Nursing - Traditional, A.A.S.

Major Code: 8021

Accreditation Status

The Odessa College associate degree nursing program is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON), located at 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas, 78701; phone 512-305-7400. The nursing curriculum plan is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). ACEN may be reached at 3343 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia, 30326, phone 866-747-9965 or 404-975-5000.

The Associate Degree Nursing Program (ADN)

Nursing is a care-oriented profession requiring a well-educated nurse. The curriculum of the Odessa College associate degree nursing program prepares graduates to assume beginning staff positions under supervision as a member of the profession, as a provider of patient-centered care, as a patient safety advocate, and as a member of the health care team. Upon successful completion of the licensing examination, NCLEX-RN^®, the graduate becomes a registered nurse.

Odessa College offers both traditional (daytime) and transition (hybrid – LVN to RN) tracks to obtain the Associate Degree in Applied Science for Nursing. Both tracks require the same non-nursing courses to complete the degree. Transition students must currently hold a license to practice nursing as an L.V.N. in the state of Texas. Traditional and transition students receive clinical education in various hospitals, health care agencies and community organizations.

Transition Track for the LVN

The transition student receives advanced placement credit for RNSG 1513 - Foundations for Nursing Practice , RNSG 1360 - Clinical - Registered Nursing/ Registered Nurse (formerly: Clinical- Basic) , RNSG 1441 - Common Concepts of Adult Health  and RNSG 1261 - Clinical - Registered Nurse . In their first semester, transition students begin by taking Adaptation to the role of the professional nurse, (RNSG 2207 ) to prepare for the role of RN. Courses continue sequentially through the year, spring, summer and fall semesters, with graduation in the following December. This program is delivered in a hybrid format.

Application Deadline for Program Admission

Students must apply through the admissions department to Odessa College in order to take classes. Students must also apply to the nursing program by downloading the application from the program webpage.

ADN Traditional Program Admission Deadlines:

• [Fall Start] is open from May 1 – June 1
• [Spring Start] I open from October 1 – October 20

ADN Transition Program Admission Deadline:

• [Spring Start] I open from October 1 – October 20

Letters of acceptance are sent in a timely manner after each deadline. The number of students admitted each semester may vary according to faculty staffing and clinical resources.

Prerequisites for Admission

Odessa College’s Associate Degree Nursing program is a selective entry program and students will be ranked according to the current criteria available at the Program Website.

Applicants for Specialized Admissions Programs in Nursing and Allied Health must satisfy minimum criteria in order to be eligible for consideration:

The applicant is required to meet all the following:

• Enrolled at Odessa College as a Credit Student
• Background and immunization clearance (through third-party vendor)
• Completion with a “C” or better of all academic and specialized courses listed on the degree plan
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required
• Submit all previous college/university transcripts (transliteration of all foreign coursework required) prior to ranking. When a student has course work from colleges outside of OC, overall GPA for ranking purposes will only be based on highest score achieved for Nursing or Nursing Prerequisite Courses.
• High School Diploma or GED.

CNA (certified nurse assistant) training is offered through the Odessa College Continuing Education Department. CNA is encouraged and will count for two (2) points towards admission, but is not mandatory.

1. Immunizations are required. A complete immunization record must be on file and submitted to the Nursing Department by application deadline.
2. Be currently trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, professional rescuer module. CPR must remain current during the two year program. Provide documentation of training to the nursing office prior to the application deadline, or proof of enrollment in the CPR course offered on campus within three weeks of acceptance. Online CPR training does not meet the requirement for initial training or renewal.
3. After program admission and before starting classes, proof of health and accident insurance is required. May be purchased with registration.
4. All course work for the degree must be passed with a grade of “C” or better.
5. *The courses required as prerequisites for program admission into the traditional program are the following:

• BIOL 2401 - Anatomy & Physiology I  *
• BIOL 2402 - Anatomy & Physiology II  *
• ENGL 1301 - Composition I (formerly: Composition and Rhetoric  

Choose one of the following:

• HUMA 1305 - Introduction to Mexican-American Studies    
• HUMA 2319 - American Minority Studies  
• HUMA 2323 - World Cultures  
• PHIL 1304 - Introduction to World Religions  

*A&P course must be current within 5 years of admission.
*All pre-requisites must be taken prior to application into the A.D.N (traditional) program.

It is highly encouraged that PSYC 2314  also be completed prior to entry into the nursing program for traditional students, and a HUMA course for transition students

Other Program Requirements

Students must comply with all school and nursing program policies. Program policies are delineated in the Nursing Student Handbook which is available on the nursing department’s Web site.

• Health and accident insurance must be maintained throughout the program.
• After acceptance to the program, new students will be given instructions for applying for a fingerprint analysis and background check by the State of Texas and the FBI. The fingerprint analysis and background check must be conducted by procedures set forth by the Board of Nurse Examiners and Odessa College. Any other fingerprint analysis will not be accepted. The following histories will disqualify an individual for clinical placement (including but not limited to):
  • Registered sex offenders
  • Felony convictions
  • Felony deferred adjudications involving crimes against persons (physical or sexual abuse)
  • Known of observed abuse or neglect of patients/clients/customers
  • Observed or proven theft
  • Convictions of violent acts (misdemeanor or felony)
  • Violence in the workplace
  • Securing execution of a document by deception
  • Misappropriation of fiduciary property or property of a financial institution (Class A misdemeanor or felony)
  • Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General list of excluded individuals, U.S. General Services Administration excluded parties list, Employee Misconduct Registry, U.S. Treasury-Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC); List of specially Designated Nationals (SDN), Texas Health and Human Services (TX HHSC), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Exclusion List.
  • A student on probation for any legal offense.

Disclaimers

Clinical agencies can establish more stringent standards, if they so desire and can conduct additional background checks for their facility.

If the background check is positive for certain offenses, the clinical agency may not permit the student to participate in clinical experiences at their facility. These circumstances would require dismissal of the student from the nursing program due to inability to meet clinical objectives.

• The student must pass a physical examination and urine drug screen in order to participate in the nursing program. Urine drug screening must be conducted by the company specified by the nursing program. Information related to registration for the drug screen will be provided by the nursing program once the student has been accepted. Drug testing is performed periodically during the nursing program and is at the student’s expense. Drug testing must be negative in order to remain in the nursing program.
• The nursing program utilizes the Comprehensive Assessment and Review Program (CARP), a product of Assessment Technologies, Inc. (ATI) in every semester. Students have access to learning materials online. Comprehensive testing, both proctored and nonproctored, occurs in various courses in the curriculum. Students are responsible for all fees associated with CARP.

Requirements for Graduation

The nursing program’s grading scale for all RNSG courses is different from that of the general college with a grade of “C” awarded for numeric grades of 75-79. To be eligible for graduation, the nursing student must have completed each of the prescribed courses in the degree plan with a minimum grade of “C.” The candidate for graduation must score satisfactorily on a complete the NCLEX-RN^® review course, satisfy all college financial obligations, complete a degree application in the Records Office by the specified deadline, and return any borrowed school property.

Licensing as a Registered Nurse

Requirements to take the licensing examination to become an RN include the application process for approval by the BON, payment of fees to the BON and to the authorized NCLEX-RN^® testing center, graduation from the nursing program, and graduation certification by the program director. Be advised that the Texas BON requires fingerprint identification to screen all applicants for licensure. The fingerprints are analyzed by the state of Texas and the FBI, and there must be clearance on the background check by the BON prior to being allowed to take the licensing examination. Licensure eligibility may also be denied if the applicant has a history of certain mental illnesses, a history of drug addiction, or has had action on a professional license by the body granting the license. These and other issues may prevent an applicant from being allowed to test. Contact the nursing department or the Texas BON directly if you have questions about eligibility.