Evergreen Valley College

Program Policies

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Students Returning to the Program

Purpose: To establish guidelines for students requesting to return to the EVC Nursing Program

Policy Statement:

The policy is intended to clarify the number of times a student can return to the EVC Nursing program. Students can request to return to the nursing program one (1) time within two years of program separation due to a course failure or course withdrawal from any nursing major course.

1st semester (N001) students cannot initiate a Request to Return unless they have been granted a personal or medical leave approved by the Dean of Nursing. The 1st semester students have to reapply to the generic program during the regular application period.

  1. Definition of Returning Student
    A “returning student” is defined as a student who has at any time been enrolled in one (1) or more courses in the Evergreen Valley College Nursing Program. All students who have enrolled in an EVC nursing major course and attended class at least one (1) day will be considered an “enrolled” student.
  2. Exceptions
    Please note the following exceptions.
    1. Students who leave the program because of being called to active military duty are able to return to the program.  
  3. Procedure
    1. Students eligible to return to the program must complete the “Request to Return to the Nursing Program” form.
    2. Requests must be submitted by the posted due dates.
    3. Students eligible to return must demonstrate written evidence of compliance with faculty recommendations for remediation. Faculty and Dean will evaluate each student’s request to return on an individual basis.
    4. Students eligible to return will be selected on a space available basis according to the following priority:
      1. Students continuing in the program
      2. Students returning from active military duty
      3. Students granted a medical or personal leave if the reasons for their medical or personal leave have been resolved
      4. Students who request to return to the nursing program one (1) time following program separation with evidence of following through on the recommended plan for academic remediation (if applicable).
      5. LVNs entering the LVN to RN Bridge Program
      6. Students requesting to transfer from another nursing program who have a “C” or higher grade in every nursing major course and meet all eligibility requirements of the EVC Nursing Program (Transfer students who have been previously enrolled in the EVC Nursing Program and have two (2) course failures in the EVC Nursing Program are not eligible to apply for transfer back to the program.)
      7. Foreign educated nurses needing CA BRN remediation
      8. Students requesting to transfer from another nursing program who leave that program with a failing grade in a nursing major course and meet all eligibility requirements of the EVC Nursing Program (Transfer students who have been previously enrolled in the EVC Nursing Program and have two (2) course failures in the EVC Nursing Program are not eligible to apply for transfer back to the program.)

Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance Statement

The nursing program does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities and complies with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Disability is defined in the Act as:

  1. Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individuals.
  2. A record of such impairment.
  3. Being regarded as having such an impairment.


For the purpose of Nursing Program compliance, a qualified individual with a disability is one who, with or without reasonable accommodation or modification, meets the essential requirements of Evergreen Valley College Nursing Program. These requirements are described in the following: Essential Capabilities and Functional Requirements.

  1. Essential Capabilities
    Evergreen Valley College Nursing Program students must have abilities and skills of five (5) varieties: Cognitive-Conceptual, Behavioral and Social Attributes, Communication, Sensory, and Motor. A student should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner without the use of a surrogate. To function effectively and safely the student must be able to do the following:
    COGNITIVE-CONCEPTUAL: Critical thinking and clinical judgment are essential abilities of the professional nurse. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis.
    BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES: Students must possess the emotional stability required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities. The prompt completion of all responsibilities inherent to the diagnosis and care of patients and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients are essential. Students must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to multitask effectively and efficiently under stress. They must be able to adapt to changing environments; to display flexibility and learn to function effectively, despite the uncertainties inherent in the clinical situations; to interact and establish rapport with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. Compassion, integrity, honesty, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that should be demonstrated throughout the education process.
    COMMMUNICATION:  Students must be able to speak, to hear and to observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications. Students must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, colleagues, and other personnel. Communication includes not only speech but also reading and writing. Students must be able to communicate in English effectively and efficiently in oral and written form with all members of the health care team, patients, and families. (See specific Functional Requirements.)
    SENSORY: Students must be able to observe a patient accurately. Observation necessitates the functional use of the senses of vision, smell, touch, hearing and somatic sensation. (See specific Functional Requirements.)
    MOTOR:  Students should have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion and other assessment techniques. Students should be able to execute gross and fine motor movements required to provide general care and emergency treatment of patients. Many actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and functional use of the senses of touch and vision. (See specific Functional Requirements which are based on community standards of health care agencies.)
    These capabilities must be demonstrated in the clinical, laboratory, and theory (classroom) interactions and evaluations.
  2. Functional Requirements
    The Functional Requirements described below are representative, but not limited, to those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of a professional nurse.
    Communication Ability:
    Communicate effectively and efficiently in English with patients, families, and other health care providers, both verbally and in writing. (Example: explain treatment procedures, teach patients and families, and document in charts.)
    Effectively adapt communication for intended audience.
    Interact, establish rapport with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.
    Assume the role of a health care team member.
    Function effectively under supervision.
    Sensory Capability:
    Coordinate verbal and manual instruction.
    Assess a patient from 10 feet away to observe posture and response to treatment.
    Respond to a timer, alarm or cries for help.
    Auditory, visual, and tactile ability sufficient to assess a patient status and perform treatments. (Example: color changes in skin, hear heart and lung sounds.)
    Motor Capability:
    Move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces.
    Transfer patients who may require physical assistance.
    Guard and assist patients with ambulation.
    Perform exercise techniques, including applying resistance during exercise.
    Lift and carry up to 50 pounds, and exert up to 100 pounds force or push/pull.
    Squat, crawl, bend/stoop, reach above shoulder level, use standing balance, and climb stairs
    Use hands repetitively; use manual dexterity.
    Perform CPR.
    Travel to and from academic and clinical sites.
    Able to spend 75.0% to 90.0% of clinical time standing/walking.

Policy For Student Criminal Background Checks And Urine Drug Screening

  1. Policy Statement
    All students entering the nursing program are required to obtain a criminal background check and urine drug screen.
  2. Purpose
    The 2004 Manual for Hospitals published by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of hospitals and Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the major accreditation body for hospitals, requires that all staff members, student, faculty and volunteers meet standards relating to criminal background checks and freedom from drugs.
  3. Policy
    Overview:  Students are responsible for costs associated with the criminal background check and drug screen. Students must further agree that all results are available to the nursing program and the clinical sites associated with the program. The program is responsible for ensuring that students comply with individual hospital policy regarding disclosure of results. Should a clinical agency refuse to place a student based on the outcome of either the background check or drug screen, the program has no responsibility for arranging an alternative clinical placement.
  1. Criminal Background Check:
    Upon acceptance in the nursing program, students must clear a criminal background check. Failure to complete this process will result in dismissal from the program. If the background check indicates criminal behavior, the student may be dismissed from the program.
  2. Urine Drug Screen:
    The nursing program maintains a no tolerance policy regarding substance abuse. All students must clear a urine drug test. Failure to undergo this test will result in dismissal from the program. If the drug screen comes back diluted the student will be allowed one (1) retest. If the student fails the second test, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Further Information

For further information about the Nursing Program contact the Nursing Program Office at (08) 270-6448 (Sequoia 207) or access the Evergreen Valley College web site: www.evc.edu (Quick Link to Nursing).  For specific questions on financial aid and counseling/testing, access the college web site (www.evc.edu) or contact these departments at the following telephone numbers:

Counseling Services
(408) 270-6474

Financial Aid
(408) 270-6460