Nursing, R.N. AS Degree

The Nursing Department offers three state-approved pro-grams  for  both  generic  students  and  licensed  vocational  nurses  to  become  registered  nurses.  At  the  conclusion  of  our programs, the student is eligible to take the registered nurse licensure examination, NCLEX-R

 There are eleven (11) core courses offered and must be successfully completed to complete the nursing program which totals 37.5 Nursing units and 35 general education courses.  The program will continue to admit 30 students each semester for a total of 60 students per school year.  The annual completion from the Associate Degree Nursing program is 60 students.  The demand for RN continues to grow and over 85% of graduates are employed once the license has been acquired.

It has been noted that there are over two thousand students on ELAC’s campus who have declared Nursing as a major. Knowing that we have students that are academically disadvantaged, socially, financially disadvantaged, and first generation.  Rethinking and creating strategies to best prepare our students for successful completion of the program with the ability to take the NCLEX (National Examination for licensure) and pass on the first attempt made it clear to everyone that a change needed to be made.  

All faculty agreed that it was critical that the curriculum be revised to promote a solid foundation that would be clearly understood by students and enhance confidence that would lead to better outcomes on the NCLEX.  To begin the process the Philosophy was reviewed to make sure that it reflects the new curriculum design.  The next step took us to a place to identify a new Conceptual Framework which is now Maslow Hierarchy of Human Needs and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) as the two major concepts for the new curriculum design. These two concepts are threaded throughout the new curriculum and its tools. This new structure will provide for a better understanding for students and will enhance success.

NURSING PROGRAM OUTCOMES

● Student Learning Outcome:  The graduating nursing student will utilize the nursing process by collecting comprehensive data, analyzing assessment data to develop a nursing diagnoses, identify expected outcomes to develop an individualized plan of care, implementing the plan of care and evaluating the attained outcomes by providing patient-centered care, fostering teamwork and collaboration, integrating current evidence-based practice, continuously improving quality and safety, provide safe care and use information and technology to communicate , manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making (as measured by the clinical evaluation tool and varied methodologies)

● Pass Rate: East Los Angeles College Associate Degree nursing graduates will pass the NCSBN-NCLEX examination equal to or surpass the national mean pass rate for first-time takers.

● Program Completion: the nursing student will complete the program in no more than the 150% of the stated program length beginning with enrollment in the first nursing course. 

● Program Satisfaction: the graduating nursing student will rate overall satisfaction with the nursing program as agree or strongly agree (as measured by the Graduate Nurse Survey). 

● Program Satisfaction: the graduating nursing student will rate overall satisfaction with the nursing program as agree or strongly agree (as measured by the Program Exit Survey). 

● Job Placement: the graduate nurse will be employed within one year after graduation (as measured by the Graduate Survey).

● Employer Satisfaction:  employers will agree or strongly agree that the graduate nurse performs as an entry-level nurse (as measured by the Employer Satisfaction Survey).

The new curriculum design has fewer units and omitting (winter/summer) Intersession courses. New course titles, numbers, unit value, and placement were assigned to meet the new curriculum design. Dedicated hours reflect both Theory and Clinical hours which include a Skills Lab component with clinical or theory faculty to work directly with the students before or after clinical practice in the hospital setting.  It will appear as a wraparound process for ensuring success.  Students would be getting the necessary support needed provided by instructors they’ve been working with. 

The nursing program at ELAC is committed to the community at large and it is known that 85% or more of the graduates live and work in the community giving back to a community that has so richly give to this program.

 

 Program Prerequisites:  26-27 units   ANATOMY 1   Introduction to Human Anatomy (4.0)  AND  PHYSIO 1   Introduction to Human Physiology (4.0)  OR  BIOLOGY 20   Human Anatomy and Physiology (8.0) 

6 

  MICRO 1   Introductory Microbiology (5.0)  OR  MICRO 20   General Microbiology (4.0)   PSYCH 1   General Psychology I (3.0)  OR  PSYCH 41   Life-Span Psychology: From Infancy to Old Age (3.0)   MATH 125   Intermediate Algebra (5.0)  OR  MATH 125S   Intermediate Algebra with Support (5.0)   ENGLISH 101  College Reading and Composition I (3.0)   Core Required Courses:  40.5 units    COMM 101   Public Speaking (3.0)   NURSING 266  Introduction to Nursing (3.0) NURSING 275  Introduction to Pharmacology (2.5)   NURSING 265  Fundamentals of Nursing (3.0) NURSING 267  Medical/Surgical Nursing I (5.5) NURSING 268 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (3.5) NURSING 269  Medical/Surgical Nursing II (5.5) NURSING 271  Reproductive Nursing: Women & Newborn (4.0) NURSING 270  Care of Children and Family (4.0) NURSING 272  Medical/Surgical Nursing III (5.5) NURSING 274  Role Transition (1.0)      Total units required for major:               37.5 units LACCD General Education: Area B1 and C:              6 units      Total units in degree:        72.5-73.5 units Note:  Nursing program prerequisites courses will satisfy LACCD GE Areas A, B2, D1, D2, Math competency, and Written Expression Competency. Area E shall be waived for degrees in Nursing. 

The RN program is not a new program, it’s a program that has been operational for many years as the first RN program in the LACCD and provides opportunities for generic (no nursing experience) and LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurses) that want to become RN’s. There will be no enrollment changes without the ability to provide overflow of other students. In today’s climate few if any LVN’s desire to obtain a certificate be employers want individuals who have earned degrees. Once a decision has been made there is no opportunity to change the path that has been chosen.

Other programs in the service are: Rio Hondo, PCC, LA County School of Nursing all offer an Associate Degree in Nursing. Remember this is not a new program.

30