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Nurse Scholar Admissions

Admissions Process | Requirements | Essay Questions

Admissions Process

Establish eligibility

Entry-Level Track
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years old. Eligible applicants are currently enrolled in an accredited college/university and completing pre-requisite courses for a nursing program. Eligible applicants may currently be enrolled in an accredited nursing program but are not within 1.5 years of graduating. Applicants must be in good academic standing.

Advanced-Level Track

Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years older and currently enrolled in or have graduated from an accredited nursing program. If the applicant is currently enrolled in a nursing program, they must be within 1.5 years of graduating. Applicants must be in good academic standing and submit proof of completion or enrollment in a pre-determined list of didactic content and skills training.

Didactic Content	Skills Training
Anatomy	Full body assessment
Physiology	Medication administration
Physical assessment	Wound care and dressings
Pharmacology	Catheter insertion and management
Documentation	IV insertion and management

Complete your application
You can apply online here. We recommend you write your essays before beginning your online application. You can view the essay questions here.

If you need assistance in completing the application and/or the survey questions, please reach out to fdar@copehealthsolutions.com Our team can assist with best practices for survey response questions, quality assurance and more.
Interview
Based on your online application, you may be invited to interview. Interviews help us get to know you. We are looking for personable, confident and articulate individuals who will create positive experiences with patients and the care delivery team. Interviews typically take place in a small group setting, via a live virtual meeting. Please be dressed in professional attire and arrive in a timely manner.
Complete a background check
Those who pass the interview stage will receive an email with instructions for completing the background check. Background checks are a standard requirement for those interacting with patients.
Schedule a clearance appointment
In your clearance appointment, we will make sure all of your site’s screening requirements have been met. Be prepared to bring your immunization/titer records, health insurance information and CPR certification to your appointment. See Requirements for more details.
Pay your tuition
You’ll receive an email with a link to pay your tuition. View tuition and fees here.
Attend training and pass entrance exams
You will need to attend 2 days of training in full, where you will learn about care team communication skills, hospital codes, patient experience, regulatory standards, the basics of U.S. health care and more. Training will be site-specific and the details of when and where it will take place will be communicated upon your acceptance into the program. In order to continue in the program and begin your first shift, you must first pass a written and practical exam.

In addition to the written and practical exam, all Advanced-Level Track Scholars are required to complete a competency assessment to measure proficiency level in basic nursing knowledge and skills.
Start the program. Congratulations! You are now a Nurse Scholar!

Requirements – Both Tracks

Health Insurance
All students must carry personal health insurance that meets “minimum essential coverage” as defined by Affordable Care Act (ACA). Students are not covered by COPE Health Solutions’ nor the Program Sites worker’s compensation insurance.
English Proficiency
Scholars must read and speak English. English fluency or advance proficiency is required.
Background Check
All scholars must pass a background check.
Immunizations
Current immunizations are required of all students. These requirements vary somewhat by site. Specific instructions on immunization requirements will be provided when you interview for the program. General immunization records and/or titers include:
- MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
- Hepatitis B
- Varicella (chicken pox)
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap)
- Tuberculosis (TB) Screening
- Seasonal Flu Vaccine (October – May)
- Be prepared to possibly have titers taken – this involves a blood test to check your immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases. Titers are required by some, but not all, program sites.
Health Screenings
Additional health screenings are required at some program sites. Information will be provided at the time you interview and at clearance appointments.
Fitness for Duty
All COPE Health Scholars programs enforce substance-free learning environments. Drug testing may be required at some program sites. Information will be provided to you at clearance appointments.
CPR Certification
- The required certification is Basic Life Support (BLS) for Health Care Providers from the American Heart Association (AHA). No other certification will be accepted. A classroom course or hybrid course is required – fully online courses are not acceptable.
- Applicants do not need to have a CPR certification prior to applying for any of our programs. However, it must be completed prior to program enrollment.
  - Proof of AHA BLS, CPR certification must be submitted at the clearance appointment upon program enrollment.
- Contact admissions@copehealthscholars.org with any questions.
Important Note Regarding Eligibility: Our client site partners have varying rules and regulations about an individual holding more than one role or title in their hospital, clinic or health system. For example, some sites may not allow current volunteers and employees to be concurrently enrolled as a Nurse Scholar, while other sites may allow concurrent enrollment and employment/volunteer engagement as long as certain guidelines are followed. If you are currently employed by or volunteer for a site where you wish to enroll as a Nurse Scholar, please reach out to fdar@copehealthsolutions.com for more information about your site of interest.

Essay Questions

Essays are the most important component of your application. We recommend you write your essays outside of the online application and copy/paste them into the online application when you are ready to submit. All essay questions are required. There is a 500-word limit for each question.

Entry-Level Track

Prompt #1: “As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our patient, their families and ourselves.” (Maya Angelou) What does this mean to you?
Prompt #2: Can you name some of your qualities that would benefit you as a nurse? Are there any qualities that you would like to improve on?
Prompt #3: This program offers an immersive clinical experience with access to mentorship. How do you plan on making the most of this experience?
Prompt #4: The field of nursing consists of inter-professional collaboration and teamwork. Describe a time when you worked as part of a highly diverse team.