Nursing (A.S.)

1. Attendance at a program information session or call 410-777-7310 for schedule. Detailed information regarding program, profession, admission and academic requirements and selection criteria will be discussed.
2. Submit a completed program application by the application deadline.
3. Take the Arithmetic Placement Test and receive a score of 27 or higher or enroll in MAT 005 and complete it with a grade of C or better prior to submitting program application.
4. The Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS) is required prior to submitting program application with the scores indicated in the program admissions requirement booklet.
5. High school graduate or equivalency or bachelor’s degree or higher from nationally recognized institution or 27 college credits with “C” or better from nationally recognized institution will also meet this requirement. Official transcripts required.
6. United States high school general chemistry (1 credit), CHE 011 (non-credit), or a college-level chemistry (CHE 111 or CHE 103) with a grade of C or better. If home schooled, the high school curriculum must be under a recognized umbrella organization with the supervision of a state-approved curriculum. AACC may require a course syllabus so that our chemistry department chair can review and approve the curriculum.
   
   CHE 011 or CHE 111 or CHE 103 is eligible for Health Manpower Shortage Tuition Waiver.
7. Eligibility for ENG 111 or ENG 115.
8. Eligibility for a general education Mathematics course.
9. Prerequisite(s) must be satisfactorily completed.
10. Must have a minimum adjusted grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 at this college.
11. Foreign educated students: must have their college and high school transcripts evaluated by one of the following credential evaluators: ECE (Educational Credential Evaluators) at www.ece.org or WES (World Education Services) at www.wes.org.
12. Foreign educated students whose native language is not English must successfully pass the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 550 (213 is the equivalent computer score and 79 is the equivalent Internet based score) OR must have completed the ENG 111/ENG 112 or ENG 115/ENG 116 or ENG 121 course sequence with grades of C or better prior to applying to the Medical Laboratory Technician program. Anne Arundel Community College’s code for TOEFL is 5019.

Selection Criteria

Students will be admitted to the registered nursing course sequence each fall and spring semester as the number of students permit. Complete applications received by the deadline will be given a seat once confirmed complete and qualified. Seats are assigned on date and time complete application is received. Students will apply for the RN program only after meeting all academic and admission criteria. Once the applicant’s admission criteria have been verified, that student receives conditional acceptance for the next available seat. Applications will be rejected if incomplete. Incomplete applications will be sent back to the student and can be resubmitted once they are complete. Once the class is full, even if it is prior to the deadline, students will have to wait for the next admission cycle to start in order to apply.

To be considered for conditional acceptance, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

• First consideration will be given to candidates whose resident address is in Anne Arundel County for at least three months prior to the date the application is submitted. If selected for a future class, the Address Verification form must be resubmitted to the Records office.
• Must satisfactorily complete all academic and admission requirements.
• Final acceptance in the program shall be contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal background check, health examination record, and submission of current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification card.
• Information and deadline for completion will be sent in applicant’s conditional acceptance packet. These are not to be completed prior to acceptance notification.

Technical Standards

Students who are conditionally accepted to this program of study will be required to submit a Health Examination Record completed by a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant validating that the student meets the technical standard of good physical and mental health as established by the School of Health Sciences, and verifying that the student is free of communicable diseases as evidenced by required immunizations/titers.

CPR

Students must successfully complete the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR course by designated deadline.

Enrollment Restrictions

State requirements and limitations of hospital facilities necessitate enrollment restrictions. An applicant who has been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor may not be eligible for licensure as a registered nurse. (See nursing department director for additional information.) Students enrolled in the nursing course sequence are required to comply with the Maryland Nurse Practice Act.

Readmission to the Nursing Course Sequence

Students who leave or are dismissed from the nursing course sequence may address a written petition for readmission to the department director. Readmission cannot be assured and is based on the criteria described in the readmission requirements available in the Health Sciences office. Requests for readmission must be received by the nursing department by Aug. 1 for spring term readmission and by Jan. 10 for fall term readmission. Prior nursing courses must have been taken within the previous two years.

Transfer from Other Nursing Programs

Students who have successfully completed nursing courses within the past two years in an accredited RN nursing program may be eligible to transfer into the nursing course sequence. Transfer cannot be assured and is based on the evaluation of completed nursing courses. Transferring students must contact the director of nursing and healthcare initiatives for direction.

Transfer to Baccalaureate Nursing Programs

Nursing graduates may transfer up to 60 general education credits to state baccalaureate nursing programs. They will be awarded 30 additional credits for an unencumbered RN license.

This program requires the satisfactory completion of a criminal background check and possible drug screening. For complete details, see the Health Sciences section of this catalog.

See Academic Regulations for college-wide Graduation Requirements.

Students must have a grade of C or better in all Registered Nursing courses and general education courses (with the exception of BIO 231/BIO 233, which must be a grade of B or better) to progress in the program.  General education courses may be taken prior to acceptance into the RN program except for BIO 231/BIO 233, which must be taken prior to submitting application.

AACC and the American Public University System (APUS) have created an accelerated, dual enrollment program that combines credential assessment, credit transfer and online education to enable qualified LPNs, Paramedics or Veterans admission into the second year of the nursing program at AACC.

All prerequisite courses must be completed by the date the application is submitted. All science courses must be taken within 7 years of the date the application is submitted. The prerequisite course BIO 231/233 must be completed with a minimum grade of B. All other prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C in each course.

A prerequisite cumulative GPA of 2.5 (no rounding) is also required.

A grade of C or better in each Registered Nursing and general education course is required to progress in the program. General education courses may be taken prior to acceptance into the RN program. NURS 152 must be taken the semester prior to starting the nursing course sequence.

*NURS 152 Military Nursing Fundamentals and Care of the Adult Childbearing Family 6 credit hours

(APUS Course)

NURS 152 is a 6-credit, online, 16-week course through the American Public University System (APUS). AACC will notify APUS of selected students. APUS will then contact student to set up registration. Once student’s registration is confirmed the student will receive information regarding the required books that will be needed for the course. Tuition for NURS 152 is $270 per credit hour plus a $50 technology fee. G.I. Bill benefits are accepted. Once the course is successfully completed the student will request an official transcript be sent to AACC to continue to Term 2.

** For Veterans - Term 3 is not considered Full-Time by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, therefore benefits will be prorated.

LPN Training

Official transcript from LPN training must be submitted to verify successful completion of LPN training from a state-approved licensed practical nursing program.

Clinical Experience

The following material must be submitted to continue the application process:

• Official transcript from a state-approved licensed practical nursing program.
• Copy of current active Maryland LPN license.
• Verification of current employment as an LPN for a minimum full-time equivalent (2080 hours) of one year within the last three calendar years.
• Submission of Clinical Experience Form.
• Submission of Work Performance Evaluation.

Paramedics

Official transcript from Paramedic training must be submitted to verify successful completion of Paramedic training from a state-approved licensed paramedic program.

Clinical Experience

The following material must be submitted to continue the application process.

• Official transcript from a state-approved licensed paramedic program.
• Copy of an active Maryland Paramedic license. Paramedics must have an active unencumbered Maryland license from the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems.
• Verification of current employment as a Paramedic for a minimum full-time equivalent (2080 hours) of one year within the last three calendar years.
• Submission of Clinical Experience Form.
• Submission of Work Performance Evaluation.

Veterans

Clinical Experience

• Applicants must be a Medic/Corpsman to qualify for this program with at least one year of experience.
• Submit a copy of your DD-214 (Certification of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) as verification of your required medical service.

Requirement satisfied through a sequence of courses within Program Requirements.

Satisfied by completion of SOC 111.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate accountability for maintaining the standards of professional practice to include holistic client care across the settings, legal/ethical behaviors and life-long learning in concert with the Maryland Nurse Practice Act (Professional Behavior).
• Utilize appropriate and therapeutic verbal and written communication to promote positive client outcomes (Communication).
• Assess holistically and systematically, the health status of individuals, families and communities to determine health care needs (Assessment).
• Utilize critical thinking and innovative thinking within the framework of the five steps of the nursing process to ensure the delivery of safe, accurate care (Clinical Decision Making).
• Provide nursing care based on the global understanding of the sciences, humanities, nursing theory, research and personal experience that is holistic, culturally relevant and maintains client’s rights and dignity (Caring Interventions).
• Identify learning needs of clients, develops plans and implements relevant teaching to assist the client in achieving their health goals (Teaching and Learning).
• Collaborate with clients, families and other members of the health care team to ensure holistic, individualized care with appropriate allocation of human and material resources across the health care continuum (Collaboration).
• Coordinate through direct intervention and delegation of care, the safe and accurate care of multiple clients in diverse health care communities (Managing Care).

This program aligns with the college’s core competencies.

Career, Workforce Certifications Education and Transfer Resources