Associate of Applied Science: Nursing
94 Credit Associate of Applied Science Degree
Application
Career Description
Registered nurses (RNs) use their knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities to help individuals, families, and groups with health needs. RNs care for and work with people to help them become healthier or to regain health after illness or surgery. Nurses teach health practices to clients and other health care providers, and frequently supervise the work of nursing assistants and practical nurses. RNs also administer medications and perform treatments. Nurses work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, long-term care, schools, industry, clinics, and patients’ homes. With advanced education, a nurse may work as a manager, educator, public health nurse, clinical specialist, or independently as a nurse practitioner.
Course of Study
CGCC is a member of the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) and offers a competency-based curriculum jointly developed by nursing faculty from the eleven OCNE member community colleges and Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). The core competencies address the need for nurses to be skilled in clinical judgment and critical thinking; evidence-based practice; relationship-centered care; interdisciplinary collaboration; assisting individuals and families in self-care practices for promotion of health and management of chronic and acute illness; end-of-life care; and teaching, delegation, leadership and supervision of caregivers. Acceptance into the CGCC program allows for non-competitive admission to OHSU School of Nursing.
The OCNE curriculum is designed as a four-year course of study. The first year is devoted to prerequisite/preparatory courses required for application and/or admission to the limited entry Nursing Program (the completion of the prerequisite/ preparatory courses may take longer than one academic year). Application and admission to the Nursing Program and successful completion of the second and third years leads to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Nursing degree offered by CGCC. This degree provides the educational eligibility for NCLEX-RN licensure testing. CGCC graduates who pass the NCLEX-RN exam have the option to continue the fourth year of the OCNE curriculum at OHSU, which leads to a Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in Nursing (BS,N). This can be done either in a face-to-face program at the Portland OHSU campus or the RN/BS Virtual program (the OHSU bachelor’s requirement of statistics may be completed at CGCC but 15 credits of upper division non-nursing courses must be completed through other four year colleges or universities).
The CGCC Nursing Program is approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN), 17938 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd., Portland, OR, 971-673- 0685, www.oregon.gov/OSBN.
Program Outcomes
Students who complete this degree will be able to:
- Base personal and professional actions on a set of shared core nursing values, including social justice, caring, advocacy, protection from harm, respect for self and others, collegiality, and ethical behavior; notice, interpret, respond and reflect on ethical dilemmas using ethical principles and frameworks as a guideline.
- Develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, and self-care.
- Engage in intentional learning, developing self-awareness of learning and effects on client care, seeking new, relevant knowledge and skills.
- Demonstrate leadership in nursing and health care to meet client needs, improve the health care system, and facilitate community problem solving.
- Collaborate as part of a health care team, receiving, using and giving constructive feedback.
- Practice within, utilize, and contribute to the broader health care system.
- Practice relationship-centered care, based on empathy and caring, deep understanding of the care experience, and mutual trust and respect for the autonomy of the client.
- Communicate effectively and therapeutically, with attention to elements of cultural influences, and using appropriate modalities and technologies.
- Make sound clinical judgments through noticing, interpreting and responding, using best available evidence, frameworks and systems to organize data and knowledge; accurately perform skills while maintaining patient and personal safety.
- Locate, evaluate, and use the best available evidence.
Nursing Program Frequently Asked Questions
- All prerequisite/preparatory courses must have been taken with a letter grade and completed with a “C” or better.
- Transcripts showing satisfactory completion of all prerequisites
- Minimum of 30 credits total of prerequisite/preparatory classes
- Any other requirements - see the application
- Application must be in the Student Services Office by the application deadline to be considered eligible.
Consortium partner schools will use shared standards in a point system and a set of core criteria for evaluation and selection of candidates to the consortium curriculum, but selection process, acceptance decisions, and admissions will occur at individual schools. Application to the Nursing program requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all completed prerequisite/preparatory courses. To be admitted into nursing courses students must complete all required prerequisite and preparatory courses (minimum 45 credits) and be accepted into the Nursing program.
Admitted students must meet/pass the following requirements within designated time frames (any associated costs are at the student’s own expense): immunization validation, TB screening, a urine drug screen, a criminal history background and sex offender check, current CPR BLS Provider card which does not expire during the two years of the Nursing program. Information regarding these requirements will be distributed in a mandatory orientation in June after acceptance. Students unable to meet these requirements and/or submit documentation of completion to the Nursing department within the designated time frames will have their acceptance into the Nursing program rescinded. CGCC reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant to the Nursing program whose background poses a threat, as determined by CGCC, to the college, nursing profession, and/or health care community. Internet and email access is an integral part of all nursing courses and access to a computer (at home or at the college) will be required on a daily basis. Nursing students attend classes at The Dalles Campus and clinical practicum in the Columbia Gorge area and will need reliable transportation.
Columbia Gorge Community College offers education and instruction to all.
However, nursing applicants should be aware that the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) asks applicants specific questions regarding: physical, mental or emotional conditions; arrests and convictions for criminal offenses; and use of chemical substances in the past five years. The OSBN may deny licensure to or place on probation applicants with convictions for certain crimes.
Individuals who may have a past history of chemical abuse, felonies, or believe that past history circumstances may interfere with their ability to sit for the licensure examination should contact the OSBN for recommendations. Applicants may also confer with the Nursing Program Dean regarding concerns with any of these questions.
Students are required to demonstrate continuous and progressive application of nursing scholarship, safe nursing care, appropriate judgment, critical thinking skills, personal health, and professional accountability, and meet program standards as stated in the Nursing Program Student Handbook.
The college reserves the right to retain and progress only those students who satisfy these requirements; any student who does not may be dismissed from the Nursing program. Students must complete both years of the curriculum in sequence and satisfy graduation requirements to earn the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Nursing. In order to continue in the Nursing program and progress to the next term, the students must earn a “C” grade or higher in all required nursing courses each term.
Columbia Gorge Community College offers education and instruction to all.
However, applicants should be aware that nursing is a physically and mentally challenging occupation. Education related to this field is designed to prepare students for these challenges. Nursing students must be able to meet all established essential academic and clinical requirements, with or without accommodations, to successfully complete the program. Persons with questions concerning particular qualifications are encouraged to contact the Student Support Services Coordinator at (541) 506-6046 for information. Students must provide documentation and request services a minimum of four weeks prior to the beginning of the term to ensure the availability of appropriate and timely services.
The nursing application deadline varies from year to year. The application becomes available in October and the deadline is in February.
The program of study, graduation requirements, and course are under constant review by the Consortium and CGCC Nursing faculty and are subject to revision. Students contemplating admission in a later year may have different requirements and must obtain the advising guide or catalog for that year. If required courses are graded only on a pass/no pass basis, a grade of “P” for these courses indicate a student earned the equivalent of a “C” or better grade. Students must complete all courses on the advising guide (nursing and non-nursing) with a grade of “C” or better to receive their degree and meet the educational requirements to apply to take the NCLEX-RN.