School of Nursing

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 83 on the preferred internet-based test (iBT), 570 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test. 
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a score of at least 6.5 and a spoken band score of 7. 
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with a score of 56. 

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English as a Second Language

Students who do not meet the required English language proficiency may enroll in ASU’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program in the International Center for English. Potential nursing students enrolled in the ESL program must maintain an average of 85 or higher in levels 0 through 4. In the final or 5th level of the ESL program an average of 90 or higher must be maintained. On completion of the ESL program, the potential nursing student must take the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Upon successfully meeting the proficiency requirement, potential students are eligible to apply to the School of Nursing.  

Arkansas State Board of Nursing

Nurse Practice Act

17-87-312. Criminal Background Checks.

(a) Each first-time applicant for a license issued by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing shall apply to the Identification Bureau of the Department of Arkansas State Police for a state and national criminal background check, to be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(b) The check shall conform to the applicable federal standards and shall include the taking of fingerprints.

(c) The applicant shall sign a release of information to the board and shall be responsible to the Department of Arkansas State Police for the payment of any fee associated with the criminal background check.

(d) Upon completion of the criminal background check, the Identification Bureau of the Department of Arkansas State Police shall forward to the board all information obtained concerning the applicant in the commission of any offense listed in subsection of this section.

(e) Except as provided in subdivision (l)(1) of this section, no person shall be eligible to receive or hold a license issued by the board if that person has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, or been found guilty of any of the following offenses by any court in the State of Arkansas or of any similar offense by a court in another state or of any similar offense by a federal court:

(1) Capital murder as prohibited in § 5-10-101;
(2) Murder in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-10-102 and murder in the second degree as prohibited in § 5-10-103;
(3) Manslaughter as prohibited in § 5-10-104;
(4) Negligent homicide as prohibited in § 5-10-105;
(5) Kidnapping as prohibited in § 5-11-102;
(6) False imprisonment in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-11-103;
(7) Permanent detention or restraint as prohibited in § 5-11-106;
(8) Robbery as prohibited in § 5-12-102;
(9) Aggravated robbery as prohibited in § 5-12-103;
(10)Battery in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-13-201;
(11) Aggravated assault as prohibited in § 5-13-204;
(12) Introduction of controlled substance into the body of another person as prohibited in §5-13-210;
(13) Terroristic threatening in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-13-301;
(14) Rape as prohibited in §§ 5-14-103;
(15) Sexual indecency with a child as prohibited in § 5-14-110;
(16) Sexual assault in the first degree, second degree, third degree, and fourth degree as prohibited in §§ 5-14-124 – 5-14-127;
(17) Incest as prohibited in § 5-26-202;
(18) Offenses against the family as prohibited in §§ 5-26-303 - 5-26-306;
(19) Endangering the welfare of an incompetent person in the first degree as prohibited in
 § 5-27-201;
(20) Endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-27-203;
(21) Permitting abuse of a child as prohibited in § 5-27-221(a)(1) and (3);
(22) Engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print media, transportation of minors for prohibited sexual conduct, pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, or use of a child or consent to use of a child in a sexual performance by producing, directing, or promoting a sexual performance by a child as prohibited in §§ 5-27-303 - 5-27-305, 5-27-402, and 5-27-403;
(23) Felony adult abuse as prohibited in § 5-28-103;
(24) Theft of property as prohibited in § 5-36-103;
(25) Theft by receiving as prohibited in § 5-36-106;
(26) Arson as prohibited in § 5-38-301;
(27) Burglary as prohibited in § 5-39-201;
(28) Felony violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act §§ 5-64-101 – 5-64-608 as prohibited in § 5-64-401;
(29) Promotion of prostitution in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-70-104;
(30) Stalking as prohibited in § 5-71-229;
(31) Criminal attempt, criminal complicity, criminal solicitation, or criminal conspiracy as prohibited in §§ 5-3-201, 5-3-202, 5-3-301, and 5-3-401, to commit any of the offenses listed in this subsection;
(32) Computer child pornography as prohibited in § 5-27-603; and
(33) Computer exploitation of a child in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-27-605.
(f)(1)(A) The board may issue a nonrenewable temporary permit for licensure to a first-time applicant pending the results of the criminal background check
(B) The permit shall be valid for no more than six (6) months.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (l)(1) of this section, upon receipt of information from the Identification Bureau of the Department of Arkansas State Police that the person holding the letter of provisional licensure has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to, or has been found guilty of, any offense listed in subsection (e) of this section, the board shall immediately evoke
 the provisional license.
(g)(1) The provisions of subsections (e) and subdivision (f)(2) of this section may be waived by the board upon the request of:
(A) An affected applicant for licensure; or
(B) The person holding a license subject to revocation.
(2) Circumstances for which a waiver may be granted shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(A) The age at which the crime was committed;
(B) The circumstances surrounding the crime;
(C) The length of time since the crime;
(D) Subsequent work history;
(E) Employment references;
(F) Character references; and
(G) Other evidence demonstrating that the applicant does not pose a threat to the health or safety of the public.
(h)(1) Any information received by the board from the Identification Bureau of the Department of Arkansas State Police pursuant to this section shall not be available for examination except by:
(A) The affected applicant for licensure, or his authorized representative; or
(B) The person whose license is subject to revocation or his or her authorized representative.
 (2) No record, file, or document shall be removed from the custody of the Department of Arkansas State Police.
(i) Any information made available to the affected applicant for licensure or the person whose license is subject to revocation shall be information pertaining to that person only.
(j) Rights of privilege and confidentiality established in this section shall not extend to any document created for purposes other than this background check.
(k) The board shall adopt the necessary rules and regulations to fully implement the provisions of this section.
(l)(1) For purposes of this section, an expunged record of a conviction or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to an offense listed in subsection (e) of this section shall not be considered a conviction, guilty plea, or nolo contendere plea to the offense unless the offense is also listed in subdivision 
 (l)(2) of this section.
(2) Because of the serious nature of the offenses and the close relationship to the type of work That is to be performed, the following shall result in permanent disqualification:
(A) Capital murder as prohibited in § 5-10-101;
(B) Murder in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-10-102 and murder in the second degree as prohibited in § 5-10-103;
(C) Kidnapping as prohibited in § 5-11-102;
(D) Rape as prohibited in § 5-14-103;
(E) Sexual assault in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-14-124 and sexual assault in the second degree as prohibited in § 5-14-125;
(F) Endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-27-203 and endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree as prohibited in § 5-27-204;
(G) Incest as prohibited in § 5-26-202;
(H) Arson as prohibited in § 5-38-301;
(I) Endangering the welfare of incompetent person in the first degree as prohibited in § 5-27-201; and
(J) Adult abuse that constitutes a felony as prohibited in § 5-28-103

THE ARKANSAS NURSING EDUCATION PROGRESSION MODEL PHILOSOPHY

The discipline of nursing is pluralistic and multifaceted. It has various entries and exits provided by numerous types and levels of educational programs. A common core of knowledge is shared by all of nursing education. Educational programs that recognize this common core better serve the individual nurse, as well as the public and the nursing profession. This recognition facilitates the educational mobility of students. “Educational mobility allows movement of the nurse from one type of licensure to another and from one type of program (LPN, LPTN, Diploma, ADN, BSN, MSN) to another with maximum ease and recognizes the value of prior nursing education” (Arkansas Nurse Educators’ White Paper, 1990, pg. 1).Efficient and effective educational mobility of individuals is promoted by articulation arrangements agreements and progression models among institutions. The progression model facilitates educational mobility by one program’s courses being comparable with courses in another program that offers a higher level of education (Arkansas Nurse Educators’ White Paper, 1990, pg. 1). Educational mobility should be limited only by the nurse’s ability and personal choice.

The following assumptions support an articulation model to facilitate nurses’ continued education within the State of Arkansas.

• Reality mandates the necessity for educational mobility within the discipline of nursing.
• The public and the nursing profession are best served by a statewide nursing education progression model characterized by admission of students with advanced standing.
• Nurse educators are best qualified to design and implement nursing education progression models.
• Each nursing educational program is unique within itself and its community.
• Learning outcomes of educational programs verify achievement of the graduate regardless of entry characteristics of the student.
• The discipline of nursing is ever changing; therefore, a nursing education progression model must be periodically evaluated.
  
  

NURSING EDUCATION PROGRESSION MODEL ELEMENTS

Nursing education programs participating in the Arkansas Nursing Education Progression Model agree to the following:

• Non-nursing credits from a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be transferred, subject to individual college/university policies.
• Non-nursing credits from non-accredited institutions of higher learning are not transferable.
• Nursing credits from previous nursing education program are held in escrow until graduation, at which time it is noted on the transcript as being accepted.
• Minimum number of nursing semester credit hours that will be awarded for previous nursing learning and the maximum number of nursing semester credit hours that will be required to be completed in the program will be adhered to as specified in Tables 1 & 2 below.
• Requirements for testing/non-testing and work experience will be adhered to as specified in Table 3 below.
  
  

Arkansas Nursing Education Progression Model, cont.

 

Nursing Credit Paramneters for the Progressing LPN or LVN

* LPN-to-RN Associate Degree Programs, which admit only LPNs and no unlicensed students, might not record the articulating credit on the student’s transcript and still meet this parameter.

Nursing Credit Parameters for the Progressing RN who graduated from an associate degree or diploma program that was NLNAC, ACEN, or CNEA accredited; or, Arkansas State Board Approved at the time of graduation

* RN-to-Baccalaureate Degree Programs, which admit only RNs and no LPNs or unlicensed students, might not record the progression credit on the student’s transcript and still meet this parameter.

Progression Testing and Work Experience Requirements

Abbreviations: LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse; LVN – Licensed Vocational Nurse; RN – Registered Nurse

Approved by NANEP: September 1992 
Revised by NANEP: 2002, 2003
Revised 2/25/04;
Revised 11/08/04 Revised NANEP 2014
Approved by NANEP: 9/19/2014
Revised by NANEP 9/23/2022; Approved by NANEP 

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Your signature below indicates your support for and implementation of the Arkansas Nursing Education Progression 
Model for the indicated nursing program:
(Signature of Chief Nursing Education Officer, Dean, Director, Chair, Head)
(Name and address of nursing program/governing institution)
Please scan and send a signed form 
to: Tammy.Vaughn@Arkansas.gov
The Arkansas State Board of Nursing
University Tower Building
1123 S. University, Suite 800
Little Rock, AR 7220

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