INFORMATION FOR FRESHMAN STUDENTS

Dear Freshman Nursing Students,
We have prepared some information that you will need to know prior to the start of the new term.  Please take note of the new information.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your advisor within the Student Services Office located in room 239 Victoria Building or you can reach us by email at sao50@pitt.edu.

Best Wishes,
Student Services

[ Spring Term Dates ] [ PeopleSoft Update ] [ Freshman Advisors ] [ Academic Advisory Board ] [ Dean Advisory Board ]
[ Uniforms ] [ Health Forms ] [ Forms and Clearances ] [ New Grading Systems ]
[ Permission to Enroll in Another College or University ] [ Study Tips ] [ Student Mentorship Program ]
[ Nursing Student Association ]
[ Student Service Website ]

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SPRING TERM DATES TO REMEMBER

JANUARY 2008
January 4 (Friday): ;Residence Hall Opens
January 7 (Monday) Spring Term Classes Begin
Spring Term Registration Ends
January 18 (Friday): Spring Term Add/Drop Ends
January 21 (Monday): Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday
University Closed
FEBRUARY 2008
February 18 (Monday): Summer Term Registration and Add/Drop Begins
MARCH 2008
March 7 (Friday): Last Day to Submit Monitored Withdrawal Form
March 9-16: Spring Recess
March 14 (Wednesday): University Closed
March 20 (Thursday): Fall Term Registration Begins for Seniors Only
March 24 (Monday): Fall Term Registration Begins
APRIL 2008
April 18 (Friday): Last Day of Classes
April 21-26: Final Examination Period
April 27 (Sunday): Residence Hall Closes
Annual Commencement
April 30 (Wednesday):

Spring Terms Grades are posted

PEOPLESOFT UPDATE

When you log into PeopleSoft Student Administration, you will notice a change in the arrangement and organization of all student –related sites.  Highlights include the Student Center which enables you to view your academic history, update contact information, view your class schedule, contact your advisor, search for University classes, and more from one location.  The Student Center features include:

  • Clickable links and drop-down menus provide easy navigation and quick launch views
  • Schedules which include your registered classes, exam dates, and University registration enrollment dates
  • The ability to update personal information such as addresses and phone numbers

Accessing PeopleSoft Student Center
Log in to my.pitt.edu with your University Computer Account username and password. Next, click the Student Services tab at the top of the page, and then click the Link to Your Student Center. Next, click Self Service and then click Student Center.

For more instructions, click on the following links.

FACULTY ADVISORS

ACADEMIC ADVISORY BOARD

Your student representative for the Academic Advisory Board is Paul Moor (pjm48@pitt.edu).  He will serve as a communications liaison for the freshman academic group.  Meetings are scheduled once per semester or as needed with the Dean.  The appointment is for one year.

DEAN'S STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL

Your student representatives for Dean’s Student Advisory Council are Thomas Carnahan tdc9@pitt.edu and Chloe Chapman cec41@pitt.edu.  The student representatives will serve as a communications liaison and appointments are for one year.

UNIFORMS

All students are required to wear a University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing student uniform during clinical rotations unless specified by the instructor.
Uniforms should be ordered and received prior to the first day of classes. Please note, newly admitted internal and external students who are admitted at sophomore status, should order a uniform during the summer before the start of fall clinical.
Uniforms are purchased through American Discount Uniform Inc., 109 New York Ave., Lower Burrell, PA 15068.    American Discount Uniform is a mail order company that ships directly to the student. You can download an order form here. If there are any problems with your order, please contact the company directly by calling 724-339-5177. You are reminded to review Policy 91, Dress Code for Students. You are expected to comply with the regulations.

 

HEALTH FORMS

Undergraduate students must have a health evaluation upon admission and annually until completion of the program.  Students will not be permitted to register or participate in clinical activities until the completed health form has been submitted.  POLICY NO. 20

New students admitted to the School of Nursing will submit the INITIAL HEALTH APPRAISAL FORM, which you received in your packet, to Pitt-Student Health Services Office by March 1.  Maker sure the health form is turned in to:

University of Pittsburgh-Student Health Services
3708 Fifth Avenue
Medical Arts Building
Suite 500
Pittsburgh, PA  15213

Current students admitted to the School of Nursing will submit the ANNUAL UPDATE HEALTH FORM to Pitt-Student Health Services Office by March 1.  Make sure the health form is turned in to:

University of Pittsburgh-Student Health Services
3708 Fifth Avenue
Medical Arts Building
Suite 500
Pittsburgh, PA  15213

FORMS AND CLEARANCES FOR CLINICAL SITES - SOPHOMORE YEAR

You will not be permitted to attend or participate in the clinical portion of your courses, until all required documents have been completed, updated, and submitted to April Bruce in the Student Services Office and recorded in our database.  For more information, go to: http://www.pitt.edu/%7Enursing/currentstudents/currunderginfo/sophomoreinfo.html.

It is imperative that you submit your clearances, CPR certification, and HIPPA forms to the Student Services Office to avoid a hold being placed on your account.  Please remember to submit copies and keep the original documents in a safe place.

HIPPA
You should have completed this in the spring term of your freshman year in Introduction to Professional Nursing.  If you did not, you must complete Course 490 and Course 492.  Please click on the link below and follow the directions. Download a copy of the certificate verifying that you completed the module and return a copy to Student Services.  You must have this completed to be in clinical.

Course 490 (formerly RPF module 8): http://cme.hs.pitt.edu/servlet/IteachControllerServlet?actiontotake=loadmodule&moduleid=1683&dev=true
Course 492 (formerly RPF module 15):
http://cme.hs.pitt.edu/servlet/IteachControllerServlet?actiontotake=loadmodule&moduleid=1742&dev=true

CLEARANCES

Students are advised that it can take between 4-6 weeks to obtain the child abuse clearance. You can do the criminal clearance online if you have a credit card. Both forms can be found by clicking on the following links:

http://www.psp.state.pa.us/psp/cwp/view.asp?A=4&Q=48275
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/Resources/Documents/pdf/FillInForms/DPWchildabuse.pdf

CPR REQUIREMENTS

The American Heart Association -- Healthcare Provider Course (card is valid for two years) is acceptable. This course will certify you in adult, infant/child, 2-rescuer CPR and in the use of the AED.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3011764

 

NEW GRADING SYSTEM

Effective the beginning of the Fall Term 2081, the School of Nursing will begin to include “pluses and minuses” in the grading system, and the school policies will be revised to reflect these changes.  Your instructors will inform you of how the policy will be applied in each individual course.  However, all students should be aware that one of the effects of the change will be the minimum passing grade for all “NUR and Core Science courses will be a “C-".

STUDENTS TAKING SUMMER COURSES AT ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

Students planning to take summer courses at another college or university must complete the following form and have approval from the Undergraduate Associate Director for credit transfer.

STUDY TIPS

  • Establish a routine time to study for each class
    For every hour you spend in class, you will probably need to spend two hours outside of class. Study for each subject at the same time every day/week and in the same place if possible.
  • Studying includes more than just doing your homework
    You'll need to go over your notes and making sure you understand them. Look at your syllabus to see where you are going and where you've been. Be sure to do reading assignments and read ahead whenever possible. Prepare for class as if there will be a pop quiz that day.
  • Establish a place to study
    You should have a comfortable place to sit with good lighting, all the supplies you need, and of course, it should be free of distractions. It should not be a place where you routinely do other things.
  • Do as much studying in the daytime as you can
    What takes you an hour to do during the day may take you an hour and a half at night.
  • Schedule breaks
    Take a ten-minute break after each hour of study. If possible, avoid long blocks of time for studying. Spread out several short study sessions during the day.
  • Make use of study resources on campus
    Use the tutors, find out about labs, videos, computer programs, and alternative texts. Get to know your professors and other students in the class so you can feel comfortable asking questions.
  • Study the hardest subjects first
    Work on your hardest subjects when you are fresh because putting them off until you're tired compounds the problem.
  • Be good to yourself
    Studying on four hours of sleep and on an empty stomach or a junk-food diet is a waste of time. Avoid food and drinks containing caffeine just before or after studying.

Adapted from Practicing College Study Skills by Carolyn H. Hooper

STUDENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

The School of Nursing’s Undergraduate Student Mentorship Program is in its fourth year. This program was developed by Student Services, in collaboration with Alumni Development to enable you to meet your mentor or mentee.  Our goal is to support students in their growth and development as future nurses and is a wonderful opportunity to connect with someone who has been “in your footsteps”.  It is also an excellent opportunity to help support someone less experienced and “show them the ropes”.  Junior and senior students mentor freshmen and sophomore students and alumni and graduate students mentor junior and senior students.

Applications can be completed by downloading the mentorship application form for juniors and seniors or the mentorship application form for freshmen and sophomores and sending it to the Student Services Office,
239 Victoria Building . This is an optional program but highly encouraged that you take advantage of this opportunity!

 

NURSING STUDENT ASSOCIATION (NSA)

In 1989 the Nursing Student Association at the University of Pittsburgh was formed by merging a governance group known as the Nursing Student Organization with a professional development group called the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania.  Since that time, NSA has served as guide for many bright young nurses as they transition from high school to college and from college to their professional careers.  While providing a base for activities within the nursing school, NSA offers opportunities to experience the profession on a state and national level with participation in yearly conventions.  This past April, the National Student Nurses Association celebrated fifty-five years of uniting student nurses from around the country at their annual convention entitled “The Wonderful World of Nursing”.  In addition to speaking with recruiters from all over the country, participants were also invited to attend workshops ranging from finance to stories of personal triumph over illness and tragedy. 

In addition to professional development, NSA is focused on several other activities.  This past year the organization chose to partner with HEARTH, a non-profit organization that provides services to homeless mothers and their children in the greater Pittsburgh area.  This organization also focuses on education, advocacy skills, and career resources.  Throughout the year, NSA organized clothing, food, personal hygiene product, and Christmas decoration collections for HEARTH.  Furthermore, during the holidays NSA takes time to make and deliver cards to the veterans at the VA hospital in Oakland.   The organization is also committed to raising health awareness within the university through participation in health fairs and assisting representatives from Student Health Services.

Although the foundation of NSA is rooted in community, university, and professional affairs, it also provides an opportunity to expand one’s social horizons and meet new people.  Every year the organization sponsors a Nursing Formal where students can enjoy a night of fun out on the town.  In addition to this, NSA holds regular fundraising events such as bake sales, Pitt Nursing t-shirt/sweatshirt sales, and Sarris candy sales. 

This coming year we are all very excited to continue the wonderful traditions of our organization. We hope that you will join us as we continue on our journey in one of the most respected and noble professions that any young man or woman can choose to be a part of. 

Sincerely,

The Nursing Student Association at the University of Pittsburgh

Hail to Pitt!
 
Listed below are the names and contacts for the executive board of NSA. Please feel free to contact any of them with questions or ideas pertaining to the nature of their position or your desire to be part of their committee for this year. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!

Upon your acceptance into the nursing school, students automatically become members of the Nursing Student Association (NSA). It is strongly recommended that students become active members of NSA - this is your organization and we would love to see more involvement within the student body. Even if you cannot make it to meetings, copies of the minutes from the meetings, as well as information on activities will be posted on the communications board located on the first floor of the Victoria Building as well as NSA’s website http://www.pitt.edu/~nurorg/nsa/.

Return to Undergraduate Information


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Updated: December 19, 2007
Email: cmh1@pitt.edu
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