Nursing: Associate Degree Registered Nursing

Overview

The BTC Registered Nursing Program is nationally accredited through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and is a concept-based Associate Degree in Nursing Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Ready pathway (DTA/MRP). The Nursing DTA/MRP degree is designed to create a streamlined pathway for students from an Associate Degree to a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Students take one year or more of prerequisite general education courses then apply to the program and upon acceptance, complete six quarters of Nursing Program core courses. Graduates of the BTC Registered Nursing Program are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) and may apply for admission to RN-BSN programs at WA State colleges and universities.

There is one Nursing Program at BTC which has three program options, Registered Nursing (RN), LPN-RN, and Practical Nursing (PN). The Registered Nurse associate degree is intended for students new to the nursing field and has both a full-time and part-time options. Advanced placement students who are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are admitted into the part-time, evening LPN-RN option to complete the DTA/MRP associate degree. Students who graduate from the either RN pathway or the LPN-RN pathway are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). The third program option is the Practical Nursing Certificate. This pathway is designed for students interested in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and looking for a part-time option that better meets their needs. Upon competition of the PN Certificate program graduates are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination – Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN).

The Nursing Program has a separate admission process from admission to BTC. Students must be admitted into a cohort before beginning nursing coursework. See the Nursing Program website for more information about current admission requirements and process.

Program Outcomes

After successfully completing the Associate Degree in Nursing, students will be able to:

Demonstrate safe nursing care.
Identify culturally competent techniques to promote resilience in self and others.
Utilize therapeutic communication across a variety of settings.
Model integrity through ethical and professional behaviors.
Effectively implement the nursing process.

Placement Requirements

Healthcare Experience. Two-year applicants must submit a Healthcare Experience Verification Form for prior approval. Experience in healthcare may be demonstrated by certification or training in an allied healthcare field. Other experience will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by program staff. LPN-RN applicants must have an active, unencumbered Washington State LPN license and submit the Verification of Work Experience Form documenting 1,000 hours of work as an LPN within the last five years. This form is located on the Nursing website.

Clinical Placement Requirements

After acceptance into the Nursing Program but prior to beginning clinical rotations, students must complete the clinical placement process and be at least 18 years of age. Clinical requirements include:

Criminal background check
10-Panel urine drug screen
Physical examination
Tuberculous screening
Required immunizations
Current American Heart Association BLS for Provider CPR certification
Medical Insurance Coverage

More information about the clinical placement requirements process is on the Nursing Program website.

Degree Requirements

Nursing DTA/MRP degree completion requires a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher, a minimum grade of B- (2.7) for all Program Core courses, and minimum grades for all Prerequisite Courses as described above. Students must also complete the minimum required clinical hours.

Programs

Direct Transfer Agreement/Major Related Program