Program Information
NURSING
GENERIC OPTION AS-25510
TRANSITION NURSING OPTION AS-25610
The purpose of the Nursing program is to participate as an
active partner in meeting the health care needs of the community
by educating and preparing entry level professional nurses to
practice in a variety of settings. The faculty is committed to the
professional development of the student, the support of the
institution within the community, and the enhancement of the
nursing profession.
We fulfill our responsibilities to our students, to the broader
community, and to the Nursing profession by:
• Fostering and developing creative, innovative, and positive
learning experiences that support the profession’s defined
standards of care.
• Serving as role models and mentors for the student, the
community, and the profession.
• Creating a learning environment in which students are provided
the opportunity to develop the cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor skills necessary to assume the role of a professional
Nurse.
Graduates of the Nursing Program are awarded the Associate in
Science in Nursing degree and are eligible to apply to take the National
Council Licensure Examination – RN (passage is required to become a licensed registered
nurse). The PCC Nursing Program is approved by the Florida Board of
Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing
Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 61 Broadway, New York, NY, 10006;
(212) 363-5555.
Two program options are offered: 1) the Generic Nursing Program is for
individuals without a current Florida certificate or license to
provide direct patient care 2) the Transition Nursing
Program Option is for
individuals holding a current Florida Health Care license and/or
certificate in a direct patient care health field (such as LPN, Paramedic,
OTA, PTA, Radiology Techs and Respiratory Care Techs).
The College seeks to provide as many qualified graduates as
practicable, subject to the availability of clinical and academic
resources, the existence of community need, and the number of
qualified applicants.
Nursing is a limited admission program and each applicant must
first be admitted to the College and meet pre-admission
requirements. Applicants with the best qualifications according to
the selection criteria and who meet and comply with all other
pre-admission policies, procedures, and requirements will be
admitted to the program. The College reserves the right to change
program and admission requirements, as need dictates.
NURSING
SELECTION CRITERIA
The Nursing Selection Committee will consider all eligible
applicants and select the most qualified applicants for admission
based on completed courses, current enrollment, and cumulative
grade point average in program courses and overall courses taken. Final
acceptance and enrollment is based on the completion of required
courses in progress with a “C” or better and the completion of
other requirements listed below. If the number of applicants
exceeds the available positions, selection will be based on a
point system that considers grades earned in program courses
completed, cumulative GPA, credit hours completed at PCC, direct
patient care experience (employed and/or as a volunteer),
residency in Polk County, current employment in a health care facility in Polk county, and
obtainment of previous college degrees. PCC reserves the right to make
changes in the admission criteria, as circumstances require. Every
reasonable effort will be made to communicate changes in the
program to interested students.
TRANSFER STUDENTS FROM ANOTHER
NURSING PROGRAM
A student requesting transfer into the PCC Nursing Program must
be in good academic standing in the program from which transfer is
desired and must be eligible to continue in that program.
Transfers are accepted on a space available basis and are
determined by the Director of the Department of Nursing. Students
are required to make an appointment with the Director of the
Department of Nursing as the first step in the transfer process.
Course documents or other materials which outline in detail the
content of courses completed must be available for the Director's
review. Competency testing may be required for demonstration
of theoretical knowledge and skills proficiency.
ADDITIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
After a student is notified of acceptance for admission, the
following requirements must be completed in order to finalize the
admission process and remain enrolled in the program.
A. Physical Examination and Evaluation of Essential Functions
B. Immunizations and Communicable Disease Screenings
C. Current American Heart Association (or similar provider) CPR
Certification
for Health Care Providers
D. Drug Screening by Department approved vendor
E. National Background check by Department of Nursing approved vendor
F. Signed Affidavit attesting to the non-committance of specific
criminal
acts
G. Nursing Orientation
The Department of Nursing provides information regarding the
completion of these additional admission requirements with the
acceptance letter. Applicants with specific conviction histories
or positive drug screenings may ultimately not be accepted in the
Nursing program. Specific conviction histories or positive drug
screenings occurring after full admission and matriculation in the
program will be addressed by Department policy and may result in
dismissal from the Program.
As part of the program, students are assigned to clinical
experiences in various health care facilities in Polk County, and
to a limited extent, facilities in neighboring counties. Day (6:30 am – 3:00 pm) and evening
(2:30 pm – 11:00 pm) clinical assignments, or a combination thereof, are also
a part of the program experience. Clinical experiences may be
during the week or on weekends. Students are expected to acquire
many skills and competencies in the program. This necessitates
individual time in the on-campus Nursing laboratory with a minimum
of 2 hours per week required. Students are
also advised that assignment of clinical days, times, and
facilities are made by the Nursing faculty and flexibility is
expected. Nursing class and clinical time usually demands a
minimum of 3 days per week. Study and practice time necessary
to be successful is at least equivalent to the class and clinical
requirements. Applicants are encouraged to arrange individual and
dependable transportation prior to admission. Students interested
in the program are urged to complete all of the
non-Nursing course requirements prior to application.
PROGRAM COST
The approximate cost of the Nursing program is $10,000. This
includes everything from the prerequisite courses and lab fees, to
program-support courses, uniforms, physical examinations,
immunizations, Nursing course materials, application for
licensure, etc., and the PCC Nursing pin (which is awarded upon
successful completion of the program and graduation). This figure
does not include the cost of any college preparatory courses.
Several
types of financial aid are available.
Students are also strongly encouraged to investigate financial
aid eligibility (Pell grants, etc.) at the time of application to
the College and/or to the program.
Students need to be aware of financial aid limitations regarding
minimum credit hours taken per term, so that plans can be made to
accommodate any adjusted financial resources. Information regarding assistance
and deadlines is
available through PCC Financial Aid Department and the PCC
Foundation Office. Additional Financial Aid
information is provided upon acceptance to the Nursing program.
POTENTIAL EARNINGS
Graduates of the program can expect a beginning base pay of
approximately $40,000-$50,000.
LICENSURE
The Florida Board of Nursing has the authority to deny licensure
as a registered professional nurse to applicants with a
conviction, a plea of no-contest, or guilty plea, regardless of
adjudication, for any offense other than a minor traffic
violation. Applicants for admission with any record
of a criminal charge must report this information to the Nursing
Program Director.
FLORIDA NURSING STUDENT ASSOCIATION (FNSA)
The FNSA chapter is a pre-professional
student organization affiliated with the State and National
Student Nurse Associations. Pre-Nursing students are eligible to
join the association after successfully completing 9 credit hours,
and are encouraged to do so. All Nursing students are eligible to join at
any time. For further information, please contact Mrs. Lynda
Schaak at 863-397-4292
or via e-mail at
lschaak@polk.edu.
ADMISSION INFORMATION: GENERIC NURSING OPTION
Applicants must first be
admitted to the College and meet pre-admission requirements. Applicants must meet the College reading requirement i.e., a reading
score exempting enrollment in College Prep Reading courses or satisfactory completion of these courses.
Other exemptions include: (1) an ACT
score of 18; (2) a SAT score of 440; (3) completion of EAP 1520C with a "C" or
better; (4) a previous college degree; or (5) other demonstration of
reading ability and aptitude for college work as determined by
College standards.
All students must have a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0
or better at the time of application and admission to the Generic
Nursing Program.
Official
transcripts from all former Colleges must be on file at PCC at the time of application to the
Nursing Program. Interested applicants should allow
sufficient time to complete the College admissions process and for evaluation
of transfer credits.
The application for admission to the Generic Nursing option
is available on-line and from PCC's Student Services Department
only during the
application periods which are:
• April 1 to
April 30 for the August Generic Nursing class; and
• August 1 to August 29 for the January Nursing class
The completed Generic Nursing program application must be submitted to the PCC
Admissions (Student Services) Department for academic review
between April 1 and April 30.
The following pre-requisite courses must be completed with a
grade of “C” or better (or be in progress) at the time of
application to the Generic Nursing program:
ENC 1101 College Composition I
PSY 2012 General Psychology
BSC 2085C Human Anatomy and Physiology
I
BSC 2086C Human Anatomy and Physiology II
MATHEMATICS (pick one course from the following)
MAC 1105 College Algebra
MGF 1106 Mathematics for Liberal Arts I
MGF 1107 Mathematics for Liberal Arts II
STA 2023 Introduction to Probability and
Statistics
NUR 1010C Introduction to Nursing- *Effective
for the August, 2009
Generic Nursing I Class
*Effective
with the August, 2009 Generic Nursing I class, successful
completion of NUR 1010C (Introduction to Nursing) with a "C" or
higher will be a requirement for admission to each program.
NUR 1010C will be offered during Summer sessions (Terms 3A and
3B).
Students are strongly urged to complete the following courses prior to program
admission. They must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Applicants should be advised that due to the number of applicants,
successful completion of the following courses may be required for admission.
DEP 2004 Human
Growth and Development
MCB 2010C Microbiology
Humanities Any PCC approved
3 credit Humanities course
All required science courses in this option must be completed within
seven years of the time of application and
acceptance to the program. Exceptions to this policy can only be
granted by the Director of the Nursing Program and will be based
on an individual's education and experience.
All students must have a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0
or better at the time of admission to the program.
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ADMISSION INFORMATION:
TRANSITION NURSING PROGRAM
The PCC Transition Nursing Program is an option for
individuals holding a current Florida license of certificate in a
direct patient care health field (such as LPN, Paramedic, Radiology Tech,
OTA, PTA, Respiratory Care Techs and Cardiovascular Care Techs).
Applicants must first be
admitted to the College and meet pre-admission requirements. Applicants must meet the PCC
reading requirement i.e., a reading score exempting enrollment in
College Prep Reading courses or satisfactory completion of these
courses. Other exemptions for the reading requirement
include: (1) an ACT
score of 18; (2) a SAT score of 440; (3) completion of EAP 1520C with a "C" or
better; (4) a previous college degree; or (5) other demonstration of
reading ability and aptitude for college work as determined by
College standards.
The application
period for the PCC Transition Nursing Program is March 1
through March 30. The
application for
admission to the Nursing Transition Program is available on-line
and from PCC Student Services only during March. The
completed Nursing Transition program application must be submitted to the PCC
Admissions (Student Services) Department for academic review
between March 1 and March 30.
A copy of the applicant's unrestricted current Florida health care
license or certificate must be attached to the completed
Transition Nursing Program application.
Official transcripts from all former colleges must be on file at
the time of application to the Transition Nursing Program. Interested
applicants should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions
process and for evaluation of transfer credits.
Nursing is a limited admission program. Applicants with the best qualifications according to
the selection criteria and who meet and comply with all other
pre-admission policies, procedures, and requirements will be
admitted to the program. The College reserves the right to change
program and admission requirements, as need dictates.
NURSING
SELECTION CRITERIA
The Nursing Selection Committee will consider all eligible
applicants and select the most qualified applicants for admission
based on completed courses, current enrollment, and cumulative
grade point average in program courses and overall courses taken. Final
acceptance and enrollment is based on the completion of required
courses in progress with a “C” or better and the completion of
other requirements listed below. If the number of applicants
exceeds the available positions, selection will be based on a
point system that considers grades earned in program courses
completed, cumulative GPA, credit hours completed at PCC, direct
patient care experience (employed and/or as a volunteer),
residency in Polk County, current employment in a health care facility in Polk county, and
obtainment of previous college degrees.
PROGRAM COST
The approximate cost of the Transition Nursing program is $9,000. This
includes everything from the prerequisite courses and lab fees, to
program-support courses, uniforms, physical examinations,
immunizations, Nursing course materials, application for
licensure, etc., and the PCC Nursing pin (which is awarded upon
successful completion of the program and graduation). This figure
does not include the cost of any college preparatory courses.
Several
types of financial aid are available.
Students are also strongly encouraged to investigate financial
aid eligibility (Pell grants, etc.) at the time of application to
the College and/or to the program. Waiting for college
registration or acceptance to the program is typically too late.
Students need to be aware of financial aid limitations regarding
minimum credit hours taken per term, so that plans can be made to
accommodate any adjusted financial resources. Information regarding assistance
and deadlines is
available through PCC Financial Aid Department and the PCC
Foundation Office. Additional Financial Aid
information is provided upon acceptance to the Nursing program.
ADDITIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
After a student is notified of acceptance for admission, the
following requirements must be completed in order to finalize the
admission process and remain enrolled in the program.
A. Physical Examination and Evaluation of Essential Functions
B. Immunizations and Communicable Disease Screenings
C. Current American Heart Association (or similar provider) CPR
Certification
for Health Care Providers
D. Drug Screening by Department approved vendor
E. National Background check by Department of Nursing approved vendor
F. Signed Affidavit attesting to the non-committance of specific
criminal
acts
G. Nursing Orientation
The Department of Nursing provides information regarding the
completion of these additional admission requirements with the
acceptance letter. Applicants with specific conviction histories
or positive drug screenings may ultimately not be accepted in the
Nursing program. Specific conviction histories or positive drug
screenings occurring after full admission and matriculation in the
program will be addressed by Department policy and may result in
dismissal from the Program.
Students are now required to earn a "C" or higher in the "Introduction to Nursing" course
(offered in the Summer) before beginning Nursing Transition I in August.
LPNs are the only incoming Transition students exempt
from taking the "Introduction to Nursing" course. The Nursing Transition courses will begin each August with
graduation
the following August. The
Nursing classes will be offered to accommodate both a fixed
schedule and the variable schedule of the 24/48 hour (Shift)
schedule of the EMS system.
All students must have a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0
or better at the time of admission to the PCC Transition
Nursing Program.
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GENERIC NURSING OPTION SEQUENCE
Program Code - AS-25510
Unless otherwise noted, all Nursing courses are typically 15
weeks in length. Please see the course description section of the
catalog for specific information regarding the required courses.
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
PROGRAM PREREQUISITES |
|
|
| |
ENC 1101 College Composition I |
3 |
|
| |
PSY 2012 General Psychology |
3 |
|
| |
BSC 2085C Human Anatomy & Physiology I |
5 |
|
| |
BSC 2086C Human Anatomy & Physiology II |
5 |
|
| |
Math- (pick one course from below)
MAC 1105 College Algebra
MGF 1106 Math for Liberal Arts I
MGF 1107 Math for Liberal Arts II
STA 2023 Introduction to Probability and
Statistics |
3 |
|
| |
NUR 1010C Introduction to Nursing-
(Beginning with the August, 2009 N I
Class) |
3 |
|
A reading score exempting enrollment in College Prep Reading
courses, or satisfactory completion of these courses is also
required. Other exemptions for the reading requirement include:
(1) an ACT score of 18; (2) a SAT score of 440; (3) EAP 1520 C
with a “C” or better; (4) a previous college degree; or (5) other
demonstration of reading ability and aptitude for college work as
determined by college standards.
AUGUST ADMISSION COURSE SEQUENCE
Courses designated with an (*) must be taken in the following
order if not completed with a “C” or better prior to admission, or
prior to the Nursing course with which it is sequenced in the list
below.
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
AUGUST |
|
10 |
| |
NUR 1023C Nursing I |
9 |
|
| |
NUR 1141C Pharmacology I |
1 |
|
|
JANUARY |
|
8 |
| |
NUR 1524C Nursing II (8 weeks Jan & Feb) |
4 |
|
| |
MCB 2010C* Microbiology |
4 |
|
|
MARCH
|
|
10 |
| |
NUR 1243C Nursing III (March-June) |
8 |
|
| |
NUR 1142 Pharmacology II (March-June) |
2 |
|
| |
MCB 2010C*Microbiology (Cont. through April) |
(4) |
|
|
TERM 3A (May-June) or 3B (June- July) |
|
3 |
| |
DEP 2004 Human Growth & Development (Nursing III and
Pharmacology continued) |
3 |
|
|
AUGUST |
|
11 |
| |
NUR 2460C Nursing IV |
8 |
|
| |
Humanities* - Any PCC approved Humanities
course |
3 |
|
|
JANUARY
|
|
9 |
| |
NUR 2254C Nursing V |
9 |
|
| |
(All general education and program support courses must be
completed with a “C” or better prior to enrolling in Nursing
V.) |
| |
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS |
|
72 |
JANUARY ADMISSION COURSE SEQUENCE
Courses designated with an (*) must be taken in the following
order if not completed with a “C” or better prior to admission or
prior to the Nursing course with which it is sequenced in the list
below.
| |
|
Credit Hours |
|
JANUARY |
|
10 |
| |
NUR 1023C Nursing I |
9 |
|
| |
NUR 1141C Pharmacology I |
1 |
|
|
Summer (Term 3A and 3B) |
|
8 |
| |
NUR 1524C Nursing II (8 weeks: May & June) |
4 |
|
| |
MCB 2010C* Microbiology (May and June) |
4 |
|
|
AUGUST |
|
13 |
| |
NUR 1243C Nursing III |
8 |
|
| |
NUR 1142 Pharmacology II |
2 |
|
| |
DEP 2004* Human Growth & Development |
3 |
|
|
JANUARY |
|
11 |
| |
NUR 2460C Nursing IV |
8 |
|
| |
Humanities* - Any approved Humanities
course |
3 |
|
|
AUGUST |
|
9 |
| |
NUR 2254C Nursing V |
9 |
|
| |
(All general education and program support courses must be
completed with a “C” or better prior to enrolling in Nursing
V.) |
| |
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS |
|
72 |
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TRANSITION NURSING PROGRAM SEQUENCE
Program AS-25610
The following general education and required preadmission courses
must be completed with a grade of "C" or better or be
in progress at the time of application to the PCC Nursing
Transition
program. The seven year limit regarding
completion of the science courses is waived for Transition
Nursing students.
| |
|
Prerequisites |
| ENC 1101 |
College Composition I |
3 |
| PSY 2012 |
General Psychology |
3 |
| BSC 2085C |
Human Anatomy & Physiology I * |
5 |
| BSC 2086C |
Human Anatomy & Physiology II * |
5 |
| MATH (pick one course) |
MAC 1105 College
Algebra*
MGF 1106 Math for Liberal Arts I*
MGF 1107 Math for Liberal Arts II*
STA 2023 Introduction to Probability and
Statistics* |
3 |
| NUR 1010C |
Introduction to Nursing
(all
Transition
students except for LPNs) |
3 |
*To be completed with a "C" or
better prior to enrolling in NUR 1140C (Pharmacology).
Students are strongly urged to also complete the
following Support courses prior to attempting to begin the
Transition Program: |
| |
|
Support Courses |
| MCB 2010C |
Microbiology* |
4 |
| DEP 2004 |
Human Growth & Development* |
3 |
| NUR 1140C |
Pharmacology* |
3 |
| Humanities --- |
Any PCC approved Humanities course ** |
3 |
*These courses must be taken
with Nursing Transition I (if not completed previously with a "C"
or better).
** The Humanities course must be taken with Nursing Transition II (if not completed previously with a "C" or better).
+Pharmacology should be taken no more than three years prior to the
anticipated admission to the Nursing Transition Courses.
Students are
strongly urged to complete the support courses with a "C" or higher prior to beginning
the Nursing Transition I course. If not completed with a
"C" or higher prior to Nursing Transition I, NUR 1140C,
MCB
2010C, and DEP 2004 must be passed with a "C" or
higher prior to beginning Nursing Transition II. The 3
credit Humanities course must be passed with a "C" or higher prior to beginning
Nursing Transition III. Please contact Lynda Schaak at (863) 397-4292, or via email: lschaak@polk.edu
with questions or concerns regarding the prerequisite
requirements.
All other information regarding admission to the Transition
Nursing Program is the same as for the Generic Nursing Program except:
1) The seven year limit regarding completion of the Science
courses is waived for Transition Nursing students, and;
2) A copy of the applicant’s current Florida health care license
or certificate must be submitted along with the completed Nursing
program application during the indicated period (March).
|
Nursing Transition Courses* |
May, 2009- August, 2010 |
|
Introduction to Nursing |
May to August - Basic Nursing Skills |
|
Nursing Transition I (NUR 1033C) |
August through December -
Intermediate level Medical-Surgical |
|
Nursing Transition II
|
January to May - Obstetrics, Pediatric and Psychiatric Mental Health
Nursing |
Nursing
Transition III
|
May to August -
Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing and Preceptorship/Leadership
Nursing |
| Total
Program Hours Earned = |
72* |
*Upon successful completion of the PCC Nursing Transition program, graduating students
will be awarded credit hours on the basis of current
Florida certification/license.
*Transition
Nursing class/class labs
will be one day each week on the PCC Lakeland Campus
(subject to change).
Additional lab/study time will be required for students to meet
course objectives. Clinical assignments will be an additional day or
evening per week (subject to change). Clinical
assignments may be during daytime or evening hours
during the week or on week-ends.
Please contact Lynda Schaak, PCC Nurse
Recruiter/Advisor via e-mail at:
lschaak@polk.edu
or via cell # at 863-397-4292 with questions or for
additional information.
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