Eligibility
Board of Nursing Licensure
The agency regulating the practice and licensure of nursing and approval of schools of nursing is:
State of Michigan
Michigan Board of Nursing
Lake Michigan College has not made a determination as to whether the nursing program’s curriculum meets a State’s educational requirements for licensure or certification outside the State of Michigan.
This program prepares you to take the NCLEX exam in the State of Michigan. Graduates who want to practice in other states should review those requirements via the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
The Michigan Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check prior to licensure and for students who access a clinical setting as part of program requirement. The State board has identified mandatory criminal record exclusions. If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, you may be ineligible to access the clinical setting necessary for program completion and unable to sit for the NCLEX for Registered Nurse licensure. If you have questions about your particular situation, please call the Board of Nursing at 517-335-0918. Applicants to the nursing program should be aware that program acceptance is based on the Michigan Board of Nursing Public Health Code requirements for criminal background check. Additionally, states can deny a license to an applicant for any future infractions.
A complete list of the Board rules can be found here. The Director of Nursing can provide additional specific information if you have concerns regarding a criminal background record.
Criminal Background Requirements
All Nursing students are required to pass a criminal background check and a 10-panel urine drug screen for admission into the program. Students are responsible for paying the non-refundable cost of the background search and drug screen package. This is completed through a third party company designated by the College. If a criminal record is found, the student may be asked to forfeit their seat in the Nursing program. If a positive drug test result is returned, students will be required to forfeit their seat in the Nursing program. A background check and negative drug screen is required for nursing program admission and re-admission. In order to be in compliance with the policies of our clinical site partners, the Lake Michigan College Nursing Program will not allow a student into the program with a drug screen that is positive for marijuana.
Nursing Student Handbook
The Nursing program is a highly technical program, and deals with the safety of patients admitted to local hospitals and nursing homes. For this reason, Nursing students are subject to many rules not required of other College students. Most of these rules are listed in the Nursing Student Handbook. A copy of the handbook will be given to accepted students at their scheduled Nursing Program orientation. The Nursing program schedule may not necessarily follow the LMC Academic Calendar or holiday schedule. Students may be assigned clinical shifts the morning, daytime, or evening on any day of the week.
Technical Standards and Functions for Program Admission
Nursing students are subject to many rules not required of other College students. The Program Technical Standards and Functions for Admission are listed below. Students must meet these standards in order to safely and competently care for patients and vulnerable populations.
This document is also in the Health Certification Form that must be signed by a physician as part of the program Physical Exam (see below.), in the Nursing Program Application, and in the Nursing Student Handbook. Your physician should review the Health Certification Form in full, including the Technical Standards, before signing the form. Students who do not satisfactorily meet these requirements and/or do not meet or follow rules and requirements set forth by Program faculty, clinical sites, and/or the Nursing Student Handbook may be required to exit the Nursing program. Students who have any concerns or questions regarding the Technical Standards and Functions may contact the Nursing Department via e-mail.
The Health Science department faculty has specified the following non-academic criteria which applicants generally are expected to meet in order to participate in the Health Sciences programs and professional practice. These technical standards are necessary and essential and have been developed to provide for the health and safety of the patients receiving care from the health sciences department students.
OBSERVATION
The applicant must be able to participate in all demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and clinical practicum and to assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned for examination, and treatment.
COMMUNICATION
The applicant must be able to communicate with patients and members of the health care team with accuracy, clarity, and efficiency within rapidly changing health care settings. The applicant must also be able to give and / or receive verbal directions about or to a patient or members of the health care team within rapidly changing health care settings. The applicant must be able to gather data from written documents, oral presentations, and observation of patients within a variety of settings
PSYCHOMOTOR
The applicant must have motor functions sufficient to provide safe nursing care activities, grasp large or small objects, and manipulate a variety of objects. The applicant must have sufficient hearing ability to identify and differentiate a variety of sounds (i.e.; lung sounds, heart sounds, and monitor alarms). The applicant must have sufficient visual ability to identify measurements on syringes and to detect changes in a patient’s skin or health status
INTELLECTUAL/ CONCEPTUAL, INTEGRATIVE, AND QUANTITATIVE ABILITIES
The applicant must be able to measure, calculate, reason analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information and observations. Problem solving, the critical skill demanded of health science practitioners, requires all of these cognitive abilities.
BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES
The applicant must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of intellectual abilities to safely provide care to patients. The applicant must be free of behaviors or evidence indicating addiction, abuse or dependence on alcohol or other drugs that have the potential to impair judgment. Applicants must be able to tolerate physical and mental workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments and conditions, display flexibility and function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical setting and with patients. Compassion, integrity and concern for others, interest and motivation are personal qualities each applicant should possess.
| Standards |
Functions (List is NOT all-inclusive) |
| Vision sufficient to accurately observe patients at a distance and close at hand. |
Note changes in a patient’s skin color, or facial expression. |
| Vision sufficient to be able to read documents, computer screens, and equipment markings. |
Read electronic records, charts, textbooks. Note measurements on syringes of various sizes, IV bags, medications. |
| Speech sufficient to be understood by others; ability to understand the communication of others within rapidly changing health settings. |
Communicating with patients, and other health care professionals. |
| Hearing sufficient to differentiate various body sounds, alarms, and equipment results. |
Hear and differentiate lung, heart, bowel sounds, blood pressure, and Doppler. |
| Physical condition sufficient to perform general and emergency patient care. |
CPR, pressure to control bleeding, walking and standing for extended periods of time. |
| Sufficient fine motor coordination to perform tasks related to diagnostic maneuvers. |
Ability to palpate and auscultate, manipulate syringes, insert IVs. |
| Sufficient muscle strength, lower back and knee stability to handle patients in a safe manner. |
Lifting and transferring of patients, physically assisting patients. |
| Sufficient psychological stability and emotional health to use intellectual abilities, exercise good judgment, complete responsibilities relating to the care of patients, and develop effective relationships with patients. |
Function effectively in stressful clinical situations, adapt to changing environments, demonstrate compassion and integrity, provide care without evidence of behaviors of addiction or abuse of drugs or alcohol. |
NOTE: You need to be able to perform each of these tasks with or without accommodation. If an accommodation is necessary because of a disability it is your responsibility to provide documentation and to request accommodation. The college will endeavor to satisfy requests for reasonable accommodations however it is not guaranteed.
Physical Exam & Immunizations
If admitted to the program, all Nursing students are required to have a physical exam completed prior to beginning Nursing Program classes. Students must obtain approval and signature from a physician on a Lake Michigan College Health Certification form as part of this physical. It is not an annual physical exam, but rather a review and verification that students meet the programs technical standards, and are able to participate in the program safely.
If a student exits the program and returns after a year, they must complete a new background check, drug screen, physical, TB test, and provide proof of any updated vaccinations.
As part of this physical exam, it is essential to provide proof of freedom from communicable diseases. Specific vaccinations must be done or proof of antibody titer immunity provided for the following:
- MMR (Measles, Mumps & Rubella)
- Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
- Varicella (Chicken Pox)*
- Hepatitis B
- COVID-19 vaccination
- Proof of freedom from Tuberculosis (two consecutive TB skin tests within 1 to 3 weeks, or one TB blood test)**
- Flu vaccination**
*History of disease (chickenpox as a child) is NOT valid. Students must provide proof of vaccination, or titer test results showing immunity.
**Must be renewed annually
Transportation & Attendance
All Nursing students must have their own dependable transportation. Attendance rules are strict and are enforced. Children are not allowed in nursing classes, labs, clinical sites, or in the Nursing Education Center.
Requirements for CPR Certification
CPR certification (BLS Provider through American Heart Association or CPR for Professional Rescuer through Red Cross) is required for all Nursing program students, and should be obtained after admission to the Nursing program. Fully online courses, Heartsaver, and Race for Life are NOT considered valid forms of CPR certification for the Nursing program.
All admitted students must obtain or hold a current CPR certification to participate in the Nursing program. Students are strongly encouraged to complete or re-certify their CPR training during AFTER program admission, prior to starting Nursing program courses. Students should ensure that their CPR certification does not lapse during the program. Lapse in certification or failure to obtain certification will result in inability to attend clinical.
CPR classes may be taken at Lake Michigan College. Available class days and times are located on the website.
