Nursing 2.0 - Associate of Science (A.S.)

The Associate in Science in Nursing promotes the optimum health and wellness of individuals, families, and the community by preparing individuals for successful entry into the dynamic profession of nursing. The program offers an excellent nursing education that is accessible to individuals from diverse cultural, educational, and life-experience backgrounds. The curriculum is organized around nursing skills, pharmacology, professionalism, and practice, so that students learn through a combination of studying and hands-on experience. By centering students as active partners in their learning and integrating simulation, reflective practice, and community engagement throughout all semesters, we aim to produce graduates who are competent, compassionate, and adaptable to the evolving needs of healthcare.

An Associate in Science in Nursing requires 70 units, including general education and at least 64 units required by the major.

Meet with an academic counselor to determine which general education courses best meet your goals and create a pathway to completion. Visit the general education page for additional information.

Students planning to transfer should select courses that meet requirements of the intended transfer university. For UC and CSU campuses, these major requirements can be found at www.assist.org.

Meet with an academic counselor to ensure you are taking the required courses for your goal.

Program information:

Students are admitted to the nursing program in fall or spring of each year. There are required morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend clinical experiences. Clinical start times may change with limited notice. Program retention is based on a minimum grade of “C” in all required courses in the published nursing program curriculum. Upon successful completion, students are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Due to the rigorous academic nature of the Associate in Science in Nursing, it is advisable to complete the general education requirements before entering the program. Students apply and are admitted to the program through the Multi-Criteria Selection Process (MCSP). Students who meet the MCSP criteria will be selected for admission by a lottery process. 

Admission into Cabrillo College does not guarantee admission into the Cabrillo College Nursing Program. To apply for the Cabrillo College Nursing Program, students must also apply to Cabrillo College. General college admission information is available on the Admissions & Records website or found at https://www.cabrillo.edu/admissions-and-records/

Additional information is available on the Cabrillo College Nursing Program website or https://www.cabrillo.edu/nursing/

To comply with state and local regulations for health care providers, students enrolled in the Cabrillo College Nursing Program are required to meet health screening and clinical compliance according to program guidelines, including vaccination and drug testing requirements, and provide documentation thereof before entering and during the program. Students are also required to complete fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and drug screening, and may be denied access to clinical facilities based on the results. 

Program Application Information:

Admission to the Cabrillo College Nursing Program requires a separate and additional process from the general college admission process. The nursing program information and application forms are available on the nursing website. It is important to read all material in the application form.  

It is the student's responsibility to inform the Nursing Department by emailing nursing@cabrillo.edu of any change in address or telephone number and by completing the Admissions & Records Change of Information form in etrieve.

Applications will not be considered complete if prerequisites are in progress and/or the student's application documents or files are incomplete.

Application Process:

The nursing program uses the Multi-Criteria Selection Process (MCSP). Students using the MCSP application must reapply each year. 

A complete application includes: 

1. Nursing application form, MCSP criteria scoring sheet, and supporting documentation for the scoring sheet. 

Note: the Test for Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) OR the HESI Admission Assessment (HESI-A2) is required to enter the program. Students may take this assessment up to two years prior to applying for the program and may submit their results with their application. 

2. Cabrillo College transcript does not need to be submitted with the application. 

3. ALL other colleges/universities attended: One (1) sealed official transcript must be mailed/submitted to Admissions & Records by the posted due date. 

Do not attach official college or university transcripts or AP test scores to the online application, as they will not be accepted or reviewed.

4. The online application and all supporting documents must be submitted by the posted due date for the candidate’s application to be reviewed and, if qualified, to be placed into the lottery pool for selection. 

Selection process: 

If selected, the candidate must take and pass either the HESI® Admission Assessment Exam developed by Elsevier Inc. or the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) developed by Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC (ATI) and qualify to enter the program. Students may take the HESI A2 or TEAS  assessment up to two years before applying to the nursing program. Information about the HESI A2 can be found at https://evolve.elsevier.com/education/hesi/hesi-admission-assessment-exam/, and information about TEAS can be found at atitesting.com.

Program prerequisite information:

All prerequisites and nursing courses must be completed with a grade of "C" (2.0 GPA) or better, except Human Anatomy with Lab, Human Physiology with Lab, and Microbiology with Lab. These courses must be completed with a combined GPA of 2.5 or better. 

Cabrillo College General Education:

Nursing students are exempt from the 3 unit Area E requirement (Life-long Understanding & Self Development) in the 24 unit Cabrillo College General Education. The Associate in Science in Nursing requires completion of a 21 unit general education pattern. Visit the Cabrillo College general education website for more information.  

Additional requirements for graduation:

There are program-specific courses required for graduation. Please refer to the Cabrillo College General Education requirements or meet with an academic counselor for any additional Cabrillo College graduation requirements.

Advanced Placement/RN Transfer/LVN students:

Advanced Placement, RN transfer students, and LVNs who desire admission to and/or advanced placement in the Associate in Science in Nursing must meet the program prerequisites. Students are accepted on a space-available basis. LVNs will be evaluated for placement and may enter the 2nd semester of the Nursing Program. Visit the Nursing Department website for details. 

Licensure is limited to California when taking the 30-unit option. Any student with a current LVN license may apply for the 30-unit option program. The 30-unit option plan provides the necessary coursework required to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Completion of the program does not constitute graduation from the Cabrillo College Nursing Program, nor does it make students eligible for the Associate in Science in Nursing. Visit the Nursing Department website for details.

We are in the process of expanding our program to admit 32 students each semester. The first larger cohort began in Fall 2024, and by Spring 2026, we will reach full capacity, serving 128 students at a time across all four semesters.

Once the expansion is complete, we anticipate graduating 32 students each semester. Our retention rate remains exceptionally high— 98.3% in Spring 2025—and we are committed to helping every student reach graduation. When a student must step away from the program, we promptly fill that space with a returning student or an advanced placement candidate, such as a licensed vocational nurse, a student with qualifying military training, or a transfer from another program.

Since stabilizing enrollment after the COVID-19–related reductions, our graduation outcomes have remained strong: from Spring 2023 through Spring 2025, we graduated 118 students out of 120 available spaces—98.3% of our total capacity.

Vision, Goals, and Rationale for Creating the Program

Our program’s informal mission can be summarized as: “excellent nurses for the community, from the community.” This captures our vision of preparing a workforce that reflects the population it serves—because communities achieve the best health outcomes when care is provided by those who understand their unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic contexts.

The revised curriculum is grounded in evidence-based educational practices and the principles of andragogy, supporting the development of clinical reasoning, professional judgment, and lifelong learning habits. By centering students as active partners in their learning and integrating simulation, reflective practice, and community engagement throughout all semesters, we aim to produce graduates who are competent, compassionate, and adaptable to the evolving needs of healthcare.

This revision represents both a reaffirmation of our program’s long-standing mission and a forward-looking redesign that ensures alignment with national nursing education standards (NLN, ACEN, and BRN) and emerging workforce demands.

Resources to Support Program Sustainability

We have worked closely with the Dean of the School of Health and Public Service and the Vice President of Instruction to ensure that the college can sustainably support the revised program structure. Together, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of instructional needs, including required teaching units, simulation support, and clinical placements. This collaboration confirmed that the revised program can be maintained within the institution’s general fund allocations for faculty and staff.

In addition to baseline institutional support, the Cabrillo nursing program benefits from a consistent record of public and private grant funding that strengthens long-term sustainability. One-time and short-term grants, such as the Nursing Education Investment Grant, Enrollment Growth & Retention Grant, and Strong Workforce Program, have enabled us to strategically invest in durable instructional equipment, technology infrastructure, and faculty development—resources that continue to support program quality beyond the funding period.

By combining stable institutional investment with strategic use of grant funding, we have built a strong and adaptable foundation to sustain the program’s quality and meet ongoing workforce and community needs.

Meeting Workforce, Community, and Transfer Needs

The need for registered nurses in our region remains acute. According to current Labor Market Information (LMI), there is an annual gap of approximately 3,134 nursing positions in the Bay Region, including 176 in the Santa Cruz–Monterey subregion. The median wage for registered nurses in this area is $65 per hour, and 73% of employed nursing graduates earn a living wage, underscoring the profession's stability and economic impact.

Data from the California Health and Human Services Agency (HCAI) identify many of the communities our students come from—such as Watsonville, Salinas, and Royal Oaks—as high-severity Registered Nurse shortage areas. By recruiting and educating students from these same communities, the program directly supports the local healthcare infrastructure while advancing equity in access to healthcare careers.

To address long-term workforce development, we are collaborating with California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) to ensure curricular alignment and seamless transfer pathways. A Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) is in active development, allowing students to begin Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) coursework while completing their Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). This initiative accelerates degree attainment, supports retention, and strengthens the regional nursing pipeline.

In short, the program meets both immediate community workforce needs and long-term educational goals by preparing practice-ready graduates who reflect and serve the Central Coast's populations.

How the Identified Need Informs Student Learning

Feedback from our Community Advisory Committee, combined with direct input from clinical partners and hiring managers, consistently highlights the importance of practice readiness—the ability of new graduates to integrate theoretical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and psychomotor skills in real-world settings. This feedback aligns with national studies documenting the widening gap between nursing education and clinical preparedness (e.g., Kavanagh & Sharpnack, Journal of Nursing Education, 2021).

In response, the revised curriculum intentionally bridges this gap through competency-based design. Learning outcomes are sequenced to promote the progressive integration of knowledge, skills, and professional behaviors. For example, students will now engage in structured skills laboratory coursework across all four semesters, allowing for consistent reinforcement of safety principles, situational awareness, and clinical judgment.

Additionally, simulation-based learning will be expanded to provide deliberate practice in high-risk, low-frequency scenarios, and reflective debriefing will be embedded as a required component to strengthen clinical reasoning and self-assessment.

By aligning program outcomes with the National League for Nursing (NLN) competencies and our community’s expressed workforce needs, students will learn to think critically, act safely, and adapt effectively to the complex realities of modern healthcare.

How Students Will Learn the Skills to Meet Identified Needs

Students will learn through a strategically sequenced, competency-based curriculum designed to develop clinical judgment, technical proficiency, and professional identity in parallel. Each semester intentionally builds upon the prior one, integrating classroom instruction, simulation, and direct clinical practice into a cohesive learning experience.

Key elements of this instructional design include:

• Streamlined and integrated curriculum: Redundant content has been reduced, allowing for deeper engagement with core nursing concepts and more efficient use of instructional time.
• Skills lab across all four semesters: A dedicated skills laboratory course sequence ensures students continue to refine psychomotor and situational awareness skills alongside theory, promoting confidence and competence before advancing to complex clinical settings.
• Simulation-enhanced learning: Students engage in progressively complex simulated patient-care scenarios that mirror community health needs, enabling safe practice in high-acuity, culturally diverse settings.
• Alignment with national standards: The curriculum is mapped to NLN competencies and QSEN (Quality and Safety Education for Nurses) standards, ensuring that graduates demonstrate proficiency in patient-centered care, teamwork, evidence-based practice, safety, and informatics.
• Reflective and student-centered learning: Structured debriefings, peer collaboration, and self-assessment are embedded throughout to cultivate reflective practitioners capable of continuous learning and growth.

Through this multi-layered approach, students not only gain the technical skills required for entry-level practice but also develop the critical thinking, adaptability, and empathy essential for meeting the evolving needs of the communities they serve.

Program Preparation and Outcomes Upon Completion

Upon completion, graduates are prepared to enter the workforce as practice-ready Registered Nurses who deliver safe, evidence-based, and culturally responsive care across diverse healthcare settings. They will have developed the clinical judgment, professional integrity, and collaborative skills necessary to meet the complex needs of patients and communities throughout the Central Coast and beyond.

Graduates will be eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and to transition directly into employment or advance their education through our developing Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) with CSU Monterey Bay. This program pathway supports continued academic progression toward the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), promoting lifelong learning and leadership development.

Ultimately, the program prepares graduates not only to meet immediate workforce needs but to become agents of positive change in healthcare—advocating for quality, safety, and equity in the communities they serve.

Labor Market Alignment and Advisory Committee Support

This program revision directly aligns with regional labor market data and the recommendations of our Community Advisory Committee. The most recent LMI analysis for the Bay Region projects an annual shortage of over 3,000 registered nurses, including 176 unfilled positions in the Santa Cruz–Monterey subregion. These figures underscore the persistent and growing demand for qualified nurses across hospitals, community health agencies, and long-term care facilities.

Advisory committee members, including representatives from local hospitals, public health departments, and clinical education partners, have strongly endorsed this program revision. Their feedback emphasized:

• A critical need for practice-ready graduates who can integrate clinical reasoning with hands-on skill proficiency;
• The importance of curricular continuity and early exposure to clinical practice; and
• The value of sustained partnership between education and employers to strengthen local workforce pipelines.

By responding directly to labor market data and community partner input, this program ensures that graduates are well-positioned to enter a high-demand field and to provide equitable, high-quality care where it is most needed.

There are 40 required core units, prerequisite requirements, and general education. 

The revised Nursing Program builds upon Cabrillo College’s strong foundation in health and life sciences, complementing and extending the college’s existing pathways in Health Science, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and Allied Health. Each year, hundreds of students enroll in prerequisite courses such as Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and English: Academic Reading and Writing, reflecting robust student interest and a well-established academic infrastructure that supports entry into health-related careers.

The newly developed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certificate of Completion serves as a foundational pathway into Cabrillo’s Nursing Program. It introduces students to essential patient care concepts, safety standards, and communication skills that mirror the expectations of the first semester of the ADN curriculum. Once launched, we expect many CNA students to continue into the Nursing Program, entering with valuable clinical experience and confidence in basic caregiving skills that support their academic and professional success. The program also enhances alignment between nursing and allied health instruction by using shared simulation spaces, standardized clinical competencies, and collaborative faculty development. In this way, the CNA program both prepares and pipelines future nursing students while strengthening curricular coherence and quality across Cabrillo’s healthcare education continuum.

Cabrillo’s participation in the K-16 Collaborative Grant further strengthens program integration by aligning secondary, postsecondary, and university pathways in healthcare education. Through this initiative, the Nursing Program collaborates with regional partners—including local high schools, the County Office of Education, and CSU Monterey Bay—to expand dual-enrollment opportunities, streamline prerequisite progression, and provide structured mentorship for students from diverse and historically underrepresented backgrounds. These coordinated efforts ensure a clear, equitable pathway from early college exposure through CNA certification, ADN completion, and BSN attainment.

Together, these complementary programs and partnerships form a cohesive healthcare education ecosystem at Cabrillo College—one that prepares students for immediate workforce entry, continued academic advancement, and meaningful participation in meeting the region’s healthcare needs.

This program temporarily replaces our existing program and does not have an impact on the programs offered at other institutions. The Nursing - Associate in Science has been on offer at Cabrillo for many decades and this revision will require a local, regional, and state review to produce as new control number as the Nursing 2.0 - Associate in Science with substantial course revisions becomes the current degree on offer and the Nursing - Associate in Science moves to deactivation.