Nursing (AAS)

Competitive Admission

Admission to the Nursing program is competitive and not guaranteed. Applicants must meet specific admission requirements in addition to the general admission requirements of the College. Candidates are chosen in the spring preceding each fall entry date.

Basis of Selection

Students are selected based on the following:

• Amount of coursework completed within the Science Requirements and the General Education Requirements on the on the Nursing Applicant Advising Sheet. The Nursing Applicant Advising Sheet may be found on the web at www.ncmich.edu. Go to Programs of Study, North Central Associate’s degrees, and then Nursing.
• Calculated grade point average of the General Education Requirements and the Program Requirements on the Planning Form.
• Courses repeated more than one time may negatively influence admission.
• An applicant’s credentials will be reviewed only if his/her high school or college cumulative grade point average is at least 2.75. Applicants should be aware that, traditionally, entering class grade point averages have been well above 3.0.
• Grades in science courses (BIO 235  and BIO 236 ). Science courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better and no more than five years prior to admission to the nursing program.
• Scores on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). Information about the TEAS may be found at www.atitesting.com. Announcement for dates and times for administration of the TEAS will be announced on the College web page in March.
• Students should be in good physical condition to meet the demands of the program. See Nursing Handbook under “Standards and Functional Abilities.”
• LPNs or those transferring from other nursing program should note that nursing coursework will not transfer in if completed more than 2 years prior to admission to the program

Science Requirements

These courses must be completed before admission to the program. It is strongly recommended that these be completed with a “B” grade or better due to the competitive admission process. These courses must have been completed within five years of admission to program.

• BIO 235 - General Anatomy & Physiology I (4 credit hours)
• BIO 236 - General Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credit hours)

General Education Requirements

These courses must be completed before admission to the program.

• ENG 111 - English Composition I (3 credit hours)
• ENG 112 - English Composition II (3 credit hours)

•  

• COM 111 - Speech (3 credit hours) or
• COM 170 - Interpersonal Communication (3 credit hours)

•  

• PSY 161 - Introduction To Psychology (3 credit hours)
• PSY 261 - Developmental Psychology (3 credit hours)

Other Requirements

Students who are accepted into the program will be required to do the following:

• Have a criminal background check completed by the State of Michigan. Students may be denied admission based on the results of the background check;
• Provide a medical history form available from the Nursing and Allied Health Department and completed by a physician. Students should be in good physical condition to meet the demands of the program and the profession as outlined in the Nursing Handbook under “Standards and Functional Abilities.” Abilities include lifting at least 35 pounds, standing for up to two hours at a time, walking quickly in crowded spaces, climbing 50 stairs, and pushing 100 pounds;
• Provide annual proof of a negative tuberculin test or negative chest x-ray in case of positive skin test;
• Keep all required immunizations up to date including Hepatitis B;
• Provide proof of current health insurance;
• Provide proof current Basic Life Support (BLS) for the Professional Rescuer;
• Adhere to the Nursing Code of Conduct;
• Attend a mandatory orientation program prior to the fall semester.

Steps for Nursing Program Applicants

• Sign up for the Student and Community Portal. You will be signing up for college services you will need such as registration, accessing your grades, free Google e-mail, wireless service, use of College computers, and library access. Go to www.ncmich.edu and click on Student and Community Portal. Once you have completed the Portal Access page you will be directed to Step Two.
• Apply for admission to North Central. You will be notified of your status by mail.
• Submit your ACT scores or take the COMPASS. Assessment is mandatory. Submit ACT scores or take the COMPASS offered by the College at no cost. If you are entering college directly from high school and have taken the ACT, these results must be on file in the North Central Admissions Office. Applicants no longer in high school are not required to take the ACT. Students with prior college experience may be exempt from assessment; call Admissions for information.
• Submit your transcripts. Separate official transcripts must be sent to both the College and the Nursing and Allied Health Department from each other college and university that you have previously attended. Request these as early as possible so that prior course work may be evaluated to determine if nursing applicant requirements have been met. If North Central is the only college you have attended, the Nursing and Allied Health Department will obtain your North Central transcript. The College may accept credits for transfer that will not be eligible to meet nursing program requirements.
• Attend a Nursing Program Information Session. It is strongly recommended that students interested in the nursing program attend a Nursing Program Information Session. These sessions are held every month during the academic year and give detailed information regarding admission requirements, course requirements, program expectations, and estimated costs. See the college website for session dates and times at www.ncmich.edu/nursing.html.
• Program Advising. All new applicants who list “256 Nursing” as their program of study have the option of meeting with a nursing faculty member for program advising. If you would like to meet with a nursing advisor, please contact Kim Kingsbury at 231-348-6696 to schedule an appointment. Plan to be in regular contact with your faculty advisor as you plan your schedule.
• Apply for admission to the Nursing Program as early as possible. The application is available on line at www.ncmich.edu/nursing.html. The deadline is December 1 of the year prior to anticipated fall entry. However, early submittal prior to the deadline gives the Nursing faculty more time to process a student’s application. You should continue to take any of the non-nursing course requirements and submit your Application for Admission to the Nursing Program in order to meet the December deadline. Admission decisions are made and communicated to applicants in April or May by the Nursing and Allied Health Department.

The nursing program is very demanding. It is strongly recommended that nursing students limit their outside employment to no more than 20 hours per week.

General Education Requirements: 23 Credit Hours

• ENG 111 - English Composition I (3 credit hours)
• ENG 112 - English Composition II (3 credit hours)

•  

• COM 111 - Speech (3 credit hours) or
• COM 170 - Interpersonal Communication (3 credit hours)

•  

• PSY 161 - Introduction To Psychology (3 credit hours)
• PSY 261 - Developmental Psychology (3 credit hours)

Science Requirements

• BIO 235 - General Anatomy & Physiology I (4 credit hours)
• BIO 236 - General Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credit hours)

Fall Semester 1st Year: 14 Credit Hours

• NUR 110 - Introduction To Health Concepts (10 credit hours) (7-5-4)
• NUR 130 - Health System Concepts (2 credit hours) (2-0-0)
• AH 116 - Math For Health Professionals (2 credit hours) (2-0-0)

Winter Semester: 13 Credit Hours

• NUR 150 - Health-Illness Concepts (5 credit hours) (3-0-6)
• NUR 170 - Holistic Health Concepts (5 credit hours) (3-0-6)
• AH 280 - Pharmacology (3 credit hours) (3-0-0)

Fall Semester 2nd Year: 11 Credit Hours

• NUR 210 - Family Health Concepts (5 credit hours) (3-0-6)
• NUR 230 - Acute Care Concepts (5 credit hours) (3-0-6)
• NUR 250 - Management Of Care Concepts (1 credit hour) (1-0-0)

Winter Semester: 11 Credit Hours

• NUR 270 - Complex Care Concepts (11 credit hours) (6-0-15)