Registered Nursing (AAS)

WNCs Associate Degree Nursing Program is intended for students seeking a career as a registered nurse. The curriculum is sequenced and progresses in complexity. It integrates knowledge from the bio/psycho/social sciences, literacy, mathematics and humanities and is intended to prepare graduates to pass the national licensure examination (NCLEX-RN) and to function as registered nurses in diverse care settings. Upon completion of the Associate Degree Nursing Program, students will be awarded an Associate of Applied Science degree. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.

The nursing program is approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing (NSBN) and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, ph: 404-975-5000. Applicants are advised that eligibility for licensure may be affected by the existence of a criminal record, a history of alcohol or drug abuse, and mental or physical illness that may interfere with the practice of nursing. Applicants are encouraged to directly contact the NSBN at 1-775-687-7700 or 888-590-6726 should there be a concern regarding eligibility for licensure.

Apply for the Program

A limited number of qualified students are admitted as first semester students utilizing the selection criteria outlined below. The nursing program requires that pre-and co-requisite courses be completed with a grade of C or better (a C- or lower grade will not be accepted). Students admitted to the program are required to attend mandatory one-day orientation sessions scheduled for late spring or early summer and prior to the start of classes.

Admission to the nursing program will be based on special admission procedures and the number of points an applicant receives. Eligible students will be numerically ranked according to total points. In the event of applicants having an equal number of points, lots will be drawn to decide eligibility. Admission will be offered to the applicants on the list with the highest priority points. Applicants not selected will not be carried forward and must reapply for consideration.

Selection Criteria Points
Science GPA
(BIOL & CHEM pre and
corequisite courses)
2.0-2.25
(1)
2.26-2.50
(2)
2.51-2.75
(3)
2.76-3.00
(4)
3.01-3.25
(5)
3.26-3.50
(6)
3.51-3.75
(7)
3.76-4.00
(8)
GPA
(pre- and corequisite courses)
2.0-2.49
(1)
2.5-2.99
(2)
3.0-3.49
(3)
3.5-4.0
(4)
(A grade of C or better is required for all pre and corequisite courses in the nursing program. A C- or lower will not be accepted.)
Academic Skills Test: 0-4 points will be awarded based on test scores.
Nevada Resident: An applicant who is classified as a Nevada resident for tuition purposes at Western Nevada College at the time of application to the nursing program will be awarded one (1) point in the nursing admissions selection criteria.
Maximum Possible Points: 17

 

Nursing Program Application Process
Students must apply for admission to Western Nevada College and the WNC nursing program. Applications for the next fall are available on the WNC Nursing & Allied Health Web page on or after Jan. 2. The last date for submission of an application to Admissions and Records is April 1.

Prerequisites
Students must complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better to apply for the nursing program. (C- or lower will not be accepted.) Students may apply for admission to the nursing program while in the process of completing a prerequisite course(s), provided the course is completed by the end of the applicable spring semester or, if taken at another institution, an official transcript showing completion of the course is provided by June 1 of the year of application. Evidence of courses in progress must be submitted by the application deadline.

NOTE: Current CNA Certification or completion of NURS 129 or NURS 130 required within five years of the date of application to the nursing program.

Corequisites
Students who are accepted into the nursing program must complete all corequisite courses with a grade of C or better by the end of the fourth semester of the program. (A grade of C- or lower will not be accepted.) Any corequisite course(s) completed with a C or better prior to admission into the nursing program will be calculated into the grade point average under admission selection criteria.

Academic Skills Testing
Students are required to take the Assessment Technologies Institute, Test of Essential Academic Skills examination as part of the application process. Visit Nursing and Allied Health after September for specific information.

Residency
An applicant who is classified as a Nevada resident for tuition purposes at WNC at the time of application to the nursing program will be awarded one point in the nursing admissions/selection criteria.

Application & Supporting Documents
Submit the completed application with supporting documents, which include the ATI TEAS academic skills test results and all required college and university transcripts, as appropriate, to Admissions and Records in the time frame delineated on the nursing program application.
NOTE: Statute of Limitation for science courses is five years by the date of application to the nursing program.

Other Important Information

  • Nursing learning activities are scheduled on and off campus on days, evenings, nights and weekends.
  • Course organization requires students to have basic computer skills, including the ability to navigate various online learning programs.
  • Clinical experiences take place at long-term health care facilities, acute care hospitals, clinics and day care centers.
  • A grade of C (75 percent) or better is required in all nursing courses to continue in the nursing program. A grade of C- or lower will not be accepted.
  • Students not admitted to the nursing program must reapply to be considered for admission the following year.
  • Nursing students are expected to meet the Nursing Student Essential Abilities as discussed on the nursing Web page and in the student handbook.
  • Documentation and currency of the following is required after acceptance into the nursing program and prior to the start of classes:
    • An acceptable physical examination and required immunizations and tests. CPR certification (card required) through the American Heart Association (Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider).
    • Major medical health insurance (card required).
    • An acceptable background check.

A background check is required by health care organizations. Students will be conditionally accepted into WNCs nursing program until their background check information is approved by the clinical sites. Should clinical sites not approve a student, the conditional acceptance will be withdrawn and the student will not be admitted into the nursing program. Students will be denied entrance into the WNC nursing program if an adverse background check is received from a clinical site. Drug screening is required by clinical sites. Students will be informed of the requirement when necessary.

Nursing Program Readmission Policies

  1. At the conclusion of each semester of study, the Nursing Program Faculty Committee discusses students who failed or withdrew from courses during the semester. The faculty acknowledges the responsibility to readmit students, who in their judgment satisfy the requirements of scholarship and professional suitability for nursing. The faculty reserves the right to deny readmission based on a history of unprofessional conduct that violates the ANA Code of Ethics.
  2. A student who matriculates into the nursing program may be readmitted one time following a withdrawal/failure. A written request for an exception to the policy for such reasons as medical and military will be considered by nursing program faculty. Students who are eligible to be considered for readmission into the nursing program will be admitted using a point system and on a space-available basis.
  3. Students seeking readmission into the nursing program will be required to demonstrate currency of knowledge and skills by passing competency evaluations for selected nursing theory and laboratory courses previously successfully completed. Students may choose the option to repeat those courses or will be required to repeat those courses if the competency evaluations are not passed. A score of 75% or more is required for each theory competency evaluation and a passing grade is required for selected skill evaluations, including basic nursing assessment skills, in order to be readmitted into the nursing program.
  4. A student must submit a letter to the Director of Nursing & Allied Health informing the director that he/she wishes to challenge courses previously successfully completed. The letter must be received within two weeks of receiving the acceptance letter for readmission into the nursing program. Upon receipt of the letter, the director will discuss the challenge process with the student and will schedule the challenge evaluations.
  5. Students who withdrew from or who failed a course or courses that are related (e.g. NURS 136, 137 & 141) will be required to repeat all courses in the sequence. Students electing to challenge courses previously passed will be required to pass all courses that are related. For example, a student who had passed NURS 136 challenge evaluation but who fails the NURS 137 challenge evaluation will be required to repeat the sequence of courses.
  6. Nursing courses taken more than 2 years prior to reapplication will need to be repeated.
  7. Students seeking readmission into the nursing program will be required to submit an acceptable background check.

The Nursing Program reflects the mission of Western Nevada College by assisting and preparing nursing students to successfully navigate educational pathways to achieve their professional goals.

  • Incorporate principles from the bio/psycho/social sciences, mathematics, literacy and nursing in the provision of patient care.
  • Apply the nursing process in a caring manner to safely meet the holistic needs of patients across the life span.
  • Utilize a broad range of communication skills to promote understanding.
  • Utilize a spirit of inquiry to integrate current evidence-based guidelines and nursing science when making clinical practice decisions.
  • Apply concepts of caring, cultural sensitivity and respect for all persons.
  • Apply concepts of teaching and learning to empower patients and families to effectively manage health care.
  • Incorporate principles of collaboration and teamwork with patients, families and the health care team to achieve patient-centered care.
  • Provide and manage care that reflects values of nursing within professional standards and legal parameters of the profession.

Required Courses


Course Title Units
Total Requirements 71.5 Units
Prerequisite Courses* 21 Units
CHEM 121 General Chemistry I 4
   or BIOL 190 Intro to Cell & Molecular Biology  
BIOL 223* Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4
BIOL 224* Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4
ENG 101 Composition I 3
MATH 120 Fundamentals of College Mathematics 3
   or MATH 124 or higher level (STAT 152 is acceptable) College Algebra  
PSY 101 General Psychology 3
*BIOL 223 & BIOL 224 must be completed at the same college or university if taken at an institution other than within Nevada System of Higher Education.
NOTE: Statute of Limitation for science courses is five years by the date of application to the nursing program.


Current CNA Certification or completion of NURS 129 or NURS 130 required within five years of the date of application to the nursing program is a required prerequisite.
Corequisite (non-nursing) Courses 10 Units
BIOL 251 General Microbiology 4
ENG 102 Composition II 3
U.S./Nevada Constitutions Course
Recommend: PSC 101, HIST 111 or CH 203
3
Note: Corequisite courses must be completed by the end of the fourth semester of the nursing program. See the Associate of Applied Science degree for more information on courses fulfilling the general education requirement.

Completion of Chemistry 121 or Biology 190, 223, 224 and 251 fulfills the science general education requirement for the Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing.

Suggested Course Sequence


First Year: Fall Semester Courses 10 Units
NURS 136 Foundations of Nursing Theory 3
NURS 137 Foundations of Nursing Laboratory 1
NURS 141 Foundations of Nursing Clinical 2
NURS 147 Health Assessment Theory 2
NURS 148 Health Assessment Laboratory 1
NURS 152 Foundations of Pharmacology in Nursing I 1
First Year: Spring Semester Courses 11 Units
NURS 149 Mental Health and Illness Theory 3
NURS 151 Mental Health and Illness Clinical 1
NURS 153 Foundations of Pharmacology Nursing II 1
NURS 165 Medical Surgical Nursing I Theory 3
NURS 166 Medical Surgical Nursing I Laboratory 1
NURS 167 Medical Surgical Nursing I Clinical 2
Second Year: Fall Semester Courses 9 Units
NURS 156 Foundations of Pharmacology In Nursing III 1
NURS 261 Nursing Care of The Family From Conception Through Adolescence (Theory) 2
NURS 262 Nursing Care of Family from Conception Through Adolescence (Lab/Clinical) 1
NURS 270 Advanced Clinical Nursing I Theory 3
NURS 271 Advanced Clinical Nursing I Clinical 2
SECOND YEAR: SPRING Semester Courses 10.5 Units
NURS 261 Nursing Care of The Family From Conception Through Adolescence (Theory) 2
NURS 262 Nursing Care of Family from Conception Through Adolescence (Lab/Clinical) 1
NURS 276 Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing II Theory 3
NURS 277 Advanced Medical Surgical Nursing II Clinical 2.5
NURS 284 Role of the Adn Manager of Care 2
Note: The sequence of some courses in the second year for fall and spring semesters may be altered.

NOTE: These courses have mandatory admission requirements. See the Nursing & Allied Health web pages for required immunizations, tests, major medical insurance and CPR certification. This information must be provided to the Nursing & Allied Health Office before permission to enroll in the course is granted. Information regarding how to submit information required to qualify for enrollment into these courses is available on the Nursing & Allied Health web pages. Students are eligible to register after all required information is received by the Nursing & Allied Health Office.