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Associate in Science in Nursing

This program is available to Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to continue their nursing education and become a Registered Nurse. The graduate will have an excellent opportunity for immediate employment and/or transfer to a baccalaureate or masters program for nursing.

Career opportunities

There are excellent job opportunities for Registered Nurses both locally and regionally.

Instructional process

The first semester, students will enroll in NURS 251 Role Transition, NURS 256 Life Span Nursing and NURS 257 Life Span Nursing Clinical. In the subsequent semester, students will enroll in NURS 261 Maternal/Newborn Nursing, NURS 262 Community/Mental Health Nursing and NURS 263 Leadership. General education courses may be taken at any time during the ASN Program, but must be completed within four semesters of acceptance into the program. It is highly recommended that students complete all required general education courses prior to enrolling in the nursing courses.

Completed application for the federal and the Minnesota Criminal Background check will be required. A previous felony conviction may affect clinical rotations and a state board of nursing could deny an application for licensure as a registered nurse. The applicant must visit with the department chair regarding this issue if it applies. A criminal history background check will also be required to test for the NCLEX-RN.

The NDSCS Department of Nursing has been granted full approval for the ASN program from the North Dakota Board of Nursing. Application for accreditation by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission will be submitted.

Equal opportunity policy

The NDSCS Department of Nursing adheres to the NDSCS college equal opportunity policy as stated in the NDSCS Catalog.

Department of Nursing

Barb Diederick, department chair
Department of Nursing
Barbara.Diederick@ndscs.edu    701-671-2968

ASN Program Contacts

Ruth Gladen, ASN program coordinator
ASN Program – Allied Health Center
Ruth.Gladen@ndscs.edu       701-671-2969

***Patti Wells, administrative assistant
Allied Health Careers
North Dakota State College of Science
800 Sixth Street North
Wahpeton, ND    58076-0002
Phone: 1-800-342-4325 ext. 3-2981
Fax: (701) 671-2570
e-mail: alliedhealthcareers@ndscs.edu

 

ASN Program Courses
Course Code	Course Title	Credits
NURS 251	Role Transition	1
NURS 256	Life Span Nursing	4
NURS 257	Life Span Nursing Clinical	3
NURS 261	Maternal/Newborn Nursing	2
NURS 262	Community/Mental Health Nursing	3
NURS 263	Leadership	2
LPN Transfer Credits		14
Related/General Education Courses
*BIOL 220	Anatomy and Physiology I	3
*BIOL 220L	Anatomy and Physiology I Lab	1
*BIOL 221	Anatomy and Physiology II	3
*BIOL 221L	Anatomy and Physiology II Lab	1
*ENGL 110	College Composition I	3
*ENGL 120	College Composition II	3
*MICR 202	Introductory Microbiology	3
*MICR 202L	Introductory Microbiology Lab	1
*NUTR 240	Principles of Nutrition	3
*PHIL 210	Ethics	3
*PSYC 250	Developmental Psychology	3
*SOC 110	Introduction to Sociology	3
**COMM 110	Fundamentals of Public Speaking	3
**ND: MATH***		3
**ND:SS		2
**HUM or HIST elective (No PHIL Prefix)		3
**ND: COMPSC		2
TOTAL REQUIRED CREDITS		72
*To be completed prior to enrolling in nursing program courses.
**May be taken concurrently with nursing program courses. Refer to the General Education Transfer Table for details.
*** A Compass Placement test will be required if you have not met the Math requirement. Refer to ASN Program Contacts for more information.
+At least 16 credits of the final 24 credits of the curriculum must be taken through NDSCS and be from the ASN required courses.

Admission requirements

Applicants will be admitted to the program following a selection process. The following requirements must be met by May 15.

1. Complete the NDSCS Application for Admission if the applicant has not attended NDSCS, or complete a re-application if the applicant has previously attended or is a past graduate of NDSCS.
2. Be a graduate of a Board of Nursing approved Associate in Applied Science or an Associate in Science Practical Nursing Program.
3. Be a Licensed Practical Nurse with documentation of such. License must be active and unencumbered.
4. Applicants who will be graduating from an approved associate degree granting Practical Nursing program the semester prior to starting the ASN program can apply with the following provision: Applicants must pass the National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) on the first attempt, with proof of successful completion of the exam submitted to the Department of Nursing no later than July 15.
5. Have a minimum of a 2.0 'C' cumulative GPA in college courses from the college which granted the degree and a minumum of a 2.0 'C' in all courses required in the ASN program.
6. Complete the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Practical Nurse Comprehensive Predictor test. The applicant must achieve a score that equates to a 90% predicted probability of passing NCLEX-PN. If the benchmark score is not achieved after three testings, the applicant may reapply to the ASN program at a future date. The highest score will be submitted to fulfill selection criteria. An ATI PN Comprehensive Predictor score from the past five years may be utilized. The student is responsible for the cost of this test. Schedule your testing date through the ***ASN Program Contacts.

Criteria for Admission

The criteria used for selection is as follows: ATI exam score, GPA from degree granting institution for LPN AS/AAS degree, number of testings to achieve ATI benchmark score, number of years since graduated from LPN AA/AAS degree, LPN licensure and number of ASN general education courses completed. The highest total points achieved determine selection order.

Applicants accepted into the ASN program must also submit the following requirements to the Department of Nursing by July 15 or acceptance may be forfeited.

1. Proof of current CPR certification in the American Heart Association BLS Health Care Provider Course.
2. Documentation of Hepatitis B Vaccine series, or documentation of currently receiving the series, or decline to accept form completed.
3. Documentation of a negative TB test within the past year.
4. Documentation of Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccination or proof of Rubella titer, as required by NDSCS.

Award

Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded an Associate in Science in Nursing degree; be prepared to apply theoretical concepts in the provision of safe nursing care to client/person with complex, multiple health issues, utilizing the nursing process within the bounds of the legal definitions of a Registered Nurse as defined in the Nurse Practices Act; and be eligible for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).