Grading Scale
Grade | Range
A | 100 % to 94.0%
A- | < 93.0 % to 90.0%
B+ | < 89.0 % to 87.0%
B | < 86.0 % to 84.0%
B- | < 83.0 % to 80.0%
C+ | < 79.0 % to 77.0%
C | < 76.0 % to 74.0%
F | < 74.0 %
Grades will be determined in the undergraduate programs using the following grading scale. To progress in the undergraduate program, students must pass each course with a C (74%) minimum.
The final course grade will be rounded to the nearest whole number. Starting at 74.5% and above, 0.5 and greater numbers will be rounded up (e.g., 76.5 = C+ and 76.4 = C).
Assignment Outline
Course Engagement & Participation - 15%
Each student brings an important and unique perspective to this course. Active engagement is essential for your success and for the success of your peers.
Students will receive 10 points per week for being present and engaged. Students will not receive points for joining class via Zoom. I understand that absences happen for many different reasons, and I respect that. In order to be fair to all students, each absence will carry the same full participation point deduction. Points may be deducted for lack of participation, tardiness, unpreparedness, or behavior that negatively impacts the learning environment, as determined by the course instructor.
Expected Outcomes
- Students will:
- Actively participate in class discussions and activities.
- Demonstrate a positive, professional attitude and respect toward the program, guests, faculty, and peers.
- Come prepared with required materials and demonstrate engagement with assigned preparation.
- Be alert, attentive, and take responsibility for their own learning.
- Arrive on time for class and return promptly from breaks.
• Exceptions to this policy may be made, as required, for student athletes, military members, or those with accommodations specific to this requirement through SUU's ADA Office.
CoursePoint+ Ticket to Class -10%
Pre-class “tickets” are required learning experiences designed to prepare students for higher-level learning during our limited in-person class time. In this course, these tickets will be content in Lippincott, which directly correspond to the course material scheduled for discussion in class. Completing these lessons in advance ensures that students come prepared to actively engage with the content, contribute to discussions, and maximize the value of classroom learning.
Clinical Connections: In-Class Active Engagement Activities -10%
Participation in and submission of weekly in-class engagement activities.
CoursePoint+ PrepU -10%
PrepUs are delivered in Lippincott and are designed to help students reinforce and solidify the knowledge gained from both pre-class preparation and in-class learning. These quizzes provide an opportunity to check understanding, apply concepts, and identify areas that may require further review.
Comprehensive Take-Home Final Exam - 10%
A comprehensive take-home final exam will be available near the end of the course. The exam will consist of 50 questions, worth 100 points, with a time limit of 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Because the internet may provide information that conflicts with the required course text, the course text will serve as the primary source for all exam questions. If a student wishes to challenge an exam item, their rationale must be verified using the textbook before it is brought to the instructor’s attention.
The final exam is locked once completed. Students may not review it independently, but may schedule an appointment with the instructor to review their performance.
ATI Assignments -10%
Each student is solely responsible for reviewing the ATI materials and preparing for ATI exams independently. Clear instructions are provided with each ATI assignment. Practice assessments may be taken as many times as needed, without penalty, in order to achieve the desired score.
All completed assignments must be downloaded from ATI, saved as a .pdf file, and submitted to Canvas by the posted due date. Students are expected to carefully follow the directions provided in Canvas for each submission. Failure to follow these directions will result in a score of zero for the assignment.
ATI Mid-Term Exam (ATI Proctored Exam # 1) -15%
The ATI Mid-Term will serve as the first proctored exam in this course. For additional details regarding expectations, requirements, and grading, please refer to the ATI section of this syllabus as well as the course schedule.
ATI Final Exam (ATI Proctored Exam # 2) -20%
The ATI Final Exam will serve as the first proctored exam in this course. For additional details regarding expectations, requirements, and grading, please refer to the ATI section of this syllabus as well as the course schedule.
ATI Testing
ATI is a program utilized by the Department of Nursing to help students become familiar with NCLEX-style testing. It is rigorous and requires consistent preparation. The content in ATI aligns with your fundamentals textbook, though it may be presented in a different style. Students are expected to use both resources to support learning and decision-making.
ATI Exams in NURS 3130
ATI Midterm and Final Exam dates are listed in Canvas.
Exams will be proctored in the assigned computer lab (SCA 011 or another designated lab) on school-provided computers.
The first ATI is comprehensive. Students are encouraged to review ATI chapters covered later in the semester prior to taking the midterm.
ATI Proficiency Levels — Fundamentals
(Current ATI benchmarks; set by ATI, not SUU Nursing.)
- Level 3: 79.4% – 100%
- Level 2: 65.5% – 79.3%
- Level 1: 49.9% – 65.4%
- Below Level 1: ≤ 49.8%
Scoring
Grades for ATI Fundamentals exams will be assigned as follows:
Level 3 (79.4% – 100%)
93.2% – 100% = 100%
86.3% – 93.1.0% = 95%
79.4% – 86.2% = 90%
Level 2 (65.5% – 79.3%)
74.7% – 79.3% = 88%
70.1% – 74.6% = 84%
65.5% – 70.0% = 80%
Level 1 (49.9% – 65.4%)
60.3% – 65.4% = 78%
55.1% – 60.2% = 74%
49.9% – 55.0% = 70%
Below Level 1 (≤ 49.8%)
Score = 0%.
Below Level 1 scores are raised to 60% if Level 1 or higher is earned on the other ATI exam.
Students who score Below Level 1 on both ATI exams will receive 0% for both exams and may be at risk of failing NURS 3130.
ATI Level Descriptions
Level 3
Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 3 standard can be considered to exceed most expectations for performance in this content area. Scores at this level were judged by the content expert panel to indicate a student as likely to exceed NCLEX-RN standards in this content area. ATI advises these students to engage in continuous focused review to maintain and improve their knowledge of this content.
Level 2
Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 2 standard can be considered to exceed minimum expectations for performance in this content area. Scores at this level were judged by the content expert panel to indicate a student as fairly certain to meet NCLEX-RN standards in this content area. ATI advises these students to engage in continuous focused review to improve their knowledge of this content.
Level 1
Scores meeting the Proficiency Level 1 standard can be considered to meet the absolute minimum expectations for performance in this content area. Scores at this level were judged by the content expert panel to indicate a student as likely to just meet NCLEX-RN® standards in this content area. ATI advises these students to develop and complete a rigorous plan of focused review in order to achieve a firmer grasp of this content.
Below Level 1
Scores below the Proficiency Level 1 standard can be considered below minimum expectations and may indicate a student is at significant risk in this content area. ATI strongly advises these students to develop and complete an intensive plan for focused review and remediation, including ATI materials, textbooks, class notes, reference materials, and support from nurse educators.
Remediation
Any student who scores at Level 1 or Below Level 1 is required to complete remediation. Remediation is intended to strengthen understanding of core concepts and prepare students for success on subsequent exams.
Remediation requirements include:
- Meeting with the instructor to identify weak content areas and set goals.
- Creating a focused learning plan, which must be submitted to and approved by the instructor.
- Completing ATI-assigned focused review activities, including required practice questions or modules.
- Documenting study time, with a minimum of 8 hours of focused review (ATI system or instructor-approved equivalent).
- Completing additional NCLEX-style practice questions in ATI Learning System (minimum 50 questions, Fundamentals category).
- Submitting evidence of completion (focused review, calendar/study plan, and practice results) in Canvas by the remediation deadline.
Deadlines:
Remediation for the midterm must be fully completed before the final ATI exam.
Failure to complete required remediation will result in a zero score for the ATI exam and may affect course progression.
Testing Procedures
- Students must be on time; the door will be closed at the scheduled start. Late arrivals must arrange a makeup with the instructor and will incur a 10% grade reduction.
- Students may not knock or enter once testing begins.
- All ATI testing must be done in the assigned lab unless prior arrangements have been approved.
- Students with extended testing time accommodations must coordinate with the Disability Resource Center (DRC), the course instructor, and the Nursing Program Manager (Teresa Higbee) prior to testing to ensure accommodations are applied.