No. of Credits: 70
Contact: L. Polk, Chair, Health Sciences Division;
K. Russell, Program Coordinator
The AS in Nursing degree program prepares graduates to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The associate degree nurse is prepared to use the nursing process to provide nursing care that promotes the achievement of optimal health outcomes. Students learn the principles and practices of nursing through independent and Web-enhanced study, lectures, demonstrations, skills practice and simulation. They participate in clinical practica off campus in a variety of healthcare settings under the supervision of nursing instructors. Employment opportunities exist in acute care, long term care and a variety of community-based healthcare agencies. The AS in Nursing degree program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Information regarding the nursing program may be obtained from the ACEN offices, 3343 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404-975-5000.
Students who plan to earn a baccalaureate degree in nursing prior to taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) should discuss their program of study with a college advisor. These students can complete general education requirements here at CSM and plan to transfer to a college or university for upper division coursework in nursing.
AS in Nursing Admission Criteria:
- High school diploma or GED
- Minimum 2.0 GPA in high school or in college (with at least 12 earned college credits)
- College placement test scores at the ENG 1010 and MTH 1100 levels, and placement out of Reading, or completion of the appropriate College Prep courses to achieve these levels
- ACT (American College Test) composite raw score of 20 or above or SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) equivalent score of 950**** or above for Critical Reading and Math. ACT and SAT scores are considered current for five years).
*** This score is subject to change as statisticians at ACT recalculate comparable scores based on newer editions of ACT
This is a competitive admission program. First consideration will be given to residents of CSM’s service area (Calvert, Charles, St Mary’s counties). All petitioners who have met the admission criteria are ranked and admitted according to their residency status, cumulative GPA, and ACT/SAT. The cumulative GPA will be calculated for all colleges in which transfer work has been applied to the program.
Admission and progression in this program requires that a grade of “C” or better be earned in all coursework. The minimum grade of “C” is 75% for nursing courses that have letter grades.
Applicants may obtain the Nursing Programs’ Admission Information booklet from an advisor or online at the college’s web site. After reviewing the program requirements and procedures, applicants are advised to attend a nursing information session before meeting with an academic advisor.
This program may be designated as a Health Manpower Shortage program. For more information, contact the Admissions Department.
The maximum number of credits accepted in transfer from other institutions to this program is 52.
NOTE: Students are required to provide proof of immunization status, a completed health form, a criminal background check and drug screen at the students’ expense. Students are also required to provide proof of health insurance and CPR certification. The American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare providers and the American Red Cross CPR for Professional Rescuers are the only accepted CPR courses.
The college will not be responsible for any tuition, fees or other costs that may be charged or paid or lost due to incomplete, untimely or unsatisfactory health records, CPR certification, background check or drug screen. The college is not responsible for the conduct of background checks and drug screenings, or decisions made by other entities as a result of the background check and drug screening requirements.
Career Opportunities:
registered nurse
Transfer Options:
A complete list of all transfer opportunities can be found on the Transfer Services page
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will…
- Use the nursing process to analyze the interrelationship among the person, the environment, health, and the role of nursing
- Integrate knowledge from the biopsychosocial arts and sciences in the application of the nursing process to provide care for persons to achieve health outcomes
- Use established standards and principles to administer safe nursing care which takes complex functional, physiological, psychological, and environmental domains into consideration
- Integrate the Taxonomy of Nursing Practice into the development of the nursing plan of care using application of knowledge, judgment, principles of communication, specialized skills, creative problem solving, and critical thinking
- Collaborate with health care team members and the person to achieve health promotion, maintenance, restoration, or palliation
- Manage care to meet priorities, providing appropriate delegation to and supervision of the nursing care team
- Practice within the legal and ethical framework of registered nursing
- Participate in activities that promote responsible, competent registered nursing practice and continued educational development within the global health care community