Overview
Program Handbook
Associate degree nursing education prepares graduates with the values, knowledge, and skills required to practice as a professional nurse.
Associate degree nursing education, in conjunction with integration of knowledge from other disciplines, provides:
- a broad theoretical basis in nursing, the related sciences, and general education
- knowledge of the role of the associate degree nurse
- the ability to practice in multiple settings
- a foundation for further nursing study
An essential component of nursing education is the concurrent integration of theory into the clinical practice setting. Graduates are prepared to function as managers of care in acute and long-term settings where policies and procedures are specified, and guidance is available.
As members of the healthcare team, graduates collaborate with other nursing and healthcare team members and provide guidance in the delivery of nursing care.
Upon completion of the degree, students are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to practice as registered nurses.
Program Learning Outcomes
Derived from the mission, philosophy, and organizing framework, program student learning outcomes are:
- Apply the nursing process in assisting the patient to meet self-care requisites.
- Integrate health-illness concepts in the provision of care.
- Synthesize concepts of the teaching/learning process in the delivery of care.
- Demonstrate accountability and professional behavior in entry-level associate degree nursing practice.
- Using the concepts of the Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing, formulate plans of care for patients across the life span.
- Integrate knowledge of the humanities, sciences, and nursing research to provide rationale for nursing practice.
- Demonstrate the consistent performance of safe, effective nursing skills in entry-level associate degree practice.
- Demonstrate interpersonal skills throughout nursing practice.
- Practice Christian values within the ethical, legal, and professional standards of nursing practice.
Admission Requirements
Candidates must be high school graduates with a GPA of at least 2.7 or GED recipients with a score of 570 (score of 57 prior to 2002).
Applicants must have completed and passed these high school courses, or their college equivalents:
- *Biology – one year
- *Chemistry with a lab – one year
- *Math – Algebra – one year
All courses should be completed with a grade of “C” or better; a grade of “B” or better is preferred.
*Courses must have been completed within the past seven (7) years with a grade of “C” or better.
Transfer Student Guidelines
Transfer students must be high school graduates or GED recipients and have earned a minimum of 15 credit hours of college coursework with a GPA of at least 2.7 and have completed all the necessary program prerequisite courses from an institution accredited by a historically regional accrediting organization. For applicants who have attended more than one college, the cumulative GPA from all colleges must equal at least 2.7. The Nursing Division AAS Program Admission Scoring Rubric is used to objectively review candidate educational records.
The AAS Nursing Pre-licensure Program Admissions Committee will not consider applicants for admission into the program if applicants have failed two or more nursing courses at another college or university or have been dismissed from another nursing program in the past five (5) years.
Students who do not meet the requirements or who need to complete the necessary program prerequisite courses should review General College Admission Requirements in the Enrollment Management section of the College Catalog.
Candidacy Review Process
All candidate information is thoroughly evaluated by the AAS Pre-licensure Nursing Program Admissions Committee using the AAS Program Admission Scoring Rubric. The scored rubric provides an objective review of candidates’ educational records. Accepted students receive a letter from the Dean of Nursing.
Requirements for Clinicals or Professional Practice Experience
Criminal background checks, drug screens, health records, and titers/immunizations are required prior to the start of the clinical program. Program requirements and instructions are maintained on the College website at https://mercycollege.edu/background. The Policy can be found at https://mercycollege.edu/about/compliance-consumer-information.
Degree Requirements
To earn the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing students must complete all college requirements for an Associate of Applied Science Degree including:
General Education Requirements
Complete All of the Following Courses:
Oral and Written Communication (GCOM) - 6 minimum
Math, Statistics, and Logic (GMSL) - 3 minimum
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| or | |
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Diversity (including Religious Studies) (GAHD/GAHR) - 3 minimum
Natural Sciences, Technology, and Innovation (GNST) - 6 minimum
Additional hours from one or more of the above categories; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Diversity, and/or Applied General Education courses - 12 minimum
| BIO 221 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 290 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 201 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 33 |
Required Nursing Program Course Requirements
Complete the Following Program/Major Course:
| NUR 110 | Introduction to the Profession of Nursing | 4 |
| NUR 112 | Universal Self-Care Requisites I | 5 |
| NUR 122 | Universal Self-Care Requisites II | 3 |
| NUR 123 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites I | 3 |
| NUR 232 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites II | 5 |
| NUR 233 | Developmental Self-Care Requisites | 4 |
| NUR 239 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites III | 6 |
| NUR 243 | Transition to Practice | 1 |
| NUR 244 | Clinical Practicum | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 33 |
Credit Hour Requirements
| Total Required Associate of Applied Science General Education Credit Hours |
33 |
| Total Required Nursing Program/Major Credit Hours |
33 |
| Free Elective Credit Hours |
0 |
| Total Credit Hours for Graduation |
66 |
Students may be required to take additional free elective credits to reach the 60 credit hours required for graduation. Free elective credit may be satisfied through prior coursework and transfer credit. See academic advisor for more details.
Sample Program of Study (Evening Program)
Semester I
Semester II
Semester III
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| or | |
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Semester IV
| NUR 110 | Introduction to the Profession of Nursing | 4 |
| PSY 201 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 |
Semester V
Semester VI
| NUR 123 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites I | 3 |
Semester VII
Semester VIII
Semester IX
| NUR 232 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites II | 5 |
Semester X
| NUR 239 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites III | 6 |
| NUR 243 | Transition to Practice | 1 |
| NUR 244 | Clinical Practicum | 2 |
Sample Program of Study (Day Program)
Semester I
| BIO 220 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| | |
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| or | |
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| | |
| NUR 110 | Introduction to the Profession of Nursing | 4 |
Semester II
| BIO 221 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| NUR 112 | Universal Self-Care Requisites I | 5 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
Semester III
Semester IV
| BIO 210 | Microbiology | 4 |
| NUR 232 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites II | 5 |
| NUR 233 | Developmental Self-Care Requisites | 4 |
Semester V
To progress in the nursing program, a grade of “C” or better is required in all nursing theory, clinical, and laboratory courses, as well as required non-nursing support courses, and required elective hours. Once admitted into the nursing program, students must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above. If the GPA falls below 2.0, students will be dismissed from the nursing program.