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Nursing

If you enjoy helping people and want to make a real difference in patient care, consider a career in nursing.

Our ACEN-accredited nursing program prepares you for licensure as a registered nurse in a variety of health care settings. Your training will include nursing courses, hands-on practice in the nursing simulation laboratory, computer-assisted instruction and supervised clinical experiences. As a graduate of the program, you could enter a bachelor of science in nursing program as a junior or senior (depending on the pathway you choose) at a four-year university. You can learn more about the program below or in the Nursing Program Handbook.

Whether you want to work in a hospital, extended care center, home health care agency, physician office, mental health facilities, or other area of specialty, this program will open doors to many exciting career opportunities in the nursing field.

Mission Statement

SCC’s Nursing Program meets community needs by preparing graduates for entry-level practice in a variety of health care settings. The Nursing Program offers quality, student-centered education, emphasizing critical thinking skills, clinical reasoning, patient-centered care, and lifelong learning. Nursing students are provided with the opportunity to succeed in a supported environment that enhances individual and professional growth through academic, personal and professional development. Nursing graduates are well prepared to transfer their nursing degree credits in pursuit of their next step in their educational plan. The nursing program reflects SCC’s Mission in its support of a diverse community of adult learners.

Frequently Asked Questions

For questions regarding the program in general, visit our General Frequently Asked Questions page. For questions about accreditation, visit our Accreditation page. If you have questions about the admissions process, see our Frequently Asked Questions About Admissions PDF.

Spokane Community College Nursing End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes:

  • PROFESSIONALISM: The graduate will manage accountability and integrity while utilizing legal standards and ethical values that govern professional nursing practice.
  • COLLABORATION: The graduate will collaborate care with the patient, significant support systems, and other members of the healthcare team to achieve optimal patient and organizational outcomes.
  • CLINICAL DECISION MAKING: The graduate will integrate best current evidence-based practice and clinical judgment to ensure patient, staff, and system safety in a variety of healthcare settings.
  • CARING: The graduate will create partnerships with the patient as the source of control in providing compassionate care based on respect for the patient’s preferences, values, and needs.
  • MANAGEMENT OF CARE: The graduate will structure care based on principles of delegation, supervision, resource management, and information technology for patients in a variety of settings.

The Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP is a pathway for students to move from the community college to a university as a senior student.  This pathway allows for seamless progression to baccalaureate education.  A candidate for the Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree must complete 60 support nursing program credits and 75 core nursing program credits to be eligible for completion of this degree.  It's highly recommended that students meet with a counselor or academic advisor at SCC or SFCC on a regular basis to ensure that requirements for this program are being met.
 

  • Completion of the required nursing support courses does not ensure admission into the Nursing program.
  • Students must complete all the nursing required support courses prior to starting the nursing program.  Students may apply to the nursing program after completing 45 credits.  The courses that must be completed prior to application are:  BIOL& 160, CHEM& 121, BIOL& 241, BIOL& 242, BIOL& 260, ENGL& 101, PSYC& 100, PSYC& 200, and MATH& 146.  The remaining 15 credits may be taken while waiting for acceptance to the program.  Acceptance will be conditional if all required nursing support courses are not completed prior to the start of the nursing program.
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all nursing support courses with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in each nursing support course is required to move to the competitive scoring process. Only nursing support courses will be considered in the calculation of the GPA.
  • Completion of the DTA will satisfy requirements for direct transfer with only one additional year of study to complete the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at four-year institutions in Washington State. Please double-check the college requirements with any other school to ensure they accept the direct transfer agreement. It is highly recommended that students meet with a counselor or academic advisor to ensure the college they choose does not have additional requirements.
  • Admissions to the Nursing program is competitive and based on a panel interview, as well as a completed application packet that includes required support courses GPA, additional math, science, and healthcare-related course work. Applicants may include completion of 96 hours volunteerism in healthcare for additional application points.  For further information please refer to the nursing program admission requirements as they may have changed.  https://scc.spokane.edu/What-to-Study/Healthcare/Nursing

Breaking Ground on Your Pathway


Prepare for College-level Math

Math placement is required for this program. If your math placement is below MATH& 146, you’ll need to take the following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 48 → MATH 87 → MATH 88 → MATH& 146

Prepare for College-level English

English placement is required for this program. If your English placement is below ENGL& 101, you’ll need to take following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 36 → AE 46 and 47 (taken together) → AE 67 → ENGL 99 → ENGL& 101 → ENGL& 102

Plan Your Courses

Meet with our counselors to customize this plan just for you. You can also search the quarterly schedule for class days and times.

Program Map for

Print/Download

Choose program map:

Total Courses Credits: 60

Total Program Credits: 75

Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&160
General Biology with Lab   1
5
ENGL&101
English Composition I  
5
MATH&146
Introduction to Statistics   1
5
Total Credits
 
15

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&260
Microbiology   1
5
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
ENGL&102
Composition II  
5
Total Credits
 
15

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&241
Human A & P 1   1
5
HUM& 101
Introduction to Humanities   5
5
PSYC&100
General Psychology  
5
Total Credits
 
15

Fourth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL&242
Human A & P 2   1
5
CHEM&121
Introduction to Chemistry with Lab   6
5
PSYC&200
Lifespan Psychology  
5
Total Credits
 
15

NOTE: You must apply and be accepted into the program before taking the following courses


Program Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
NURS 101
Foundational Principles in Nursing  
3
NURS 102
Application of Foundational Principles in Nursing  
5
NUTR 251
Nutrition in Healthcare  
5
Total Credits
 
13

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
NURS 104
Nursing Care of Patients Across the Lifespan  
3
NURS 105
Application of Nursing Care of Patients Across the Lifespan  
5
NURS 106
PSYC 106/Psychosocial Issues in Healthcare I   2
2
NURS 110
Pharmacology in Nursing Practice  
2
Total Credits
 
12

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
NURS 113
PSYC 113/Psychosocial Issues in Healthcare II   3
3
NURS 133
Care of the Developing Family  
3
NURS 134
Application of Care of the Developing Family  
2
NURS 138
Care of the Mental Health Patient  
3
NURS 139
Application of Care of the Mental Health Patient  
2
Total Credits
 
13

Fourth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
NURS 181
Nursing Care of the Acute Patient  
4
NURS 182
Application of Nursing Care of the Acute Patient  
5
NURS 202
PHIL 202/Ethics and Policy in Healthcare I   4
3
Total Credits
 
12

Fifth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
NURS 205
Nursing Care of the Critically Ill Patient  
5
NURS 206
Application of Nursing Care of the Critically Ill Patient  
6
NURS 207
PHIL 207/Ethics and Policy in Healthcare II   4
2
Total Credits
 
13

Sixth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
NURS 208
Capstone Experience in Nursing  
6
NURS 209
Leadership Principles in Nursing Care  
4
NURS 210
Simulation in Nursing Practices  
2
Total Credits
 
12

1 This required support course must have been completed within the last five years with a 2.5 grade or higher. Because of the number of applicants for this program, the completion of all required support courses does not ensure the admission into the program at the next available quarter.
2 This nursing course is also considered part of the 15 credits required in the Social Sciences discipline. This course is cross-listed with PSYC 106.
3 This nursing course is also considered part of the 15 credits required in the Social Sciences discipline. This course is cross-listed with PSYC 113.
4 This nursing course is also considered part of the 15 credits required in the Humanities discipline. This course is cross-listed with PHIL 202 and PHIL 207.
5 This course may be substituted with other courses from the Humanities distribution area of the AA/DTA (except Philosophy).
6 This required support course must have been completed within the last five years with a 2.5 grade or higher. This course may be substituted with a higher level Chemistry class.

Our nursing program is built on a standard of excellence. SCC has had a nursing program since 1946 with the introduction of a practical nurse program. The associate degree nursing program, which prepares the graduate for licensure as a registered nurse, began in 1970. Part of the success of the nursing program can be attributed to the fact that the students have access to a nursing practice laboratory, computer-assisted instruction, and a variety of excellent clinical settings. The campus Learning Resources Center provides a wealth of information for the student in the form of books, journals, DVDs, and electronic media. Students consistently practice the theories and skills learned in the classroom in the lab and in the clinical settings.

Estimated costs for completing this program

 
WA Resident
Non-Resident
International
Military Tuition Assistance Program
Tuition
$ 14,494
$ 18,708
$ 34,209
$ 11,420
Books
$ 150
$ 150
$ 150
$ 150
Course Fees
$ 2,239
$ 2,239
$ 2,239
$ 2,239
Institutional Fees
$ 1,120
$ 1,120
$ 1,120
$ 1,120
Total Costs
$ 18,002
$ 22,217
$ 37,717
$ 14,929

Costs for completing a degree or certificate can vary. For more information about costs, visit our How Much Does it Cost? page.

The Associate Degree Nursing program at Spokane Community College located in Spokane, Washington is accredited by the:
Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the associate nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.

The Spokane Community College Nursing Program is approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON).

Year Completion Rate Completed in 6 quarters (100% of Nursing Program length) NCLEX Pass Rate
2019 77% 82.5%
2020 85% 96.59%
2021 76.5% 93.42%
2022 68% 82.78%

The Spokane Community College nursing program meets the requirements for licensure in Washington State. The nursing program has not made a determination that the curriculum meets the requirements for licensure in any other state/jurisdiction. Please check with the state/jurisdiction where you hope to be licensed. 

Licensure Requirements by State (Resource is from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing):

To easily find professional nursing licensure requirements (RN, PN, and APRN programs), please click on the button below and select the states/jurisdictions where you want to know their professional licensure requirements.

Disclaimer: NCSBN has gathered this information from a variety of sources. Although NCSBN has made every effort to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information, NCSBN makes no warranties, express or implied, or representations as to the accuracy or reliability of this information. The information is fluid and evolving. Spokane Community College and NCSBN assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information contained in this resource.

Admission to the nursing program is a competitive admissions process. You will find more information about the competitive admission process by visiting the Admissions Process links. Once all pre-requisite requirements are met, please contact the Health Sciences counselor in SCC Building 1 to review your transcripts and be advised regarding the competitive admission scoring process.

Applications to the nursing program are generally accepted:

Note: If the dates listed above fall on a weekend or holiday, the applications will be accepted the following business day. 

Nursing Application Workshops

Join us via Zoom to learn the ins and outs of the SCC Nursing/DTA application. Choose one of the following sessions and send an inquiry to nursingapp@scc.spokane.edu for the meeting link and password:

  • Tuesday, March 12, from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

  • Wednesday, April 10, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Admissions Process

Please read the following information carefully so you fully understand the changes and what will be required as you apply to the SCC nursing program.

Program Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP at SCC the following outcomes are expected of the graduate:

Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP Pathway

SCC nursing faculty members believe there are varying levels of nursing practice that provide unique contributions to meet the health care needs of society. The Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree program builds on the practical nurse foundation, guiding the graduate to become a Registered Nurse. The curriculum allows each student to move from one level to the next including advancing to a Bachelor of Science, master's, or doctorate in nursing after graduation if the student desires.

In the nursing classes, the students have both supervised clinical experience and classroom theory. Students study introduction to nursing, medical-surgical nursing including gerontology and pediatrics, prenatal nursing, mental health nursing, and beginning management/leadership concepts. Required clinical rotation hours vary and may include early morning (6:00 AM), evening, and weekend hours one or two days per week.

In addition to the nursing classes, students take courses in biology, algebra, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, general psychology, lifespan psychology, English composition and liberal arts elective courses. Students must complete all required support courses with a 2.5 or better before applying to take the nursing core courses. Once all requirements are met, please contact the Health Sciences counselor in SCC Building 1 to review your transcripts and be advised regarding the competitive scoring process. Completion of required support courses with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or above and a minimum 2.5 grade in each course is required. Students are admitted to begin the nursing core courses fall and spring quarters. Students receive an Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP degree upon completion of the six quarters of the program.
 

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