Javascript is currently not supported, or is disabled by this browser. Please enable Javascript for full functionality.

Skip to main content
Home

Hagerstown Community College / HCC

Academic Catalog

2017-2018 Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2017-2018 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing (Registered Nurse), A.S.


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs of Study

The Nursing program is designated as a Health Manpower Shortage Program; therefore, some residents of Maryland enrolled in this program of study on the first day of the term may be eligible for in-county tuition rates for courses required for program completion.

Special Admission Requirements: Program Application Deadline: January 15 for Fall and July 15 for Spring

Career Programs Building Room 110, 240-500-2380

Award: Associate of Science degree, A.S.

Total Credit Hours: A minimum of 70 credit hours.

Purpose: For students who wish to complete a registered nursing program with an associate of science degree. The nursing program is approved by the Maryland State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The nursing program is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skill, and understanding necessary to function effectively in all areas of professional nursing. Graduates of the nursing program are eligible to apply to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Students must have a social security or tax I.D. number to sit for this exam.

Curriculum: The curriculum is divided into several broad areas of study and consists of lecture, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Emphasis is on the use of the nursing process to meet the needs of individuals, family members, and the community. Courses in general education provide students with the scientific and social background to function as effective citizens and health care providers.

Program Outcomes:

  1. Eighty percent of the RN and PN students who begin the program will successfully complete the program within a maximum of three calendar years from the date of entry.
  2. Ninety percent of the program graduates will pass the NCLEX on their first attempt.
  3. Ninety percent of a graduate survey respondents will be employed as a entry-level practitioner within 6 months of graduation.
  4. Seventy five percent of the graduate survey respondents will express satisfaction with curriculum, environment, learning resources, support services, and policies.
  5. One hundred percent of students graduating from the HCC Nursing Programs will meet all student learning outcomes.

Program Student Learning Outcomes: Graduates of the Associate of Science degree in nursing program will be able to:

  1. Utilize critical thinking in implementation of the nursing process to plan care for individuals and families that promotes health throughout the lifespan in a variety of settings.
  2. Adhere to quality of care and safety standards in both acute and community based environments.
  3. Facilitate the continuity of care for individuals in various acute and community based environments.
  4. Practice within the ethical and legal framework of the nursing profession.
  5. Provide compassionate care and serve as advocates for individuals and families, respecting their diverse cultures, values, and belief systems.
  6. Employ therapeutic verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills.
  7. Collaborate with the individual, family, and interdisciplinary health professionals to promote, maintain, or restore health, and comfort the dying.
  8. Manage human, physical, and technological resources in a safe and cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality nursing care.
  9. Participate in lifelong learning activities that promote professional growth and personal development.
  10. Exercise leadership skills in the management of care.

Articulation Agreements: Students who are considering transferring to a four year college should inform their advisors at the earliest opportunity so that their course selection can be planned.

Pre-Admission Requirement: Students must complete the nationally normed test for nursing students known as the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The TEAS is a scholastic aptitude assessment in the areas of math, reading, English, and science. Students will not be considered for admission to the program until they achieve the required scores on the TEAS. Applicants should consult the HCC Web site at www.hagerstowncc.edu/academics/divisions/nursing/teas for specific information about the TEAS, including score requirements. This requirement should be completed prior to submission of the Supplemental Application (see below), but no later than the application deadline.

Admission Requirements: Admission to HCC does not guarantee admission to the Division of Nursing. The requirements below must be completed and submitted to the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Management by the application deadline (January 15 for the fall nursing class and July 15 for the spring nursing class)

  • Submit a completed program application known as the Supplemental Application for the Nursing Program (RN) form
  • Submit TEAS scores
  • Submit SAT scores (If taken within five years of application date)
  • Official transcripts from all colleges attended (students who took classes at HCC do not need to submit official HCC transcripts)
  • Completion of all required science courses within seven years prior to admission to the program
  • BIO 203 must be completed or in progress at the time of application to the program.
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average for all college coursework of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. In addition, a minimum grade point average of 2.5 for all program courses is required
  • Eligibility to enter college level Math and English
  • In addition to the minimum grade requirement for English Composition set forth by COMAR, HCC requires nursing students to complete all General Education requirements with a minimum grade of “C” or higher. 
  • Foreign educated students must have their college transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES)

Program Requirements: Students practice selected procedures on each other in the college laboratory. All nursing students must receive:

  1. A minimum overall grade of 75% in each nursing course.
  2. A minimum exam grade average of 75% in each nursing course.
  3. A minimum grade of 75% on 50% or more of the total exams for the course during the second year of the program (NUR 126, NUR 226, NUR 228, NUR 230, NUR 231).
  4. A minimum grade of 90% on a drug calculation exam in each nursing course.
  5. A mark of satisfactory for both the simulation/laboratory and clinical experiences. Students who receive a final mark of unsatisfactory in the clinical laboratory or clinical experience, or fail the drug calculation exam, despite a passing theory grade, will not be permitted to progress in the nursing program and will receive a final grade of “F” for the course.
  6. For students in the two-year pathway, a grade of “C” or better is required for all general education courses.  A failure in a required general education course will stop progression in the nursing program until all required general education courses are successfully completed. 
  7. Upon completion of nursing coursework, students must achieve 92% probability of passing the NCLEX on the first attempt on the ATI Comprehensive Predictor Exam. Students who do not achieve this score will be allowed to retake the exam after appropriate remediation until they achieve the required score.

Students who do not meet program or course standards that result in dismissal from the nursing program are not eligible for readmission. This includes students who cannot meet safety standards, and students who violate the college’s Honor Code and Code of Conduct, the nursing program’s Standards of  Student Conduct, and the American Nurses’ Association Code of Ethics for Nurses.

Fact Sheet

Three-Year Program Pathway

Pre-Clinical Semester I   Pre-Clinical Semester II
Course Number Course Name Credits   Course Number Course Name Credits
ENG 101 English Composition 3   PSY 204 Developmental Psychology: Lifespan Human Development 3
Gen Ed Mathematics
(Recommended: MAT-109 Introduction to Statistics)
3   ENG 102 Composition and Literature 3
BIO 203 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4   BIO 204 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4
Gen Ed Arts/Humanities 3   SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology 3
PSY 101 General Psychology 3        
TOTAL   16   TOTAL   13

 

Semester I   Semester II
Course Number Course Name Credits   Course Number Course Name Credits
NUR 116 Foundations of Nursing I 3   NUR 127 Nursing Care of Children 4
NUR 117 Foundations of Nursing II 6   NUR 229 Nursing Care of the Acute and Chronically Ill Adult 4
             
TOTAL   9   TOTAL   8

 

Semester III
Course Number Course Name Credits
NUR 224 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice 2
BIO 205 Microbiology 4
TOTAL   6

 

Semester IV   Semester V
Course Number Course Name Credits   Course Number Course Name Credits
NUR 126 Nursing Care of Women and Infants 4   NUR 230 Nursing Care of the Acute and Chronically Ill Adult II 4
NUR 226 Behavioral Health Nursing 4   NUR 228 Contemporary Trends in Nursing and Leadership 2
        NUR 231 Nursing Care of the Acute and Chronically Ill Adult III 4
TOTAL   8   TOTAL   10

 

Two-Year Program Pathway (5 - semester)

To learn more about the two-year RN program, click here

Pre-Clinical Semester I
Course Number Course Name Credits
BIO 203 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4
Gen Ed Mathematics
(Recommended: MAT-109 Introduction to Statistics)
3
ENG 101 English Composition 3
PSY 101 General Psychology 3
TOTAL   13

 

Semester I   Semester II
Course Number Course Name Credits   Course Number Course Name Credits
NUR 116 Foundations of Nursing I 3   NUR 127 Nursing Care of Children 4
NUR 117 Foundations of Nursing II 6   NUR 229 Nursing Care of the Acute and Chronically Ill Adult I 4
PSY 204 Developmental Psychology: Lifespan Human Development  3   BIO 205 Microbiology 4
BIO 204 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4        
TOTAL   16   TOTAL   12

 

Semester III   Semester IV
Course Number Course Name Credits   Course Number Course Name Credits
NUR 126 Nursing Care of Women and Infants 4   NUR 228 Contemporary Trends in Nursing and Leadership 2
NUR 224 Pharmacology for Nursing Practice 2   NUR 230 Nursing Care of the Acute and Chronically Ill Adult II 4
NUR 226 Behavioral Health Nursing 4   NUR 231 Nursing Care of the Acute and Chronically Ill Adult III 4
ENG 102 Composition and Literature 3   SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology 3
Gen Ed Arts/Humanities 3        
TOTAL   16   TOTAL   13

General Education Requirements (33 Credits)


Arts/Humanities


English


Mathematics


Degree Requirement (70 Credits)


Selection Criteria


Students will be admitted to the registered nursing course sequence each fall and spring. The nursing program is an over subscribed program which means that there are more applicants than there are available seats in the program. Students are selected for admission based on a point system.  All applicants must have BIO 203 completed or in progress at the time of application and have achieved the required scores on the TEAS exam by the application deadline.  Points are based on SAT scores, GPA or TEAS scores and residency.  Those with the greatest points are admitted into the program.  Students who have been accepted for admission will be notified of the decision by mail. The offer of admission is for the specified year only.

Those students not admitted to the fall class will be placed on a standby list until August 1. Students not selected for admission to the spring class will be placed on a standby list until December 1. The standby lists are dissolved after each of these dates, and students who desire admission to the nursing program in a subsequent year, must fill out another Supplemental Application for the Nursing Program (RN) form and follow the admission guidelines above.

Final Acceptance


Final acceptance into the program is contingent upon the following criteria. Students unable to meet these criteria will be withdrawn from the program and the seat filled by a student from the standby list.

  • Those students accepted into the program must submit a $50 enrollment deposit when accepting their spot in the program.  This deposit will be applied to your tuition for the semester and is not refundable.
  • Successful completion of program requirements in progress at the time of application.
  • Students must pass a dosage calculation exam with a score of 90% or above.
  • Students must successfully pass a drug screen and criminal background check.
  • Students must be able to meet the program’s technical standards.
  • Satisfactory completion of a health examination record and all required tests and immunizations.
  • Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR certification.

Criminal Background Checks


All nursing students who are offered admission to the nursing program will be required to complete a criminal background check. A separate criminal background check may also be required by a clinical site prior to beginning a clinical experience. Criminal background check results are disclosed to clinical facilities as required. If a student is denied access by a clinical site because of the background check, and as a result, cannot meet program requirements, the student may be dismissed from the nursing program.

Individuals applying to take the NCLEX-RN exam may be required to submit to an additional criminal background check depending upon the state in which the individual seeks licensure. State boards of nursing may deny an individual the opportunity to sit for an examination, or grant licensure, even if the individual has completed all course work and graduated from the program, if the individual has a criminal history, has been convicted, or pleads guilty, or nolo contendere to a felony or other serious crime.

Drug Screen


All nursing students who are offered admission to the nursing program will be required to submit to a drug screen. Drug screen results are disclosed to clinical facilities as required. A random drug screen may also be requested at any time during the nursing program if a nursing faculty member or a clinical facility representative has reasonable cause to suspect that a student is impaired and poses a safety concern to patients or others. If a student is denied access by a clinical site because of drug screen results, and as such, cannot meet program requirements, the student may be dismissed from the nursing program

Readmission to the Nursing Program


Students who fail NUR 116  and NUR 117  and desire readmission to the nursing program must reapply as a first time student according to the standards listed above. Students who withdraw from, or fail other courses in the nursing sequence and desire readmission to the nursing program, must submit their request in writing to the Director, Nursing Division. In addition, students who fail a course because of failing the course’s required drug calculation exam are required to successfully complete a drug calculation exam for readmission to the program. Readmission cannot be assured and is based on the progression criteria for each course and the availability of seats, faculty, and clinical facilities. Readmission to the nursing program must take place within one year of leaving the program. The curriculum under which a student seeks readmission may be different from the one under which the student left. Students who are accepted for readmission must complete the degree requirements in place at the time of readmission. Students who fail or withdraw from a nursing course after readmission are not eligible to be readmitted a second time.

Associate to Bachelor’s Dual Enrollment Option


HCC has an option for students to earn their associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing in as little time as possible, sometimes just four years. Completing the RN program at HCC and an RN to BSN program with a nearby university is much less expensive than spending two full years in a bachelor’s degree nursing program. HCC offers an associate to bachelor’s (ATB) program with Frostburg State University and Towson University where competitive applicants can take classes toward their associate and bachelor’s degrees at the same time, minimizing the amount of time needed to complete the BSN. Several other BSN options allow students to apply during the second year of HCC nursing courses and start taking courses toward their BSN online. Graduates of the HCC nursing program are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Transfer from Other Colleges


Students transferring to HCC from other colleges who seek admission as a first time student into the nursing program must be enrolled as an HCC student and complete the Supplemental Application for the Nursing Program (RN) form by the established deadline dates. In order to be considered for admission, students must meet the same requirements as other first time students and will be selected according to the same criteria. Official transcripts from all colleges attended must be received by the application deadline. A transfer evaluation will be done on all transcripts by the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Managament to determine which courses a student may transfer to HCC for credit. Required science courses that are older than seven years must be repeated.  Online science labs will not be accepted in transfer.

Transfer from Other Nursing Programs


Students transferring to HCC who have been enrolled in another nursing program must be enrolled as an HCC student, complete the Supplemental Application for the Nursing Program (RN) form, take and submit results for the TEAS test, and submit transcripts from all colleges attended by the established deadline dates. A transfer evaluation will be done on all transcripts by the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Management to determine which courses a student may transfer to HCC for credit. Required science courses that are older than seven years must be repeated. In addition to the transfer evaluation, the student’s transcript will be forwarded to the Director, Nursing Division for an additional evaluation. An interview with the Director, Nursing Division and a reference check from the student’s previous nursing program may be required. A decision is then made by the Director as to whether the student will be admitted to the nursing program.

No more than half of the baccalaureate degree, with a maximum of 70 non-nursing credits, will be accepted from a community college. Nursing credits will not be transferred. However, Registered Nurses with an active, unencumbered Maryland or compact RN license articulating to the baccalaureate level, are awarded a minimum number of thirty (30) upper division nursing credits in the programs they are entering.
(http://mbon.maryland.gov/Pages/articulation.aspx)

Transfer to Baccalaureate Nursing Programs


No more than half of the baccalaureate degree, with a maximum of 70 non-nursing credits, will be accepted from a community college. Nursing credits will bot be transferred. However, Registered Nurses with an active, unencumbered Maryland or compact RN license articulating to the baccalaureate level, are awarded a minimum of thirty (30) upper division nursing credits in the program they are entering. (http://mbon.maryland.gov/Pages/articulation.aspx)  

Technical Standards


There are technical standards and skill requirements which students are expected to possess and demonstrate in order to be successful in this program. More information on these standards can be found on the Web page for this program.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs of Study