Associate in Nursing - DTA/MRP

Upon receiving licensure, graduates may be hired as nurses in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, medical offices, long-term care facilities, schools and community health agencies.  Employment opportunities are high and well distributed throughout the state and the nation, especially in rural areas. See Healthcare » Nursing for career and employment information.

The South Puget Sound Community College Nursing Program is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. NATIONAL ACCREDITATION: As of July 2017, the nursing program at SPSCC has received initial candidacy from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA). The pre-accreditation status is the first step for the nursing program to achieve national accreditation. SPSCC graduates are eligible for licensure as RN’s in Washington and other states, currently attend RN-BSN programs at regional universities, and have been hired by our local hospitals and care facilities. We actively encourage all graduates to progress to a BSN degree after completion of their nursing program at SPSCC.

Completion Rates: 
Number of students completing the program within 3 years.

NCLEX-RN First Attempt Pass Rate

Job Placement Rate

The Associate in Nursing Program takes approximately three years (one year of required science and general education requirements and two academic years of nursing course work).

COST OF PROGRAM (dollar values are approximate and subject to change):

Total Estimated Costs:  $12,500 to $13,500 for two years of program

Tuition & Fees

Any applicant requiring reasonable accommodations for the application should call SPSCC’s ADA coordinator in the human resources office, 2011 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia WA 98512, (360-596-5360). Students who need disability accommodation should contact Disability Support Services in Building 22, second floor, email dss@spscc.edu or call (360) 596-5306. It is the policy of SPSCC that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability in any educational programs, activities, or employment.

Students applying for Financial Aid are required to submit a FAFSA application on the web and any other required documents. For more information, refer to spscc.edu/financial-aid  or email to financialaid@spscc.edu.   See Pay for College and Scholarships for other sources of funding.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Before applying for admission to the program, there are several requirements (steps 1-3) to complete. It is your responsibility to ensure that all application materials and required documentation are received by the published application deadline.

1. Apply to SPSCC: If you are not already an admitted student at SPSCC, you must become one.  Apply online to obtain a Student Id Number.  It is free to apply to the college.

2. Complete the Prerequisites: Transcripts of prerequisite coursework must be received prior to the deadline of June 1^st.  Unofficial transcripts may be used with your application.  Official transcripts will be required only from the finalists who are offered condtional program acceptance.

• BIOL& 241 Human A & P 1 ("B+" or better)
• BIOL& 242 Human A & P 2 ("B+" or better)
• BIOL& 260 Microbiology ("B" or better)
• CHEM& 121 Intro to Chemistry ("B" or better)
• ENGL& 101 or 102: English Composition ("B" or better)
• MATH& 146 Intro to Statistics ("B" or better)
• PSYC& 200 Lifespan Psychology ("B" or better)

An additional 30 credits of general education courses are also required for graduation from the nursing program. Though not required for admission to the program, it is recommended that you take these courses prior to entry into the program. These include:

• BIOL& 160 or BIOL& 211 Biology (5 credits)
• PSYC& 100 General Psychology (5 credits)
• NUTR& 101 Nutrition (5 credits)
• Communications elective from DTA list (5 credits)
• Humanities electives from DTA list (10 credits) – Five (5) of those credits are embedded into the nursing program once accepted
  
  Notes on Prerequisites and General Education:
• Based on placement testing, students may need to complete basic skills and/or pre-college English and math in order to complete prerequisites.
• Anatomy and physiology and microbiology courses must have been completed within 7 years of the application deadline.
• Although general education courses may be taken after admission to the Nursing Program, students are encouraged to complete as many of these courses as possible prior to entering the Nursing Program.  Summer quarters are also good times to take general education courses.
• Communications and humanities courses may be chosen from the course list for direct transfer degrees.

3. Take the TEAS Test: The TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is a required component of your application.  The TEAS assesses four areas; reading, mathematics, science and English of which minimum scores are required (see below). You may retake the TEAS exam in its entirety or just the section needed, but there must be at least two (2) weeks between attempts. The highest scores from each section will be taken for the application. The TEAS test scores must all be within 1 year from April 1^st of the application year.

NOTICE: Learn more about a remote TEAS testing option coming soon at Assessment Center.

TEAS test scores will need to be scanned and submitted during the application process.  Failure to include TEAS test score will result in denial of application.

Minimum required scores on each TEAS test:

• Reading:  69.0%
• Mathematics:  63.3%
• Science:  45.8%
• English:  60.0%

To apply to the nursing program at SPSCC, you must submit a Nursing Program Application along with a non-refundable $25 application fee.

Application period: April 1 through June 1: Applications for 2020-2021 admission to the nursing program will be accepted starting on April 1, 2020. No applications will be accepted after June 1, 2020. Coursework completed Spring quarter, 2020 will be accepted towards admission to the program. Application materials, dates of nursing information sessions, and information about the lottery process are available on the Nursing Admissions page.

• Nursing Application 2020-2021 https://spscc.edu/admissions/nursing

ADMISSON PROCESS: Qualified applicants who have met the above requirements by the application deadline are entered into the nursing lottery, which selects students for the nursing program. Ten slots in the program will be specifically drawn for students who took 20 or more credits of their prerequisites at SPSCC. Applicants selected in the lottery process will be required to provide official transcripts, TEAS test results, proof of immunizations and be cleared through background checks in order to progress through the admission process.

South Puget Sound Community College believes that all students need to develop a broad range of abilities that will not only make them more effective in their professional pursuits but will enhance their capacity to relate well to others in their daily lives.

Graduates of SPSCC’s Nursing Program are prepared to use their skills in critical thinking and data analysis as well as their understanding of relationships and responsibilities to

• Demonstrate the ability to assess, diagnose, plan, safely implement, and evaluate nursing plans of care which address the holistic needs of diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities
• Acquire and implement new scientific knowledge and use technology to enhance nursing practice
• Communicate effectively in full partnership to facilitate delivery of care
• Participate ethically and professionally in local and global communities as an entry level nurse

Special Program Notes  

The Nursing Program is rigorous, and our faculty advises that students work no more than 20 hours per week while in the full-time Nursing Program.

All nursing courses must be completed with a “C” or better to continue in and complete the program.

Immunizations, TB testing: Once admitted to the Nursing Program, proof of immunizations or immunity to certain diseases must be provided.  Two of the three doses of Hepatitis B must have been received before the start of the nursing program.  Information regarding healthcare requirements will be provided with offers of admissions from the Nursing Program. Immunization requirements may change based upon clinical site requirements

CPR Training: All students must complete a BLS Health Care Provider Card C (CPR for Health Care Professionals) before the first day of class.  The card must be current at all times to meet clinical agreement requirements.

Background Check & Drug Screening: A criminal history clearance is required by state law RCW 43.43.830 to participate in client care at clinical facilities. Some clinical facilities require national background checks and drug screening as well. Your background check must be cleared in order to continue enrollment in the nursing program. 

Examples of crimes for which an individual will be denied clearance:

• Crimes against another person such as murder, manslaughter, assault, rape, sexual abuse, child abandonment or neglect.
• Conviction for a crime against property such as first degree offenses including burglary, arson, criminal mischief, robbery, or forgery.
• An extensive list can be found at https://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=388-113-0020

New Student Orientation: Students admitted into the program are mandated to attend orientation that may be held prior to the start of the first quarter.  Additional information about the orientation will be provided after acceptance to the program. 

Essential Skills: SPSCC encourages all interested and qualified individuals to apply to the nursing program and does not discriminate or deny admission to students with disabilities. Nursing students must meet the following essential skills to progress through the program:

• Ability to grasp scientific concepts, set up and answer basic math & algebra problems
• Critical thinking sufficient for clinical judgment
• Verbal and written communication sufficient to effectively interact with clients, peers, and others
• Ability to move from room to room, maneuver in small spaces, remain on feet for extended periods of time, and lift up to 40 pounds
• Gross and fine motor skills sufficient to provide safe and effective nursing care
• Hearing sufficient to monitor and assess clients, e.g., hear heart and breath sounds and use a telephone
• Visual acuity and color discrimination sufficient to read fine print, to observe and assess clients, e.g., identify skin tones such as pale, ashen, grey, or bluish
• Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment, e.g., palpate peripheral pulses
• Computer literacy