2024-2025 Catalog

Nursing Associate of Applied Science

My Academic Plan

Courses are displayed to show the fastest path to your degree and should be completed in the order listed. This program functions as cohorts starting fall and spring semester of each academic year. If you have questions or concerns about your MAP, please see your Program Director or Academic Advisor.

Program Description

This program is designed for students desiring an AAS Degree in Nursing to enter the workforce. Students explore procedures to provide and manage care in various health care facilities. Students acquire skills and techniques to perform in acute care hospitals, long term care clinics, home health and health maintenance organizations. This program prepares students for a career as an entry-level registered nurse (RN) in a variety of health care settings. With an AAS degree in Nursing, students are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as a Registered Nurse. FRCC's nursing degree is approved by the Colorado Board of Nursing and the Accreditation Commission for the Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Learn more about this program.

What You Will Learn

Upon completion of the program you will be able to:
1.  Provide safe, quality, evidence-based, person-centered nursing care in a variety of healthcare settings to diverse patient populations across the lifespan
2.  Engage in critical thinking and clinical reasoning to make person-centered care decisions
3.  Implement quality measures to improve patient care
4.  Participate in collaborative relationships with members of the interdisciplinary team, the patient, and the patient’s support persons
5.  Use information management principles, techniques and systems, and patient care technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making
6.  Provide leadership in a variety of healthcare settings for diverse patient populations
7.  Assimilate professional, legal, and ethical guidelines in practice as a professional nurse
8.  Promote a culture of caring to provide holistic, compassionate, culturally-competent care

First Semester

BIO 1010Biology Foundations

2

PSY 2440Human Growth & Development: GT-SS3

3

ENG 1021 or ENG 1022 English Composition I or II (ENG 1021/22)

3

BIO 2101Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/Lab: GT-SC1

4

Total Credit Hours:12

BIO 1010: First 5 weeks      BIO 2101: Last 10 weeks

Semester Note:  First Semester courses are required to be successfully completed, and must be taken prior to applying to the Nursing program.

Second Semester

BIO 2104Microbiology w/Lab: GT-SC1

4

GT-AH or GT-SSAny GT-AH or GT-SS Course

3

HPR 1010 or HWE 1050 Dietary Nutrition (HPR 1010) or Human Nutrition (HWE 1050)

1

BIO 2102Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/Lab: GT-SC1

4

Total Credit Hours:12
Semester Note:  BIO 2104 and HPR 1010 or HWE 1050 must be in progress with a passing grade at time of application to the Nursing program. Final acceptance to the program is contingent on the successful completion of Prerequisites. You should complete the Nursing program application process prior to declaring as a nursing student and take Semester 3 through Semester 6 as a full-time nursing student.

Third Semester

NUR 1009Fundamentals of Nursing

6

NUR 1012Basic Concepts of Pharmacology

2

BIO 2116Pathophysiology

4

NUR 1001Pharmacology Calculations

1

Total Credit Hours:13

Fourth Semester

NUR 1006Medical Surgical Nursing Concepts

7

NUR 1050Maternal Child Nursing

6

Total Credit Hours:13

Semester Note:  If you are completing Transition into Practical Nursing (NUR 1069) and the first year of the Nursing program, you may apply for the NCLEX® exam for Practical Nursing licensure. NUR 1069 is not offered every semester. Please check with the Program Director for more information.

If you have successfully completed a Practical Nursing program, you may apply to participate in the LPN to Nursing AAS degree completion option. Final acceptance is contingent on the successful completion of Prerequisites. You may also need to complete NUR 2002 for 3 credits prior to being accepted into this completion option. Please check with the Program Director for more information.

Fifth Semester

NUR 2006Advanced Concepts of M/S Nursing I

6.5

NUR 2012Pharmacology II

2

NUR 2011Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

4

Total Credit Hours:12.5

Sixth Semester

NUR 2016Advanced Concepts of M/S Nursing II

5

NUR 2030Transition to Professional Nursing Practice

4

Total Credit Hours:9

Total Credit Hours: 71.5

Important Program Notes:

You must complete a minimum of 71.5 credits and be enrolled as a full-time nursing student in Semester 3 to fulfill the requirements of this degree.

LPN to Nursing AAS Degree Completion Option: Once accepted, you will be awarded 21 credits of block transfer credit for your completed LPN certificate. You must also either transfer in or successfully complete the 29 credits from the general education courses listed in Semesters 1, 2, and 3, and the 21.5 credits of remaining Nursing coursework found in Semesters 5 and 6 to fulfill the 71.5 credit requirement of this degree. You may need to complete NUR 2002 for 3 credits prior to being accepted into this completion option. If this course is needed, it will increase required credits to 74.5 credits.

If receiving financial aid, you should only take courses and credits required for this degree.

Contact an advisor regarding your scheduling needs and to monitor degree completion progress.