Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), this rigorous program is designed for students interested in preparing for professional practice as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Classroom lectures, college laboratories and clinical experience in local health care agencies provide the foundation of knowledge.
Due to an overwhelming interest in Nursing, entrance into the DCC program is highly competitive and open to residents of Dutchess and Putnam counties only and is based on a point system. Learn more about the Nursing department here.
All incoming students are evaluated in Math, Reading, English and Biology to determine placement in courses. The four semester sequence is only possible when a student has tested into ENG 101 and BIO 131 and college-level math and achieved a score of ‘Proficient’ on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The total credits required to achieve the A.A.S. in Nursing is 64. Be aware that students often require six or more semesters to complete the A.A.S. degree due to entry requirements and clinical space limitations. Once a student enters the clinical nursing science courses, the course of study for completion is four semesters.
An Associate in Applied Science degree is awarded upon successful completion and the student is eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs (NCLEX-RN). Graduation from the program does not guarantee admission to licensing. Individuals who have prior convictions are advised to contact the New York State Board for Nursing for advice on legal limitations. After graduation, many students transfer to upper division baccalaureate nursing programs through articulation agreements.
End Program Student Learning Outcomes (EPSLOs)
• NLN Human Flourishing
Advocate for patients and families in ways that promote their self-determination, integrity and ongoing growth as human beings.
QSEN: Patient Centered Care
Student will recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner
in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patient’s preferences,
values and needs.
• NLN Nursing Judgment
Make judgments in practice, substantiated with evidence, that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care and that promote the health of patients within a family and community context.
QSEN: Evidence Based Practice
Student will integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.
QSEN: Safety
Student will minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
QSEN: Informatics
The student will use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
• NLN Professional Identity
Implement one’s role as a nurse in ways that reflect integrity, responsibility, ethical practices, and an evolving identity as a nurse committed to evidence-based practice, caring, advocacy, and safe, quality care for diverse patients within a family and community context.
QSEN: Teamwork and Collaboration
Student will function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
• NLN Spirit of Inquiry
Examine the evidence that underlies clinical and nursing practice to challenge the status quo, question underlying assumptions, and offer new insights to improve the quality of care for patients, families and communities.
QSEN: Quality Improvement
Student will use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.
First Semester
|
Course No. |
Descriptive Title |
Credit Hours |
|
Composition I |
3 |
|
|
Introduction to Psychology |
3 |
|
|
Anatomy and Physiology I |
4 |
|
|
Nursing Science I (a) |
6 |
|
|
Survey of Professional Nursing (a) |
1 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
17 |
Second Semester
|
Course No. |
Descriptive Title |
Credit Hours |
|
Composition II |
3 |
|
|
Developmental Psychology |
3 |
|
|
Anatomy and Physiology II |
4 |
|
|
Nursing Science II (a) |
8 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
18 |
Third Semester
|
Course No. |
Descriptive Title |
Credit Hours |
|
Social Problems in Today's World |
3 |
|
|
Microbiology |
4 |
|
|
Nursing Science III (a) |
8 |
|
|
Parent-Child Nursing (a) |
3 |
|
|
TOTAL |
|
18 |
Fourth Semester
|
Course No. |
Descriptive Title |
Credit Hours |
|
American History (Appendix D) |
3 |
|
|
Professional Issues in Nursing (a) (c) |
1 |
|
|
Nursing Science IV (a) (c) |
4 |
|
|
Nursing Synthesis (a) (c) |
2 |
|
|
PED Elective (b) |
|
1 |
|
TOTAL |
|
11 |
|
|
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS |
64 |
NOTES:
1. Students are admitted to the Nursing program on a space-available basis. Once admitted, students are expected to enroll in the nursing courses in sequence. Students who deviate from the sequence cannot be guaranteed re-entry into either a particular course or a particular semester.
2. Entry into Clinical Nursing courses requires that a student is CPR certified and has cleared a criminal background check and drug test.
3. All NUR students are required to submit a completed physical examination form prior to clinical courses. All immunizations indicated on the form must be current. When this form is on file, the College Health Office will issue a waiver clearing the student for clinical courses. Hepatitis B Vaccine series is highly recommended and may be required by the clinical facility under the OSHA Standard on Exposure to Blood borne Pathogens. All nursing students are required to follow flu vaccine and COVID vaccine guidelines of the clinical placement facilities.
a. Nursing courses may not be automatically repeated. A re-entry and an appeal process is outlined in the Nursing Program Handbook.
b. Students may choose the following PED courses: PED 101, PED 106,
PED 111, PED 113, PED 114, PED 115, PED 116, PED 117, PED 145, PED 197
c. These courses must be taken in the semester immediately preceding graduation.
Click to watch Nursing Pinning Ceremony from May 2023
The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Nursing is registered by the New York State Education Department and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326: (404) 975-5000, Fax: (404) 975 5020. http://www.acenursing.org/. The Department of Nursing is a member of the Council of Associate Degree Nursing in New York (CADN), the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing (OADN), and the National League for Nursing (NLN).
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate in Applied Science nursing program is April 2023.