Registered Nursing

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.

 

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 which violates the ANA Code of Ethics.  
2. A student who started 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 the 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 eligible for readmission into the Nursing Program will complete and submit the Request for Readmission Form to the Nursing & Allied Health and WNC Admissions and Records offices.  The form will address the following information:
   • Date by which the request for readmission must be received.
   • Description of the challenge examinations that must be completed with a grade of 75% or better for the theory portion and a Pass (P) grade for the skill evaluations.   
   • Cost of readmission testing.  Payment for the challenge tests is submitted to the Business Office prior to scheduling of readmission testing.
   • Upon receipt of the form, the director will discuss the challenge process with the student and will schedule the challenge evaluations.
4. Students will be required to pass both a written competency exam and a hands-on skills performance evaluation demonstrating competency prior learning for re-entry into the nursing program. 

A score of 75% or more is required for the competency evaluation and a passing grade is required for the selected skill evaluation in order to be readmitted into the nursing program.

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 may choose to repeat all courses, including those previously passed, for the semester of readmission.

Students failing either component of the readmission evaluation may choose to reapply for the nursing program with the next incoming cohort and will be held to current admission requirements.  This would be considered the one-time readmission allowable.

The statute of limitations for nursing (NURS) courses is two years.  Nursing courses taken more than 2 years prior to reapplication will be required to be repeated.

5. Students seeking readmission into the nursing program will be required to update all requirements through Complio (CPR, immunizations, health insurance, etc.).

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.