Associate Degree Nursing
Associate of Applied Science Degree: Associate Degree Nursing (ADN)
The Associate Degree Nurse provides acute patient care in a variety of health care settings. Direct patient care, assessment, and critical thinking skills are vital to the profession. The curriculum of the Vernon College ADN program prepares graduates to assume beginning staff positions, under supervision, as providers of patient-centered care, coordinators of care patient safety advocates, and members of the nursing profession health care team. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN state licensure examination which provides credentialing for the Registered Nurse (RN).
Registered Nurses can find career opportunities in long-term care facilities, clinics, physician offices, home health agencies, and hospitals. Nurses may also enter the military or industry, become educators, or progress to advanced practice degrees, such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners or Certified Nurse Specialists.
The Vernon College Associate Degree Nursing program is fully accredited by the Texas Board of Nursing. For further information, contact the ADN Program Office, at 940.552.6291 ext. 2274 or 3224.
Effective January 16, 2023, this nursing program is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires on January 16, 2024.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
http://www.acenursing.com/candidates/candidacy.asp
Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation.
Program Admissions Requirements: Associate Degree Nursing Program
1. Complete Vernon College admission procedure. A student must be accepted by the College before being accepted by the ADN program. Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to the program.
2. Texas Success Initiative (TSI) complete in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
3. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 for prerequisite courses will be required for admission.
4. Complete an application from the nursing program. The nursing program must have copies (may be unofficial) of a student’s transcript for the Nursing Admission and Review Committee to evaluate for acceptance purposes. Students failing to submit transcripts will not be considered for acceptance by the Nursing Admission and Review Committee. If the student is completing course work during the summer prior to acceptance and the transcript is not complete, a letter from the institution stating the student’s enrollment and satisfactory performance in the course will be considered.
5. Submit evidence of a physical examination that has been performed within six months of the first program class day. The physical examination must be performed by a licensed health-care provider (exams performed by chiropractors will not be accepted) who will verify that the student is psychologically and physically capable of performing direct patient care, is free of any communicable disease, and has the capability of lifting twenty (20) pounds. Included in the physical exam are results of a tuberculin skin test or chest x-ray, evidence that the following immunization requirements have been met prior to enrollment in the nursing program: tetanus/diphtheria toxoid (TD), varicella measles (students born after January 1, 1957), rubella, mumps (students born after January 1, 1957), and hepatitis-B series. The hepatitis B series (3 injections) is required by the program. The first injection must be received prior to the first clinical assignment in the program. The series should be completed in a timely manner to remain in the program and remain eligible for clinical assignments. Bacterial Meningitis vaccination is also required for students younger than 22 years of age (read the vaccination requirement and exemptions on the VC website). Annual influenza vaccination is also required while enrolled in the ADN Program. Documentation of a full COVID-19 vaccination series is required by clinical sites. For immunization exclusions, waivers and acceptable documentation of immunizations, students should contact the ADN Program office. Pre-admission drug screening will be required.
6. All students will be required to take the nursing pre-admission entrance examination (HESI A2) prior to applying for the Transition or Generic programs. Results of these examinations will be used as one criterion in the admission of applicants to the program.
7. The Nursing Admission and Review Committee will rank students to determine acceptance into the program based upon completion of the application process, completion of required prerequisite courses, and the students’ GPAs on required general education courses, entrance examination results, and the Vernon College Associate Degree Nursing Program Admission Point System. Computer literacy or completion of COSC 1301 Introduction to Computing or an equivalent course is highly recommended prior to admission. Students must successfully complete BIOL 2401 Anatomy and Physiology I, BIOL 2402 Anatomy and Physiology II, BIOL 2420 Microbiology for Non-Science Majors, and RNSG 1311Nursing Pathophysiology with a grade of “C” or better before admission to the ADN Program. BIOL 2401 Anatomy and Physiology I, BIOL 2402 Anatomy and Physiology II, and BIOL 2420 Microbiology for Non-Science Majors will only be valid if completed within 10 years of admission (first class day) to the nursing program. RNSG 1311 will only be valid if completed within three (3) years of admission (first class day) to the nursing program and may be repeated only once to attain a passing grade. Failure or withdrawal from the course is considered an attempt. Those courses which can be taken prior to admission by LVNs/LPNs, Air Force Medics, Army Combat Medics, Navy Corpsmen, or Licensed Paramedics (RNSG 1115 Health Assessment, RNSG 1301 Pharmacology, and RNSG 1146 Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing) must be successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better, may be retaken only once prior to admission and will only be valid if completed within three (3) years of admission to the nursing program. After admission to the nursing program, the Nursing Handbook states that “failing two (2) nursing courses will be cause for dismissal from the program”. If a Transition Program applicant has failed Vernon College nursing courses (RNSG 1115, RNSG 1301, RNSG 1146, and/or RNSG 1311) prior to entry into the program or a transfer student has failed nursing courses at previous institutions, his/her suitability for nursing will be evaluated on an individual basis by the Nursing Admissions and Review Committee. If a Transition or transfer student has failed two (2) or more nursing courses at any educational institution (college or university), he/she is ineligible for ADN Program admission.
8. In the event the application is rejected by the Nursing Admission and Review Committee, the applicant may request a hearing before the College Admissions Committee. Such a request is to be submitted in writing and include reasons why the College Admissions Committee should review the petition.
9. Students who think they may be ineligible for licensure due to criminal convictions, mental or physical disability, and/or intemperate use of drugs or alcohol should schedule an appointment with the program director prior to admission to obtain instructions on petitioning the Board of Nursing for a declaratory order to determine their eligibility.
10. Information regarding program standards and policies is printed in the Associate Degree Nursing Program Handbook located on the Associate Degree Nursing homepage.
Re-Admission
Students who are unsuccessful in the Nursing Program may be considered for re-admission once. The student will re-apply as a new student in the nursing program. Students who are unsuccessful in more than one nursing course (with the exception of
RNSG 1311, Nursing Pathophysiology) are not eligible for re-admission. Selected applicants will take/retake all nursing courses required after admission to the program.
RNSG 1311 (prerequisite course) will only need to be retaken if it has exceeded the 3 year limit on the first day of class.
The student involved is responsible for calling before registration to determine eligibility for enrollment.
Re-Entry
Students who are unsuccessful in the ADN Program may be considered for re-entry once. Various factors will determine re-entry eligibility. Students who are unsuccessful in more than one nursing course (with the exception of RNSG 1311, Nursing Pathophysiology) are not eligible for re-entry. Students returning to the Nursing Program without consecutive learning and incurring a lapse of more than one year in the program of learning may be assessed additional cost of testing to determine placement level of re-entry. Students applying for re-entry must provide the Nursing Department with the cause for course interruption or course failure and the corrective actions to be taken to ensure course success if re-entry is granted.
Qualified applicants may be allowed to re-enter the program and enroll in the previously failed nursing course(s) on a space-available basis or based on other factors according to the following criteria:
1. Applicants with a clinical failure will receive the lowest priority for re-entry.
2. An applicant on scholastic probation or enforced withdrawal is not eligible for re-entry.
3. An applicant may be considered for re-entry after two failures only if the applicant can justify re-entry. The Nursing Admissions Committee may consider extenuating circumstances.
4. An applicant who is approved for re-entry into the program may be allowed to enroll only if there is space available in the desired course and/or associated clinicals, and only if no other barriers to enrollment, such as program status, exist.
5. Applicants with an overall GPA in the ADN program pre-requisite courses of less than 2.75 or a GPA in their RNSG courses of less than 2.0 will not be eligible for re-entry.
6. Any nursing courses which have been successfully completed more than three (3) years prior to the first day of class after admission into the program will not be valid for re-entry. If nursing courses were transferred in from another school and they are over the 3 year limit, they must be retaken also. Students who have not been enrolled in the Vernon College ADN program for three (3) or more years will have the option to retake the course or will be required to attain a satisfactory score on a comprehensive exam for each nursing course completed before re-entry and demonstrate clinical competency in selected nursing procedures.
7. Students approved for re-entry will be required to perform the same criminal background check as newly admitted students.
8. Students who think they may be ineligible for licensure due to criminal convictions, mental or physical disability, and/or intemperate use of drugs or alcohol should schedule an appointment with the program Director prior to admission to obtain instructions on petitioning the Texas Board of Nursing for a declaratory order to determine their eligibility.
9. The Transition course (RNSG 1327) is a “one time only” opportunity and re-entry into the Transition program is not an available option for students who fail this course. Any student failing the Transition course (RNSG 1327) may apply for the Generic program in the next available fall semester.
The student involved is responsible for calling before registration to determine eligibility for enrollment.
Transfer Students
Students are encouraged to take nursing courses in residence. An applicant seeking recognition of previously earned nursing credits from another college or university Nursing Program must meet all requirements and be selected for admission. In addition, the applicant must submit:
1. Course syllabus containing course outline(s) and course objective(s) for all earned nursing credits that need to be evaluated. A course description is not acceptable.
2. A letter of recommendation from the Dean/Director of the Nursing Program previously attended.
3. Any nursing courses which have been successfully completed more than three (3) years prior to admission into the program will not be valid for transfer. If nursing courses were transferred in from another school and they are over the 3 year limit, they must be retaken also. Students who have not been enrolled in the Vernon College ADN program for three (3) or more years will have the option to retake the course or will be required to attain a satisfactory score on a comprehensive exam for each nursing course completed before transfer and demonstrate clinical competency in selected nursing procedures.
4. All transfer students will be required to complete
RNSG 1441, Common Concepts of Adult Health, and
RNSG 1443, Complex Concepts of Adult health, and their corresponding clinical courses regardless of whether these or a similar course(s) was/were successfully completed at another institution.
5. Any transfer student who has failed to earn a grade of C or better in two (2) or more nursing courses at a previous institution is ineligible for ADN Program admission.
6. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 will be required for admission.
7. Transfer students selected for readmission will be required to perform the same criminal background check as newly admitted students.
8. Students who think they may be ineligible for licensure due to criminal convictions, mental or physical disability, and/or intemperate use of drugs or alcohol should schedule an appointment with the program Director prior to admission to obtain instructions on petitioning the Texas Board of Nursing for a declaratory order to determine their eligibility.
Upon receipt, the Nursing Admissions and Review Committee will review all materials to determine which, if any, credits will be considered transferable. Transferability is considered in terms of similarity in course content, course grades, course credits, and course sequence.
Applicants requesting consideration as a transfer student from another nursing program in which they could not progress will be considered on an individual basis.
After this review, qualified transfer students may be admitted on a space-available basis.
The student involved is responsible for calling on or before the beginning of registration to determine eligibility for enrollment.
Special Course Requirements
Prerequisites for enrollment in clinicals/practicums that involve direct patient contact in medical care facilities include the following: consent of coordinator, the Director of Nursing and practicum/clinical supervisor, evidence of liability insurance, a clear/negative drug screen, validated documentation of immunizations, and current CPR certification.
When liability insurance is required, it will be listed as a fee for the clinical/practicum and will be charged during the registration process.
When immunizations are required, evidence of the following must be presented to the Director of Nursing before enrollment in a clinical/practicum: tetanus/diphtheria toxoid (TD), varicella, measles (students born after January 1, 1957), rubella, and mumps (students born after January 1, 1957), influenza the first of the 3 series of hepatitis B immunizations, and a full COVID-19 vaccination series. For immunization exclusions, waivers, and acceptable documentation, students should contact the ADN Program office.
All Associate Degree Nursing students will be required to provide documentation of current health insurance coverage. Documentation must be presented to the ADN department by the first class day.
Program specific fees are attached to courses to offset program costs including, but not limited to: simulation lab expenses, BON required faculty/student ratios for clinicals, program review course and materials, and allied health computer lab supplies.