Nursing, Associate in Applied Science (NURS)
The mission of the Delaware County Community College Associate Degree Nursing Program is to promote a sense of inquiry and lifelong learning and to provide an education for students, who are committed to the core values of the program and can achieve competencies essential to safe, effective nursing practice in a variety of healthcare settings.
The nursing curriculum prepares students for positions as beginning staff nurses in a variety of settings; i.e. acute- and long-term/transitional care facilities and community settings.
Upon successful completion of the curriculum, students receive an associate in applied science (AAS) degree and are eligible to sit for the state licensure examination to become registered nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Most nursing students attend classes at the College and off-campus sites.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Selected clinical laboratory learning experiences, under the direct guidance of nursing faculty, are provided at a variety of health-care agencies. The purpose of these experiences is to provide the student with the opportunity to apply classroom learning in direct patient-care situations. All nursing applicants are required to complete and submit a criminal record check and a Child Abuse Clearance form.
Under Pennsylvania law, the State Board of Nursing may not issue a license to an applicant who has been convicted of a felonious act prohibited by the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetics Act, or convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance in a court of law of the United States or any other state, territory or country unless 10 years have elapsed since the date of conviction and the applicant can demonstrate that he/she has made significant progress in personal rehabilitation.
Students who have been convicted of a prohibitive offense contained in Act 13 and/or Act 169 (detailed list available for review in the Admissions and Allied Health offices) may not be able to complete their studies because clinical experiences needed for course/program success may be prohibited. If a student cannot complete their clinical studies, they will not be accepted into the nursing program.
All nursing students who have a course with a clinical component will need to have a complete physical examination including: laboratory tests, a complete blood count, a 10 panel drug screen, serology and TB testing. A complete physical examination is required prior to taking the first nursing course. Additionally, these students must have medical health insurance and be in compliance with recommendations for the Hepatitis B vaccine. Certain manual dexterity and sensory skills that enable the student to competently perform required technical skills are necessary for successful completion of the nursing program. Health problems that can interfere with the applicants ability to demonstrate achievement of program competencies are considered individually.
CPR certification is required for all students in the program. You must take “Health Care Provider” (American Heart Association at 610-940-9540, which is renewable every two years) or “Course for the Professional” (American Red Cross at 610-566-4580, which is renewable annually). “BLS” and “Heart Saver” are not acceptable! Certification must be inclusive until the end of May. Certifications that expire prior to May will not be accepted even if recertification prior to May is provided by an employer.
Students are responsible for purchasing uniforms and other related materials deemed necessary for the clinical laboratory experiences of the program. Each semester students are assessed additional costs for standardized tests to compare achievement against national norms. In addition, each student must carry professional liability insurance to protect him/herself and the health agency in the event of any legal action following any error in nursing practice. A $5.00 fee will be added to your tuition bill each semester in which you participate in a clinical experience.
REPEAT COURSES/READMISSION:
Students can repeat the following nursing courses at a specific level only once! Students who fail or withdraw from a nursing course and wish to repeat said course must: Have a GPA of 2.5 or greater.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NUS 110 | Concepts and Practice I | 8 |
| NUS 111 | Concepts and Practice II | 10 |
| NUS 210 | Concepts and Practice III | 10 |
| NUS 211 | Concepts and Practice IV | 10 |
The number of times for readmission to the nursing program will be once for each level of the program (either NUS 110 Concepts and Practice I or NUS 111 Concepts and Practice II; either NUS 210 Concepts and Practice III or NUS 211 Concepts and Practice IV). A student will be kept on the readmission waiting list for no longer than three years.
SPECIAL OPTION (LPNS):
Licensed Practical Nurses, corpsmen and candidates who have had one year of successful previous nursing school experience may qualify for advanced placement in the program. In addition, an advanced placement option is available to LPNs who have graduated from an ACEN accredited program. Contact a counselor in the Assessment Center for additional information.
PROGRAM OF STUDY AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS:
The degree of associate in applied science is awarded upon successful completion of the nursing course sequence with a grade of “C” or better in all nursing courses; a satisfactory grade for related clinical experiences and satisfactory completion of performance practicums and course requirements; attainment of a grade point average of 2.0 (“C” average) and completion of 71 credit hours. A “C” grade in nursing is equivalent to the numerical grade of 77.
This program requires a special process for admission. Check with Admissions to submit additional materials and/or follow procedures for admission.
Program outcomes are defined and measurable. Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Implement safe and effective patient centered care within the patient’s environment in a variety of settings for diverse populations.
- Use skills of scientific inquiry, analysis and evidence based knowledge to provide quality patient care.
- Use critical reasoning to offer insights to improve the quality of patient care.
- Use information literacy and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, ensure quality/safety and support decision-making.
- Demonstrate appropriate teambuilding and collaborative strategies when working with interprofessional teams.
- Value the principles of lifelong learning to support excellence in nursing practice.
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills to build relationships with individuals, families and communities.
- Advocate for social justice while fostering quality, safe patient outcomes, demonstrating professional standards for ethical, moral and legal conduct and supporting diversity and cultural needs.
Students must progress through the curriculum in sequence.
| Prerequisites | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| MAT 121 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| ENG 100 | English Composition I | 3 |
| PSY 140 | General Psychology | 3 |
| BIO 150 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| NUS 102 | Nursing Mathematics: Dosage Calculation and Drug Preparation | 1 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| First Semester | ||
| NUS 110 | Concepts and Practice I (Any remediation in English and reading must be satisfied before beginning course.) | 8 |
All prerequisites must be satisfied before beginning course. | ||
| BIO 151 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| PSY 210 | Lifespan Human Development | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NUS 111 | Concepts and Practice II | 10 |
| NUS 221 | Pharmacology for Health Care | 3 |
| Open Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| NUS 210 | Concepts and Practice III | 10 |
| Any Oral Communication designated Communication course | 3 | |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| NUS 211 | Concepts and Practice IV | 10 |
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 71 | |
Notes
Oral Communication designated courses.
BIO 150/151:
Must be completed within five academic years of the date of beginning the first clinical nursing course:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 150 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I (Must achieve a grade of "C") | 4 |
| BIO 151 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Must achieve a grade of "C") | 4 |
NUS 110:
- Any remediation in English and reading must be satisfied before beginning Fundamentals of Nursing (NUS 110 Concepts and Practice I).
- All NUS 110 Concepts and Practice I students must meet a math requirement either by passing a Math Equivalency Test or by passing NUS 102 Nursing Mathematics: Dosage Calculation and Drug Preparation.
- It is required that NUS 102 Nursing Mathematics: Dosage Calculation and Drug Preparation be taken prior to NUS 110 Concepts and Practice I.
- NUS 102 Nursing Mathematics: Dosage Calculation and Drug Preparation requires mathematics at the developmental level (MAT 050 Mathematics Review).
The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
Delaware County Community College has been approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing since 1968. Full approval is based on pass rates for first-time takers of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). The PA State Board of Nursing requires that all nursing programs maintain an 80% or higher overall pass rate for first time examinees.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs
State Board of Nursing
P.O Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
Phone: 717-783-7142
Fax: 717-783-0822
https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Nursing
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Delaware County Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing Program is also fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN). The most recent reaccreditation visit occurred in 2017 and resulted in full approval until Spring 2025.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE. Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
Phone: 404-974-5000
acenursing.org
Student Outcomes Data
The most recent student achievement data for the Delaware County Community College's nursing program is listed below:
- Year of Graduation: 2023
- Completion within 150% of Program: 100%
- Job Placement: 88%
- NCLEX: 100%
- First-Time NCLEX Rate: 91.89%
- No. of Graduates: 144
Questions
Questions and requests for additional information should be directed to Genny Cavanagh, Dean Division of Allied Health & Nursing - Phone 610-359-5181 or AHN@dccc.edu