional ambulance bay.
The simulation lab is reserved near the end of each semester for the subsequent semester by the
course coordinator or her designee. The schedule is very flexible, however, and simulation
faculty is diligent in optimizing use of the lab. The Simulation Lab Room Reservation form is
used for initial room reservation. At least two weeks before using the lab or supplies from the
lab, faculty must fill out a Simulation Lab Set-up Request
Form or a Simulation Lab Supply Request Form. Simulation lab faculty uses these documents to
prepare, so it is important to be specific and detailed when filling them out. Students may also
schedule online practice time for individual skills practice with the Simulation Lab Assistant.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 6 Faculty Policies, Procedures and Forms
TABLE OF CONTENTS
POLICY AND PROCEDURE NOTEBOOK
Section 1: Committee Bylaws
Section 2: Policies
Policy
Status
Policy
Number
1
2
3
F/S
4
S
5
6
F/S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
RN BSN S
S
F/S
F/S
F/S
7
8
9
10
11
Form
Available
Admission of Students with Credit for
Nursing Courses Completed
Form 5A: Petition
Form
Form 7.1:
Varicella
Verification;
Form 7.2: Polio
Vaccine
Verification
Forgiveness of Grades for Consideration of
Admission
Academic Advising
Immunization of Students
Liability Insurance Requirements
Student Impaired by Chemical Dependency
Health Insurance for Students
Criminal History Check
Health Care Provider BLS Certification for
Students
Urine Drug Screen
RN BSN Challenge
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
Title of Policy
Dress Code
Form 19A:
Incident Report
Form
Blood or Body Fluid Exposure Students/Faculty
Absence from Exam
Clinical Absences
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
S
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
S
33
F/S
S
F/S
S
S
S
S
F/S
F/S
F/S
S
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
Form 22: F Day /
Counseling Form
F Day Policy
Disciplinary Action Policy
NCLEX Review Policy
Retention and Progression
Grievance Procedure
Clinical Proficiency
Transportation of Patients/Clients
Achievement Tests
Nursing Knowledge and Clinical Proficiency
after Four Years
Form 34A: Sim
Lab Reservation
Form; Form 34B:
Sim Lab
Confidentiality
Form
Simulation Center
Form 38A, 38B,
and 38C: Student
Evaluations of
Courses and
Action Plan Forms
Faculty and Course Evaluations
Form 40: Student
Evaluation of
Clinical Agency
Evaluation of Clinical Agency by Students
Evaluation of Student Clinical Performance
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
49
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
S
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
Form 50: Mentor
Checklist
New Faculty Orientation
BLS Certification for Faculty
Faculty Educational Development
Tenure/Promotion
Merit Raise
Faculty Workload
Summer Teaching
Forms 61A-E
Nursing Peer Review
Revision of Test Items
Forms 64.1 and
64.2
Form 22: F Day /
Counseling Form
Test Plan Policy
Immunization for Faculty
Conference Forms
F/S
71
Form 71A:
Incident Report
Form
F/S
72
Forms 72A and
72B
Clinical Supervision by Preceptors
Form 73A:
Clinical Agency
Request
Clinical Facilities
F
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
F/S
80
81
F
Form 80A:
Contract Form
Clinical Incident
Independent Studies
Records Retention
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
F
F
82
83
F
84
85
86
87
88
89
F
90
F
91
F
92
93
94
95
96
F
F
F
F
F
97
98
Telephones/Long Distance
Travel Reimbursement
Travel Reimbursement - Travel to Clinical
Site
Job Description for Assistant Director
Job Description for Level Coordinators
Job Description for RN BSN Track
Coordinator
Job Description for Assistant Simulation
Coordinator
Job Description for Simulation Lab
Coordinator
Faculty Evaluation of Clinical Agency
Form 97A:
Attrition Form
Student Attrition Survey
Forms 98A-F
Evaluation of Curriculum by Graduates and
Employers
Faculty Policies, Procedures and Forms
The Policy and Procedures information for the School of Nursing is on the SON website at
http://www.sfasu.edu/nursing/124.asp. As updates are made to policies, a copy of the revision is
placed in the notebook in the Senior Secretary’s office and on the website.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 7 University Policies Pertaining to SON
Office Hours
Each faculty member is expected to be available a minimum of ten office hours per week for
student conferences. This should include one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon
provided this arrangement is consistent with the individual's teaching schedule. If necessary,
other arrangements may be made with the department chair.
When it is not possible to keep posted office hours, the Director should be notified. These hours
are to be posted on your office door and a copy given to the Administrative Assistant. At the
beginning of each semester, the Administrative Assistant will give you a form to complete
regarding office hours, class hours, etc.
Faculty Travel
Anyone traveling on University business must obtain permission in advance of the trip. A Travel
Request form must be submitted and approved at all applicable levels, as indicated on the form,
whether or not expenses will be incurred. All expenses to be paid or reimbursed by the
University are to be reflected on the Travel Request form, regardless of whether they are to be
prepaid. Assistance with this process and a Travel Request form may be obtained from the
Administrative Assistant of the SON. The entire University policy and procedure pertaining to
travel (University Policy C-49) is located on the SFA Homepage Faculty & Staff Policy Manual.
Please consult the policy prior to any planned travel.
Clinical Site Travel
Reimbursement of travel to a clinical site is as per state policy dependent upon budget. Faculty
members may be reimbursed by the state for travel to and from clinical sites outside
Nacogdoches County. Mileage will be calculated between the two duty points (SON and clinical
sites) by the Administrative Assistant. Per University policy, faculty is paid for the most costeffective route. The policy can be found on the SON website at http://www.nursing.sfasu.edu.
Outside Employment
Outside employment, for purposes of University policy, is engagement in any activity other than
for Stephen F. Austin State University for a fee, salary, or profit. If one establishes or joins a
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
firm, private business, or engages in the private practice of some professional skill, it is
considered outside employment if it requires, on the average, more than ten hours per month,
including weekends. Such employment must be approved annually in writing, and in advance, by
the appropriate academic dean, director or vice president. This policy applies to all nonclassified, full-time employees of SFASU whose employment obligations are not limited to a
standard eight-hour day, and to officers of the University Police Department.
University employees who propose to engage in outside employment must adhere to the
following guidelines and any applicable laws.
1. Proper performance of the employee's University assignment is paramount and outside
work will assume a position secondary to University duties.
2. The employee may not use any materials or facilities of Stephen F. Austin State
University in the course of outside employment.
3. The employee will make a reasonable effort to assure that his/her outside employment is
not identified with Stephen F. Austin State University.
An individual desiring permission to engage in outside employment must complete the "Request
for Approval for Outside Employment" form and route it through administrative channels to the
appropriate academic dean, director or vice president for approval, prior to beginning outside
employment and annually at the beginning of the fiscal year. Each academic dean or director will
provide a summary report of individuals approved for outside employment to the vice president
by mid-term of the fall semester. Each vice president will provide the president with a summary
report from each respective division. The entire University policy and procedure pertaining to
outside employment (University Policy E-35) is located on the SFA Homepage Faculty & Staff
Policy Manual.
Faculty Promotion and Tenure
Faculty wishing to be considered for promotion and/or tenure should refer to
SON Policy No. 55.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Chapter 8 Student Organizations and Services
Academic Advising
Students with less than 60 hours of college credit are required to be advised prior to registering
for courses. All freshmen that declare Nursing as a major are advised by the advisor for the
College of Sciences and Mathematics. Sophomore nursing majors are advised by the advisor for
the School of Nursing and faculty. This ensures that the students are taking the correct courses
and are maintaining an appropriate grade point average. The RN BSN Transition Track
coordinator advises all potential RN BSN Transition Track students. We also schedule two to
three days each semester to complete mass advising and students are encouraged to come to
these sessions. Once the student is advised, the computer record is accessed and the advising
hold is released, permitting the student to register. All of the information needed for advising
students can be found in the SON BSN brochure, which is located on the nursing website.
Advising forms are also located on the nursing website, www.nursing.sfasu.edu, Advising link.
We have a petition process to determine if courses taken at other universities will count as
prerequisites for the SON. The petition forms are located online under Policies and Procedures
(Policy 5, Form 5) at the School of Nursing website (www.nursing.sfasu.edu). Please advise
students to read and follow the directions on the Petition Page form. The petition(s) is returned to
the Student Affairs Committee who, in turn, takes the appropriate actions.
The following are some advising guidelines which we have found helpful:
1. Guideline:
Rationale:
Take only one science course a semester.
Science courses have a lab, so it is like taking two courses. It is very
important to do well in the sciences. A science GPA of 2.75 is required for
admission to the SON with an overall GPA of 2.5.
2. Guideline:
Twelve (12) hours is considered fulltime. Do not try to take a heavy
course load. Spread classes out over the summers.
It is more important to maintain an acceptable GPA than to quickly
finish all of the prerequisites.
Rationale:
3. Guideline:
If the student wants to register for less than 12 hours, he/she needs to
make sure that there is not a full time stipulation on received financial
support or on the parent’s health insurance.
Academic Advising
4. Guideline:
Rationale:
Do not worry about completing the 12 hours of history and political
science prior to applying to the SON. It is nice to have them finished, but
not required in order to be accepted.
These courses are requirements for graduation, but are not prerequisites
for the nursing program. They can be taken during the summer.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
5. Guideline:
Rationale:
Once in the nursing program, only nursing courses should be taken
during the fall and spring semesters, unless nursing electives are needed.
It is highly recommended that nursing electives not be taken the first and
third semesters.
There are some nursing semesters that the nursing course schedule is nonconducive to taking other courses.
6. Guideline:
Build the semester’s schedule so that all the final exams are not
occurring on the same day.
7. Guideline:
Students should be encouraged to apply early through the NursingCAS
system.
Rationale:
Applications take 4-6 weeks to process. Therefore, the application and
all requirements to be loaded into the application system should be
completed at least four to six weeks ahead of application deadline.
8. Guideline:
Students are required to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills
(TEAS) standardized entrance exam. The student may take the exam one
(1) time per application period. Admission is competitive, so students
should be encouraged to do as well as possible on the exam.
Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society
The School of Nursing has an active Sigma Theta Tau chapter (Omicron Eta). Students in the
top 35% are inducted during the third semester of study. Each spring semester, Sigma Theta Tau
also inducts community leaders. If you are already a member of another Sigma Theta Tau
chapter, you may transfer membership to the SON chapter or apply for dual membership. The
chapter meets at least quarterly and provides a variety of continuing education opportunities.
Student Nurses Association
The Student Nurses Association (SNA) is available to nursing students to enhance their personal
and professional development and networking skills. Two SON faculty members are appointed
to advise the association. All SON faculty members are encouraged to participate in the various
activities of SNA.
Nursing Pinning Ceremony and Graduation
One highlight of the culmination of study in the School of Nursing is the Nursing Pinning
ceremony which occurs on the Friday evening prior to graduation. This special occasion is
attended by family and friends of the graduate. The ceremony is organized by faculty, with input
from the graduates. The students select a speaker, a master of ceremonies, a chaplain for the
invocation, and an RN to pin them. As faculty, you may be asked by the students to participate in
this event. It is mandatory that all faculty members attend and participate in the candle lighting
portion of the ceremony. Graduation is on the Saturday following pinning. The dates of
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
graduation may be found in the University General Bulletin. All faculty members are required to
attend one graduation ceremony each year in full regalia.
Chapter 9 Technology
Telephone System / Voice Mail Guide / Long Distance / Fax / Copier / Computer / Email
Phones
The University phone system requires setup to customize. The directions for voice mail and the
phones may be found in the Appendix section (Appendix A, P. 25). For assistance with the
phones and voice mail, the SFA Technical Services Department asks that we contact the SON
Administrative Assistant or Senior Secretary. If they are unable to be of assistance, they will call
technical services for you. For the SON Contact / Phone List, please see Appendix A of the
Faculty Handbook.
An authorization code is required to place long distance calls from a University phone. The
Administrative Assistant to the School of Nursing will obtain an authorization code for all new
employees. This code is to be used for official business only. To place long distance personal
calls, it is necessary to use your personal cell phone.
Fax
There are two fax machines. One is located in the faculty workroom; the other, in the office of
the Senior Secretary. Your long distance authorization code is needed to send long distance
faxes. Again, if you are using the fax machine to send a personal long distance fax, you must use
your personal phone card. (Faxes may only be sent out from the Senior Secretary’s fax
machine.)
Copier
The copiers are in the faculty workroom. Things may be copied directly at the machine and/or
documents may be sent from the individual offices to the Xerox machine in the faculty
workroom.
When requesting copies to be made by work study students, complete a work request form and
place it in the work study basket in the workroom. Please allow two (2) full days for the copying
to be completed.
Computers
Each faculty member is provided an office computer. You may also request the use of a laptop
computer for official business. The laptop must be checked out by the Simulation Coordinator.
For assistance or for trouble shooting with a computer, call Technical Services at extension 1212.
They will request your SFA tag number and computer IP address. The tag number is located on
the CPU and the IP address is on the computer desktop; these will be requested with each work
order request.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Email
Each faculty member will have an e-mail address. Please check with the Administrative
Assistant to obtain information on how to obtain the address and access to other computer
systems. University Policy F-41 addresses the use of e-mail for University communications.
MySFA:
MySFA is the portal for students, faculty, and staff at SFA. MySFA provides access to
transcripts, grades, pay stubs, and other information.
To login to mySFA, go to www.sfasu.edu and click on the "mySFA" link in the upper right
corner.
Campus Security/Emergency/Jack Alert
From an on-campus phone: 911
From a cell phone or off-campus phone: (936) 468-2608
(911 calls from a cell phone or an off-campus phone will first be answered by Nacogdoches
Police Department.)
In the event of an emergency, there are two primary ways that an alert will be issued:
JackAlert and outdoor sirens.
When the JackAlert system is activated, alerts are issued in three different ways:

Website:

The alert page is updated as often as new information is available. This system is
tested during the first week of each month.

Text and Phone:
A bright yellow banner is splashed across the top of every
webpage hosted on the SFA website announcing the alert. You can
click on this banner to access information related to the alert.
Alert calls and text messages are sent to every device registered
on the JackAlert system. To receive these alerts, YOU MUST
REGISTER YOUR DEVICES.
To register, log onto mySFA and click on the red "Register to Get Campus Alerts" button
to get started. Landline phones and e-mail addresses, which are different from your
campus e-mail address, may be registered, in addition to your mobile devices.
Technology

E-Mail: Notices sent via email are sent to the SFA e-mail address
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
of every student and employee.
The Outdoor Siren system is designed to alert the campus to an imminent threat. Sirens are
located on the roof of the Ralph W. Steen Library. While the sirens may be heard inside some
buildings on campus, the system is only designed to provide an audible alert outdoors. For more
details, please refer to the Campus Safety Website. The link is located at the bottom of the
SFASU Homepage (www.sfasu.edu).
Faculty Activity Report (FAR)
The Faculty Activity Report (FAR) will be done electronically. This report is completed and
submitted each fall semester for the previous academic year. The Administrative Assistant will
email the date due to all faculty members. This date varies and is contingent on dates set in the
University calendar. To access the reporting tool, please use the following directions:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Log in to MySFA;
Click the MyServices tab;
Click the “Faculty Activity Report” link on the left-hand side under Faculty and
Staff Services;
Follow the menus.
The FAR is available to faculty with the ranks of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant
Professor, Instructor, Lecturer, and Special. If assistance is needed to log in to MySFA, contact
the Help Desk at Extension 1212. For technical assistance on this document, contact:
[email protected]. FAR reports are done after the first year of employment. If you have
questions, ask the Course Coordinator for your course.
Banner
Banner is the administrative software system for Stephen F. Austin State University. Banner is
an “integrated system” for Finance, Human Resources, Financial Aid, and Student which means
information is shared between the various systems, eliminating the need to duplicate data entry.
To access Banner services from the SFA homepage:
1)
Log in to MySFA;
2)
Click the MyServices tab;
3)
Click the “Self- Service Banner” tab;
4)
Click on Employee.

Faculty Leave Report
A Faculty Leave Report must be submitted at the end of each month and signed off by the
Director of the School of Nursing.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
From the SFA homepage, the Faculty Leave Report will be done electronically. To access the
reporting tool, please use the following directions:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Log in to MySFA;
Click the MyServices tab;
Click the “Self- Service Banner” tab;
Click on Employee;
Click on Leave Report;
Choose the month from the drop down box;
Click on Leave Report;
Click Next until the Submit button appears.
Office of Information Technology
The Office of Instructional Technology (OIT) supports faculty and students in the use of
instructional technologies to enhance the teaching and learning process. OIT facilitates the
integration of technology into instruction in classroom and distance education environments
through professional development workshops, consultation and support services for faculty
and students. OIT also provides support for all facets of electronically delivered instruction,
such as interactive videoconferencing (ITV) and Web-based systems. For tech support,
contact the OIT Department at (936) 468-2774.
Desire 2 Learn (D2L)
Desire2Learn, or D2L, as it is commonly called, is SFASU’s learning management system. It
replaced Blackboard CE 8 as our learning management system in May 2012.
To access D2L, visit the following URL, and log in using your MySFA username and password:
http://d2l.sfasu.edu.
Evolve
Evolve is an on-line portal for healthcare educators and students to access and purchase all of
their Elsevier digital teaching and learning materials. To access Evolve, visit the following
URL, http://evolve.elsevier.com. Log in using your assigned Evolve username and password.
ExamSoft: Exam Management and Analytics
ExamSoft is an exam management software suite that enables the SON to efficiently and
practically administer exams and analyze resulting data to improve curricular design, test design,
and accreditation compliance. To access ExamSoft, visit the following URL,
http://www.examsoft.com, and log in using your assigned ExamSoft username and password.
TurningPoint
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
TurningPoint is a Web-based software tool in which students submit their assignments for
faculty review and feedback.
*Please see the Administrative Assistant, Course Coordinator, Testing Committee, &/or OIT for
assistance with access to online support systems.
Chapter 10 Miscellaneous
Workroom
The following items are located in the workroom:








The SON copiers are located in the workroom and can be linked to your office computer
Faculty mailboxes
Fax machine (cannot be used to send faxes; can only receive on this one)
Shredder bin
o Note: any paperwork that contains student identifiers (ID numbers, etc.) and/or
grades that you plan to discard must be put in the shredder bin.
Binders for faculty and committee meeting minutes
Office supplies
Official SFASU letterhead and envelopes
Laminator
Office Supplies
All office supplies can be found either in the workroom or the closet of the workroom. The
Administrative Assistant is responsible for ordering and maintaining supplies. Please
communicate needs to her in a timely manner.
Forms
Forms that accompany SON policies may be found on the nursing website
http://www.nursing.sfasu.edu, and/or on the SON common Y-drive.
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SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Appendix B
School of Nursing Communication Chart
Director
Clinical
Extension
Program
Coordinator
R.N. Transition
Program
Coordinator
Assistant
Director
CHAIR
Faculty Affairs
Committee
CHAIR
Recruitment
Committee
CHAIR
Policy and
Procedures
CHAIR
Simulation
Committee
CHAIR
Student Affairs
Committee
CHAIR
Curriculum
Committee
CHAIR
Evaluation
Committee
Level 1
1st & 2nd Semester
Coordinator
CHAIR
Standards
Committee
Level 2
3rd & 4th Semester
Coordinator
26
Faculty
CHAIR
Testing
Committee
SFASU Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing Faculty Handbook
Appendix C
School of Nursing Organizational Chart – Line of Authority
Director
Clinical
Extension
Program
Coordinator
R.N. Transition
Program
Coordinator
Assistant
Director
CHAIR
Faculty Affairs
Committee
CHAIR
Recruitment
Committee
CHAIR
Policy and
Procedures
CHAIR
Simulation
Committee
CHAIR
Student Affairs
Committee
CHAIR
Curriculum
Committee
CHAIR
Evaluation
Committee
Level 1
1st & 2nd Semester
Coordinator
Level 2
3rd & 4th Semester
Coordinator
Faculty
27
CHAIR
Testing
Committee
CHAIR
Standards
Committee