Nursing, AAS

Description

This program will prepare a student to demonstrate entry level competencies as a Registered Nurse (RN). A concept-based framework is utilized throughout the program to present major concepts that are essential to nursing practice. By providing a focus on active learning and application, students are assisted in developing conceptual thinking as they apply evidenced-based scientific, theoretical, and practical knowledge to clinical situations in a variety of health care settings. Students who successfully complete the program will be awarded as Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing and are qualified to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN). The program has a full-time RN track and a 12-month LPN to RN bridge track at the Escanaba Campus and a full-time RN track at the Iron Mountain campus. 

Program Approval:
The Bay College Associate Degree in Nursing program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing, and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for the Education of Nursing (ACEN), at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326; 1-404-975-5000.

Two pathways are offered to assist students in obtaining their associate degree in nursing:
1. A five (5) semester full-time program is offered both at the Escanaba and Iron Mountain Campuses.
2. A three (3) semester, 12-month bridge from Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to RN completion program is offered at the Escanaba Campus. This bridge program is specifically designed for current Licensed Practical Nurses with unrestricted licensure who wish to advance their nursing education into the field of Registered Nursing.

Both five (5) semester full time pathways admit students annually with a program start at the Escanaba Campus in the Fall semester, and at the Iron Mountain Campus in the Winter semester. The LPN to RN bridge program is currently only offered at the Escanaba Campus and accepts students for a Winter semester start. Both full time and LPN to RN bridge tracks accept students based on a selective admission process. Students interested in this program should call the Allied Health Division (906-217-4090) to obtain additional information. Once a student is accepted into one of the pathways, the student is required to follow the sequence of courses for that pathway and its designated location. To progress in the program, the student must maintain a grade of a “C” or better, in all general education courses and program courses in sequence. Graduates of both the pathways are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN (licensing exam) upon successful completion of the program.

*Entry level Registered Nurses may find employment in a variety of practice settings, including but not limited to: acute care hospitals, long term and extended term care facilities, clinics, and physician’s offices. Jobs in most areas of nursing are plentiful, and employment rate is near 100%. The reported average yearly income in the State of Michigan based on data from 2015 ranges from approximately $64,310 to $71,790 for Registered Nurses (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics). Graduates may transfer all or part of credit/contact hours earned at Bay to several colleges and universities to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree.

Requirements for Nursing Programs:
All students accepted into the ADN program are required to purchase uniforms and other items which will be detailed at the program orientation session held prior to the start of the program. The college maintains liability insurance on students, with the cost being billed through the student’s assessment fee. Once accepted into the program and prior to beginning courses in the program, the Department of Allied Health requires students to successfully pass the following; criminal background check, a drug test, American Heart Association CPR certification for the Healthcare Provider and the Certification of Physical Fitness Form completed by your Physician. Along with the completed Certification of Fitness, on our form, students must also have proof they are immunized for specific infectious diseases. Facilities may have additional requirements, which a student will also need to meet throughout the program. The Department of Allied Health orders your background check and drug screening which is tracked along with immunization and other required documentation to verify clinical fitness through an outside agency, the cost of which is incurred by the student as a Nursing Assessment Fee.

Throughout the A.D.N. program, students are required to take a variety of standardized learning assessments, which Bay College School of Nursing obtains via Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI), a national testing company. The cost for the HESI testing is incurred by the student as a Nursing Assessment Fee. Students will be scheduled to take HESI tests throughout the program and at program completion. All A.D.N program students will attend a 3-Day Live NCLEX Review seminar upon completion of the program. This seminar is 8 hours long each day, and is held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the final exam week, the last semester of the program. The NCLEX Review will provide information to assist students in preparation for successful challenge of the NCLEX - RN Licensure examination.