2019-2020 Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing, A.A.S.


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Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)
Contact Information:
Cynthia Waller, PhD, RN, MSN 615-353-3647, Office: W-71, Program Site

The Nursing Program prepares students for a career as a registered nurse. Nursing courses include didactic and clinical training over a two-year period that includes but is not limited to fundamentals of nursing, pathophysiology, pharmacology, nursing care of the adult in a medical-surgical setting and an intensive care unit, family nursing including care of children and expectant mothers, mental health nursing, and community health nursing. In addition to classroom education, students will participate in clinical settings in hospitals and agencies located in middle Tennessee. The program includes a course to help with the transition from student into independent clinical decision-maker. This degree program trains students to work with persons from various cultures across the life span and the wellness-to-illness continuum. At the conclusion of the program, students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Admission Requirements:

Admission to this program is limited to 50 students each fall. Prospective students are required to attend an information session prior to applying to the program. Applications for the nursing program are accepted during the spring semester immediately preceding the fall semester admission date.

Students accepted into the nursing program must complete any/all remedial and/or developmental coursework before they begin the program, and are encouraged to complete all required General Education courses as well as math and science courses before beginning the nursing curriculum. Prior to being accepted/admitted into the nursing program, applicants will be required to take a standardized nursing entrance examination. A student must perform at the “Proficient” level in reading, math, science, and English to be considered and subsequently admitted into the nursing program.

Note: Once accepted into the program, it is mandatory that a criminal background check as well as a drug screen be completed prior to participation in a clinical area.

Course Requirements


Prerequisite Courses for admission to the Nursing program:


Natural Sciences


Additional Course Requirements


Required General Education Coursework


LPN to RN Career Transition (Bridge) Program


The LPN to RN Career Transition (Bridge) Program is a curriculum designed for the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) that is interested in becoming a Registered Nurse (RN).   Individuals seeking admission to the LPN to RN Bridge program must meet the same admission and course requirements as the traditional A.A.S. nursing student.  Those admission and course requirements are outlined above.  In addition, the LPN applicant must:    

  1. Be a graduate of a state-board of nursing approved practical nursing program.
  2. Hold a current unencumbered LPN license.
  3. Achieve a score of 75 or better on the National League for Nursing (NLN) Nursing Acceleration Challenge Exam (NACE) I – Foundations of Nursing PN to RN examination.  The NACE Foundations of Nursing PN to RN examination assesses fundamental skills needed to meet the physiological and psychosocial needs of patients who are in a stable condition. 
  4. Have a total of one or more year’s work experience as a LPN within the last three years.

Fundamentals of Nursing (NURS 1710  ) is a seven (7) credit hour core course with 135 clinical/lab hours in Semester One.  Nashville State Community College will award the LPN to RN student seven Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits for NURS 1710   if the following additional criteria are met: 

  1. Evidence of licensure by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) NCLEX-PN exam. This meets the credit by certification exam PLA requirement.
  2. Successfully demonstrate NURS 1710   competencies/student learning outcomes which include: 
  1. Letter of reference from employer describing participation of LPN as a member of the healthcare team.
  2. Completion of a head-to-toe assessment as outlined in the NURS 1710  syllabus. 
  3. Demonstrate the ability to plan and revise nursing care using the nursing process and critical thinking skills as outlined in the NURS 1710 syllabus.    

Upon successful demonstration of the NURS 1710   competencies outlined above, and evidence of an unencumbered LPN license from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the student will be awarded 7 PLA credits for NURS 1710   (Fundamentals of Nursing) and will be admitted into the second semester of the NSCC A.A.S. nursing program.  The nursing courses for the LPN to RN student will then coincide with the traditional A.A.S. NSCC nursing curriculum. 

Total Required – Associate Degree: 66 Credits



The LPN to RN student who is not awarded 7 PLA credits for NURS 1710   will not progress to semester two and will be given an opportunity to seek admission as a traditional A.A.S. NSCC nursing student. 

Note:


Additional course requirements: The Tennessee Board of Regents requires that students either demonstrate the appropriate skill levels in math, reading, and/or writing before enrolling in college-level courses or enroll in appropriate co-requisite experiences with college-level courses to develop competency in those skills while performing college-level work. ACT/SAT scores, classic ACCUPLACER test scores, next-generation ACCUPLACER test scores, or other relevant information determine whether a student needs to enroll in co-requisite courses in math, reading, and/or writing (English).

* This course is part of the general education core.

 

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