Oct 05, 2024  
Catalog 2023-2024 
    
Catalog 2023-2024 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Associate Degree Nursing - Registered Nursing Program

Location(s): Catonsville, Essex, Online


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs of Study - Search by Pathway

Important Information


Short Description


This program is designed to prepare students to enter the nursing profession as registered nurses. The curriculum provides theoretical, clinical and high fidelity laboratory study in nursing that will enable students to learn to work as members of an interprofessional health care team.

Type of Credential


Associate of Science (A.S.)

Program Code


S 200

Contacts and Additional Information


Program Directors:

Nursing Program Administrator/Dean
Dr. Shawn P. McNamara
Office: Essex m,- ECHP 104D
443-840-1360 or smcnamara2@ccbcmd.edu

Program Director - Catonsville
Dr. Elizabeth Webster
Office: HTEC 217
443-840-4447 or ewebster@ccbcmd.edu

Program Director - Essex
Dr. Mary Kay DeMarco
Office: ECHP 203B
443-840-1433 or mdemarco@ccbcmd.edu

Program Director - Dundalk
Dr. Cheryl J. McNamara
Office: STAT 111
443-840-3360 or cmcnamara@ccbcmd.edu

ATB Program Director - Catonsville
Rose Feudale
Office: HTEC 222
443-840-3354or rfeudale@ccbcmd.edu

ATB Program Director - Essex
Dr. Cynthia Darius
Office: ECHP 204C
443-840-5587 or cdarius@ccbcmd.edu

Additional Information:

  • Health Workforce Shortage Program
  • Selective Admission Program
  • The Associate Degree - Registered Nursing Program is offered at Catonsville and Essex.  Practical Nursing certificate offered only at Dundalk.  Paramedic to RN transition course offered only at Catonsville.  LPN to RN transition course offered only at Dundalk.
  • The Associate Degree - Registered Nursing Program is available in a day, evening/weekend, or online-blended format.
  • The Practical Nursing Program is offered in a day and evening/weekend format.
  • Opportunities for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) - Several General Education classes offer PLA. See Portfolio, Departmental Exam, CLEP, DSST, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate. General education classes are required for associate degrees but not for certificates.
  • Articulation and Transfer Agreements

Disclosures


CCBC cannot confirm whether the course or program meets requirements for professional licensure in states other than Maryland. If you plan to apply for licensure in a state other than Maryland, contact that state’s licensing board to determine whether the CCBC course or program meets requirements for licensure in that state. If you need assistance finding contact information for your state, click here .

Semester Sequence


It is strongly suggested that students complete all non-nursing course work before starting clinical nursing courses. Please see the Nursing Admission Packet for recommended course sequencing.

This semester sequence is a full-time schedule only for a student who has completed any developmental course work and has no transfer credits. Refer to the College catalog for specific requirements in selecting General Education Courses .

General Education English and Math requirements must be completed within the first 24 credits of enrollment.

Semester 1 - Prior to Selective Admissions*


Semester 4


Courses Needed for This Program*


General Education Requirements and Electives - 30 Credits


Students should meet with an academic advisor in planning to meet General Education requirements.  Students must complete all courses with a C or better. All General Education requirements are also program requirements, with the exception of CMNS 101 .

General Education Electives:


Choose a course in this category from the list of approved General Education Courses . Students must complete all courses with a C or better. One General Education course must be a Diversity course. It is highly recommended that students choose a course that is both an Arts & Humanities course and a Diversity course to avoid taking multiple courses.

  • Arts and Humanities (PHIL 240  recommended) 3 Credit(s).
  • Mathematics (MATH 125  or higher) 3 Credit(s).

Non-Nursing Program Requirements - 4 Credits


Students must complete all courses with a C or better.

Total Credits Required for Degree: 70*


Notes


*Credit students who are new to college (no successfully completed transferable college credits from other institutions) are required to take ACDV 101 - Academic Development: Transitioning to College . This 1-credit course is designed to be taken in the first semester at CCBC. Students must provide an official transcript(s) from an accredited institution to document successful completion of college coursework for the ACDV 101 requirement to be waived.

**BIOL 110  is a required General Education course and is a pre-requisite for BIOL 220  and BIOL 230 .

Program Description


This program is designed to prepare students to enter the nursing profession as registered nurses. The curriculum provides theoretical, clinical and high fidelity laboratory study in nursing that will enable students to learn to work as members of an interprofessional health care team. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The program is accredited by the Maryland Board of Nursing and by the Accreditation Commission on Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The day program is offered on the Catonsville and Essex Campuses. The evening/weekend nursing program is offered on the Essex Campus. The blended Nursing Program is offered on the Catonsville Campus. The blended nursing program contains didactic content online. Campus labs and seminars are provided in a face-to-face format on the Catonsville campus. All programs contain a clinical component.

School of Health Professions Policies


Students in the School of Health Professions are expected to conduct themselves according to an honor code, exhibit professional behavior, and communicate effectively in English. Participation requires that students provide proof of health insurance, immunizations, tuberculosis (TB) test, submit to drug testing and a criminal background check. Students are expected to pay these and other program specific costs.

Admission


Applications for all School of Health Professions programs, except Dental Hygiene and Physician Assistant, are processed in a Central Application Service called CCBC CAS. The link to the CAS and the application instructions are located in the program admissions packet at the School of Health Professions website. You will need a CCBC student ID number and a CCBC student account password to complete the application. If you have questions about the CCBC CAS process, contact the School of Health Professions Admissions Office at (443) 840-2810 or read the FAQ selections at the bottom of each page inside the CAS application.

 Admission to the nursing program is a separate process from admission to the college. Admission is competitive, selective, and based on established criteria. Information about admissions processes and the application packets are available online at the Nursing Admissions website. This information is also available in the Admissions office on each campus.

The associate degree nursing program is a selective admission program and is offered at the Catonsville and Essex campuses. Students seeking admission to the nursing program must submit a selective admissions application and indicate the campus of interest. Students will be ranked for program admission based on specific selection criteria. (See Admissions Criteria for specific information.) A minimum of 18 preclinical credits (courses designated under admission criteria) are required for eligibility to apply for admission to the Nursing program. Students are encouraged to complete as many of the general education (pre-clinical) requirements in science, humanities, and liberal arts as possible before enrolling in clinical nursing courses. This is especially true when students have limitations on the time they can devote to study.

Admission Criteria


Detailed information for admission into the Nursing Program is available in a separate Admission Packet. All courses required for the nursing program must be completed with a grade of C or better. Additional admission requirements include: achievement of a GPA of 2.50 or higher, calculated from courses that are required for completion of the Nursing program; and a minimum overall CCBC GPA of 2.00, to meet CCBC graduation requirements. All students must complete and submit scores for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). Students must have access to a computer and basic knowledge for Internet access.

Course requirements:

A. Criteria for consideration for admission into the DAY Nursing Program:

     1. For College-Ready students who are not employed: the following are the minimum courses requirements for admission:

a. BIOL 110 - Biology I: Molecular and Cells  
b. BIOL 220 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I
c. ENGL 101 - College Composition I
d. MATH 125 - Finite Mathematics and Modeling  (or other general education MATH class that is equivalent or higher)

     2. For students progressing through prerequisites part-time, it is highly suggested that all non-nursing courses be completed for admission, including:

  1. BIOL 220 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I. BIOL 110 is a required General Education Science Course and is a prerequisite for BIOL 220 and BIOL 230.
  2. BIOL 221 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II
  3. BIOL 230 - Microbiology
  4. CMNS 101 - Fundamentals of Communication  
  5. ENGL 101 - College Composition I
  6. MATH 125 - Finite Mathematics and Modeling  (or other general education MATH class that is equivalent or higher)
  7. PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology
  8. PSYC 103 - Principles of Human Growth & Development  
  9. Arts and Humanities Elective from the list of approved General Education Courses  – 3 Credits

B. Criteria for consideration for admission into the Evening/Weekend and Online-Blended Nursing Program:

  1. Students must have completed all the general education, prerequisite courses and program required courses prior to starting the nursing courses (see the list of courses in numbers 1 and 2 above)

Admitted Student Requirements


ExamSoft® is a testing platform used by the CCBC Nursing Program.  Tests in the nursing program will be administered through ExamSoft and the software Examplify.

All Nursing Program students are required to purchase access to ExamSoft and supply a personal laptop computer that meets minimum requirements as published by ExamSoft.  Technical requirements can be found on the ExamSoft website:  https://examsoft.com/resources/blog/what-does-it-need-to-know

All students accepted into the nursing program at CCBC must adhere to the following College and clinical facility requirements:

  • Completion of the Student Health Profile (CCBC Nursing Physical Examination form).
  • Documentation of tuberculosis skin test,required vaccination titres and/or immunizations*
  • Documentation of current CPR from the American Heart Association Health Care Provider or other approved equivalent.
  • Proof of Health insurance coverage, which must be maintained throughout the clinical program.
  • Completion of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements and modules required by clinical agencies. (The college will make provision for all clinical students to meet this requirement.)
  • Completion of complete criminal background checks and drug screening through a vendor determined by CCBC. 

    *Note: No student shall be exempt from the requirements for immunizations.  

Application Deadlines


Admission into the Nursing Program is competitive and takes place in the fall and spring each year. Selective admission applications must be completed by January 31 for the fall semester and August 15 for the spring semester. All applicants must register to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) prior to the application deadline. A new selective admission application must be completed for each new admission request.

Application for the evening/weekend program occurs only once a year. Application for the blended program occurs twice a year, in spring and fall. Selective admission applications must be completed by January 31 for fall admission for evening/weekend and blended.

Financial Aid students are encouraged to make a financial plan prior to entry since full-time employment is definitely not recommended during the clinical nursing sequence. Information relative to scholarships and loans is available from the Financial Aid office. Scholarship opportunities can be found on the Maryland Board of Nursing website at www.mbon.org.

Program Outcomes


End of Program Student Learning Outcomes


The CCBC Nursing Program prepares the Nurse generalist to care for patients, families, and communities by:

  • Promoting Optimal Health:
    • Advocate and promote physical, mental, and social well-being, with consideration of preferences and values.
  • Developing a Professional Identity:
    • Establish one’s role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and a commitment to the profession.
  • Demonstrating Nursing Judgment:
    • Formulate decisions in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care.
  • Exhibiting a Spirit of Inquiry:
    • Examine evidence that underlies clinical nursing practice, question assumptions, and offer new insights to improve health care.

Other


Financial Aid Statement


Financial Aid students are encouraged to make a financial plan prior to entry since full-time employment is definitely not recommended during the clinical nursing sequence. Information relative to scholarships and loans is available from the Financial Aid office. Scholarship opportunities can be found on the Maryland Board of Nursing website at www.mbon.org.

Legal Implications


Upon successful completion of the Associate of Science degree in Nursing, the graduate applies to take the National Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Permission to take the NCLEX-RN examination is established by law and granted by the Maryland Board of Nursing. The Board may deny a graduate this permission for a variety of reasons. This includes: 8-6A-10 (a)4 - If convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding is pending to have the conviction or plea set aside. [Nurse Practice Act, Annotated Code of Maryland]

During the clinical components of the program, clinical sites may decline to accept a student based on the criminal background check or drug screen. If a student is declined by two clinical facilities, they are unable to meet clinical objectives and cannot progress in the nursing program.

Articulation Agreements for BSN


Graduates who choose to continue their education in a baccalaureate program in nursing (B.S.N.) can transfer credits thought the Maryland statewide nursing education articulation agreement. Credits for both nursing and general education courses may be awarded or transferred to B.S.N. programs offered at state colleges and universities and some private institutions.

Students who are interested in earning a baccalaureate degree in nursing should consult an academic advisor or counselor in the Advising Center or a counselor from the four-year institution of their choice to determine the best course sequence.

Accreditation and Licensure


This program is designed to prepare students to enter the nursing profession as registered nurses. The curriculum provides theoretical and clinical laboratory study in nursing that will enable students to learn to work as members of a health care team. Upon successful completion of the A.S. portion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination of Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The program is accredited by the Maryland Board of Nursing and by the Accreditation Commission on Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs of Study - Search by Pathway